{{Two other uses|the fear of spiders|the 1990 movie|Arachnophobia (film)}}
[[Image:Little Miss Muffet 2 - WW Denslow - Project Gutenberg etext 18546.jpg|225px|thumb|Sometimes, even an object resembling a spider can trigger a panic attack in an arachnophobic individual. The above cartoon is a depiction of the nursery rhyme "[[Little Miss Muffet]]", in which the title character is "frightened away" by a spider.]]

'''Arachnophobia''' or '''arachnephobia''' (from the {{lang-el|ἀράχνη}}, ''[[arachne|aráchnē]]'', "spider" and {{lang|el|φόβος}}, ''[[phobia|phóbos]]'', "fear") is a [[specific phobia]], the fear of [[spider]]s and other [[arachnid]]s such as [[scorpion]]s.<ref>Heather Hatfield. [http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/fear-factor-phobias "The Fear Factor: Phobias"]. webmd.com</ref>

The reactions of arachnophobics are often irrational  (though not all arachnophobics acknowledge this irrationality). It is one of the most common specific phobias,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.phobias-help.com/Common_Phobia.html | title = A Common Phobia | accessdate = 2009-08-02 | publisher = phobias-help.com | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5ijWR89tc | archivedate = 2009-08-02 | quote = There are many common phobias, but surprisingly, the most common phobia is arachnophobia.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://phobias.about.com/od/introductiontophobias/a/arachnophobia.htm | title = Spider Fears or Arachnophobia | accessdate = 2009-08-02 | author = Lisa Fritscher | date = 2009-06-03 | work = Phobias | publisher = About.com | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5ijWgAjUW | archivedate = 2009-08-02 | quote = Arachnophobia, or fear of spiders, is one of the most common specific phobias.}}</ref> and some statistics show that 50% of women and 10% of men show symptoms.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://10-most-common-phobias.com/common-phobias-home/10-most-common-phobias | title = The 10 Most Common Phobias&nbsp;— Did You Know? | accessdate = 2009-08-02 | publisher = 10 Most Common Phobias | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5ijXFN004 | archivedate = 2009-08-02 | quote = Probably the most recognized of the 10 most common phobias, arachnophobia is the fear of spiders. The statistics clearly show that more than 50% of women and 10% of men show signs of this leader on the 10 most common phobias list.}}</ref> It may be an exaggerated form of an [[instinct]]ive response that helped early humans to survive,<ref>{{cite book
| author=Friedenberg, J., and Silverman, G. | title=Cognitive Science: An Introduction to the Study of Mind
| publisher=SAGE | year=2005 | isbn=1-4129-2568-1 |pages=244–245
| url=http://books.google.com/?id=wGti6_4Qn_QC&pg=PA244&dq=Arachnophobia
| accessdate= 2008-10-11
}}</ref> or a cultural phenomenon that is most common in predominantly European societies.<ref>{{cite journal
| author=Davey, G.C.L.
| title=The "Disgusting" Spider: The Role of Disease and Illness in the Perpetuation of Fear of Spiders
| journal=Society and Animals | volume=2 | issue=1 | year=1994 | pages=17–25 | doi=10.1163/156853094X00045
}}</ref>

The [[fear processing in the brain|fear]] of spiders can be treated by any of the general techniques suggested for specific phobias. As with all phobias, the strength of the associations means the individual must not actively pursue the consequences, and outsiders should not in any way undermine and "play" with the phobia in the meantime.

==Symptoms and effect==
People with arachnophobia tend to feel [[anxiety|uneasy]] in any area they believe could harbor spiders or that has visible signs of their presence, such as [[spider web|webs]]. If arachnophobics see a spider, they may not enter the general vicinity until they have overcome the [[panic attack]] that is often associated with their phobia. Some people [[Vociferation|scream]], [[cry]], have trouble breathing, have excessive [[sweating]] or even heart trouble when they come in contact with an area near spiders or their webs. In some extreme cases, even a [[picture]] or a realistic drawing of a spider can also trigger fear.

Arachnophobia can be triggered by the mere thought of a spider or even by a picture of a spider in some cases. Some arachnophobics will, on entering a room, search it for a spider. If they find one they will monitor its progress very thoroughly. Others will do all in their power to distract themselves to avoid seeing the spider.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fear of Spiders - Arachnophobia|url=http://www.disabled-world.com/health/neurology/phobias/arachnophobia.php#ixzz1zuUsTTTr|date=January 18, 2009|publisher=Disabled World}}</ref>

==Evolutionary reason==
An evolutionary reason for the phobias, such as arachnophobia, [[claustrophobia]], [[fear of snakes]] or [[Fear of mice|mice]], etc. remains unresolved. One view, especially held in [[evolutionary psychology]], is that the presence of venomous spiders led to the evolution of a fear of spiders or made acquisition of a fear of spiders especially easy. Like all traits, there is variability in the intensity of fears of spiders, and those with more intense fears are classified as phobic. Spiders, for instance, being relatively small, don’t fit the usual criterion for a threat in the [[animal|animal kingdom]] where size is a factor, but nearly all species are [[Venom (poison)|venomous]], and although rarely dangerous to humans, some species are dangerous.

Arachnophobes will spare no effort to make sure that their whereabouts are spider-free, hence they would have had a reduced risk of being bitten in ancestral environments. Therefore, arachnophobes may possess a slight advantage over non-arachnophobes in terms of survival. However, this theory is undermined by the disproportional fear of spiders in comparison to other, potentially dangerous creatures<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://courses.washington.edu/evpsych/spiders%20are%20special%20-%20EHB%202009.pdf|year=2009|doi=10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2008.08.005|title=Spiders are special: fear and disgust evoked by pictures of arthropods|last1=Gerdes|first1=Antje B.M.|last2=Uhl|first2=Gabriele|last3=Alpers|first3=Georg W.|journal=Evolution and Human Behavior|volume=30|pages=66}}</ref> that were present during ''Homo sapiens'' [[Evolutionary psychology#Environment of evolutionary adaptedness|environment of evolutionary adaptiveness]]. Studies with crickets have shown that a fear of spiders can develop before birth.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35459615/ns/technology_and_science-science/|title=Fear of spiders can develop before birth |date=2010-02-18|publisher=MSNBC|accessdate=19 February 2010}}</ref>

Scientists suspect humans may be [[born]] with a fear of spiders and [[snakes]], which are healthy phobias that improve the odds of [[survival]] in the wild.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} It's not known how such an inborn fear might develop, however. Now researchers have proven that unborn [[cricket (insect)|cricket]]s can gain a fear of spiders based on their mother's harrowing experiences.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} In humans, research also suggests the widespread fear of spiders and [[snakes]] (arachnophobia and ophidiophobia, respectively) may be innate. A study in 2008 found that both adults and children could detect images of snakes or spiders among a variety of non-threatening objects more quickly than they could pinpoint [[frog]]s, [[flower]]s or [[caterpillar]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fear of Spiders Can Develop Before Birth|url=http://www.livescience.com/9808-fear-spiders-develop-birth.html|date=February 18, 2010|publisher=Live Science}}</ref>

==Culture==
In the [[Dark Ages (historiography)|Dark Ages]] spiders were commonly considered to be a source of contamination of food and water.

The alternative view is that the dangers, such as from spiders, are overrated and not sufficient to influence evolution. Instead, inheriting phobias would have restrictive and debilitating effects upon survival, rather than being an aid. For some communities such as in [[Papua New Guinea]] and [[South America]] (except [[Chile]], [[Colombia]], [[Brazil]], [[Uruguay]], [[Argentina]] and [[Bolivia]]), spiders are included in traditional foods. This suggests arachnophobia may be a cultural, rather than genetic trait.
In western societies as many as 55% of females and 18% of males are estimated to experience arachnophobia.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://webs.wichita.edu/depttools/depttoolsmemberfiles/psychology/publications/Wagener%20&%20Zettle%20Paper.pdf |title=Targeting Fear of Spiders With Control-, Acceptance-, and Information-Based Approaches|author=Wagener, Alexandra L. and Zettle, Robert D. |year=2011|journal=The Psychological Record|volume= 61|issue=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Fears, Phobias, and Preparedness: Toward an Evolved Module of Fear and Fear Learning|url=http://instruct.uwo.ca/psychology/371g/Ohman2001.pdf|pmid=11488376|year=2001|last1=Ohman|first1=A|last2=Mineka|first2=S|volume=108|issue=3|pages=483–522|journal=Psychological review|doi=10.1037/0033-295X.108.3.483}}</ref>

==Treatment==
Arachnophobia affects 3.5 to 6.1 percent of the population.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Schmitt|first1=WJ|last2=Müri|first2=RM|year=2009|title=Neurobiologie der Spinnenphobie|journal=Schweizer Archiv für Neurologie|volume=160|issue=8|pages=352-355|url=http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=22276624}}</ref> The first line of treatment is [[systematic desensitization]] – also known as [[exposure therapy]] – which was first described by South African Psychiatrist [[Joseph Wolpe]].<ref>{{cite pmid|13786444|noedit}}</ref> In addition [[beta blockers]], [[serotonin reuptake inhibitors]] and [[benzodiazepines|sedatives]] are used in the treatment of phobias.<ref>{{cite web|title=Phobia Treatments and drugs|url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/phobias/DS00272/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs|publisher=Mayo Clinic}}</ref>

Before engaging in systematic desensitization it is common to train the individual with arachnophobia in relaxation techniques. Systematic desensitization can be done in vivo (with live spiders) or by getting the individual to imagine situations involving spiders, then modelling interaction with spiders for the person affected and eventually interacting with real spiders. This technique can be effective in just one session.<ref>{{cite pmid|2914000|noedit}}</ref> The discovery of the implication of  [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263393/ N-methyl-D-aspartate in fear and fear extintion] has led to the use of D-[[cycloserine]]—originally developed as an antibiotic—to [http://article.psychiatrist.com/dao_1-login.asp?ID=10008024&RSID=77252057935172 augment the results of therapy].

Recent advances in technology have enabled the use of virtual or augmented reality spiders for use in therapy. These techniques have proven to be effective.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bouchard|first1=S.|last2=Côté|first2=S.|last3=St-Jacques|first3=J.|last4=Robillard|first4=G.|last5=Renaud|first5=P.|year=2006|title=Effectiveness of virtual reality exposure in the treatment of arachnophobia using 3D games|journal=Technology and Healthcare|volume=14|issue=1|pages=19-27|url=http://iospress.metapress.com/content/d4cga4lnvyrcg5qu/?genre=article&issn=0928-7329&volume=14&issue=1&spage=19}}</ref><ref>{{cite isbn|9789533075181|noedit}}</ref> There is an iOS app currently in development using games and augmented reality to treat arachnophobia.<ref>{{cite web|title=Phobia Free|url=http://www.virtually-free.com|publisher=Virtually Free}}</ref>

==Notable people with arachnophobia==
{{columns-list|3|
*[[Justin Timberlake]]<ref>{{cite web|title=What makes Justin Timberlake anxious?|url=http://www.celebrities-with-diseases.com/celebrities/what-makes-justin-timberlake-anxious-1912.html|date=December 27, 2009|publisher=Celebrities with diseases}}</ref>
*[[Kim Kardashian]]
*[[Kirsten Dunst]]
*[[Lady Leanie Coote-Scott]]
*[[Chloë Grace Moretz]]
*[[Rupert Grint]]
*[[Frank Iero]]
*[[Emma Stone]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Emma Stone does not like spiders|author=Oldenburg, A.|url=http://newyork.metromix.com/movies/article/emma-stone-does-not/3033625/content|newspaper=USA Today|date=April 4, 2012}}</ref>
*[[Jessica Simpson]]
*[[Phill Jupitus]]
*[[Andre Agassi]]
*[[Simon Pegg]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Simon Pegg conquers fear of spiders|url=http://www.ok.co.uk/celebrity-news/view/50129/Simon-Pegg-conquers-fear-of-spiders/%3C?=$html-%3Ewebroot?%3Ealex/|newspaper=OK!|date=June 8, 2012}}</ref>
*[[J.K Rowling]]<ref>{{cite news|title=J. K. Rowling Is Scared Of Spiders|url=http://www.boldsky.com/insync/2008/j-k-rowling-fear-spiders-051208.html|newspaper=boldsky|date=December 5, 2008}}</ref>
*[[Ricky Gervais]]
*[[Miranda Cosgrove]]
*[[Victoria Justice]]
*[[Matt Bellamy]]<ref>http://www.musewiki.org/Matthew_Bellamy's_arachnophobia</ref>{{better source|date=April 2013}}
*[[J.R.R Tolkien]]
*[[Peter Jackson]]
}}

==See also==
*[[Entomophobia]]
*[[Zoophobia]]
*[[Myrmecophobia]] (fear of [[ants]])
*[[Apiphobia]] (fear of [[bees]])

==References==
{{reflist|33em}}

==External links==
*{{cite journal | last1 = Stiemerling | first1 = D. | year = 1973 | title = Analysis of a spider and monster phobia | url = | journal = Z. Psychosom Med Psychoanal | volume = 1973 | issue = 4| pages = 327–45 }} {{de icon}}
*[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/10/1004_snakefears.html National Geographic: Fear of Spiders rooted in Evolution]

[[Category:Zoophobias]]
[[Category:Spiders]]
[[Category:Arachnids]]