Trypanophobia (Fear of Needles)
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ShyAvocado
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by ShyAvocado
So yeah.... any tips on how to get over this? Thank You! ❤️
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Elise64
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by Elise64
I wrote an essay about it!
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Elise64
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by Elise64
I’m really scared of needles too, and we had to choose one of 10 phobias for an essay so I chose that one. If you want me to pm you the paragraph on how to get over it I can idk if it will be helpful tho 😂😂
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Elise64
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by Elise64
One more thing, I get so scared when thinking about vaccines and stuff and I get like stuck in my mind and I can’t think about anything else for a few seconds 😂
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ShyAvocado
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by ShyAvocado
oooh sure i would love to read it!
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ShyAvocado
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by ShyAvocado
@Elise64 oooh sure i would love to read it!
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ShyAvocado
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by ShyAvocado
0w0 im getting my flu shot in 50 minutes so 00F
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eva-seria
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by eva-seria
For me it helps if I don’t look at where the needle is going. Finding something else to stare at until it’s over. As for distracting myself I usually take deep breaths and count them (so like inhale-1-pause for a sec-exhale-2-pause for a sec-repeat). Kinda mentally separating what’s going on with my arm from my thoughts, like “I know that there’s a needle happening over there, but I’m just gonna focus on breathing until it’s over”.
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kmmorell
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by kmmorell
I'm scared of needles, not to a serious event, but i told one of the nurses and she told me to put my hand underneath the thigh (got it in my thigh) and then pinched me in the arm when it went it... the pinch hurt way worse than the needle, didn't even notice.Probably didn't help... sorry |
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arf820
Moderator
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3 years, 11 months ago by arf820
hey! i took AP psychology last year in school, and one of my favorite parts of the class was learning about phobias, so i think i might have some tips for you!basically, the main way to get rid of phobias, or at least to relieve them, is to simply gain exposure to whatever you are afraid of. there is a concept called counterconditioning that relates to this process. counterconditioning is when your pair a stimulus that makes you happy (for example, your favorite food) along with your fear of needles. as your brain gradually begins to associate your "happy" stimulus with needles, your fear will eventually be replaced by happiness. for example, if your fear relates to the sharpness of needles, you can try everyday to touch the tip of a needle and then reward yourself with food afterward, thereby motivating you to gain exposure to your fear. another way to do this is through systematic desensitization, where you combine relaxation techniques with gradual exposure to your phobia. it is pretty complicated and people undergoing this process normally see a therapist to guide them through this process. the first step is to learn relaxation techniques, such as meditation, muscle relaxation, and mindfulness. find what works best for you. then, you create a hierarchy of fears, ranking them in terms of intensity (for example, is it the sharpness of needles that is the most intense for you? the sight? the thought? etc). then you gradually gain exposure to your fear, starting at the least intense fear on your hierarchy and then eventually reaching the top of the list, which is the most intense. if you feel like you are starting to be afraid, cope using relaxation techniques. over time, you will find that your brain is associating your phobia with relaxation techniques, so you will eventually be more relaxed when facing your phobia. there are some really interesting studies that relate to phobia treatment that you can find if you research counterconditioning or systematic desensitization. i hope that helps and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need any clarification! 🙂 |
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spleevy
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by spleevy
hey! I most definitely have a phobia of needles to the point that I can’t even look at pictures of them. I read this thread on Reddit and basically it said you need to figure out what part of needles scares you. For example, I hate knowing the needle is coming when getting a vaccine but it’s not so bad when everything is over. Usually before getting a vaccine I tell myself I know what is coming and how long it will hurt which is no more than half a second. Also in that time period of thinking it makes me forget that the needle is actually coming because I’m so focused on the second it’s going to hurt. breathing doesn’t help me because it makes me light headed but apparently thinking does hahaha
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ShyAvocado
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by ShyAvocado
@eva-seria Tysm 4 the tip! Hopefully it will help me! ❤️
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ShyAvocado
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by ShyAvocado
@kmmorell wait thats actually genius... i never thought of that... woah.... thank you!!!!!! ❤️
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ShyAvocado
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by ShyAvocado
@arf820 woah thats so cool! For me its more of the alcohol wipe that really stimulates my senses, so maybe i can try your technique! Tysm! ❤️
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ShyAvocado
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by ShyAvocado
@spleevy yeah i really need to work on my breathing while getting the shot lel ty ❤️
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brooklyng
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by brooklyng
OMG I FINALLY FOUND MY PHOBIA SISTERS ❤️❤️❤️🤣🤣🤣🤣 When you’re a teenager and you scream and kick the doctor away to avoid getting a flu shot...
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brooklyng
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by brooklyng
Also anyone else more scared of shots or getting vaccines than sewing needles? Sewing needles are fine unless someone tries to put it in my skin
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ShyAvocado
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by ShyAvocado
@brooklyng XD yeah, once they had to hold me down in order to give me my flu shot (when i was 10) but now its just panic attacks 00f. also yeah sewing needles are fine until you acceidently poke urself owo
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brooklyng
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by brooklyng
Omg me too they had to get my mom, call two other nurses just to hold me down and get an actual doctor to put the shot in. Getting my blood taken is myself lest fear like sticking the needle in your arm and it sitting there and then pulling it out. I can’t and will never 🤮
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brooklyng
Bracelet King
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3 years, 11 months ago by brooklyng
Last time i got my flu shot I kept pushing the doctor away and crying while i was wearing a mask so it was gross and then the nurse was like distract yourself on your phone so i was like ok and i downloaded an episode of OUAT to watch but right when i unlocked my phone and wasn’t expecting it she jammed the shot into my arm right where a blood clot was and it swelled up so bad :/
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