Anxiety

Needle phobia affects more than 10% of the American population, according to Wikipedia. It effects some individuals so much that they avoid seeking medical care altogether. Others might avoid getting vaccines, IV antibiotics, surgeries, going to the dentist, and getting blood drawn. The extreme fear of needles is known as trypanophobia. There are several types of trypanophobia, which have their own unique causes and symptoms.

Vaso-vagal: This is the most common type of trypanophobia, effecting 50% of individuals with needle phobia. Vaso-vagal trypanophobia is an inherited fear of needles. Individuals with this type of needle phobia are afraid of the thought of, sight, or feeling of needles, and the most prevalent symptom of vaso-vagal trypanophobia is fainting due to low blood pressure. Other symptoms of this type of trypanophobia include sweating, nausea, panic attacks, tinnitus, pallor, and an initially high heart rate and blood pressure, followed by a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure when a needle is injected into the skin. Unfortunately, the sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure can lead to death.

The best treatment for vaso-vagal trypanophobia progressive exposure therapy or desensitization. This allows you to be exposed to your fear of needles gradually and in a therapeutic setting.

Resistive: Individuals who experience resistive trypanophobia are not only terrified of needles, but they are also afraid of being restrained or force during any procedure that requires an injection. According to Wikipedia, approximately 20% of people who suffer with needle phobia have resistive type.

This type of needle phobia is usually caused by a restrictive childhood and/or a negative experience involving force or restraint in a procedure using needles. Finding a healthcare professional you can trust, learning self-injection techniques, and/or psychotherapy are the recommended treatments for resistive trypanophobia.

Two other types of needle phobia exist, and I will discuss those tomorrow. Please stop by again to learn about the other two types of trypanophobia and the best treatments for them.

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Source:

Wikipedia: Trypanophobia

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