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By Lucy Notarantonio
Senior Reporter
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The internet has been shaken by the moment a spider entered a woman's personal space. But she didn't even notice until after the incident.
In a TikTok video, Beth Tomlinson [@bethany_tomlinsonn] can be seen making her bed when the creature springs off a blanket and onto the floor. It then charges past her feet and disappears beneath the bed.
The clip captioned: "This video made my skin crawl, these damn house spiders are getting bigger every year," has racked up 1.2 million views.
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The on-screen text explains: "I had no idea how close I was to death till I edited this clip."
According to the Cleveland Clinic, up to 15 percent of the population suffers from arachnophobia, which causes an individual to feel anxious and uncomfortable when they see a spider. Some people are even triggered by a photo and may present physical symptoms like sweating and shaking. In severe cases they may have trouble breathing.
Many people have provided details of their spider encounters online and the hashtag arachnophobia has 1.5 billion views on TikTok. Previously, one woman's video racked up over 50 million views as she shared the horrifying moment a spider crawled out of her ear.
The causes of arachnophobia aren't fully understood. Researchers believe they may include:
- A traumatic past experience with a spider.
- Childhood exposure to a parent's arachnophobia.
- Family history of anxiety disorders. This could increase your chance of developing a phobia, such as arachnophobia.
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Some people's phobia may interfere with their every day life, according to Cleveland Clinic. Therefore they may require cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of talking session that will focus on the way a person thinks, feels and behaves.
Exposure therapy can also help, which involves an individual facing their fears in real life. It is a gradual process that may start by looking at photos of spiders and progress to handling arachnids.
One man named Anthony Zurlo previously told Newsweek how he used to be scared of the creepy crawlies but decided to tackle his terror head on by taking up the unusual hobby of breeding tarantulas.
In the comments to Tomlinson's video, some people have stated they are terrified of spiders, while others have asked about the creature's fate. The United Kingdom-based woman explained: "He has been found, and evicted."
The clip shared on September 20 has racked up 30,000 likes and more than 130 comments.
One user joked: "Jesus girl!!!!! I trust you've since disposed of that bed, right..?!"
"Nooooooo. I would simply pass out," said another.
A different person said: "I'd move out."
Newsweek reached out to @bethany_tomlinsonn for comment via Instagram. We could not verify the details of the case.
If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work and your story could be featured on Newsweek's "What Should I Do? section.
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