How to manage a fear of needles

With modern advancements in medicine, many illnesses that were once serious or potentially life-threatening are manageable today. That said, some of these cures or ailment-slowing drugs and procedures require stricken persons receive injections or come into contact with other types of medical equipment.

Needles Are An Established Fear

It might be hard for some people to believe, but a significant portion of society is afraid of needles. Scientific researchers have found that as many as 20 percent of the United State’s population demonstrates some fear level regarding needles and receiving injections.

Roughly 10 percent of this same group is believed to be afflicted with a potentially paralyzing fear called trypanophobia, which is a complete fear of needles. This condition often causes impacted persons to become so fearful of the sight of needles and receiving shots that they avoid medical testing and, in certain instances, treatment to chronic conditions.

There are also fears associated to needles and injections that become an issue. Mysophobia, a fear of germs and contamination, might become prevalent when someone needs to have a vaccination. Imagine how a diabetic person suffering from mysophobia must feel when they need to have an insulin injection; water is known to have contaminants, so it’s easy to see how this fear could become crippling.

Potential Dangers Associated

As previously mentioned, individuals demonstrating a fear of needles might avoid proper medical evaluations or refrain from ingesting medications necessary for proper health maintenance.

Numerous medical tests require the use of needles. Amongst the most common are simple blood tests. The state of a patient’s blood can be a valuable diagnostic tool for healthcare professionals. Moreover, treatment for several illnesses necessitate the usage of needles and injections. Arguably the most common is diabetes. Persons who require insulin often receive it through injections.

Overcoming Trypanophobia

Fortunately, there are techniques stricken individuals can employ which might help said persons overcome this significant and potentially adverse health-impacting fear. Such suggestions include:

Learning the Research of Injections

Phobias aren’t always rational, but one of the easiest ways to alleviate some of the fear is to learn more about the actual process of an injection, as well as how hard those in the medical field work to make injections safe.

Take anesthesiologists, for example. Anesthesia is absolutely crucial to so many surgeries, and there is an entire industry devoted to anesthesiamanagement. They work to ensure a level of quality in the medical field and to make the experience as comfortable as possible. Learning the human side behind these medical practices can really help to relieve some of the fears.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Researchers are adamant that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has proven effective in treating the condition. The goal is to gradually develop a controlled environment in which the person feels safe enough to face their fears. Specific steps that might be employed include viewing empty needles or receiving injections with family and friends at their side.

Needle-Free Tests Or Treatments

For persons with the most severe manifestations of the malady, employing needle-free diagnostic testing or treatment options might be indicated. Naturally, the efficacy of such endeavors will depend upon the specific condition being tested for, as well as the available treatment options for said illness.

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