Today, I went to see a therapist for help with my severe fear of spiders. The therapist held a big spider in a box inches away from my face. I ran to the back of the room and asked him why. He responded with, "Aren't therapists supposed to help you face your fears?" I'm paying $150 an hour. FML
Collection
Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
Today, my roommate thought it would be a good idea to show me his huge new tarantula despite knowing that I have extremely severe arachnophobia. I ended up killing it with a book and apparently now owe him $500. FML
Today, I went to see a certified trauma specialist for my PTSD. I saw her for 35 minutes of my hour-long session because she ran late with the patient before me, and then kicked me out early. Her expert treatment plan? "Just don't think about it." I paid $260 for that. FML
Today, I went through the nightmare of having to go to my doctor so he could remove a living spider from my nasal cavity. FML
Today, my significant other woke at 4:30 a.m. to me crying about a spider in the bathroom. I have an intense fear of spiders; he was super nice and took care of it for me. He even walked me out to my car. I started to calm down driving to work, but when I got there what do I see on the door handle but a spider. I'm still shaking. FML
Today, my mom still freaks out and yells "Where?" when I mention spiders to her in any form, regardless of context, and no matter what I preface it with. She just fixates on the word "spider." I get that arachnophobia is pretty miserable to have, but this is ridiculous. Go see a therapist, mom. FML
Today, I was taken to my first session with my psychiatrist. The entirety of the facility, from the waiting room to the doc's office was decorated with dead butterflies in glass. I was there for my crippling mottephobia, the irrational fear of moths and butterflies. FML
Today, knowing that I have severe arachnophobia, my brother brought over his friend's tarantula. One hour later, the spider got loose. It's been 5 hours and I'm afraid to go to sleep. FML
Today, I spotted a huge spider in my bedroom. I freaked out at first, but I managed to confront my arachnophobia and killed it with a book. I was ecstatic and went to tell my boyfriend. By the time I returned to my room, the "dead" spider had vanished. Now I'm too scared to sleep. FML
Today, I had to go to therapy for my fear of cats. All the way there, my girlfriend kept making cat noises and scratching at me. FML
Today, my parents screamed at me for cutting my wrists. They asked me if I wanted a therapist. I said that I didn't know. Then my mom said, "But wait, it's going to cost a lot of money!" FML
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Top comments
istishia 12
Isn't this a valid technique? Flooding or something?
Bluekaren16 19
Yes it's a type of exposure therapy.
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Comments (121)
istishia 12
Isn't this a valid technique? Flooding or something?
Bluekaren16 19
Yes it's a type of exposure therapy.
TheCanucklehead 22
You'd think he'd tell op that's what he was doing
wallandpiece 16
Technically it is. But they are supposed to learn deep relaxation techniques first, then they build up a hierarchy of what they think would be frightening situations. They work up the hierarchy and use the relaxation techniques and they are gradually put in scarier positions. I don't think instantly shoving a spider in OP's face is a professional way of going about the job.
ohgeejosee 19
OP didn't really state whether or not there had been any formal therapy for it. I hope so, because starting it off that way = terrible idea
Ms_Jessie22 8
Systematic Desensitization
suboy 10
Your supposed to start off slow like a picture or a toy spider.
SneezyBear 27
#47, there are several methods, but it is generally agreed that sudden exposure to the 'target' of a phobia is the fastest way to get rid of the phobia. It is the most distressing but an efficient method and also the fastest method to do it. The stress it causes the client, however, is why many therapists opt for the slower, gradual buildup process instead. It's a valid technique, but OP's therapist should have informed her first what she was going to do.
iwadasn 33
It's been pretty much discredited though, because it can make you even more afraid of the thing than you already were.
whyamievenhere 11
You're supposed to do it in steps. Talking about it, looking at pictures, then the real thing at a distance, then closer up, learning more and more about them as you go (and learning what parts of the fear are valid - aka what spiders in your state COULD **** you up - but also why you don't have to worry (ie: they are rare, they can't bite through human skin, etc)).
JesseAttack 21
Shouldn't happen on the first meet... (Although I don't know the details) but the way the OP is talking, if they were still terrified of them it was probably because they were in their first meets...
xLIGHTS_fml 23
Wow that's ridiculous. He's got the right idea but helping you the wrong way.
PeteyPablo12308 20
Nope that's really how phobias are dealt with.
Jake_Hale 7
Wow OP I would call the police and report your therapist. What he did is attempted murder you could get a heart attack due to the severity of your fear. I'm so sorry OP I know the feeling I'm also scared of spiders it's a known fact
raphanne_fml 33
#59 Between your comments on this page and the ones on the FML about Fifty Shades of Grey, I'm really starting to think that you're a troll.
Jake_Hale 7
I'm not I'm just giving my perspective and opinion. The whole point of this site is to give your opinion.
Jjimen1654 9
56 is right thats the only way to face the fear. Op will eventually get used to the spider and see there is nothing to fear.
nature_girl_08 14
The patient is generally WARNED about it first, though. Simply nearly throwing their fear in their face without warning can make the phobia much worse; it depends on the patient and how they deal with their fears. Which is why there should be multiple sessions before anything of the like is attempted. Exposure therapy IS legitimate, but, as people have already said, most tend to do a gradual build up. Personally, it would definitely not have helped me. I am terrified of heights, even though I've been in many situations where I've been exposed to that fear. It really just depends on the client.
mpsteve137 15
How the heck did someone like him get a job in therapy. You're going to need more therapy because of your therapist!
webbface 25
Perhaps that is the therapist's angle lol. 150 bucks an hour?! Why not!
Jake_Hale 7
That's what I'm saying! I think OP should report him to the police for not only attempted murder but also for being a false therapist. She could also file a lawsuit
biggestfan23 11
Well doing what the therapist did is actually a credited way to get over certain fears
rosey_5_3 2
First of all that is an actual technic, you are supposed to start far away then stop to do some relaxing exercises and repeat this process again until you can touch it.
Welshite 40
Facing your fears...with your face.
rg350dx 29
All these years I thought facing your fears was just an expression! I didn't know you literally had to have your fears shoved in your face...Oddly enough, I seem to have spontaneously developed an irrational fear of large breasts.
Welshite 40
Gynecomastia isn't all that bad. Just walk up to a guy and ask for some free therapy.
skyeyez9 25
What an ass. I wouldn't bother wasting anymore money on his "therapy." Its fairly common for people to have a fear of spiders. I had a daddy long leg on my shoulder when I woke up a few days ago. I nearly peed my bed. Cause I was wondering how long that thing was crawling all over me.
ThePK 5
Daddy-Long Legs aren't spiders though...awk. They're harvestmen, a whole lot nicer and less dangerous than a spider. :)
michelleJ11 25
He wasn't trying to be an 'ass.' That's a valid technique that therapists use for you to face your fears.
skyeyez9 25
There is a gradual way to do it. Shoving a huge spider in OPs face the second they met obviously didnt help. And I dont care if daddy long legs are considered spiders or not. In my eyes, it is a spider. And I still dont appreciate them crawling all over me while I was sleeping.
lagrimae 9
Here's a fact for you. That in one year, we eat 8 spiders in our sleep. The Daddy long leg was just trying to provide you with fiber.
missamberrose 17
That's like saying "I'm my eyes a dolphin is actually a bird." It can still creep you out, but it isn't a spider so don't consider it a spider.
euphoricness 28
I hope you aren't serious about that being a fact, 38.
neeni88 23
40, that's got to be the most ridiculous analogy I've ever heard. Although a daddy long leg is not a spider, it certainly resembles one and so it's not crazy for people to think they are a spider. And I agree with 33 that the therapy method should have been done more gradually. If that therapist had shoved that spider in my face just like that, I probably would have punched him in his face!
drewflav 17
58 - then compare dolphins to fish. Some people are dumb enough to think that dolphins are fish when they're really mammals.
Wizzlbang 10
#38 That statistic is grossly inaccurate. 8 per year? Try 8 per NIGHT. At least. Spiders love warm, moist places. They're in your mouth as you sleep, dozens of spiders. Don't be misinformed!
skyeyez9 25
Retard...a bird and a dolphin look completely ******* different. A daddy long leg and another spider look similar.
cutycat136 28
Um if I were you I'd ask to see his degree, and perhaps switch therapists?
worldclassrager 41
If they would help they would start with really really really small ones and then get to a basic sized one...but still that's not a very good technique...
SammyS2012 21
No that is actually a valid technique and very effective. He went about it wrong. He probably should have started with a picture, something completely harmless and then worked his way up from there
AnOriginalName 19
I don't know about you, but the small spiders creep me out the most. Take your eye off them for a second and you lose 'em. A big spider that I can see from across the room is also a spider that I can throw a shoe at from across the room.
kjones99 11
He was trying to help you face your fear, which would help you overcome it. He probabky didn't know how serious your fear was and should probably try taking a different approach.
bjc216 6
This is called aversion therapy. While his lack of confidence in the procedure is troublesome, it is common for therapists to help you to overcome fears by having you adjust and gradually associate your fear with something pleasant. The first step would be the spider in the box away from you. The point is to help you realize that it is irrational to be afraid of something that can't get to you by talking you down from your anxiety associated with the situation.
Fluffydemise 18
No, it's not. Aversion therapy is the process of associating something that is usually pleasurable and destructive to your well being with something overwhelmingly negative. For example, blocking opioid receptors in the brain as well as creating an emetic reaction (vomiting)when opiates are consumed is a common heroin addiction treatment.
woainishamu 21
10 was talking about systematic desensitization.
bjc216 6
Yes, thank you #48. Sorry I got my terms mixed up:) #35 was also right
Ping600 12
I'm not even afraid of spiders and that would've freaked me out. He's right about therapists helping you "face your fears". But he doesn't need to be so literal. That's not going to solve a thing.