Snake
I am terrified of reptiles. I don’t even like to say the name.. sometimes I see images of them and it will freak me right out. Something bad always happens after I see them. I don’t like anything about them. Texture, eyes, tongue, slithering, their name, nothing. When I go on walks in the summer I have a constant eye out for movement. Leaves and twigs picked up by the wind can freak me right out. My mom believed reptiles were bad and for years conditioned me against them. For lack of a better word. I think that if she hadn’t done that I still would’ve hated them, but that had created an intense fear as well. I have no desire to be near reptiles since even pictures freak me out. I’ve cried when people put fake ones near me when I was younger and now as an adult I still don’t like the realistic or even fake plastic ones. Anyways that’s my biggest phobia. Does anyone have any advice? Thank you
Hello @tealSky5094, it’s only natural to feel that way, especially because those specimens are not that common on our everyday life. Anyway, one thing is true, and I truly hope it may give you some solace: animals are pure. In contrast with humans, they are inoffensive creatures that only attack out of fear, if at all. I used to be afraid of spiders, bugs and, yes, reptiles in general. Whenever I had the “bad luck” of spotting some gecko on the wall I would freak out. A lot of myths say they’re poisonous and dangerous. But, guess what, they are harmless, anyway, I still don’t want to touch them, but I wouldn’t kill them either. One way to overcome your fear is trying to see those animals as animals, just like cats and dogs. Dogs, for instance, can be more hazardous if their owners make them fierce. Moreover, they can be so beautiful. Snakes, for instance, may give us the creeps because of their body anatomy... but they are beautiful and pure. They even mean good luck and can be better friends that most humans. To cope with phobia, you can choose one of two paths: avoid them or expose yourself safely to them (don’t have to touch them, respect them, just look at them and try to see the beauty of the world). Mostly, don’t overthink. And of course, in the wild, we always have to watch out, because any creature can be hazardous when it feels in danger. Hope I could be of some help. Wishing you the best 🌸