Why am I afraid of snakes, and how can I overcome this fear?

Go out in the yard and catch a little green garter snake. They're little, don't bite, non-venomous, and gentle. Play with him a while and see just how cool snakes really can be. Then get a book about snakes, adn learn which ones to avoid.

I couldn't even look at one in a magazine. I dropped a book once and sent it flying across the room because there was a snake in it. My fear came from a childhood experience where my brother dropped a bunch of snakes on me. I got over it when my husband wouldn't let up on his desire to have a snake. Long story short, I had to hold the snake once. I was terrified but did what I had to do to help my husband with his pet. Each time, it became a little easier. Now I'm okay with them, but as someone else said...I know which ones to stay away from. Check out the link below for one person's story about a snake phobia.

jump in a pit of snakes and stay there for a day

the fear of snakes is one of the only know fears we are born with. I an terrified of them, even the little babies freak me out. My heart pounds, sweaty, clammy, i mean EVERYTHING goes thru me. Overcoming your fear..well there is a notion called flodding. You go and surround yourself completely by snakes. I don't recommend that. Find someone that is a friend that has one and slowly learn to pet ita nd touch it and handle it. In time you wil learn to respect the animal and not be soo afraid. Me? I am afraid of even dead ones. lmao..

Handling one will help you learn they are not that aggressive. NOT a Rattlesnake. Learn to discern between what is poisonous and not. Many Garter snakes and black snakes can be picked up. Start by taking them behind the head and pick them up. This gives you time to handle it and rub it so it know you are not Attacking. If you grab one by the tail and startle it, then, that could be mistaken as aggression and the snake may strike out of fear. After a minute of petting you can let it crawl through your fingers. Also, do not flip out if a snake bites you, it does not hurt, BUT, do not jerk your finger out of its mouth. Just hold it under some water or wait and it will let go. Many snakes' teeth slant back toward their throat, so, if you try to pull your finger out of them guess??? Yes, you just pull the teeth in deeper. But, like I say, it really does not hurt as much as the Shock. Good Luck and happy Snake Charming. Oh, if you keep a garter snake you can feed it small gold fish, just put them in a bowl of water and with the snake, it cool to watch it swim for the fish. ;-)

We are afraid of snakes cause they are so different looking, they have no legs and it looks like the way they move is magic

Best way to overcome a fear of something is to confront it learn all you can about it. Even if you still fear it the fear will be in prospective. Being afraid of snakes is not an unnatural fear some snakes are dangerous. Most snakes are very good to have around. You also have a better chance of being hit by a car while running from a snake then being killed by a snake. Sharks are another animal that has this bad rep I have seen sharks while scuba diving plenty I've also seen snake around the world leave them alone and they will do the same. If you look at satistics of things that kill people you will see that car wrecks shadows them all. you probably have a better chance of being killed with a stray golf ball then by a snake.

I was once afraid of snakes too. A teacher of mine back in high school had tones of them and would let them slitter around in the classroom and so I decided to try and over come my fear by holding a 10 ft albino python. It worked and now I own a snake and have no more fears. Try petting or holding one.

sit in a tank of snakes