Overcoming a fear of needles with cognitive behavioural therapy
Needle phobia (also known as injection phobia) is a fear of any medical procedure that involves injections.
The medical term for a needle phobia is trypanophobia and sufferers are likely to experience panic and stress when faced with an injection. It’s a relatively common phobia, with one-in-ten adults affected to some extent.
No one welcomes an injection, but in some cases a fear of needles can become so overwhelming that people avoid medical procedures rather than undergo an injection, which may impact their health and wellbeing in the longer term as they forego the medical care they need.
Many people with a phobia of needles have had a negative experience with them in their past, such as an illness or condition that required a lot of blood tests.
Injection phobia is nothing to be ashamed of and there are steps that a person can take to overcome their fear of needles.
How CBT can help
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based form of verbal therapy that can help to desensitise and reduce the anxiety levels of people with a fear needles and injections.
A qualified CBT therapist can help clients to cope with their phobia by challenging the way they think and feel with regards to injections.
Behavioural exposure is a proven CBT technique that is based on a very gradual exposure of the client to the situation that triggers the phobia. With repeated exposure, the needle phobia becomes less stress-inducing and the person will develop a tolerance of needles when faced with a medical procedure.
Conquer a fear of needles with an accredited CBT counsellor
A fear of injections is phobia that should be addressed, as avoidance of needles could lead a person to miss out on medical care they vitally need. Jamie Dempsey is an Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist who has proven experience in improving the lives of hundreds of patients, helping them to overcome their fear of needles and reduce anxiety when faced with a medical procedure.
Contact Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Interventions today—and take the first step towards conquering a fear of injections.
