What is a needle phobia or fear?
A needle phobia (also known as trypanophobia) is an intense fear of needles that can significantly disrupt your life. The sight of needles may cause you distress, while thinking or talking about them can also be uncomfortable. As a result, you may avoid crucial medical procedures like vaccinations and blood tests. Eventually, staying away from doctors, dentists or hospitals might cause you other problems.
If you’re struggling with an intense fear of needles, you’re not alone: it’s one of the most common phobias and affects up to 1 in 10 people. Anxiety around medical procedures can make you more susceptible to a needle phobia. Some related phobias, such as germaphobia or hypochondria, can also influence your fears.
Various techniques, support and treatment options are available to help you reduce distress and overcome these fears.
What causes it?
Anyone can develop an intense fear of needles and it can have a range of origins. Psychologists believe a fear of puncturing the skin may have originally evolved as an ancient survival mechanism.
Traumatic incidents involving needles can contribute, especially negative experiences during childhood. If you have needed a lot of injections or blood tests in the past, this could have played a part. If you have previously felt dizzy or fainted around needles, this might have intensified your fear. This type of reaction might run in your family and can happen from simply seeing needles.
Your fear of needles may be greater if you are hypersensitive to pain or have a fear of restraint. You also may be more likely to develop a needle phobia if you have an anxiety disorder (like generalised anxiety or OCD), related fears such as germaphobia or hypochondria, or a family history of phobias.
What are the symptoms & effects?
Your symptoms could vary depending on the situation. Thinking about an injection and seeing needles on TV or online might produce stressful feelings while holding a needle or having an injection will be more severe.
You could feel like your chest is tightening and your heart is racing. The fear of needles is often associated with a sudden drop in blood pressure. This can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded and sometimes leads to fainting. In severe cases, you may experience panic attacks.
Your phobia might cause you to avoid hospitals, vaccinations or other necessary medical care. This can grow into a broader fear of doctors, dentists and medical settings. In severe cases, you may even start avoiding routine check-ups.
How can it be managed?
When you need to be exposed to needles, you can try to reduce the impact of your needle phobia by having a plan. This will give you more control over the situation.
In unfamiliar or crowded places, your fear can increase and your phobia symptoms can become worse. If this sounds familiar, ask for a more private space or see if drive-thru vaccinations are an option for added comfort.
Whether you’re attending a routine vaccination or undergoing a procedure with anaesthesia, understanding the process is crucial. This will help to reduce your anxiety and distress.
- Prepare for the situation by roleplaying with a friend, helping you explore ways to manage your anxiety.
- Bring someone with you for support. Having someone familiar close by can help distract you and make you feel more relaxed.
- Tell a person involved in your medical care about your phobia. They will have experience of dealing with people’s fear of needles and will know how best to support you.
- Ask them to outline the steps that will be involved so you know exactly what to expect.
- Tell them about any pain triggers so you can explore numbing options or calming techniques. You can practise these in advance.
- You might want to ask them to adjust their language, such as using ‘poke’ instead of ‘jab’, if this helps your anxiety.
If your needle phobia is severely affecting your medical care, you should consider professional treatment and a therapist’s support.
How can hypnotherapy help?
Hypnotherapy for fear of needles helps you to gain a calmer response to medical procedures like injections. The aim is to achieve a permanent change in your behaviour. We help train your body to avoid anxiety or fear responses in situations that have previously triggered your phobia.
Specific phobias like this will normally need 3 or 4 sessions with your hypnotherapist. A successful recovery is the most important part. Our phobia specialists will ensure you finish your hypnotherapy for fear of needles sessions, ready to overcome your fear.
Our Needle Phobia Specialists
Benn Baker-Pollard
Sittingbourne
Carmen Harrington
Market Harborough
Caroline Prout
Thrapston
Chris Johannes
Spalding
Claire Noyelle
Maidstone East
Dawn Ibbetson
Chelmsford
Gary Johannes
Peterborough
Jill Whitehouse
Newcastle upon Tyne
Keeley Smith
Southend-on-Sea
Kerry Seymour
Weston-super-Mare
Peter Ely
Islington
Victoria Anderson
Sunderland
Why Choose Inspired To Change
Our solution focused hypnotherapists empower you to better understand your brain, helping to guide you towards solutions and achieve the outcomes you want. We have a team of fully trained hypnotherapists, giving you the choice of who to work with and how you want to work with them. Solution focused hypnotherapy is just as effective in-person or online in the comfort of your own home, so you can find the ideal therapist to help you reach your goals.
Every one of our hypnotherapists is recognised by governing bodies like the National Council for Hypnotherapy, the UK’s leading not-for-profit hypnotherapy professional association. They have all trained with Clifton Practice Hypnotherapy Training, one of the leading hypnotherapy schools in the UK.
