How to Overcome the Fear of Snakes by Using the Behaviorist Approach

Ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, is a common phobia that many people experience. While it may be easy to simply avoid encountering snakes, you may have reasons for wanting to overcome your fear of snakes. Perhaps a good friend has acquired a pet snake, or you plan to visit an outdoor location where it's likely you'll see one. Using the behaviorist approach to overcome your fear is one option to try.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook
• Pen or pencil

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Instructions

• 1

  Write down the negative effects your fear causes in your life.

  Identify your problem behavior and decide specifically how you want to change; for instance, your problem could be "I don't go to my friend's house anymore because she got a pet snake." State your problem in terms of a specific way it's negatively affecting your behavior; a statement like "I'm afraid of snakes" is too general. Write down your statement.

• 2

  Split your goal up into small steps.

  Select your specific target behaviors and decide on goals based on your problem statement from the previous step. Write down a list of behaviors you must change in order to meet that goal. Make your goal realistic and set yourself up for success by breaking your goal into small steps instead of something large and daunting. Start with something like "Be able to visit my friend with the pet snake" before setting a goal like "Pick up my friend's pet snake."

• 3

  Analyze how your fear specifically impacts your life.

  Collect your baseline data. Understand more about your fear including how, when and why it occurs. Spend a couple of weeks before you begin your program analyzing your fear and its effects on your life; for example, you may feel alright when looking at pictures of snakes, but not being in the same room with your friend's live snake. Write down your observations for future reference.

• 4

  It's important to feel in control of your situation.

  Plan your program. Control the problem stimuli; for example, ask to visit your friend with the pet snake when you are the only visitor, rather than go to her house during a party when lots of people are there handling the snake. Review your goal and the steps developed in Step 2. Create a schedule based on your steps to reinforce your behavior change; if your goal is to eventually pick up your friend's pet snake, you could visit her on a weekly basis spending your time in the room with the caged snake, talking and learning about snakes until you feel comfortable watching your friend handle the snake. Spend time visualizing yourself completing your goal successfully.

• 5

  Be sure to reward yourself for working toward your goals.

  Carry out your program according to the steps you've created. Realize that it's fine to adjust the steps based on your experience as you implement your program. Make your steps smaller or add new ones if necessary. Expect to spend a couple of weeks working steadily on your program before really getting results. Find a way to reinforce your success by rewarding yourself when you complete steps toward your goal.