I believe most people, if not all, are afraid of snakes. Unless one is a snake charmer, the sight of a snake would instinctively bring terror in our hearts. Though some would even make a pet out of these reptiles, most of us would still find it hard to get near tamed or caged snakes. But what I cannot understand is why even just the mere mention of “snake” would make my 31-year old buddy scream the hell out of his lungs. I found it a bit amusing at first. But when he kept being unreasonably afraid about it, it was then that I knew it was a serious source of fear, for him at least. Seeing his flushed face, goosebumps, and the uncontrolled shivering made me look for more information about what was exactly causing his extraordinary fear of snakes..
Ophidiophobia or the fear of snakes does not only refer to the fear of actual contact with live snakes but also even without live encounter such as seeing them in pictures, on tv or just the thought or mention of snakes would cause a full blown anxiety attack.
Phobia and Anxiety
We fear something because we sense imminent danger. And if the fear is valid, sometimes it helps us avoid the danger that is bound to happen. Our fear of getting scorched keeps us from touching anything hot or burning. Such fear is good. But irrational fear, also known as phobia, is something that becomes excessive and unreasonable. It is not just a petty quirk about food, person, or situations but a persistent, troublesome fear. It could be about something very real or simply a product of one’s wild imagination. But when situations are getting out of hand, has interfered with living a daily normal life, and is already beyond one’s control, it’s about time that the problem is addressed.
All of us have experienced to be anxious whenever we are faced with stressful activities, problematic situations or traumatic events. Anxiety is our body’s natural reaction when face with a challenging situation or threat. However, if anxiety is keeping you from living a normal life, it becomes anxiety disorder
Ophidiophobia may be experienced by both children and adults alike. And adults who realize that such fear is irrational may actually consider facing their fears. However, the thought of conquering the fear oftentimes bring them severe anxiety. Some are even so wrapped up with their phobia that they wouldn’t want to give it up.
Treatment
Common phobias, like fear of snakes, would seldom cause a disruption on your normal daily function as compared to severe phobia such as claustrophobia or the fear of being in confined spaces which can be an occupational problem when you are working in a small office.
The most frequently used treatment for ophidiophobia involves re-programming your subconscious, which entails the “de-listing” of all the fear patterns stored in your memory. According to psychiatrists, this procedure is called Hypnotherapy, a scientifically sound technique used to decrease in symptoms of ophidiophobia.