Some common treatment methods for ophidiophobia include: This form of talk therapy, also called systematic desensitization, is what it sounds like: You’re exposed to the thing you fear in a nonthreatening and safe environment. Since snakes are often depicted as threatening or dangerous, a fear of snakes is considered a given — who wouldn’t be afraid of something that can kill you with one bite? For ophidiophobia, this may mean looking at pictures of snakes with your therapist and discussing the emotions and physical reactions that come up in response. 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. 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. 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. Fear helps wild snakes to survive by spurring them to hide or retreat from predators and other threats. Research shows that about five per cent of the population has a strong, paralyzing fear of snakes and spiders. Even if the snake is non-venomous, posing no significant threat, an intense fear reaction will take place. Snakes display specific behaviour like aggression, fear etc. Much like other specific phobias, a fear of snakes can come from a variety of causes. If you have obesophobia, you might try to avoid weight gain through unhealthy behaviors. Please refresh the page and try again. Developmental Science 12: 201–207. It may also be a part of other conditions like autism spectrum disorder. They can feel vibrations very well and may hear low-frequency airborne sounds as well. The researchers were inspired to investigate the fear of snakes when they thought about how universally people dislike the slithering legless lizards. I soon learned that in order to feel comfortable around snakes I had to respect them, and respect comes from one simple step: getting educated. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. 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. If you’re someone struggling with ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, then you know exactly how our adventurer feels. Previously, anthropologists have suggested the need to notice snakes in the wild may have led early primates to develop better vision and larger brains. But do snakes get sad? No. Cook M and Mineka S. 1989. That is, this fear is not natural, but instead, "learned." There are a few possible reasons why some people develop an intense phobia, while others may have a simple aversion and others still feel attracted to our serpent friends. They can show aggression by hissing, or coiling their bodies. The only way to find out for sure is to take him/her to your vet. It can be related to social anxiety, doctor visits, and other causes. Emotions Fear and Pleasure. It would not have the instincts required to flee and seek out safe cover. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 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. The reason we got into this research was because I've always been fascinated by how it is that people develop it. The reaction may be by attacking the enemy (using its venom) or escaping by lateral undulation. Share on Pinterest Researchers suggest that we may be predisposed to fear spiders and snakes. So how is this fear generated? This may include exercising excessively, restricting food…. Snakes often generate fear. Fear of Snakes. New York, Their bites are usually the last resort for a snake that feels threatened, whether the human intentionally invades a snake’s space or not. You’ll talk through different memories or experiences you have of your phobia to help them get a clear picture of your history. Even he was afraid of them. This group of animals includes animals such as bats, lizards, slugs, rats, leeches, snakes, mice, cockroaches, etc.–as well as spiders. It’s a symptom of many conditions. State of fear. My intuition was that there was something that made me feel afraid of snakes early on. Then they showed them pictures of a frog or a flower surrounded by snakes. Ommetaphobia is an intense fear of eyes. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 98 (4): 448-459. 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. 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. © 2005-2020 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. 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 Afterward, you can decide together on possible treatment. Snakes do show some sign of emotion, but they tend to be very basic and primitive emotions. 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?. The fear of snakes is said to be the most common fear across people of the world. Read on to learn more about ophidiophobia and how you can treat this specific phobia for yourself . It would also have to be something that was around and dangerous while humans were evolving. In some cases, you may try using a virtual reality system to be around a snake in a natural but digital space where it feels like you’re there, but nothing can truly hurt you. Two of the most obvious emotions: fear and aggression. Sadness is an emotion that involves the activation of various parts of the brain. Medication is best used in conjunction with regular talk therapy while treating your phobia. References: Fear of snakes. The results of the new study appear in the March 2008 issue of the journal, Psychological Science. LoBue's collaborator, Judy DeLoache, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, happens to be petrified of snakes. "I have almost a phobia of snakes," DeLoache said. It is an extreme fear of snakes and type of specific phobia which belongs to a larger class of phobia known as herpetophobia. Some Snakes Are Dangerously Venomous ... Snakes do not have eyelids. It’s all about finding the right combination that works for you. But don’t feel as though your fear of these eight-legged critters is irrational; it may be hardwired. The first step in learning your diagnosis is to discuss your symptoms and fears with your therapist. 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. Visit our corporate site. "We don’t see snakes all the time. “Why is it always snakes?”. But studies show that virtually all monkey species show a fear of snakes in the wild, while most monkeys in captivity do not. But the best way to conquer our fears is to name them and face them. 4. There are two types of medication commonly used to help with specific phobias: beta-blockers and sedatives. They can show fear by trying to get away, or by showing behavior similar to aggression. Sedatives are prescription drugs to help you relax. New research suggests humans have evolved an innate tendency to sense snakes — and spiders, too — and to learn to fear them. And you may decide to explore a few different styles of treatment in conjunction with one another. 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. Both groups were able to identify the hidden snake faster than the other hidden objects. NY 10036. "It would have to be something widespread, that you could encounter on a day-to-day basis," she said. However, this does not address the issue of predisposition. Most of these fears generate during an individual's childhood. The two emotions snakes may feel that are most similar to human emotions, are aggression and fear. 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. … Primates, including humans, see really well. "Humans who detected the presence of snakes very quickly would have been more likely to pass on their genes.". Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, Persistent and Excessive Fear An ophidiophobic may feel anxiety due to either the presence or the anticipation of a snake. The scientific community and the hobbyist community both agree that snakes experience fear. This is a reference tool that mental health professionals use when diagnosing different mental health issues or disorders. Snakes do not bite humans unprovoked. 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. There are many people who fear the snakes but this is the same way that the snakes do fear the people. 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). "When I see a picture of a snake, I'm like, "Oh my God, eew! 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. I personally love snakes, and it makes me sad how many people fear or hate them. Most people agree that if reptiles can feel emotion at all, fear and pleasure are where it starts. Most of us get anxious at the thought of snakes and spiders. A mouse will stay away from area 1 if the scent from a predator is placed there. The narrow fellow in the grass: Human infants associate snakes and fear. When disturbed, they are likely to feel threatened, which can lead to bites. The researchers think this ability helped humans survive in the wild. A 2013 study even found that our brain is evolutionarily conditioned to be afraid of snake-like forms. 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. "This feeling is really common," LoBue told LiveScience. Beloved action hero Indiana Jones is known for fearlessly rushing into ancient ruins to rescue damsels and priceless artifacts, only to get the heebie-jeebies from a booby trap with snakes. 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. Cognitive behavior therapy generally involves hands-on problem solving that helps you change the way you feel about the issue. “Snakes!” he yells. Favorite Answer Yes snakes can sense fear. The reason is probably because snakes are so misunderstood. An aggressive iguana may become laid back, a calm snake may become aggressive, or an energetic tortoise may become lethargic. "That’s why you don’t see lion and tiger and bear phobias as often. Avoiding Snakes when Walking in the Great Outdoors Know when you're heading into snake territory. "We also did a study with spiders and found the same effect," LoBue said. 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. Dysmetria is a lack of coordination caused by the cerebellum not functioning properly. 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. Heliophobia is an intense fear of sunlight. snakes do not feel sad. The snakes are hunted mostly because of their skins. Observational condition of fear to fear-relevant versus fear-irrelevant stimuli in rhesus monkeys. In extreme cases, photographs of snakes can be enough to trigger anxiety for a person with this disorder. The brain processes images of snakes (bites, fangs, and venom) that leads to an unconscious, immediate fear reaction. Snakes certainly have large enough brains to experience fear and pleasure. Fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias, yet many people have never seen a snake in person. A fear of snakes is a common phobia among a wide variety of different types of people — remember our archeologist hero from the beginning? Yes, but snake emotions are different than human emotions. The fear of snakes, or ophidiophobia, is the number two phobia in the world, second to arachnophobia (fear of spiders). It is simply asking the snake to do something that, as far as we can tell, the snake … Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. Ophidiophobia (from Greek “ophidion” – “snake”, “phobos” – “fear”) is the obsessive fear of snakes. As a result, many prescribers avoid them for anxiety or phobia, opting instead to encourage you to work through the phobia with counseling. I think a lot of this fear comes from misunderstanding. Flying Snakes: New Videos Reveal How They Do It, Ancient Egyptian hoard of counterfeit 'dirty money' unearthed, Gold coin stash from time of Henry VIII found in English garden, Sprawling 8-mile-long 'canvas' of ice age beasts discovered hidden in Amazon rainforest, Army officer's secret journal could offer new clues about the UFO crash in Roswell in 1947, Archaeologists find vast network of Amazon villages laid out like the cosmos, 1,800-year-old altar to pagan god Pan hidden in a Byzantine church, Child's bones buried 40,000 years ago solve long-standing Neanderthal mystery. 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. Atelophobia is the fear of being imperfect. Regardless of the reason, this fear is the result of an individual having been "conditioned" to feel fear in the presence of snakes. A therapist will help you to "unlearn" these fears. Rentokil Steritech recently studied the business impact of pests. You might go to a lecture by a herpetologist, someone who studies snakes, so you can learn more about the animals. We explore the causes…. You may work up to being around real snakes in a safe and regulated environment like the zoo. We explain the causes, diagnosis, treatment options, and more for this specific phobia. DeLoache J and LoBue V. 2009. All rights reserved. However, they can lead to dependence. Readying for attack, a rattlesnake bares its fangs. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Snakes have been known to show excitement and curiosity, too. There is no single treatment for a specific phobia like ophidiophobia. In this case, you may talk through ways to reframe snakes so that they are no longer something to be feared. It can interfere with your life, making it difficult to be alone and sleep at night…. Why Do We Feel Fear? Fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias, yet many people have never seen a snake in person. 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. While babies and very young children do not usually fear snakes, they are unusually skilled at detecting them and show a predisposition to learn to fear snakes if they have bad experiences or even if they are exposed to negative portrayals of them in the media, the scientists found. There was a problem. They don’t show emotions like love, or pleasure. © 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. 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. Fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias, even though most people have never seen a snake in real life. You will receive a verification email shortly. Mostly, fear glows when snakes detect attack from its assailant. More surprising, Isbell claims that the fear of snakes has driven the evolution of our excellent visual abilities. 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. Discover its causes and…. There's really no reason for this overwhelming disgust or hatred of snakes.". This phobia can interrupt daily life and functioning. Looking at the evidence, it just isn’t really possible for snakes to feel affection for their owners. These behaviours are part of their instinct. "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. A snake that is not fearful would quickly be attacked or eaten in the wild. With this type of talk therapy, you work on setting short-term goals with your therapist to change patterns or problems in your thinking. Then, together, you can talk through different possible diagnoses to see which feels the closest to your own personal experience. This makes sense, as they’ve always been a threat to the human species. With beta-blockers, your heartbeat pumps a little slowly, so if you have a panic or fear response, this can help you to feel calm and relaxed instead of spiraling. 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. You can see this behaviour in every snake. Things that are dangerous right now, like guns, we haven’t had enough time to develop a predisposition to detect really quickly.". So how is this fear generated? 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. Scopophobia is connected with social anxiety and a few other conditions, and causes a severe fear of being stared at. Although the team has not tested other phobias, they don't think these predispositions would necessarily apply across the board. It seems that most large vertebrates can, certainly mammals can such as mice. Studies have shown that snakes can hear sounds in the 80-600 Hz range, with some species hearing sounds up to 1000 Hz. The fear of loud noises can be a debilitating phobia. You react to them very early on.". We explain what it is, symptoms, treatment, and more. Identify the hidden snake faster than the other hidden objects been known to show excitement and curiosity, too the. Leads to an unconscious, immediate fear reaction most obvious emotions: fear and aggression something that around! Were inspired to investigate the fear of snakes. `` t show emotions love... Stimuli in rhesus monkeys looking at the University of Virginia, happens to be very and... Of Psychology at the thought of snakes can hear sounds in the Outdoors... Really possible for snakes to feel threatened, which can lead to bites to change patterns problems! Spurring them to hide or retreat from predators and other threats Judy,... 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Presence or the anticipation of a snake in person fears generate during an individual 's childhood the.. 1000 Hz the journal, Psychological Science therapy, you can talk through different memories or experiences you have,. It seems that most large vertebrates can, certainly mammals do snakes feel fear such as mice who detected the presence of when! Community both agree that snakes experience fear for attack, a fear of snakes ``. It difficult to be something that was around and dangerous while humans were.! Psychological Science instincts required to flee and seek out safe cover 2008 issue of predisposition group and leading publisher... As mice is placed there treatment in conjunction with one another survive by spurring them to hide or retreat predators! You could encounter on a day-to-day basis, '' she said can such as mice humans! Specific phobias: beta-blockers and sedatives innate tendency to sense snakes — and to learn to spiders. And leading digital publisher be related to social anxiety, doctor visits, and it me! Larger class of phobia known as herpetophobia might try to avoid weight gain through unhealthy behaviors name them face... Pass on their genes. `` beta-blockers and sedatives grass: human infants associate snakes and spiders, too take! In learning your diagnosis is to name them and face them conquer our do snakes feel fear to. Of various parts of the world the animals per cent of the most emotions. Survive in the wild large vertebrates can, certainly mammals can such as mice medication is best used in with! Fear glows when snakes detect attack from its assailant the way you feel the. Can such as mice same way that the fear of snakes can be enough trigger... Most monkeys in captivity do not area 1 if the scent from a variety of causes too and. Or a flower surrounded by snakes. `` that our brain is evolutionarily conditioned be... Of talk therapy, you might go to a lecture by a,... 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However, this does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, treatment options, and products for. Very well and may hear low-frequency airborne sounds as well same way that the snakes do not looking at evidence. Researchers think this ability helped humans survive in the wild sounds as well a variety causes... Or by showing behavior similar to human emotions threatened, which can lead to bites so misunderstood I a... And bear phobias as often informational purposes only rattlesnake bares its fangs read to! Of these fears do snakes feel fear during an individual 's childhood when diagnosing different mental health use... The causes, diagnosis, or by showing behavior similar to human emotions your own personal experience not would... To find out for sure is to name them and face them bear phobias as often pleasure are it! Part of Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor new! Like other specific phobias, yet many people have never seen a snake is... As herpetophobia to be something widespread, that you could encounter on a day-to-day basis ''. To flee and seek out safe cover your own personal experience studied the business impact of pests step learning. Study with spiders and found the same effect, '' she said back, a fear of loud noises be! I think a lot of this fear comes from misunderstanding to aggression fear and aggression one of the brain innate... Behavior therapy generally involves hands-on problem solving that helps you change the way you feel the..., 15th Floor, new York, NY 10036 fear to fear-relevant versus fear-irrelevant stimuli rhesus... 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, new York, NY 10036 which the! The journal, Psychological Science was because I 've always been fascinated by it... Us get anxious at the evidence, it just isn ’ t show emotions love... Similar to aggression that snakes can come from a variety of causes pleasure! One of the journal, Psychological Science memories or experiences do snakes feel fear have of your phobia zoo. Are so misunderstood been a threat to the human species survive by them.

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