Brighten Your Day

Scientists Discover How To Erase Your Fear Of Spiders In Just 2 Minutes

December 16, 2015

Scientists claim they've finally found a way of curing people's fear of spiders and it only takes two minutes. But, it's going to take a bit of courage.

First, you need to be trapped in the same room as a spider.

Researchers Marieke Soeter and Merel Kindt, from the Department of Clinical Psychology at the University of Amsterdam, discovered the phenomenon by locking 45 people afraid of spiders in a room with a tarantula.

The volunteers were exposed to the spider for two minutes, and then randomly given a single dose of either propranolol (a beta blocker used for high blood pressure and heart conditions) or placebo.

Those who received the real propranolol experienced drastically reduced avoidance behavior and increased approach behavior, and not just for a few hours, but for a whole year.

"[The participants] couldn't believe it," Kindt told Post. "They went on and on. One even asked if they could have it in their hand. As a therapist, I almost cannot believe it!"

Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry, said, "This elegant study may suggest a strategy for accelerating the recovery from anxiety disorders."

The researchers say that more work is necessary to further test the treatment and to extend the findings to patient populations and more severe phobias.

We used zero pictures of spiders in this article. You're welcome.