Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav
gillibean1123
1 129 M Embraced 1
PathStep 1 Compassion hearts11 Forum posts2 Forum upvotes2 Current upvotes2 Age GroupAdult Last activeMarch, 2022 Member sinceMarch 1, 2022
Bio
Recent forum posts
gillibean1123 profile picture
Trypanophobia - Fear of Medical Needles
Anxiety Support / by gillibean1123
Last post
 March 10th, 2022
...See more Hi, this is my first post on here so here it goes. I have an extreme irrational fear of medical needles. Vaccines, blood drawing, IVs, stitches, you name it. It's so bad that I'll often faint after I get shots or blood drawn just from the sheer fear of them. I can't even see videos of it. Knowing I have an appointment coming up where I'm going to get a vaccine or blood drawn causes extreme anxiety leading up to it and many sleepless nights. Getting my covid vaccine was awful. I've had to be held down by nurses, screamed, cried, and recently I can only get shots if I'm laying down and/or in my own home (thankfully my mom has a friend who's a nurse) in order to prevent me from passing out and losing consciousness. I've been terrified of them for as long as I can remember and I have no idea how it started. Sometimes I think it might be hereditary (even though I know that makes no sense) since my dad is afraid of them too. I never watched him freak out with them and he didn't express his fear until I had already developed the phobia so it's not like it rubbed off on me. Maybe it's unrelated, but it's my best guess. I also know I get extremely uncomfortable at the thought of foreign objects in my body (ex. Screws in a hip for a surgery) and the just the thought of something foreign going into my blood stream makes me feel physically ill. It almost makes me feel like a bunch of tiny parasites are being pushed through my veins when I get vaccines. It's honestly embarrassing for me because I'm 19 and I have no control over my body when I'm getting shots. My mom understands how severe my phobia is, but she's getting tired of it. If anyone knows of any coping mechanisms or ways to at least lessen my reaction to medical needles I would greatly appreciate it. I've already tried focusing on something else, looking away, and having someone with me to hold my hand or distract me. Thank you!
gillibean1123 profile picture
Trypanophobia - Fear of Medical Needles
Anxiety Support / by gillibean1123
Last post
 March 15th, 2022
...See more Hi, this is my first post on here so here it goes. I have an extreme irrational fear of medical needles. Vaccines, blood drawing, IVs, stitches, you name it. It's so bad that I'll often faint after I get shots or blood drawn just from the sheer fear of them. I can't even see videos of it. Knowing I have an appointment coming up where I'm going to get a vaccine or blood drawn causes extreme anxiety leading up to it and many sleepless nights. Getting my covid vaccine was awful. I've had to be held down by nurses, screamed, cried, and recently I can only get shots if I'm laying down and/or in my own home (thankfully my mom has a friend who's a nurse) in order to prevent me from passing out and losing consciousness. I've been terrified of them for as long as I can remember and I have no idea how it started. Sometimes I think it might be hereditary (even though I know that makes no sense) since my dad is afraid of them too. I never watched him freak out with them and he didn't express his fear until I had already developed the phobia so it's not like it rubbed off on me. Maybe it's unrelated, but it's my best guess. I also know I get extremely uncomfortable at the thought of foreign objects in my body (ex. Screws in a hip for a surgery) and the just the thought of something foreign going into my blood stream makes me feel physically ill. It almost makes me feel like a bunch of tiny parasites are being pushed through my veins when I get vaccines. It's honestly embarrassing for me because I'm 19 and I have no control over my body when I'm getting shots. My mom understands how severe my phobia is, but she's getting tired of it. If anyone knows of any coping mechanisms or ways to at least lessen my reaction to medical needles I would greatly appreciate it. I've already tried focusing on something else, looking away, and having someone with me to hold my hand or distract me. Thank you!
Search more from @gillibean1123
Considering Therapy?
Talk to an expert therapist
Badges & Awards
6 total badges
Hand Shake Linked First Post Reaching out First Compassion Teammate
Report an issue