Herpetophobia Fear of Reptiles
For many people the idea of seeing or touching a reptile can cause severe and intense fear and anxiety. This can be experienced in varying degrees. In the lesser degrees this is just a general fear that many people experience. However, at the more intense side of the scale it can be said that a person has a full blown phobia. Herpetophobia, is the phrase for people with an intense fear of reptiles.
Herpetophobia is strictly restricted to reptiles like snakes and lizards. Some people feel fear when touching these creatures while others will respond simply by seeing them either in person or on films or tv. This fear can trace itself back to our own sociological history, as our descendants had a very long history with reptiles, as they pre-date humans. Even the bible portrays the serpent as being evil. So one can appreciate this fear is something that is not superficial.
Like many other phobias the sufferer will experience a variety physical and emotional symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, uncontrolled shaking as well as feelings of hopelessness and despair.
Hypnotically based psychotherapy can help a client to determine what these creatures represent to the sufferer and help them to reach some level of peace regarding future contact with them.
