Not all phobias are incomprehensible to us and it is true that sometimes we confuse repulsion with a phobic disorder. It is the case of spiders, for example, that not everyone who claims to suffer from arachnophobia really suffers from it, but rather it is just a disgust or disgust towards the animal. The same goes for ophidiophobia, that fear of snakes that so many people have ever felt.
What is a phobia of snakes?
Ophidiophobia is the fear of snakes and it is a very common specific phobia throughout the world. Ophidiophobia should not be confused with the fear or repulsion of snakes, which is still much more frequent. Certainly, this is not one that you would choose as a pet.
You can know if you have ophidiophobia or not if you stop to think about your reactions to the sight of an animal of this type. You can get nervous, you can look away, you can make a disgusted gesture or, if you are watching it on TV, you can even change the channel and that does not mean that you suffer from ophidiophobia.
How ophidiophobia shows itself?
If you suffer from this phobia, your reactions will be excessive. Ophidiophobia manifests itself with the same symptoms as anxiety, such as dizziness, vomiting, chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, or confusion. At what time? The moment you have a snake in front of you, you imagine it or see it in a photograph or on television.
In addition to the physical symptoms, ophidiophobia triggers other cognitive symptoms that can be very dangerous, such as obsessive thoughts, fatalistic thoughts, distortion of reality, and repetition of unpleasant mental images. And, of course, that fear that makes you try to avoid the stimulus (the snake) by all means.
Causes of fear of snakes
Like most phobias, the causes can be varied. Generally, ophidiophobia arises as a consequence of an anxiety disorder in which fears arise when the mind is subjected to so much pressure. Other times, the phobia develops from having lived through a traumatic experience with snakes.
But in the case of ophidiophobia we find one more cause and that can be evolutionary. Being afraid and being alert to a dangerous situation is a natural and healthy reaction and snakes are still animals that carry a certain danger. In addition, the cultural context with all the negative aspects to which these animals are associated, does not help to rationalize that could be genetic.
How to overcome the terror of these reptiles?
Phobias can be overcome, of course, but it’s not something we can do on our own. Psychological help is essential to detect the origin of the phobia and prevent new from appearing in the future and for this it is the professional who is in charge of choosing the most appropriate therapy.
The most widely used to treat all kinds of phobias is cognitive behavioral therapy, which goes directly to the thoughts that cause fear and in this way behavior can be modified. Avoiding the stimulus is the most natural reaction, but it is not always the healthiest.
In any case, and due to the close relationship between phobias and anxiety, it is always recommended to promote inner calm with relaxation, meditation or Mindfulness exercises.