Help me get over my irrational fear of needles BG!

[aru]

This. Really annoying trying to get a stick on somebody who's terrified of it. Unless you suck at getting a vein it really doesn't hurt that bad.

I think for many of us, it has absolutely nothing to do with pain.

[Aksannyi]

Exactly. It may be irrational - and I think most people know that - but so are a lot of fears. I'm 31 and still scared of thunderstorms. I know that (except in very unlikely circumstances) they can't harm me, but I lie in bed with my eyes tightly shut and a blanket out of my head to muffle the sound/block out the flashing of lightning regardless. It's totally irrational and I deal with it, but it doesn't make it any less real to me. I'm scared of bees and wasps also, not because I have an allergy, just because I am. I just am.

Fears are fears. A lot of them don't make sense (and some of them definitely do, like my fear of fire), but they're not any less real to me.

[Lucavi]

Fears -are- fears, and those of us without said fears are allowed to make fun of those with said fears. There's a lot of shit I hate - bees, wasps and fire included - but the only thing I truly fear are slightly more realistic things, like loved ones up and dying out of nowhere or getting fired.

I should probably donate more blood, though. With all the people that are terrified of needles and -still- give blood, I should probably do my part.

[Sylvrdragon]

I'm afraid I didn't read past the OP, so forgive me if this has been said, but the best way to get rid of an irrational fear is to replace it with a rational one... Just think of the potential consequences if you don't get blood work done, or have vaccinations, or whatever the worst-case scenario for you not getting stuck with a needle.

I can understand the fear of needles- it's a very intrusive feeling. That feeling that something is in your body and just doesn't belong there really sucks. But if it's voluntary, then you have control over the situation, and you should be able to master the pain and the fear. A far worse feeling is when you feel something inside your body that you didn't plan on, and you can't DO anything about it- like being stabbed or shot or stepping on a nail or thorn or getting a large splinter. You have to establish in your mind the DIFFERENCE between these things and a medical needle.

[Nightfyre]

Being aware of the needle nullifies most anesthetic on me in normal doses. When the dentist does novicaine, I usually need about 6-8 injections before it stays numb, unless they gas me first. They give me one, while I am working up while they are doing it, and then when they come back expecting it to be numb, I still flinch from the pain and they have to do it again.

I'm the same way, but gas does take the edge off for me at least.

Tensing up makes the pain more intense.

Yeah, I'm not sure if it would really help in your case given your allergy. It helps me keep my blood pressure up though. Full-body tensing is probably bad regardless, I just cross my legs and squeeze.

So far the phobia isn't really fading over time. I deal with needles less than once per year and the improvement seems to be with the doctors that haven't changed on me actually taking precautions to keep me from seeing the needle as much as possible. If I see it I still freak out the same way. I just stay away from pharmacies during vaccination season, and from the blood banks at all times. I think it was one of the reasons I didn't see a dentist for 7 years.

Sorry to hear that. I was making some progress on mine until recently.

[BaneTheBrawler]

Ugh, I just did my dose and I couldn't get that fucking image out of my head. Now I have a splitting headache. fuck you stinkypoo.

[bungiefan]

Oh, gas helps me, I don't freak out at all. It just took a while to convince my dentist to use it on me since asthma is on my medical record, but it triggers from allergens and physical exertion combined. It's not a chronic problem, and it goes away when I'm in good enough health from bicycling everywhere.

The problem with replacing it with a rational fear is that I'm not afraid of the consequences of not having a needle in me. I'd rather bleed profusely from ripping an IV out improperly than have the IV in me. All sharp objects pointed at me bug me, needles and razors just elicit the strongest reactions from me.

[Kerberoz]

Next time, ask for benzos.