Caroline Deacon
Journalist and author based in Scotland, UK

Scuttle and slither....

Snakes and spiders are the most disliked animals in our culture. The overwhelming majority of those who confess to being afraid of them are women, some of whom develop crippling phobias. Yet in Britain, snake or spider bites are extremely rare, and even in the parts of the world where venomous species are prevalent, there are few deaths. So why is this fear and loathing so widespread?

Caroline Deacon investigates.

It is often claimed that fear of spiders and snakes is instinctive; a survival mechanism inherited from ancestors who lived with venomous species. Yet young children often show mere curiosity (probably why they are the commonest bite victims), implying that the fear has to be learnt. However acquired, these feelings have no basis in reality. No British spider is capable of inflicting a mortal blow. British snakes are rare, and being naturally shy creatures, would avoid contact with humans. Even if you were unlucky enough to be bitten, it would be unlikely to prove fatal. Statistically we would do better to fear cars, but knowing about road deaths does not cause us to react with terror at the sight of the average Ford Escort.

Another reason to argue that the fears are not instinctive is that they don’t always exist in other cultures. In many countries, snakes are actively encouraged, keeping rodents away from grain stores. Our Judaeo-Christian heritage is unique in representing the snake as evil, the devil incarnate. In Britain, myths about snakes usually involve their banishment. Some of our saints’ beatitude stems from overcoming serpents. (E.g.: St Keyne from Keynsham in Avon; St Hilda at Eskdale, near Whitby; St Birinus in Dorchester).

In most parts of the world, spiders are recognised as being incredibly useful in controlling flies, and are often encouraged to build webs in houses. Even the perception of spiders as loathsome creatures in our own culture seems to be fairly recent. In the middle ages they were used medicinally - webs were used to staunch the flow of blood, and spiders, living and dead, were prescribed as tonics. Little Miss Muffet in fact may well have been the first arachnophobe - perhaps with justification. Reverend Thomas Moufett (1553-1604) fed his daughter Patience ground-up spiders with the same zeal as we might encourage our own offspring to eat their greens. Spiders are eaten as a delicacy in many parts of the world; their bodies are 60% protein, only 10% fat, with a rich mineral and vitamin element.

Perhaps our feelings about spiders relate to our modern obsession with dirt and germs. Spiders’ webs have become associated in our culture with dirty homes. (Just think how often they appear in cartoons of deserted houses or outbuildings).

So it seems that our attitude towards spiders and snakes is inherited from our culture, not our ancestors. Children learn to fear spiders and snakes from the adults around them, or from nursery rhymes like Little Miss Muffet. Storybook snakes are deceitful, and negative expressions are embedded in our language - consider expressions such as “snake in the grass”, “speaking with forked tongues”, “web of corruption”, “what a tangled web we weave” etc. Adult films use spiders and snakes to create suspense - consider the snake pit in films like Indiana Jones; remember any James Bond film where our hero is menaced in his bed by these stealthy creatures.

It is perhaps not surprising, then, that we fear these little creatures. Most of us live with our feelings, but for others, fear can develop into a phobia, which can restrict everyday life. The phobia may have started with panic attacks, perhaps caused by an unexpected and alarming encounter with the creature. Untreated, these can panic attacks can lead to full blown phobia. For the arachnophobe, for instance, it can mean not entering a room until it has been thoroughly checked for spiders. Phobics don’t always remain anxious about just one object, they may develop more generalised fears, leading them to become agoraphobic. They become house-bound, afraid to go out in case they have a panic attack.

Self-help books are useful for the mildly anxious or those beginning to have panic attacks. They contain action plans involving positive re-education and gradual accustomisation. Progress may be slow, and it is worth keeping a diary for encouragement. For those whose phobias are crippling, the first step should be to approach your GP or relevant organisation (see below) and ask what help is available in your area.

Treatments that may be offered include: -

• Drug therapy (anti-depressants). This may help you deal with the feelings, but will not help you overcome them. Can be useful in giving you courage to tackle therapy programmes.
• Psychotherapy - combination of coping techniques such as relaxation, self-hypnosis, together with cognitive therapy - working on your thought processes to change your reactions.
• Desensitisation - gradually becoming familiar with the phobic object. You might start by talking about spiders, then progress to looking at pictures, and so on. The final step in a lengthy process would be being able to hold a spider without fear. A new treatment from Michigan, USA now at London Zoo uses “virtual reality” spiders for desensitisation.

Contacts:-

PAX - (Panic attacks, phobias and anxiety disorders.) Send two second class stamps to:-
4 Manor Brook, Blackheath, London SE3 9AW. Information and advice about  professional or self- help. Tel: 0181 318 5026.
The Phobics Society - national, membership based organisation. Counselling and hypnotherapy. Tel: 0161 881 1937.

Useful self-help publications

Overcoming Fears and Phobias - Dr Tony Whitehead. Sheldon Press £3.99
Anxiety, Phobias and Panic Attacks Elaine Sheehan. Element Books £4.99
Mastering Phobias Richard Stern. Penguin £6.99

Positive images for children include Charlotte’s Web by E B White, Eric Carle’s The Very Busy Spider, and the BBC’s video Spider!

© Caroline Deacon
article first appeared in Home and Country Aug 98