Blood Work: How to Overcome Your Fear of Needles

 

 

About 20 percent of the population has a fear of needles. There is even a technical name for the fear, trypanophobia. The fear should be taken seriously because it could prevent an individual from seeking medical treatment or having necessary, routine blood work done. Additionally, a fear of needles might prevent an individual from taking prescribed injectable medications, particularly of concern for diabetic patients. There is hope. Below are a few techniques and strategies that may help the individual overcome the fear of needles:

 

1. Talk about the fear. Rather than keeping the fear inside, talking about the fear with the healthcare provider who will be using the needle might alleviate some anxiety. Simply talking about the fear may be validating. If the fear is extreme and generalized, the healthcare provider can also refer the individual to a therapist to learn ways to manage anxiety in general.

 

2. Take medication before the procedure. Taking an anesthetic, or pain killer, applied directly on the skin can numb the area and decrease pain. For more intense cases of needle phobia, an anti-anxiety medication might be in order. A physician can prescribe one, if needed.

 

3. Be in the right position. Some individuals who fear needles have a fainting feeling prior to the procedure. To avoid injury, lying down or being in a comfortable seated position is key. Also, positioning the area where the injection will occur properly is important. Making sure that the physician or phlebotomist can easily access the area to avoid having to repeat the procedure can help.

 

4. Think about something else. When the time comes for the “stick”, thinking about something else, or distraction, is a great technique. Guided imagery is a technique taught by counselors and can be self-taught prior to the procedure. Guided imagery involves taking yourself mentally to a different, relaxing place. Having an image in mind prior to the procedure is a good plan.

 

5. Learn about needles. Education is powerful. If an individual is afraid of needles, it might be out of ignorance on the subject. Consider receiving phlebotomy training to learn more about needles and blood draws. Many local community colleges offer phlebotomy courses.

 

For the person with a fear of needles, consequences can be physically damaging if treatment is avoided. Understanding needles and having techniques to use when blood draws must occur can help alleviate the anxiety associated with a fear of needles.

 

 

Categories: Blood, fear, how to, needles, overcome

How to Embrace Pain as a Way to Overcome Addiction

The path to overcoming addiction is a long and arduous one and is an emotionally draining experience for both the patient and their friends and family. The vast majority of addicts begin abusing substances as a way to mask pain or anxiety about some event or trauma that may have occurred in their lives. Self-medicating with drugs or alcohol is a common technique that many people use when going through difficulties, but the addictive nature of these substances can quickly grab hold of a person and begin to dominate their lives. When attempting to quit drugs or alcohol, the pain that was being suppressed will rise to the surface once the patient becomes sober, and it is often far greater the second time around. Rather than attempting to mask this pain, embracing it will allow you to finally come to terms with any deep-rooted emotions you may have and will also teach you some valuable coping skills for the future.

 

Forgive Yourself

 

Wallowing in self-pity does not help the situation and will only make it harder to move forward. Accept your past mistakes and realise that what’s done is done, and vow to start rebuilding your life a piece at a time. Overcoming addiction does not happen overnight, and will take huge amounts, of strength, endurance and patience from both you and your support network.

 

Seek Help

 

There are many different rehab programmes that use various approaches to help patients overcome addiction. The traditional 12-step program is the most well-known, but many consider this method of rehabilitation to be outdated. Non-12-step programs such as Non12StepRehabs.org have been found to have a greater chance of curing addiction and helping patients to remain sober years later. Complementary and alternative therapies have also been found to increase a patient’s chances of recovery, so look for any yoga classes, acupuncture clinics, drumming therapy groups or meditation workshops in your area.

 

Begin Rebuilding Relationships

 

It is important to remember that your loved ones have suffered just as much as you have during your addiction, so extending some compassion towards them is vital to begin repairing your personal relationships. Arrange to sit down with each of your friends and family separately to listen to anything they have to get off their chest. You do not have to grovel or beg for forgiveness during this time. An acknowledgment of how your actions have affected your loved ones and a simple apology will be greatly appreciated.

 

Recovering from addiction is a different process for each and every addict, and what works for the majority may not work for you. Don’t be afraid to try different rehab programs until you find one that works for you, and occasional relapses or difficult periods are all part of the recovery process and should not be viewed as failures. With the support of trained counsellors and a strong support network of family and friends, you will be able to get your life back on track in no time, and you might even consider putting your experience to good use and assisting others on their journey to sobriety.

 

Laura Richardson is an experienced psychologist. She frequently blogs about effective strategies for dealing with difficult situations.

Categories: addiction, drug addiction, Family, nbsp, overcome, overcome addiction, overcoming addiction, Pain, support network, time