I have this phobia of needles and I don't know what to do? I've tried exposier but it makes it worse!?

Question

I really need advice because it affects EVERYTHING I do!

Answer 1

A very common fear/phobia to have--actually it's an entire "type" of specific phobia (in addition to animal, environmental, situational, and other types). Believe it or not, this is actually a fairly easy problem to treat as long as nothing else is going on and you get your parents on board. The key is "treat." You'll want to see a licensed psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders (your best bet is to check out your local universities...they may even be conducting a study and treat you for free!). Treatment can be provided in as little as 3 hours for many people, or maybe as long as 5-10 sessions for others. Based on your question I don't know if your exposure was done by a psychologist, yourself, or someone else. If it was a "therapist," "clinician," "counselor," "life coach," etc. then chances are excellent you didn't see someone who was actually well-trained to deal with this type of problem. "Psychologist" is a legally regulated term and refers to someone who not only has a doctorate, but has also passed that state's licensing exam. Those other terms--who knows--they could have no meaningful training at all.

There are different treatment formats and you and your psychologist should choose which one is right for you. There are also some specific treatments you'll want to look into. If they're not doing "exposure," "muscle tension," and "cognitive-behavioral therapy" then stay away! Hypnosis, life coaching, eft, emdr, nlp, etc. and talking for hours on end about nothing...none of that is going to help and is only going to rip you off!

This is hard for you I know. Don't be too scared off by exposure. It's not nearly as bad as you think. The entire process should be gradual, controlled, and go entirely at YOUR pace. Nothing will be done to shock you or surprise you--that would just be another bad experience and wouldn't help.

You've got several options. Most universities that have graduate programs in psychology have training centers where the clinical psychology professors (the experts!) supervise care for a significantly reduced price (some as little as 10-15% of community prices!). You can also try ADAA or ABCT's websites and their find a therapist links.

You taken an important step by asking the right questions and realizing the fear is getting in the way of you living your life, now the challenge is to find a qualified professional and keep your motivation to overcome this just a little while longer.

Best of luck.

Answer 2

You need to talk to your doctor about the specific policies of the hospital you will be delivering at. When I went in with my first child I had already had some of the basic bloodwork done recently so that they didn't have to do any of it when I actually went in to labor and delivery. Needles really weren't even mentioned until I decided I wanted the epidural, then they got an IV catheter started and of course the needle for the epidural. I will say that I was scared of the epidural during my pregnancy. I don't have a needle phobia, but the thought of a needle in my spine was terrifying. I will also say that once the labor pains were so intense that I couldn't breath without proper coaching I really didn't care about that spinal needle or the smaller needle they use to numb the skin locally before the epidural. I remember the pain of the contractions, but I really don't remember feeling the epidural at all. That was really it for the needles during labor. I do remember them drawing my blood several times after delivery while we were in the hospital. Honestly, at this point I'm sure you've had your blood drawn several times for routine tests during your pregnancy, and what they are most probably going to do during labor really shouldn't be any worse than what you've already been through.

Answer 3

I have a phobia of needles too, and so far I haven't been able to get rid of it. I just try to live with it.
Though it seems like you might be worse off, because it only affects me if a have to have a shot, or if one of my more malicious friends pokes me with one. I can even handle needles, as long as I'm incredibly careful. Granted, one time after getting a shot the doctors made me wait at the clinic for about ten minutes because they were worried I'd go into cardiac arrest.
Sorry for the anecdote, but I think thats the only way you can gauge your degree of phobia relitive to mine. So if you think you're about the same as me, I'd advise just trying to live with it. However, if it reaches the point where everyday you have trouble preforming nessicary tasks, then I think you may want to consider seeking a professional.

Answer 4

Imagery.

In a quiet place in your home, please imagine seeing a needle. See all the needle's details. Now imagine going closer to it. What do you feel? Once you are comfortable enough, please get even closer. Do this until you can touch the needle. Note: because this is all imagined, you will be safe. If you become uncomfortable at any time, you can stop the imagery and do it again the next day.

You need to do this daily until you can finally pick up a needle in your mind without any hesitation. Once you have reached that point, please do the imagery every other day. Then every two days, until you only do it once a week. You will be pleasantly surprised at the results if you do this diligently.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Hypnosis is a good suggestion. Or have you tried counseling?

I confess, I feel a bit funny about watching that needle go into my skin too. But if I concentrate on relaxing the arm that's going to get stuck while I'm staring at something in the upper opposite corner of the room, it doesn't bother me. And my mother swears by trying to wiggle the toes on her left foot.

Answer 6

Try hypnosis. I hear it can work wonders with this type of phobia.

Answer 7

I hope you aren't a seamstress. You really would put the stress in seamSTRESS.

Answer 8

where some gloves