These days, there are phobias for just about everything under the sun, some of which are difficult to comprehend. However, if you are afraid of shots-the kind you are given at a doctor’s office-you might have trouble handling injections any time you are sick or need preventative medicine. This can be detrimental to your health, and can cause you to avoid seeking medical treatment for fear of being given a shot.
If you suffer from this phobia, here are a few tips on how to handle fear of injections.
Inform Medical Staff
If you’re afraid of shots, you need to tell medical staff that you have a fear of injections, and that you might be a difficult case. Depending on the severity of your phobia, the nurse or doctor may want to restrain you during the procedure so that the needle doesn’t break in your arm, causing further damage. You can also request to be restrained, which is comforting to many patients.
Talk It Out
Your fear of injections isn’t rare, and many people are calmed by talking to the nurse or doctor while the shot is administered. This is especially true if you chat about a subject that makes you happy, such as your yearly vacations to Colorado Springs or your favorite hobby. When you’re afraid of shots, sometimes the best thing you can do is distract yourself until it’s over. If you do this often enough, it will eventually cease to be a big deal.
Don’t Stare
Have you ever sustained an injury to your hand or foot, and not realized it until you saw the blood? A fear of injections often works this way, so try not to look if you’re afraid of shots. Avert your eyes from your arm or hip or wherever the needle will penetrate, and ask the nurse not to warn you before she administers the injection. The process will be over before you realize what happened, and you might be less fearful for your next appointment.
Schedule Carefully
The last thing you want to do is wait around in a reception area for half an hour, contemplating the horror of getting a shot. Let the office know ahead of time that you’re afraid of shots so they can schedule you in the morning when they first open. This way, you won’t have to wait and you’ll be able to get it over with before you chicken out.
Request an Expert
Some nurses are great at giving shots, while others seem determined to make it hurt. When you make an appointment to get an injection, ask who the best shot-giver in the office is. When you arrive, insist that that person be the one to give you the needle. This is especially true when you have a blood sample taken; you’ll want a nurse who can hit the vein every time.
