This is going to be a personal post, but one I’ve thought about for a while. Mental health is something that this country needs to take more seriously. More people than ever are suffering from anxiety or depression, often times both. I have always been on the anxious side of things.

Anxiety and depression runs in my family, on both sides. I’ve been anxious and a habitual worrier since I can remember. My entire childhood was fully of stress, as I would constantly worry about being “good enough” (this would eventually develop into a decade-long battle with disordered eating and obsessive exercise) and my school days were filled with nonstop intrusive thoughts about tests and grades. Once I stopped worrying about one thing, I was on to the next (or several) thing/s to worry about. If you have an overactive mind, are naturally anxious, or even just type A with some control issues, you know what I’m talking about.

So how does a tarantula fit into all of this? Should “tarantula” and “anxiety” even belong in the same sentence?!

Well, most people would argue that living with a tarantula would GIVE them anxiety – and that would certainly be fair lol. But for me, things were the opposite. Of course, I was a little scared when I first bought Spidey, my chilean rose hair (grammostola rosea) home with me. I was so fascinated with tarantulas, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t a bit intimidating! Eventually, that fear turned to curiosity and awe of how awesome she was.

My first time holding Spidey taught me something really important about anxiety. Before I continue, I would say that you do NOT need to hold your tarantulas, especially if you don’t feel comfortable. Know the risks and eucate yourself on proper handling techniques before doing so!

I was a little worried when I first nudged her into my hand and was careful not to move or do anything to startle her. As soon as she got into my hand completely and started slowly walking her little spider paws over my hands, something really interesting happened to my anxiety. It left. What I felt was the most peaceful, most focused “escape” from my worries I had ever felt in my life.

Holding a creature that is so fragile (and unpredictable) forced me to focus 100% of my energy and attention on her, which was something I’d probably never done before in my life. It gave me freedom from the endless cycle of thoughts and worries. It gave me a few minutes of undivided clarity. I’d never known what that felt like and it was precious to me.

I felt serene, centered, and calm in a way I hadn’t before. I have heard other tarantula owners say something similar, that holding a tarantula has a more calming effect.

Now, of course, this did not last long. Tarantulas don’t really enjoy being held, and Spidey was much happier left alone so I don’t experience this often. BUT on the very rare moments that I do handle Spidey or interact with her, I find them very special. You can get the same effect just by looking at these beautiful creatures. Their quiet movements and mesmerizing activities are extremely soothing!

Have you ever experienced something like this? Let me know!

By the way, I am in the middle of creating a monthly tarantula magazine – if you’d like to be a part of that, you can visit the magazine’s Patreon page to subscribe or make a submission! You can also contact me at theavenmag@gmail.com for more info!

If you want to learn more about tarantulas, feel free to check out my big tarantula guide (I talk about lots of tarantula facts and enclosure/care tips). You can also get free tarantula tips by signing up for my newsletter or subscribing to my YouTube channel! I release new tips every Tuesday for Tarantula Tuesday! And I also sell some pretty cool tarantula t-shirts, if I do say so myself 😉