If you are very scared of needles, then know that you are not alone! Unfortunately, the need to take care of your health makes you regularly deal with such fear. First of all, try to calm down and pull yourself together. Also, learn some methods to relax and overcome your own fear. Then, in the doctorâs office, take specific measures to relieve stress and a sense of fear. Some are even afraid of cartoons about injections. We will talk about this phobia below, as well as about ways to combat it.
Get rid of fear gradually
How not to be afraid of injections? First of all, the fight against this phobia should be gradual. Let's consider separately the stages of how to overcome the fear of injections.
Change your own mindset
Often the best way to overcome fear is to try to change your own perception of the situation. For example, thoughts like: âNeedles are horrorâ or âI am very afraid of injectionsâ only increase fear. But instead, you say to yourself, "An injection is only a little painful, after which I will be healthy."
Write down on paper what you are very afraid of
Some individuals start only at the sight of a needle. Write down all the situations during which you have fear, including the image of a needle or watching a scene with a terrible injection on TV, watching a patient who is being vaccinated by a doctor, visiting a doctor. Perhaps you are very afraid of the prospect of just picking up a syringe, hearing someone else's story about injections and vaccinations, or the need to touch a needle. Arrange these situations in order to enhance your fear.
Start small
Consider a less frightening situation. So, if the image of the needle itself bothers you the least, try looking at a few photos with it on the Internet. The level of fear and anxiety will reach a critical point, but do not stop watching, because it will become much easier for you, and fear will gradually recede. After this stress, you must try to relax.
Go to the next level
Understand one situation first, and then move on to the next. For example, work out the situation with viewing the injection scene on the Internet or on TV. Look for any commercials or medical TV shows. Use the same method of increasing and subsequently decreasing feelings of anxiety.
Keep fighting fear
Expose yourself to some frightening situations over time until you are ready to try to get vaccinated. Initially, imagine the situation only mentally, so that the feeling of anxiety reaches its peak and then subsides. Then you can make an appointment with the doctor.
Learn ways to relax as well as overcome fear
Relaxation will be very effective if you do not know how not to be afraid of injections and overcome this phobia. Consider relaxing methods.
Breathe calmly
The fact is that breathing exercises are one way to deal with severe anxiety if you need to take an analysis or an injection. Try to close your eyes and then take a deep breath through your nose. Slowly take a deep breath, then hold your breath for about four seconds. Then exhale slowly, but through the mouth. Then repeat this exercise three to four more times. Use this method several times a day to gradually get used to it. Then, at the doctorâs appointment, you will still be able to pull yourself together and calm down.
Correct posture
Lie down when you need to inject into the muscle or donate blood for analysis. Try to lie down on the couch in the office and raise your legs up to prevent possible dizziness. Be sure to inform the medical staff about the fear and tell you that, most likely, it is easier to transfer this procedure in this position. If you raise your legs, then, most likely, you will also be able to stabilize your blood pressure.
Use visuals
A technique such as meditation helps to pull yourself together, and visualization helps you get distracted from everything that happens around you. Mentally imagine a place where you could be happy. These include a quiet and peaceful city park, a beach by the sea or your bedroom. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in such a place. Engage absolutely all the senses. Think what you see now? What do you feel? What is the smell around? What do you hear about this? Do you have any taste in your mouth? Create a mentally complete picture of your world in the smallest details and details. So, if you imagined a beach by the sea, then consider green waves there, feel the sea air and soft hot sand under your feet, the heat from the sun on tanned shoulders. Feel the taste of salt in your tongue and listen carefully to how the sea waves break loudly on the shore. The clearer you imagine this picture, the more you will be able to distract from the injection.
Intentional stress
Some people are afraid of syringes and needles because of a strong fear of losing consciousness in the office. In this case, you need to apply a method that allows you to increase blood pressure in the body. At the same time, the higher the blood pressure, the lower the probability of losing consciousness during an injection. Sit in a comfortable position. During this, strain all your muscles in your arms, legs, and upper body. Hold the voltage in this position for about 15-20 seconds. At the same time, you will feel the heat begin to flow to your face. Then relax. Take a break of 30 seconds after such an exercise, and then tighten your muscles again. Use this method several times a day to gradually get used to it, and you will see the result.
Sign up for a specialist
If you canât cope on your own, then you can turn to a therapist for help. He will definitely teach you certain methods and techniques to overcome your fear, which will help you pull yourself together. Such a specialist has tremendous experience in solving such problems. It is best to sign up for a psychotherapist who has long specialized in various phobias.
Always speak with medical personnel
We continue to find out how not to be afraid of injections. Many specialists advise talking to doctors with this problem.
Be sure to tell your fear of the injection to a healthcare professional or doctor. Do not keep it inside yourself. Tell a nurse who will take blood from you for analysis or injections. Knowing about the problem, it will help distract you and will act as carefully as possible during the procedure. Tell us about your specific desire. For example, a doctor or nurse will be able to warn you about the moment when she begins to get a needle for a syringe so that you turn away at that time. You can also ask the nurse to count to three before the injection.
Study the rest of the options carefully.
If you have to make an injection, then the injection can sometimes be replaced by another method of drug administration. For example, a flu vaccine is also sometimes injected through the nasal cavity.
Small needle
How not to be afraid of injections yet? Ask the nurse or doctor to use the smallest needle. If you donât need to donate a huge amount of blood, you can do with only a small needle such as a butterfly needle.
Only time
Explain to staff that you can only withstand one attempt. And if you are very afraid of injections, then in this case you will hardly agree to 2 or 3 attempts. Ask the nurse to take all the necessary amount of blood immediately. If you canât cope at a time, then find out if it is possible to continue on some other day.
Best doctor
For an injection, call the best specialist in this field who knows how to make an injection does not hurt. If you are very worried that the health care provider is unable to cope, ask him to invite a more experienced specialist (in case you are currently in a large clinic).
Be calm at the reception
Are there any other methods to stop being afraid of injections? We must try to calm down. Consider how to do this.
Try to convince yourself that the pain during the injection will be only short-lived. If you are very scared, then think about the fact that the soreness will pass almost immediately. Tell yourself: "It will only be a little sick, but it is only literally 2 seconds. I can handle it anyway."
Painkillers
Use a special cream with an anesthetic. This tool allows during the injection to anesthetize the area on the body, which should be pierced with a needle. In addition, do not act solely at your discretion, and also discuss the current situation with your doctor.
Take a break
Distract while taking. Try not to think about the upcoming injection. For example, listen to music on your phone or turn on your favorite game on your smartphone. Take with you to read a book to the hospital, so you will look less during the injection around. But do not watch cartoons about injections.
Talk about everything to staff
Use ways to overcome the fear of an injection. Inform the reception of your actions to medical personnel in advance. Perform special breathing exercises, as well as imagine images in your head during the injection procedure, but the method with increasing your blood pressure using the stress method should only be used after the injection.
In conclusion, there is one more thing worth recommending: during the procedure, try to remember the letters in the alphabet, but in reverse order. Your brain will be very busy with an external task, for which reason for a while it will forget about the existing fear. Often, kids are afraid of injections, but adults are no exception. Use all the tips above. If you know how to tune in to an injection, you wonât even notice it.