There is no single treatment for a specific phobia like ophidiophobia. It is simply asking the snake to do something that, as far as we can tell, the snake … Read on to learn more about ophidiophobia and how you can treat this specific phobia for yourself . © Then, together, you can talk through different possible diagnoses to see which feels the closest to your own personal experience. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, As a result, many prescribers avoid them for anxiety or phobia, opting instead to encourage you to work through the phobia with counseling. Cognitive behavior therapy generally involves hands-on problem solving that helps you change the way you feel about the issue. Typically snakes hiss or coil when they are feeling hostile, but most pet snakes are not aggressive animals unless threatened.” A reptile that is feeling fear may simply try to get away, but it can also exhibit actions similar to aggression. Last medically reviewed on November 12, 2019, It's impossible to name all of the possible fears that people can have, but here's a list of the most common and unique ones, including a fear of…, The fear of clowns is called coulrophobia. “Snakes!” he yells. The fear of loud noises can be a debilitating phobia. Ophidiophobia is a partially irrational fear of snakes; refers to the subspecies of herpetophobia (fear of reptiles) which in turn belongs to the class of zoophobias – fears associated with animals. Medication is best used in conjunction with regular talk therapy while treating your phobia. So how is this fear generated? State of fear. Visit our corporate site. While I did not enter my externship with a fear of snakes, I definitely lacked confidence in my ability to properly handle them and I also knew little of their natural history. This is a reference tool that mental health professionals use when diagnosing different mental health issues or disorders. If you have a deep fear of snakes, you may experience one or more symptoms when you come near them, think about them, or engage with media containing snakes. NY 10036. I personally love snakes, and it makes me sad how many people fear or hate them. DeLoache J and LoBue V. 2009. There's really no reason for this overwhelming disgust or hatred of snakes.". But the best way to conquer our fears is to name them and face them. There are two types of medication commonly used to help with specific phobias: beta-blockers and sedatives. Psychologists found that both adults and children could detect images of snakes among a variety of non-threatening objects more quickly than they could pinpoint frogs, flowers or caterpillars. If you’re someone struggling with ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, then you know exactly how our adventurer feels. Rentokil Steritech recently studied the business impact of pests. "It would have to be something widespread, that you could encounter on a day-to-day basis," she said. Previously, anthropologists have suggested the need to notice snakes in the wild may have led early primates to develop better vision and larger brains. It can be related to social anxiety, doctor visits, and other causes. Mostly, fear glows when snakes detect attack from its assailant. By talking with a therapist and seeking support from trusted friends and family members, you can find a way to reduce your anxiety and live a life free from ophidiophobia. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. "That’s why you don’t see lion and tiger and bear phobias as often. A 2013 study even found that our brain is evolutionarily conditioned to be afraid of snake-like forms. New York, Ophidiophobia (from Greek “ophidion” – “snake”, “phobos” – “fear”) is the obsessive fear of snakes. Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. For example, if your co-worker discusses their pet ball python in the break room, you may have one or more of the following reactions: These symptoms may worsen as you get physically closer to a snake or as the time of a proposed snake interaction grows closer to happening. And you may decide to explore a few different styles of treatment in conjunction with one another. You react to them very early on.". The snakes are hunted mostly because of their skins. Two of the most obvious emotions: fear and aggression. However, they can lead to dependence. There are many people who fear the snakes but this is the same way that the snakes do fear the people. You can see this behaviour in every snake. The researchers think this ability helped humans survive in the wild. Snakes do show some sign of emotion, but they tend to be very basic and primitive emotions. The only way to find out for sure is to take him/her to your vet. They can show fear by trying to get away, or by showing behavior similar to aggression. "I have almost a phobia of snakes," DeLoache said. It would not have the instincts required to flee and seek out safe cover. Even if the snake is non-venomous, posing no significant threat, an intense fear reaction will take place. The two emotions snakes may feel that are most similar to human emotions, are aggression and fear. Most people agree that if reptiles can feel emotion at all, fear and pleasure are where it starts. Regardless of the reason, this fear is the result of an individual having been "conditioned" to feel fear in the presence of snakes. These behaviours are part of their instinct. You will receive a verification email shortly. Much like other specific phobias, a fear of snakes can come from a variety of causes. The researchers were inspired to investigate the fear of snakes when they thought about how universally people dislike the slithering legless lizards. Fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias, even though most people have never seen a snake in real life. No. Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, Understanding Coulrophobia: A Fear of Clowns, All About Phasmophobia, or Fear of Ghosts, Understanding Atelophobia, the Fear of Imperfection, What to Know About Scopophobia, or Fear of Being Stared At, Understanding the Fear of Loud Noises (Phonophobia), How to Cope with Ommetaphobia, or a Fear of Eyes, Understanding Heliophobia: Fear of Sunlight, sweating, especially in your extremities such as your palms, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Even he was afraid of them. This is quite unsettling for most people who fear snakes and may even invoke some symptoms of ophidiophobia in people who do not actually have the condition in its entirety. Fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias, yet many people have never seen a snake in person. The results of the new study appear in the March 2008 issue of the journal, Psychological Science. snakes do not feel sad. Looking at the evidence, it just isn’t really possible for snakes to feel affection for their owners. It’s natural to be a bit afraid of venomous snakes, I myself have a healthy respect for them, but that doesn’t make me like them any less. Fear helps wild snakes to survive by spurring them to hide or retreat from predators and other threats. Snakes often generate fear. But don’t feel as though your fear of these eight-legged critters is irrational; it may be hardwired. However, in the modern day, if you find you’re unable to function in your life or that you lose all control at the mere mention of a snake, you may be dealing with more than just the healthy respect a wild predator deserves. Snakes have been known to show excitement and curiosity, too. Developmental Science 12: 201–207. An aggressive iguana may become laid back, a calm snake may become aggressive, or an energetic tortoise may become lethargic. They can feel vibrations very well and may hear low-frequency airborne sounds as well. A therapist will help you to "unlearn" these fears. We Are Born With a Fear of Spiders and Snakes Because They Killed Our Fearless Ancestors By Dana Dovey On 10/21/17 at 7:18 AM EDT We no longer live as close to poisonous spiders as we once did. Biting is also the snake’s best way to catch its food, and so snake bites on humans often occur due to the snake confusing a hand for a meal. Ommetaphobia is an intense fear of eyes. 4. A fear of snakes that is intense and more extreme than a normal degree of fear Crying and screaming when viewing a video or picture or coming into contact with a snake; panic attacks, including trembling, sweating hands, racing heartbeat, and so forth Persistent and Excessive Fear An ophidiophobic may feel anxiety due to either the presence or the anticipation of a snake. It seems that most large vertebrates can, certainly mammals can such as mice. This makes sense, as they’ve always been a threat to the human species. Some causes of ophidiophobia include: Specific phobias can sometimes be delicate to diagnose, as not all of them are listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5). To learn more, the psychologists showed adults and 3-year-old children images of a snake surrounded by objects of similar colors, such as frogs, caterpillars and flowers. However, this does not address the issue of predisposition. Things that are dangerous right now, like guns, we haven’t had enough time to develop a predisposition to detect really quickly.". Readying for attack, a rattlesnake bares its fangs. So how is this fear generated? The question then arises: if we are born with an inborn sensitivity towards snakes, why do some love keeping them as pets, while others have an intense fear at the mere thought of a nearby snake?. You’ll talk through different memories or experiences you have of your phobia to help them get a clear picture of your history. Nevertheless, the teeth that snakes do have are not used for typical teeth used for chewing but are instead pointed backward to prevent prey from escaping the snake’s throat. It can interfere with your life, making it difficult to be alone and sleep at night…. New research suggests humans have evolved an innate tendency to sense snakes — and spiders, too — and to learn to fear them. The reason is probably because snakes are so misunderstood. Primates, including humans, see really well. Favorite Answer Yes snakes can sense fear. Both groups were able to identify the hidden snake faster than the other hidden objects. It would also have to be something that was around and dangerous while humans were evolving. It’s a symptom of many conditions. Herpetophobia is a term used to refer to an irrational fear of reptiles, the word Ophidiophobia comes from two Greek words ‘Ophis’ and ‘phobia’ meaning snake and fear respectively. "The idea is that throughout evolutionary history, humans that learned quickly to fear snakes would have been at an advantage to survive and reproduce," said Vanessa LoBue, a post-doctoral fellow in psychology at the University of Virginia. They can show aggression by hissing, or coiling their bodies. Then they showed them pictures of a frog or a flower surrounded by snakes. A mouse will stay away from area 1 if the scent from a predator is placed there. They don’t show emotions like love, or pleasure. Research shows that about five per cent of the population has a strong, paralyzing fear of snakes and spiders. In extreme cases, photographs of snakes can be enough to trigger anxiety for a person with this disorder. Most of us get anxious at the thought of snakes and spiders. … In this case, your fear of snakes may be diagnosed as a specific phobia, which means an intense fear or anxiety in response to a specific trigger, such as an animal, environment, or situation. Heliophobia is an intense fear of sunlight. Snakes do not bite humans unprovoked. More surprising, Isbell claims that the fear of snakes has driven the evolution of our excellent visual abilities. But a snake not feeling affection doesn’t mean that your pet snake doesn’t like you, or that it doesn’t like living the way it does. Avoiding Snakes when Walking in the Great Outdoors Know when you're heading into snake territory. Sedatives are prescription drugs to help you relax. But studies show that virtually all monkey species show a fear of snakes in the wild, while most monkeys in captivity do not. It may also be a part of other conditions like autism spectrum disorder. Fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias, yet many people have never seen a snake in person. "We don’t see snakes all the time. "Humans who detected the presence of snakes very quickly would have been more likely to pass on their genes.". The first step in learning your diagnosis is to discuss your symptoms and fears with your therapist. Atelophobia is the fear of being imperfect. "When I see a picture of a snake, I'm like, "Oh my God, eew! Emotions Fear and Pleasure. Snakes certainly have large enough brains to experience fear and pleasure. While it's not technically a recognized mental health condition, if clowns make you anxious, you’re not…, Phasmophobia is an intense fear of ghosts or supernatural things. Most of these fears generate during an individual's childhood. Yes, but snake emotions are different than human emotions. Studies have shown that snakes can hear sounds in the 80-600 Hz range, with some species hearing sounds up to 1000 Hz. Discover its causes and…. It just makes them more edgy because they can't distinguish adrenaline from fear or excitement etc so they see it as frightening to them. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. In this case, you may talk through ways to reframe snakes so that they are no longer something to be feared. For instance, a snake will hiss if she feels threatened and a bearded dragon lizard will puff out his beard and change its color from light brown to black when he’s mad or stressed, explains Dr. Denish. It may actually have multiple factors, each layered on top of the other, taking a latent (undeveloped) fear and turning it into something anxiety inducing. And sedatives severe fear of snakes is said to be petrified of snakes and spiders sleep at.. 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