The fear of spiders, or arachnophobia, is the most common phobia there is, so you're in good company if our eight-legged friends give you the heebie jeebies.
But the dread that comes with phobias can be crippling – and worse, it can affect, and even sometimes 'infect', the people we love. Luckily, it’s possible to overcome even our worst terrors, as author Maya Leonard, 50, tells us.
"As a child, screaming and running away from creepy-crawlies was part of who I was. An insect phobia seems socially acceptable, especially for girls," says Maya, who lives in Brighton with her husband Sam and two sons, Arthur, 20, and Sebastian, 11.
"But in 2010, I took my son Arthur, then four, to London Zoo. Walking through a butterfly tunnel, a large, turquoise-winged insect landed on my arm – I screamed and ran out.
"I’d tried to keep my phobia a secret from Arthur but he was starting to fear insects himself. So in 2011, I committed to conquering it."
This was a brave and selfless move from Maya, as clinical psychologist Dr Jo Stuart explains that some phobias can be inherited.
"Phobias generally stem from a traumatic experience [like choking on some food leading to a fear of eating], but there’s also generational fear, where a parent passes their own extreme response on to their child," Dr Stuart says. "This could be through actions like screaming and running away if they see a mouse."
Overcoming arachnophobia and fear of bugs
"As a voracious reader, I sought to reframe bugs through reading about them – and a book about beetles captivated me. I was writing my first children’s novel and decided to make a giant rhino beetle called Baxter my hero.
"In summer 2016, my agent called with an opportunity to promote my book on the TV show Blue Peter. The brief? To hold lots of beetles. Saying no wasn’t an option.
"So I met entomologist Dr Sarah Beynon at The Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire. She introduced me to beetles of various sizes and, gradually, I came to see their beauty.
"More recently, my friend Jess invited me to hold her pinktoe tarantula Rosie. That was when I realised I had overcome my phobia.
"I’m now outside all the time, an avid gardener and own pet beetles. It’s amazing how you can train your brain to see things differently."
Maya Leonard's latest beetle book, Hunt for the Golden Scarab, is out now
Where to get help with a phobia
✢ Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Find therapists through the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
✢ Hypnotherapy can help reframe phobias. Try Hypnotherapy Associates
✢ Clinical psychologists help individuals understand what’s driving a phobia. Contact Dr Stuart Psychologists
✢ easyJet run courses called Fearless Flyer to help nervous flyers.
This article first appeared in the August 2025 issue of woman&home magazine. Subscribe to the magazine for £6 for 6 issues.
