Fear of needles could stop people from getting COVID vaccine. Tips to overcome fright
How do you get a coronavirus vaccine when you’re so frightened of needles you once punched your father in the face while getting a shot?
Raelene Goody, 31, says she was so freaked out at the time she doesn’t even remember hitting her dad, BBC News reported. Fear of needles is called trypanophobia.
“It’s like when you are really scared of something like spiders and snakes and you want to run away,” Goody said. “It’s a similar feeling, except it is a needle.”
It’s a fear shared by about 25% of adults, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. About 7% of adults are so frightened of needles they won’t get vaccinations.
Another study showed that up to 50% of adolescents fear needles, with the number decreasing as people age. That’s what happened with Goody.
“My heart would be racing,” recalled Goody, who had severe trypanophobia as a child and teenager, according to BBC News.
“My mind saying, ‘calm down, it’s going to be fine’ but also, ‘it’s terrifying, it’s going to really hurt you,’” she told the network. “Then ‘you don’t know this person, so you can’t trust them.’ I would be thinking of ways to get away from it.”
Fear of needles caused 16% of adult patients, 27% of hospital employees, 18% of workers at long-term care facilities, and 8% of healthcare workers at hospitals to skip getting flu vaccines, the earlier study showed.
That’s a problem with two new COVID-19 vaccines, which require two doses to maximize effectiveness, rolling out in the United States.
Researchers say 70% to 80% of Americans will need to be vaccinated or have had COVID-19 before life can return more or less to normal, KIRO reported.
Here are some tips on how to relax if you have a fear of needles, Psycom reports:
- Practice deep breathing to calm yourself
- Try mindfulness and meditation
- Remind yourself that it’s only a temporary discomfort
- Distract yourself by thinking about a favorite vacation spot
- Don’t watch the injection
Dr. Timothy Hendrix also suggests being up-front with your medical team about your fears so they can hopefully take more time to be sure you’re comfortable and prepared, KIRO reported.
This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Fear of needles could stop people from getting COVID vaccine. Tips to overcome fright."