How to get over fear of needles

No matter how brave, everyone has their phobia. Some people have arachnophobia, which is the fear of spiders, some have acrophobia, the fear of heights. Some people have Googled “how to get over fear of needles” and here we are. Some patients get stressed when they see needles at the dentist. Here are some ways to get over that fear.

What you need to know about the fear of needles

When it comes to phobias, everyone has at least one. These are irrational fears that make a person anxious and can have very devastating effects on a person’s ability to concentrate and cause physical symptoms like difficulty in breathing and anxiety in a person suffering from the phobia. Trypanophobia is the name for the fear of needles, some people just refer to it as “needle phobia”. People who have this phobia would dread having to undergo medical procedures that involve needles. This phobia can have its share of dangers because people who have trypanophobia would avoid going to the dentist because they would do anything to avoid getting an injection. Having the fear of needles can cause people to alter their behavior because of their irrational fear. For some people, avoiding needles altogether would be a much bigger priority rather than getting that root canal they need. In extreme cases, people will not even go to routine check-ups at the dentist because they have a needle phobia.

How to get over fear of needles

Cognitive-behavioral treatment. This treatment method is a way to let patients understand the thoughts and feelings that are happening behind the scenes of actual behavior. This has been widely accepted to be a way to treat trypanophobia. There would be some therapy methods such as exposure therapy, and the patient will be gradually exposed to needles so that they can learn to gradually learn to tolerate being around them.

Hypnotherapy. This is another effective method that would tap into the subconscious of the patient to help them overcome their fear of needles.

Needle-free treatments and medications. If all else fails, there would be the option of having a medical treatment that is void of any needles. Procedures are being developed so that the administration of medications and medical tests can be done without the use of needles. However, no matter what advancements are made, there will always be some tests or medication that needs to be administered intravenously. So, this option cannot be considered to be a complete “cure”.

You are now aware of the implications that this fear can have on the health of a patient who refuses to see a dentist or doctor just because they are avoiding needles. There are ways to get over the fear. If you have the fear of needles and you want to get over it, consult your doctor to see which treatment method would work best for you. Remember that treatment can help. If you have a loved one that is suffering from this condition, take them seriously and get them to help. Help them believe that they can overcome their condition.