They were asked to watch a documentary and write down their reactions, feelings and thoughts on a piece of paper answering to some specific psychological questions which would help scientists and psychologists find out more about what causes these phobias. According to scientists, there are a number of reasons which may have led to this irrational obsession, although they haven t yet been clarified. They may have seen someone close to them being bitten by a spider. Various projects are in progress aiming at breaking this fear which according to scientists can lead to fear of other animals as well. This and other fears can be treated by means of virtual reality, a computer-generated artificial world.
Patients wear stereoscopic glasses and watch spiders move three-dimensionally across a PC screen.
Before and after the treatment patients are exposed to live spiders to see whether and how much their fear has receded. In every case patients are cured or have their fear minimized and controlled. Patients are persuaded to approach spiders step by step, stopping when they feel their fear culminate. By staying in that position for some time, the fear recedes and patients are encouraged to approach the feared animal ever more closely. Finally they succeed in touching it and even in letting it walk on them as they realize that there s really nothing to be afraid of.