If you're not arachnophobic, then you won't understand what I just went through!

Phemar · Thu 01/09/2005 13:48:22

Well ... There I am, innocent as always, typing away at new code for a project; Blissfully unaware of the horror that lurks just above my head. I finish my code, lift up my arms and lay them behind my head to rest. I am happy. The code works, it runs. I look around and take a breather. There's nothing like stale air to cool you off after a session at the PC. My eyes float upwards, upwards to the infernal being that rests its weary soul on my wall, and I fall out my chair; Yes, fall out my chair.
If you have any sort of phobia or have ever had any sort of phobia then you can understand the extreme terror that wells up inside as you gaze at a beast such as this. Yes, I know there are some spider pacifists out there who permanently tell you and anyone who'll listen (and even if they don't listen, they talk anyway) about the peaceful nature of the arachnid, but that's not the point! The fact is, I have a phobia and to some that may be a sign of weakness, but I can't help it. It's not like I have control over the fact that I'm scared shitless of a humoungous demon that has arrived straight out of the fiery depths of hell. Anyway, back to the story:
So there I am, gazing up my fiendish fiend, for what else a fiend but fiendish? It's a war of wills - my heart pounding my ribcage out, my short, staccatoed breaths readying my lungs for popping - while my adversary, ignorant of my personal vendetta, retains his cool. This is part where I start to freak out, I mean like, I totally lose it. I sprint for the door, slam it open and ram it shut behind me. I think. I breath. I think clearer. I breath again. I think of it's legs; it's horrific pole-legs. I think of it's head; those razor-sharp pincers. I think of it's ability to move; swift like the wind, and I freak out again.
"What if it moves? What if there's more of them? WHAT IF IT MOVES, MAN???" I think, nearly hysterical. Inquisitive, but by no means intending to get too close, I edge open the door. Sweat is dripping from my forehead now, and I see the beast again, perched in it's roost on my wall.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, that's essentially how I stay for the rest of my afternoon: Entranced by my own predator.

Here's a picture I managed to snap of the beast:

(it's bad res because I took it from very far away!)

DragonRose · Thu 01/09/2005 14:00:53

Oh god... I know exactly what you went through. I'm phobic of just about any kind of bug, spiders included. I also happen to have a Dad that is fascinated by them. He loves showing off the newest bug he's found, completely forgetting that I'll be scared out of my wits.

The most recent time he came to see me perform at the local renaissance faire and found a tree full of cicadas (eeeeeew...) and picked one off to show whoever would look. I was the first person he found. I ended up having to run through the faire to hide backstage and have hysterics.

Paper Carnival · Thu 01/09/2005 14:04:55

To me it's not just spiders... It's almost all insects. I know they're not going to eat me, I know they're the ones who should be scared of me, but I just can't help it. I'm even scared to step on them sometimes.

I'm also scared of heights. But I love mice, I think they're cute.

SSH · Thu 01/09/2005 14:05:40

I dont like to handle the things but they dont bother me if they're minding there own business up a wall or something. However, my wife inisists on me coming and removing them if she sees one. But then thats what dustbusters were invented for.

jetxl · Thu 01/09/2005 14:21:59

I'm not afraid of spiders, spiders are afraid of me. Try waving your hand above a spider and it will run away.

The other day I wanted to walk up the stairs to my room when I saw this huge spider on the wall. I didn't saw it when I walked down, but it might have moved. I wanted to leave it alone and pass it, but my manly hunter instinct kicked in and killed it with a large towel.

Kweepa · Thu 01/09/2005 14:22:26

SSH, I'm not sure that one would fit in a DustBuster. (Some scale, Zor?)
You could probably club the spider to death with it though.

Phemar · Thu 01/09/2005 14:48:56

Yeah scale is about 17 centimetres high (work it into inches yourselves, you lazy americans!

)

I'm totally cool with all other insects though (I actually make a habit of looking for them when we go camping) and I'm totally cool with scorpions and crabs etc. It's just these spider things scare the living heck outta me!

I'm starting to worry because I found a much smaller one in my kitchen -- I hope the thing hasn't bred or anything!

Agenda:
1. Fumigate house.
2. Do it again.
3. Third time lucky

Heh.

Ubel · Thu 01/09/2005 14:54:27

Quote from: Guybrush Peepwood on Thu 01/09/2005 14:04:55
To me it's not just spiders... It's almost all insects. I know they're not going to eat me, I know they're the ones who should be scared of me, but I just can't help it.

Just like me. Most of all bugs I'm afraid of wasps. Actually all flying bugs that have a sting. So I really understand what you might have felt at the moment, Zor.

Haddas · Thu 01/09/2005 15:47:05

Hehe. I live in SYMBIOSIS with the spiders.They've spun a net infront of my window, so I can keep it open in the warm summer days, without worrying about flies. I let them have all the food they want and not kill them or destroy their web, and they don't come inside my room. We have reached an agreement.

AlbinoPanther · Thu 01/09/2005 16:22:25

spiders, bugs they are all living creatures.Don't be scared of them cause only then they will atack.

friendship with nature that is our way of life.

Phemar · Thu 01/09/2005 16:25:33

Quote from: LJUBI on Thu 01/09/2005 16:22:25
spiders, bugs they are all living creatures.Don't be scared of them cause only then they will atack.

friendship with nature that is our way of life.

Quote from: Zor on Thu 01/09/2005 13:48:22
Yes, I know there are some spider pacifists out there who permanently tell you and anyone who'll listen (and even if they don't listen, they talk anyway) about the peaceful nature of the arachnid, but that's not the point!

It's not like I can help being arachnaphobic ...

Darth Mandarb · Thu 01/09/2005 16:48:33

I'm not a huge fan of spiders ... but I wouldn't say it's a phobia. Just a general dislike. I don't like anything that can so easily sneak up on me unawares.

I have an absolute phobia of ANYthing going near my eyes. It's completely instinctual and uncontrollable.

I can go near my eyes (rubbing, eye drops, etc) but that's it.

I had to go to the eye doctor one time and they had to physically strap me to the exam chair because I was totally unable to let them near my eyes. I hate it ... I feel like a weakling, but it's a fact either way!

Oh and Zor ... most of us "lazy" Americans are quite familiar with centimeters

(I happen to be an advocate of the metric system)

edmundito · Thu 01/09/2005 17:33:57

I have an uncontrollable phobia of losing my breath when there's a lot of blood coming out of my body. It sucks because I don't care, but I totally lose control of my breathing and I have a hard time healing myself.

Also, I hate bees. I'm not afraid of them, but I don't like being near them.

Spiders are cool, though.

Kweepa · Thu 01/09/2005 18:52:45

Damn you Straight Dope, for busting the old swallowing spiders in sleep myth!

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mspidereat.html

InCreator · Thu 01/09/2005 19:17:00

I'm not afraid of spiders, since they're quite tiny where I live, and also considered as lucky things to have living near home (sort of "bringing home and family luck" or similar), and only spider that really scared the shit out of me was in King's Quest III. The scariest AGI dying animation I've ever seen!

But I do have overall disgust and fear if it comes to all kind of bugs, especially wasps and other ones with potential to harm people.

I also have similar experience where terror crossed all limits: At my grandma's house, when it's autumn and rainy season, specific bugs totally conquer whole house. I don't know their name in english, but in latin, they're called Forficula auriculata, and Estonian name translates to something like "earfork". Sucker looks like this:

These bugs have been feared by people through ages, and people say that they drill into human's ear while it's sleeping, damaging inner ear and even brain. How much is it true, I'm not sure. But they do make little scratchy sound with their forks at their bottom. About 16mm long too, much like average european cockroach.

Anyway, they attack house when everything's getting wet, and gave me most horrid bug experience ever. Right, I was lying in bed, in dark room and watching TV.

TV was only light in room. Then I heard their sound, coming from upwards, looked at the ceiling and... ceiling was full of them, and they started falling into bed, right onto my pillow and blanket.

One fell into my face and I totally panicked. Next moment I was beating them off the bed with towel, and they grasped on towel, one running on it towards my arm. Then I ran into bathroom, threw the towel into bathtub, improvised a flamethrower, using lighter and air conditioner and burnt the towel... Then collapsed and had some trouble to get my breathing back... Needless to say, this night I didn't sleep at all, and walked all night around the town.

I... hate bugs.

Darth Mandarb · Thu 01/09/2005 19:38:47

InCreator - where I'm from, we called those nasty suckers "Ear Whigs"

They used to be in my friend's pool when we would swim and they would pinch you (and it packs a wallop!).

Eigen · Thu 01/09/2005 20:12:37

I seriously dislike spiders, and I can't help it. If I see a spider from a distance, I can walk near it, but if it suddenly attacks me, then that's ... well ... scary! I remember when I was in kindergarten, it was time for our nap, and I noticed a spider in the ceiling, just above my head. I knew it was going to fall down, so I was up the whole 3 hours.

But rest of the bugs are cool, especially ones that could possibly be a good photo model. Then I usually go and get my camera.

But yeah, "Ear Whigs" suck major! They are always in tent in summer, when I decide to camp somewhere. Die!

-Eigen

Visti · Thu 01/09/2005 20:33:24

Yikes, I would have really freaked the hell out.

Luckily, we don't have any sort of spiders like that around here.

I once had a huge one in my bathtub, though. That severely traumatized me and I couldn't go out there for so long, even though I sprayed the whole room thick with delicious poison.

That'll teach them spiders to exist.

Nacho · Thu 01/09/2005 20:51:08

I hate cockroaches, it's a real phobia, not just that they annoy me. And my oculist has a lot of problems with putting things in my eyes, aswell. Twin souls, Dartie.

magintz · Thu 01/09/2005 21:36:50

I'm arachnaphobic ever since an incident 2 years ago. It was while I was sleeping. I woke up because something fell on my face, and into my mouth, 2 legs were pulling something out of my open mouth.

That was the worst experience of my life.

Scared the hell out of me when i woke up.