A woman has made a public service announcement online, warning people to avoid hopping into bed without checking everywhere first. Why? Because she discovered a huge spider resting between her bed pillow and the pillowcase.
The video, posted to @livinginneutral_, has gathered more than 4.2 million views since it was shared on October 11. The text layered over the footage reads, ‘this is your sign to check your pillows this autumn [fall].”
The clip, captioned ‘I felt SICK. Bruce Almighty just kicking back in my bed,’ has more than 87,000 likes at the time of writing. It is safe to say the message has resonated, as arachnophobes have flocked to the comments to share their thoughts. It turns out other users have had similar experiences, with many saying they now can’t go to bed without checking.
“No, because I found one behind my pillow and now I have to check every night,” wrote one user. The original poster replied: “Once it happens to you, I don’t think you’ll skip a pillow check for the rest of your life.”
“I check under my pillows every night, shake my duvet, and then look all around the ceiling and corners,” commented another, and the poster vowed to do the same. She added she had no idea that spiders like to get comfortable in one’s bed.
A stock image of a woman under the duvet. Many users have flocked to the comments to say they would never get into bed without checking for spiders.
stockbusters/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Indeed, spiders are more likely to invade homes during winter, but it isn’t because they are attracted to the warmth. Romney Pest Control in Texas says that spiders are highly adaptable creatures that can live in a wide range of environments. As cold-blooded animals, they enter a state called diapause during the winter, which is similar to hibernation.
Other comments included, “I absolutely DID NOT need to see this while I’m lying in the dark in bed,” and “I could have lived the rest of my life without seeing this video. The way I fear spiders is ridiculous.”
TikTok users aren’t the only ones with these fears. A 2022 YouGov poll found that spiders are one of Americans’ top fears. The poll of 1,000 adults showed that women are generally more likely than men to express fear, particularly of creepy-crawlies.
The biggest gender difference was with snakes, where women were 20 percent more likely than men to fear them. Females also showed significantly more fear of spiders, insects, and crowded spaces. Overall, 30 percent of respondents feared snakes, 28 percent were scared of heights, and 24 percent feared spiders.
The Cleveland Clinic suggests consulting your primary health care provider or a psychologist to address your fear. Additionally, you can try the following methods to help you feel more comfortable:
- Practice relaxation techniques: Try deep breathing exercises (slowly inhale through your nose, hold for three seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth), meditation, mindfulness, or progressive muscle relaxation (tensing and relaxing different muscle groups).
- Focus on calming thoughts: Visualize and concentrate on something that brings you peace and calm.
Newsweek reached out to @livinginneutral_ for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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