What is Needle Phobia?
Needle phobia, also called trypanophobia, is a common medical condition that affects about 10-25% of adults. Rates of needle phobia are even higher among children and teens. You don’t have to be any more embarrassed of having a needle phobia than you are of having a headache.
Needle phobia shows up in 3 main ways:
physical symptoms
behaviors
thoughts
Physical symptoms
Sufferers of needle phobia commonly experience temporary increases in heart rate and strong heart palpitations. Also, fear may be expressed with increased blood pressure, shortness of breath, dry mouth, nausea, tremor, feeling faint or fainting (caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure), and/or feelings of panic. A panic attack can occur if you believe you are not in control or that escape is impossible.
Behaviors
The number one behavior is avoidance. You may find it hard to watch or look at receiving an injection. You may feel the need to escape. You may avoid any medical contact for fear of being confronted by needles or injections. You might also avoid any places associated with needles, such as hospitals, surgeries, and dentists.
Thoughts
In experiencing a rush of fear and dread you might find anxious thoughts running through your mind. For example, these could be fears about losing control, getting hurt, worry about the pain, and/or fears about fainting. You may have the thought that something catastrophic is going to happen, even if you don’t know what that is.
What causes needle phobia?
Needle phobia usually results from a combination of genetics and life events. Needle phobia is hereditary, with approximately 80% of people with a fear of needles report that a relative within the first degree exhibits the same condition. Needle phobia may occur as a result of a negative or traumatic experience with needles/injections. For example, enduring a particularly painful injection as a child against your will, or having an injection prior to a stressful operation.
Others may have had a history of fainting during the process (also often hereditary), leading to fear of fainting and a subsequent avoidance of injections. Phobias can be associative, which means that the object of our phobia can be associated with something negative. An example of how this may occur is having had a blood test and then later being told you have a medical problem.
In addressing needle phobia, it is useful to identify the core fear underlying the needle phobia. Is it fear of getting hurt or sick from the process? Getting the needle stuck inside the arm? Losing control? Having a panic attack? Fainting or feeling dizzy? Pain? Making a fool out of oneself? Seeing blood? Something else?
Ignoring needle fear doesn’t make it go away — unfortunately, avoidance just makes it worse. By learning ways to manage needle-related pain and fear, you have an opportunity to accomplish your own healthcare goals such as vaccination, as well as increase comfort and confidence in healthcare interactions more broadly.