Many people are afraid of needles. We can even talk about many cases of phobia towards them. The phobia of needles is called belonephobia; In this article we will talk about it, since it is a quite particular phobia for a reason that we will not reveal yet.
Additionally, we will describe several key ideas on how to overcome fear of needles As you will see, the first of them focuses on psychological therapy (to overcome the phobia), and the following ones, on overcoming the moment in which we must be in contact with the needle (which can also be good for us to gradually overcome little this fear).
Specific phobias are anxiety disorders characterized by irrational fear disproportionate and intense in the face of a specific stimulus or situation.
There are different types of specific phobias; The DSM-5 (Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) specifies up to 5 groups (subtypes) of specific phobias: animals, environmental, blood/injection/harm (where we would place the fear of water), various situations and other types of phobias.
Biphasic (vasovagal) response
Needle phobia is a particular phobia, since the physiological response that appears in it differs from the response that appears in other types of specific phobias.
So, In the case of needle phobia, a biphasic response occurs in the individual, characterized by two phases: in the first there is an increase in different physiological parameters (heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate), and in the second, a sudden decrease in all these parameters.
As a result of this descent, dizziness may appear, and later fainting. It is worth mentioning that the biphasic response of this phobia was first described by Graham, Kabler and Lunsford (1961).
How to overcome the fear of needles? If you really suffer from a phobia of needles and want to overcome it, we recommend that you go to a specialized professional and undergo psychological therapy.
In the first point (first key idea) we will talk about it. However, if you just want to get out of situations in which you must be in contact with a needle, the following 7 ideas that we propose can be very useful to you.
1. Perform psychological therapy
If you want to know how to overcome your fear of needles, the first thing you should consider is seeking professional help. Psychological therapy is a useful and effective tool that can help you overcome your phobia of needles.
The psychological treatments that are usually applied in the case of specific phobias are two: on the one hand, exposure therapy, and on the other, cognitive behavioral therapy (they are the treatments with the greatest evidence and, therefore, most effective ).
However, in the case of needle phobia (which is part of the group of “blood/injection/harm phobias”), the treatment is different, and generally the so-called tension is applied with or without application.
This technique consists of increase the patient’s heart rate and systolic pressure before exposing oneself to the phobic stimulus (in order to prevent the typical fainting in this type of phobia).
2. Try to relax your body
Now entering into the ideas focused, not so much on how to overcome the fear of needles, but rather on how to act in these key moments that generate so much anxiety in us, we will begin by relaxing our body.
At the time of the injection, or when the needle is about to come into contact with your body (for example when getting a tattoo), it is best to try to relax your body. It is a very psychological issue, and the fact that you are under tension can cause the feelings of fear and anguish associated with needles to intensify.
Practice slow, deep breathing (for example diaphragmatic breathing), can also help you relax Let’s remember that there are different breathing exercises, focused above all on treating different anxiety disorders, one of them being phobias (in this case, the fear of needles).
You can apply them just before receiving the injection or coming into contact with the needle (and also during that moment).
4. Imagine other scenarios
In psychotherapy, especially in different anxiety disorders (such as phobic disorders), imagination techniques are widely used.
An example of this is pleasant or positive images, which consist precisely of that, imagining relaxing scenes that we like and that momentarily take us away from the present moment. This will help us distract ourselves, that is, to defocus our attention from fear of the needle to redirect it to another stimulus, in this case, positive for us.
5. Talk to the staff in question
Another key idea on how to overcome the fear of needles is to talk to the staff who are caring for us (for example, the tattoo artist, the doctor, the nurse… We can explain to them from the beginning, our fear of needles, to at least relieve the initial tension.
In addition, they will be able to provide us with useful advice to face this feared moment (especially healthcare personnel), since they also surely see cases of this type every day. On the other hand, we can also take the opportunity to explain something about our life to them, in order to distract ourselves and not be so focused on the needle.
This may not help us overcome the phobia of needles, but it will help us face the situation at that moment and get out of it “successfully.”
A little related to the previous ideas, this other idea arises: directing attention to stimuli other than the needle. This We can apply it just before entering the room where we will be pricked and also during the time of the puncture.
Before entering we can, for example: listen to music, talk to someone, read a book, draw, write… and right at the moment of the injection (or tattoo), we can choose to apply some of the previous guidelines (practice deep breathing , imagining pleasant scenes or images, talking with the staff who are caring for us/treating us, etc.).
7. Take care of your inner speech (thoughts)
This means giving yourself calming messages and thoughts which you have already put into practice before.
For example, in the case of injections, you can think about the professionalism of doctors and nurses, the trust you can place in them because they do this daily and know how to do it so that it doesn’t hurt, etc.
8. Raise your legs
Another guideline on how to overcome the fear of needles, which in this case, is more focused on overcoming the situation in question (an injection, rather than the phobia itself), consists of raising your legs.
This action It is useful for relieving certain psychophysiological symptoms associated with needle phobia since it has been seen that in this type of phobia a vasovagal response appears in the individual (this response causes fainting in approximately 80% of cases)
Thus, by raising our legs we allow blood to reach the brain, which reduces the risk of fainting.
American Psychiatric Association –APA- (2014). DSM-5. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Madrid: Panamericana. Horse (2002). Manual for the cognitive-behavioral treatment of psychological disorders. Vol. 1 and 2. Madrid. 21st century (Chapters 1-8, 16-18). Pinel, L., and Redondo, MM (2014). Approach to hematophobia and its different lines of research, Clínica y Salud, 25: 75-84.
