Stupidest thing that I've seen this week.

[ForeverAutumn]

This is actually second to the five guys who weren't wearing seatbelts when their car flipped on the highway...but that's another story.

I was surfing the internets and looking for treatments for my arachnophobia. A Google search brought up a list of sites. About half of them have pictures of spiders on their site.

Tell me, how is an arachnophobe supposed to read about your treatment centre when they can't even look at the page. That's like advertising a treatment for fear of flying in an in-plane magazine. No-one who is truly afraid of flying is ever going to see it.

Idiots!

[kexodusc]

Wow...that bad you need treatment huh? I hate those creepy crawling suckers, but I never sought external help. I do find the best treatments to be:
1) heel of shoe or boot
2) broom with long handle
3) full can of Raid

Good point though - same guys must run the Acrophobia Treatment Centre on Young St, Wittington tower, 22nd Floor...

[ForeverAutumn]

Wow...that bad you need treatment huh? I hate those creepy crawling suckers, but I never sought external help. I do find the best treatments to be:
1) heel of shoe or boot
2) broom with long handle
3) full can of Raid

Good point though - same guys must run the Acrophobia Treatment Centre on Young St, Wittington tower, 22nd Floor...

There was a little tiny spider hanging from the roof of my car last week and I almost ran off the road...I decided it was time to get help. I know that people make fun of me and think that it's a joke, but there's a difference between not liking something and being so afraid of it that you unconsciously shift into flight mode in its presence. While all of your solutions are good ones Kex, the problem is that they all require getting too close. Although, I have used a broom on occassion. But only after paralyzing the creature with hair spray first so that it can't run away. BWAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAA.

I wonder if that Acrophobia Treatment Centre also treats Claustrophobia. That would be a fun elevator ride!

[GMichael]

Seems a little stupid, but not entirely unexpected at the same time. After all, it is about spiders.
Have you thought of getting a book on them and forcing yourself to look at the pics? Could make it easier to see them in person. (not that I have any clue. just thought of the old facing your fears thing)

[Rich-n-Texas]

...Although, I have used a broom on occassion. But only after paralyzing the creature with hair spray first so that it can't run away. BWAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAA....

We need more women around this joint!

[Auricauricle]

Really not bad advice, GM.....

The kind of treatment that the center is providing is called exposure therapy, which “exposes” the feared object to the person being treated incrementally. The progression may begin with short, inconsequential discussion about the stimulus (in this case, spiders) and progress with increasing detail until a live spider is produced. All the while, the person being treated is being exposed, with discussions becoming more detailed, and techniques being taught in how to handle one’s perception and reaction to the topic. For instance, if, during the course of discussion, you began to feel nauseated or panicky, you would be instructed to back away from the discussion, take a few deep breaths until you felt better, and resume as before. The pairing of the undesirable object with something pleasurable conflict with each other in a way to short circuit your associations with the object.

The fact that you sought out the information suggests that you have a certain comfort level with spiders already. Your discussing them in the detail you have described already gives evidence that your viewing of the website’s photo may have been unpleasant, but certainly not to the extent that you were unable to handle it.

Knowing this, back away from it, put on some good music that you listen to when you just wanna chill in the hot-tub, and think occasional thoughts about a spider. Just a fleeting thought, like “Gee, Aa really is full of sheep. What does he know about spiders?” and continue with increasing dialog and images. Remind yourself that you are in complete control, and as you feel the heebie-jeebies come up do what you do to feel better (take a breath, make your body tight and relax it, or whatever). If the image is so unpleasant you think your going to lose control, close your eyes tight and say aloud, “Stop it!” with as much conviction as you can muster. Then, when you feel like trying again, start as before, but at a point where the images are comfortable and safe, but headed in the direction where you want to see progress.

I’ll send you the bill in the morning…..

BTW: That snapshot on the webpage seems almost a cheap gimmick to reel folks in....

[ForeverAutumn]

The fact that you sought out the information suggests that you have a certain comfort level with spiders already. Your discussing them in the detail you have described already gives evidence that your viewing of the website’s photo may have been unpleasant, but certainly not to the extent that you were unable to handle it.

Nope. Those were the web sites that I closed right away. Never read them.

I’ll send you the bill in the morning…..

Bill? I'm in Canada eh. Universal health care baby!

Does anyone have any experience with hypnosis? Has anyone tried it to quit smoking or lose weight or anything like that?

[Auricauricle]

I'll take a good Canadian beer any day, eh. Hoser....

I don't believe in hypnosis....That's why I'm plugged into this 'ere computer....Mmmmm

[GMichael]

Nope. Those were the web sites that I closed right away. Never read them.



Bill? I'm in Canada eh. Universal health care baby!

Does anyone have any experience with hypnosis? Has anyone tried it to quit smoking or lose weight or anything like that?

Maybe you should try to read through it again when you're feeling better or more up to it.

I bought several tapes that were supposed to hypnosis me into playing better pool. Although they were filled with great advice, I was never really hypnosis. Since they were tapes, I was able to play them over and over until the advice became second nature anyhow.
I looked into a hypnotist but a 30 minute session was in the order of $1000. Pass on that thanks.

AA,

What's with all the great advice? Should we be joking around and posting pics of spiders?
Sorry FA. No spider pics today from me.

[Auricauricle]

Hey, ya know, I tot it twaz a fair question.....











'Sides, I kinda like the li'l critters! Somebody's gotta make a stand fer 'em.