#snake phobia

[omg-snakes]

Would you have any tips on how to help people get over their fear of snakes?

Anything I could say to convince someone that keeping a snake isn’t detrimental to it (if I am taking care or it correctly)?

I’ve been trying to get a snake for a while now but one of my dads flat out refuses because he says that the snake will live a sad life and that if I did get one it would not under any circumstances be allowed to leave my room. He’s also worried nobody will want to visit us if we do have a snake.

Any help is appreciated

Hey friend!

This is a tough one because phobias spring from different places for different people and take many forms, so it's hard to say what the best approach is.

Is your other dad also afraid of snakes? It might be helpful to start with him and discuss why you want a snake, what kind you want, what kind of enclosure it will have, how long it will live, how big it will get, how much it will cost to maintain, and why you are certain the snake will be happy and have a good life in your care. Your other dad may be able to help you determine the best way to approach this topic with your fearful dad and might even suggest some ways to start the conversation.

It may be as simple as helping him learn about snake natural history and give him an appreciation for snakes. It may take years for him to open up to a legless pet. It may be more complicated and require some deep self-reflection or even therapy, and be beyond your influence.

I personally recommend considering both of your parents and how they like to receive information and then approaching them on their level. That might be a heart-to-heart conversation, or inviting them to meet snakes in person at a reptile show, or even a PowerPoint presentation!

Be ready for this to be a process, not an instant transformation, and be sensitive to their comfort levels. Invite them to expand their horizons, but don't push them. Ultimately they need to make the choice to grow.

If it doesn't work out, don't be too discouraged and try to be empathetic. Your dad might not be able to overcome his discomfort. You can always get a snake in the future when you've moved out on your own.

I wish you a peaceful and joyful journey of learning and growing together as a family.

[seranasfall]

I fucking did it! I've been terrified of snakes most of my life, to the point where I could almost throw up at the sight of one. Today I managed to hold a danger noodle! 🐍

[defilerwyrm]

My mom & grandmother visited my place briefly this afternoon. My poor mom, who has a phobia of snakes, was looking around and wandered into the den before I could warn her about what's in there. She shrieked and jumped when she looked down and saw my 4 1/2' long male corn snake peering up at her. I'm sure Apophis was probably startled too!

[omg-snakes]

Any idea how i can help someone out with a terrible fear of snakes? my mom has said she wont come to my house anymore after i get one and looked panicked when she asked what i would do should it escape its enclosure. I don't think she realizes that my cat is a much bigger danger to the snake than the snake is to anything or anyone else in the house. I'm going to keep it very secure and in a room she doesn't go in anyway but I feel bad being so fascinated in something she is so terrified by :(

This is a really tough one because we have to consider the many contributing factors that have resulted in people developing a fear of snakes. It could be a result of culture, miseducation, personal experience, lack of understanding, or any number of other things.You can better understand WHY your mother is afraid by sitting down with her and asking gently and honestly, and really listening. Let her talk it out with no judgements if she’s comfortable doing so and give her the opportunity to choose whether or not it’s something she’s willing to work to overcome. That’s the biggest hurdle in overcoming a phobia: deciding that it’s something you even want to overcome.If she’s amenable to it, you can start by determining what she IS comfortable with and work up from that. That might include talking about your snake to understand what it is physically capable of and how big it will get, or learning about snakes in general, or looking at photos of non-threatening snakes, or meeting a very small snake. It’s really going to be dependent on what she’s okay with and how far she’s willing to progress. It might be easy for her or it might take the rest of her life and she may never get truly comfortable. Let her take it at her pace. She’s spent a lifetime with this fear and it’s not going to magically vanish overnight.I really hope that your mother is able to overcome her fear, but try to be kind and understanding if it’s not something that she can get past. Some phobias require professional help to overcome and that’s okay. Some people aren’t ever ready or interested in facing their fears, and that’s not necessarily ideal but we must accept and respect their choices.I wish you and your momma the very best of luck through this process, and I hope that she realizes how lucky she is to have an offspring who cares about her happiness and comfort this much. If nothing else, I hope that talking helps you to better understand and connect with each other, and helps you to each respect the other’s choices despite your differences.

[firecurls-27]

Being in love with the bayou and wanting to see one in person but having a phobia of snakes and most bugs is awful

[ripmyfictionalfriends]

I have this phobia. I am scared of snakes. But I'm also deeply fascinated by them. I would love to find out more about snakes but I can't do that without seeing picrures of snakes.

So I need like a book with only illustrated pictures of snakes. Or for someone to get me a book on snakes with the pictures taped over with their drawings of the snake. Idc if the drawings are bad. Just to get an idea of what the snake's characteristics are.

[tiredoftheseworlds]

WHY THE FUCK ARE THERE SNAKES ON MY DASHBOARD DON'T YOU PPL KNOW I HAVE THE SNAKE PHOBIA

[deathgivemebackmyhatyouwhore]

Am currently sitting in the bathtub cause my brain has convinced me there are snakes in my appartment