Herpetophobia is the irrational, unwarranted and persistent fear of reptiles. It is a highly common animal phobia. The word Herpetophobia originates from “Herp” meaning snake or reptile and “Phobos” which stands for the Greek God of Fear.
The fear of reptiles is often combined with Ophidiophobia which is specifically the fear of snakes, but they are both rather different and should not be confused with each other. Most individuals suffering from Herpetophobia are not just afraid of dangers posed by reptiles like snakes (mainly due to their venom), they are even afraid of harmless wall lizards (which generally do not pose any danger). Hepretophobia also means that the phobic is not just afraid of live reptiles; s/he may be even afraid of the thought of reptiles or might avoid watching them in the form of pictures, in movies, at the zoos etc.
Causes of Herpetophobia
Some animals instill fear in humans for no particular reason. Herpetophobia is one such fear. Often times, the sufferers do not have any reason for fearing reptiles. Perhaps, the fear is just evolutionary. Early humans and cave dwellers often encountered snakes and other venomous, often, gigantic reptiles. The bite of these animals was almost always fatal. As a result; early humans stayed away from these creepy crawlers taking care to avoid trees, bushes, stones and rocks where these creatures normally dwelled.
Another important cause of the extreme fear of reptiles could be owing to a negative experience in the past pertaining to such creatures. A child, or even an adult, might have had a run-in with a reptile: a lizard might have fallen on him/her or in one’s meals, or a snake might crawled over one’s feet during a nature hike etc. The creepy crawling slimy sensation is enough to scare people having a nervous predisposition.
In other more serious cases, the fear might have arisen due to the death or injury of a loved one upon being stung by poisonous reptile. Even some cases of non fatal reptile bites (experienced by the phobic directly or indirectly) could cause lifelong fear of reptiles.
Symptoms of fear of reptiles
Whatever the cause of Herpetophobia, it is often an escalating fear. In the beginning, the phobic might simply avoid gardens, zoos, forests or pet stores selling reptiles. S/he might then refuse to leave the house completely owing to the fear of encountering reptiles. The fear might even take over the individual completely, often combining with other phobias. The symptoms of Herpetophobia are varied and may be physical or emotional. They include:
- Shaking, trembling, and sweating profusely.
- Crying or screaming not just at the sight but the mere thought of reptiles.
- Having a dry mouth, accelerated heart rate, breathing rapidly, feeling nauseated, dizzy or feeling like running away or escaping.
- The sight of a live reptile (even images in books or on TV screen) can set off a full blown panic attack.
- Avoidance behavior is another symptom of Herpetophobia. The individual might refuse to go on trail hikes, for camping etc. S/he might even dread visiting a pet store or a zoo or might refuse to watch a movie having reptiles.
As stated above, Herpetophobia can slowly progress and lead to several other symptoms including feeling a detachment from reality or feeling like one is going crazy. A simple suggestion of a trip to the zoo etc can cause crying, panic attack, trembling etc. Such people therefore tend to be socially withdrawn and/or depressed.
Overcoming the fear of reptiles
There are many therapies and treatment modalities that can help phobics overcome Herpetophobia. Hypnosis is one such therapy. It works by assessing the root cause of the phobia and also helps eliminate the individual’s conditioned response to his/her object of fear. Hypnosis techniques are also used to make the person feel more relaxed so that they become open to suggestions. The therapist then uses ‘commands’ to bring about desired change in the individual.
NLP or neuro linguistic programming is another technique that can help one overcome this fear. The patient is first asked to revisit the episode that has led to the phobia. S/he is then asked to “float up” and re-watch the episode as if in a movie. The patient is then given the prompt to walk up to his/her “younger self in the movie”, release the dissociation and comfort the younger self. Following a couple of sessions of this therapy, the patient may be asked to talk about the fear to ensure that positive changes are realized.
Other mentionable therapies to help overcome fear of reptiles are talk therapy, Systematic desensitization and group therapy. All these have been proven to be highly effective in overcoming Herpetophobia for good.
Matilda Salima says
Thank you so much, I found your article very helpful, I think hypnosis will work better on me.
I’m so afraid of all reptiles, I just cant stand them, every time I look at them I develop goose Fresh up to the extent of going to my bed and cover myself with lots of blankets.
Aisha says
When I was a child, I used to live in my grandmother’s house. A lot of house lizards lived in that house, and I remember that, while I maintained a distance from them, I wasn’t afraid of them
One day, when I was about 6, I was having a shower when I noticed something moving. I looked down at the shower drain and saw a big, fat gecko crawl its way out of it. I remember running out of the bathroom and refusing to get back inside that bathroom.
Other incidents happened which worsened my fear. Geckos would randomly fall off the ceiling to the floor right in front of me, random lizards would sneak their way into the bathrooms and stay close to the doorknob so that I wouldn’t be able to get out until it moved; stuff like that.
Now, I live in a different house. I avoid going to my grandmother’s place; not because I hate her, but because of the lizards. To this day, I still get the same panic attacks whenever I see a lizard.
Tanzima says
For me, your situation at your grammy’s home is quite similar to mine. I always ask my mom to look for lizards. Even if I see one on the roof, I can’t fall asleep. If one fell off on my body, I’d just faint. Their skin gives me shivers. I’m so afraid I can’t kill one, and I can’t even go near a dead lizard. I’ve been suffering since childhood. If I see a lizard in the bathroom, I will use the other washroom for a month or 2. In that case, I think I have a more serious condition than you.
Sofine says
I’m trying to run away from that phobia but I can’t ! There is a reason behind that lizard thing !
1/ when I was a kid studied in grade 3 the lizards actually fall into my shirt for no specific reason. Well, the first one was small but then the second one was big ! Man ! Two lizards stuck in my shirt ! So I ended up crying and screaming for help ! Unfortunately, I was there alone, No teacher, No fri, No helper ! So I decided to take my shirt off :( and shake those badasses out !
2/ Do you ever get a panic sweat when you see the skin part ? Lizards have the worst skin ever ! Disgusting , wrinkling (just like a pic above), moreover lizards have a very dark color ! Yuck :(
3/ I accidently killed it . Yes ! Take me back to my 6 grade this time when I was 12 year old ! Uh oh ! Basically, me and my fri we had a party and I ran around the house stepping so hard ! Hahah look I killed that tiny lizard :(. I can feel that lumpy soft body with an actual fear!
Daniel Schulz says
First: did you know that all kind of (as if my knowledge there is no exception even from the 3m once) lizards have a fear towards humans? Geckos even though they can be very scared only come if you offer some food, showing you don’t want to kill it. Also as you said “you accidentily killed one”, lizards can be killed very fast and it is very unfortunate that you killed one. You have to know that a lot of them are actually threatened to go extinct in future. To the matter of dark skin, depends on where you are but green, grey or brighter colours are more common. 2nd to the skin, if you ever looked closely you may realize that your own skin is not that much far away of such a skin, your skin is dry their skin is dry. Your skin might be smoother but scales if you, yourself, go over their skin may notice that the little diffirents in hight you feel can lead to more calmness because if the many nerves that receive a tiny impulse. As they were under your shirt, if it was a gecko type, you had to literally fear nothing because only the geckos at that time would get a panic attack but they don’t have claws or teeth. If it was one with claws and teeths the worst that could have happened was little scraces, compare that to an accidently dog scratch it is nothing. You actually killed the one of the lizards afterwards, didn’t you feeled weird that you have just “accidently” end a complete life if an animal that couldn’t hold itself on something anymore? You would be sorry if it is a dog right? Just take a leap and think about what you have ended and that you still run around with only the memory that they touched you. Why is their skin, colour and scale, sonething you bother with? Humans range from sick-white to healthy dark-black (I don’t know any bleach white person that can call that amount of white healthy) and if we include diseases you have rough and smove skin on humans as well. Maybe you can explain me why the skin bothered you eventhough in normal situations it shouldn’t even be that unpleasant.
lexi says
This is kind of helpful and not helpful. You know why because it doesn’t give me examples of this phobia. That’s why it’s not that helpful, sorry, at least put examples of this phobia in it. Thanks.
Sheryl says
I’m a 28 year old Indian woman living in Australia for the past 8+ years.
Back home, wall lizards are very common varying from small to big. You can find at least 1 lizard in every 2nd house. Their appearance disgusted me ever since I was a little kid.
I remember when I was 13 years old, few months after I reached my puberty, I went to the bathroom to have a shower to get ready for school. I was half asleep and took my clothes off and shut the door. I couldn’t close it and felt like something was stuck in between and couldn’t go any further. So I pushed it really hard and I killed a big fat lizard and cut it into 2 pieces. As it was on top of the door, it fell near my feet. It looked straight at me and its tail was still shaking. I screamed out of fear and ran down. I shouted for help. My mom came running inside and gave me the towel. My parents calmed me down and I didn’t end up going to school that day.
Ever since then, the very thought of lizards make me shake and takes me back to that day.
I agree with the article and I cannot describe the fear.
I try to forget about it as there are no more house lizards for the past few years in my life. I try not to close my eyes when I watch it in tv or when someone talks about it.
Daniel Schulz says
Actually you have encountered a dramatizing event. Didn’t you feel sorry to kill the lizard? Just imagine you would have been sliced into 2 pieces and die right afterwards. You could just overcome that fear with just thinking of you being that one sliced into two, you wouldn’t like it so instead of throwing them out of the house maybe make up for what happened, feed them. Lizards can’t kill you, medium-big once can’t as well. Put one in your hand and pat it. I’m sure you actual just fear to ever living that through again though I doubt you would smash a door so hard again thus making it easy to overcome if you just take care of one for a little bit. If there are so many you can try to do it. Must mention, don’t force them to go on your hand put a little bit food on it, if they don’t come forcing would be the worst.
Lizard says
Some people like reptiles when young and then acquire a fear of them later in life.
Param says
Hey I found your website helpful though I’m not sure I have a serious case. I just can’t stand the sight of a lizard. I don’t have any history with reptiles. It’s been like this since birth. Is there a more simple way for me to not get scared of reptiles?
Daniel Schulz says
There is nothing easier than going to a place that has tamed geckos, not bigger once just geckos. Because the worst that can happen is that they “bite” you (geckos do not have teeths they munch what they eat) and the other worst case is that you accidently kill it. If they bite you, it shouldn’t even be that bad, you might just as well put some food on your finger tip to provoke it. Just ask before if that gecko has a ‘strong’ jaw, if not you should be good to go for the first contact. If they are tamed they may run around your hand or arm but you have to keep in mind that they can’t really hurt you. Biting is hard anyway. Once they are on your arm the worst is they tickle you. Better wear not lposy cloths. I wouldn’t say it is smart to try out first contact with a tamed snake, the fear of them is a far greater evolutionary reason than by a lizard. If you fear just the sight of them the best when you are their is to go there and ask them to put a small one on your hand or food on your hand while you closed your eyes so you won’t fear the look at first. If it is a really small one you can barely feel them and there really should be no worries. It’s actually you that should be very careful not to hurt them so to pat/stroke them has to be done somewhat carefully.
Try it out :D. I don’t see a possibility that it could end vad with a small gecko.
Daniel says
Desensitization is a good way to relief the phobia. It involves a psychologist slowly introduce you to different levels of the fear for example, someone with a fear of reptiles would be first asked to look at images of reptiles and told several interesting things about them. They may also replace negative thoughts about reptiles with positive ways of looking at them. With the patient’s permission the treatment will continue eventually leading to the final part of desensitization, where the patient finally faces the fear and has a hands-on encounter with a living lizard or snake to prove that not all reptiles are bad and some can actually be pretty awesome. I used to be terrified of snakes and I live in Florida so we have lots.. after my treatment, now I have two lizards and a snake as a pet. I even plan to make a career out of it.