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I'm so afriad of needles

I can't look at them even I feel uncomftorable i had a blood test in September I did not look at the needle I went with my mum for comfort I was screaming so loud it was horrible the pain was so excruciating I feel uncoftorable when I see people getting injections I can't look. I though this time I would not be afraid each vaccination,injecion or blood test I had I always have a panic attack and scream. i CAN'T HELPT IT please no comments such as grow up or it does not hurt its like a pinch or something because it hurts ok I am not being ridiculous some people are afraid of spiders,dogs,heights i am afraid of needles and the pain it gives. Any advice I don't want to be afraid anymore I try to stay calm but no I can't do it.
Reply 1
Panicking will make your muscles tense, making it more painful and more likely that the needle will break inside your flesh.
http://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-a-Fear-of-Needles Might help

If it's a serious phobia it may not help but there might be some useful tips in there. I used to be scared of needles but I just stopped being eventually and don't know how. Getting my blood pressure taken on the other hand...Hate it
Speaking from experience here (i've passed out from injections before), it isn't easy to overcome fears like this but you can do it. The fear will come when you're thinking about it too much, so try to push those thoughts away when they come, by doing things like:

1. Focus on breathing, in through the nose out the mouth, slow and controlled breaths, envision breathing out your fears while you exhale.
2. Divert your attention, simply counting to 10 repetetively can do the trick, and don't look directly at the needle. Something i was taught by a counsellor was to try and imagine yourself in a bubble of safety, there are lots of tricks/methods out there.
3. Sometimes if the person is nice they will talk to you to take your attention away, maintain that conversation if you can. Perhaps even ask if they can keep talking to you beforehand, to take the anxiety away.
4. Give yourself some kind of reward for going through it, be it choccy or something like that. For me it would be a bottle of e-liquid for my vaping :tongue:

It is something you have to work at, it may not work initially, but with practice stuff like this does help; mind over matter.
Reply 4
Original post by Onde
I'm the same, but not as extreme.

I just look away basically with my eyes closed as I can't stand them. I don't otherwise have any specific advice to stop you from screaming :frown: ...just hold the arm semi-firm to steady yourself (but not absolutely firm as that would be worse).

I think you just have to accept that it is a necessary evil and keep thinking long-term (that it will be over and things will be alright again).

The days leading up can be pretty bad because it is agonising knowing it is yet to happen: then you should try to focus short-term and try and enjoy each hour!


Thank you for your advice I usually put my head into my mums stomach and scream with closed eyes it helps I think not seeing the surroundings so you forget about what is going to happen
Reply 5
Original post by Meaty_man
Speaking from experience here (i've passed out from injections before), it isn't easy to overcome fears like this but you can do it. The fear will come when you're thinking about it too much, so try to push those thoughts away when they come, by doing things like:

1. Focus on breathing, in through the nose out the mouth, slow and controlled breaths, envision breathing out your fears while you exhale.
2. Divert your attention, simply counting to 10 repetetively can do the trick, and don't look directly at the needle. Something i was taught by a counsellor was to try and imagine yourself in a bubble of safety, there are lots of tricks/methods out there.
3. Sometimes if the person is nice they will talk to you to take your attention away, maintain that conversation if you can. Perhaps even ask if they can keep talking to you beforehand, to take the anxiety away.
4. Give yourself some kind of reward for going through it, be it choccy or something like that. For me it would be a bottle of e-liquid for my vaping :tongue:

It is something you have to work at, it may not work initially, but with practice stuff like this does help; mind over matter.


Thank you for your advice the first injection I remember is when I was 5 (I had some before but I did not remember) So i did not know what was going to happen and my mum said look at the laidies earings it worked but now you know what will happen so it won't work. I prefer private clincs to do it as in the nhs you wait so long for it that you have a panic attack much easier in private its quick its still bad though. I am alo very very afraid of passing out so much that if I feel faint I sometimes have panic attacks because I am scared of passing out. I passed out 4 times before it was horrible.
I usually have a look at it and try to take a mental picture because it's not something you see every day. Nurses love my arms. They're very veiny :redface:

But how can it be painful? lol. Bruv I feel for you if you get your thumb shut in a car door. You'l probably pass out instantly.
Reply 7
Original post by ChickenMadness
I usually have a look at it and try to take a mental picture because it's not something you see every day. Nurses love my arms. They're very veiny :redface:

But how can it be painful? lol. Bruv I feel for you if you get your thumb shut in a car door. You'l probably pass out instantly.


I actually got the door the car shut really hard at my fingers it hurt but I did not pass out
Original post by Maria1812
I actually got the door the car shut really hard at my fingers it hurt but I did not pass out


I almost did lmao. I walked to the toilets in Asda to put my thumb under the tap and everything started going black. Had to go sit down cus I couldn't hear anything either and started feeling like throwing up lol. Thumb was twice size of the other one rofl.
Reply 9
Original post by ChickenMadness
everything started going black. Had to go sit down cus I couldn't hear anything either


LOL

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