In fact, adults appear to be slightly less fearful of certain things today than they were in the last Gallup "fears" survey, in November 1998. According to that survey, 56% of adults cited a
Why is fear of snakes so common?
The new study builds on years of experiments by psychologists. They found that the widespread fear of snakes stems from a perceptual bias: people recognize snakes faster than other objects. This bias toward snakes isn't simply the result of learning to fear them. Children recognize snakes just as quickly as adults.
How do I get rid of my fear of snakes?
- Exposure therapy. 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. ...
- Cognitive behavioral therapy. ...
- Medication.
