As soon as I see a needle coming toward me, I don’t feel well. For the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, I even felt faint! I think the nurse took advantage of the fact that I was dizzy to vaccinate me, but I’m really dreading the second dose. We’re not exactly spoiled at the moment if you’re afraid of needles... So what can you do?
Getting an injection is never a pleasant experience for anyone. But it’s not hell for everyone. Belonephobia, otherwise known as the phobia of needles, is very incapacitating to live with.
💉 Among the fears generated by vaccines is also the phobia of needles. It’s not the vaccine itself that frightens us, but the knowledge that something sharp is going to pierce our skin...
The symptoms of a fear of needles can be identified fairly quickly. It’s not a generalized anxiety disorder, but it’s just as embarrassing a phobia as thalassophobia. You may feel anxious as soon as you know you’re going to have to be injected. These are mainly physical symptoms, manifested by a slowing of blood circulation and heart rate, or conversely by palpitations. This is compounded by nausea 🤢, tingling, cold sweats, trembling, and even fainting.
Like me, many people who suffer from this phobia started being afraid in childhood. In fact, the majority of children have this fear, but normally in adolescence, this prevalence drops.
📉 Between 20% and 50% of teenagers are phobic, and in adulthood, there are still 20-30% of people who are anxious about needles. |
➜ For me, I think I had an emotional shock when I was a child. I struggled not to get injected, but it was even worse! So it’s associated with a very bad memory 😰.
Dr Alain Eddi explains that we all have a slight apprehension when faced with a foreign body pointed at us. We’re afraid of being hurt or being in pain, and that’s the main reason for a phobia of needles! Despite being told that in 90% of cases, the prick won’t hurt, you may be injected in the nerve. You may feel pain, which is accentuated by the spasm of your muscles. This is due to fear, so it’s a vicious circle: the more you tense up, the more likely you are to feel pain...
As well as having this aversion to needles, you may also suffer from haematophobia. This is a fear of blood, and the two go “hand in hand”. Particularly when it comes to having blood tests, it’s the most complicated thing to manage. If you have hypoglycaemia, i.e. low blood sugar, the symptoms may increase and lead to fainting.
To reduce or eradicate belonephobia, you need to consult a therapist. Indeed, there are 3 types of therapy that can help us put an end to this fear:
However, it’s difficult to set up a long-term therapy when the vaccine has to be administered quickly. So here are a few quick tips to help you feel more relaxed when you get the jab:
Being afraid of needles and of getting vaccinated for this reason is nothing to be ashamed of. The important thing is to find a solution that will make you feel better, so that this phobia no longer takes hold of you. Personally, I’m hoping to apply all the relaxation methods I can before the second dose... 3, 2, 1, I’ll stay zen (or at least I’ll try) 🧘♀️!
Editor’s note: A phobia that can delay your medical treatment...Fear of needles can become embarrassing or incapacitating if you’re ill, need to have several blood tests or receive injections. If you’re pregnant, you’ll need to be monitored by a doctor and regularly have several blood tests... That’s a lot of anxiety! As you’ve seen, it’s best to deal with your fear of needles as soon as possible, otherwise it could delay your treatment. Don’t hesitate to make an appointment with a psychologist. 🤗 Understanding yourself, accepting yourself, being happy... It’s here and now! #BornToBeMe |
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