my teenage son has a really bad fear of needles, i dont mean he just doesnt like them (who does!?), i mean he has a full blown phobia, you cant even talk about it to him,there are some times in life when a needle is unavoidable so how do we rid him of this phobia?
2006-10-26 00:06:37 · 15 answers · asked by ginger 6 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
please read link below.
ask ur doc about them.
2006-10-26 00:15:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My mother had a needle phobia. We were just about to leave the house to go to a ceremony during which my father, as Chaplin to the Sea Cadets, was to receive a new standard from Princess Margaret, when I noticed that the sleeves of his cassock were frayed. I ended up making the emergency repairs with what looked like a bodkin.
Seriously though, doctors shouldn't display the needle in front of their patients. Stay with your son and distract him by talking about something he's really interested in. A good doctor or nurse should get the whole thing over before he's realised it's happened. After my son had had a cycling accident I went with him to the doctor to have the stitches removed. The doctor put his fingers on the wound and just kept talking and then my son asked. 'When are you going to take the stitches out?' 'I just did that,' was the reply. Some doctors and nurses have the knack.
2006-10-26 00:25:33 · answer #2 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think you can - I have had a needle phobia all my life. However, there are things you can do, my Dentist for instance is aware of this and is very supportive. When I go for a check up and need anything doing, he gives me a prescription for 2 valium, one taken the night before and one an hour before the appointment. I end up going in there 3 sheets to the wind, but don;t know what he is doing.
I have also had 2 operations carried out under a general anaesthetic, both with gas as opposed to a needle and the hospital was very good with me.
I suppose you can try the usual - hypnotherapy etc, but they didn't work for me.
2006-10-26 00:14:26 · answer #3 · answered by Dogs'r'us 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a massive needle phobia there's no cure except from being as relaxed as possible. I try to imagine them to get to sleep and it's actually working so far... I can look at a picture without panic now and hopefully when I next get a needle I might be able to look at it... after it's been in my arm
2015-12-18 11:22:27 · answer #4 · answered by Alice 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being a teenager makes it hard. You just have to explain to him WHEN THE TIME ARRIVES that it may be a life saving measure. Usually in this situation, you won't have any say. In a life saving situation "HE" won't have any say. God Bless him that it never happens, but he could wake up in hospital full of drips and life saving drugs. Do you really think He'll have second thoughts after they save his life? If on the other hand it's just a simple blood test, get the Dr to talk to him in private, this does wonders. Just to have "MUM" out of the room give young ones so much confidence, they open up a bit more. Tell the Dr before hand what the problem is and let him take it from there. I bet your son won't say "BOO". If his ego shows through, he's not going to let another man know that he's scared of a little pin prick. I can appreciate your problem, but let the Dr take care.
2006-10-26 00:27:31 · answer #5 · answered by Curious 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Can't say I blame him for that particular terror, I have it myself. What is the reason for his terror: was he ill alot as a child so had to go to the doctor's office and receive a shot for whatever ailment he had? Sometimes this is the case, and it will just take time to come to terms with it. You don't say how old your son is, but give him time. It helps if the person giving the shot is gentle, explain to the shot-giver about the fear so they know what to expect and can work with your son instead of regarding it as simple routine.
Age does make a big difference regarding this fear; when I was young (5-6), at the doctor's office, I knew I was going to get a shot I didn't want so I locked myself in the bathroom with all of the keys. It took the fire department taking the door off to get me out and I still got the d*** shot anyway. Boy, did I get it when we got home from my mother!
If a big deal is not made of his fear, then perhaps he will learn to calm down about it. Talk to him in soothing tones, distract him with a favorite toy or story, whatever it takes while he's being given his shot. It takes time to put this particular fear into perspective, I still have to turn my head and hold my breath, but at least there's no more bathroom doors to be broken down!
Good luck.
2006-10-26 00:25:11 · answer #6 · answered by Laurie K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you in the UK?
Yes, then you can take him to your GP and get him treatment, hypnotherapy, counselling.
It is important that this is sorted out as soon as possible, as he gets older and wants to travel, or even if he ever needs medical treatment, a fear of needles could put his health at risk.
Good luck.
2006-10-26 00:19:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most men fear needles. He will probably always have this fear unless he get some disease where he has to have frequent injections. Luckily most of us don't need daily injections. As he grows and matures he may understand the need for injections at times. He will probably never like it but may be able to stand it for the better good.
2006-10-27 04:50:43 · answer #8 · answered by bramblerock 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Take him to see a hypnotherapist. Hypnotherapy is extremely effective for curing phobias, and he'll enjoy it too. Look for one in the Yellow pages or search on-line at:-
http://www.general-hypnotherapy-register.com
2006-10-26 00:09:52 · answer #9 · answered by Charlie Brigante 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
please don't think I'm being smart with you I'm not I'm just out of hospital and have very bad veins i had to have the bung needle for a drip put in my hand 5 times as my veins kept collapsing maybe try a physiologist just to talk to him this might help as you say sometimes its unavoidable i wish you all the best
2006-10-26 00:10:42 · answer #10 · answered by angel 36 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Fill his room with needles while he sleeps.
When he wakes up, he will probably scream himself unconscious.... but if he is forced to face his fear to such a degree then he should become desensitised and overcome it in no time.
It might take him a while to forgive you for it, but it'll work.
If its still not enough, talk about needles and injections at every given oppurtunity. You have to subject him to the needle topic so thoroughly that it becomes normal and no longer triggers any reaction in him.
Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.
2006-10-26 00:11:19 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 7⤋