How many of us have touched a snake to develop ophidiophobia?

[Admin]

Each and every list of the top 10 phobias includes ophidiophobia, a fear of snakes, although in reality how many of us have actually touched a snake? The vast majority of snakes are nonpoisonous although there are millions of people around the world with an inbuilt and an extreme fear. Is much of the issue related to the way in which the media and television in particular show snakes?

 

[Jade]

Although I myself like snakes, media could very well be the source of this phobia. When we consider the amount of horror films that have been based around snakes e.g Snakes on a plane, Anaconda etc this could be easily be plausible. And it comes way back from films. Think of the Greek mythology of Medusa, she was an evil character that had snakes for her hair. I think it has been a theme in many films over the years ( think Jungle Book) and stories from thousands of years ago ( Cleopatra and the asp, or the legend of the sea serpents.)

I think what is interesting is how far the fear of snakes does go back, and perhaps it all actually originates from the Bible stories as snakes are portrayed very poorly and seen as creatures of evil.