Blood Phobia

[Mayor Ng]

So my father has blood phobia and the side effect is vasovagal syncope (fainting) He can watch gruesome news stories but cannot stand the sight of other people's blood in real life?! He can stand the sight of his own blood though Blood phobia is often caused by direct or vicarious trauma in childhood or adolescence as cited from a 1985 Journal of Clinical Science. For those with blood phobia, do you think this statement applies to you, I'm not trying to bring up traumatic memories or ask any of you to share your stories, just a simple yes or no will suffice

I'm also curious how common blood phobia is amongst TBTers

 

[Mariah]

I used to have vasovagal syncope when I got blood drawn but I got over it. I get my blood drawn fairly often and I just look away. It would happen when I had to get 3+ vials taken. I even had to get five before. Also if it takes a really long time for the blood to come out or if they have to poke me multiple times. I would feel very hot and and dizzy but I don’t think I ever actually fainted because I was able to lie down quickly. Now it’s like one tube and it’s over in a minute. The only time it happened that wasn’t blood test related was when I grated my finger on a cheese grater.
It’s definitely not a blood fear. It’s totally an uncontrollable body issue. I used to run a gore blog in my youth. I watch gruesome murder shows. I can watch anything gory.

 

[seularin]

never found myself lightheaded at the sight of any blood; when i was younger i always got hurt so im not fazed by it now. i watch a bunch of gory movies and play gruesome games, so im fairly used to it

 

[frogslime]

Never really had a phobia of blood, but blood coming out of certain places like wrists, necks, eyes, toes, or fingers make me highly uncomfortable, especially if it's a terrible wound or something. I came across a gore blog on accident and it had exactly that...

 

[fluttershy300]

Um, I don’t think so. Of course if it’s a bloody dead body or a gruesome injury I would be like holy ****.

 

[Jhine7]

No, but I don't like getting my blood taken for tests.

 

[Misha]

Yes, I think I have this. I definitely get hot and dizzy and sometimes I start getting spots in the corners of my vision, but I've luckily always been able to look away or move away quick enough that I haven't fainted. For me it's not just blood though, it's a fear of most medical things. I don't have a trauma related to this and when I was very young I don't think I had it this bad. Both my mother and grandfather have this to an even bigger extent than I though. I think because they were always so concerned and scared of illness, doctors and blood I took over their fear. It sucks because I know it's totally irrational but it gets to me so much. Even typing this is making my ears grow hot which is usually the start ^^; Weirdly I am also alright with my own blood, especially if I see it without being in a hospital or something. Then it doesn't phase me at all somehow, unless it's like a very bad wound. Seeing other people's blood though...

 

[Imbri]

My problem isn't necessarily in seeing blood, although I don't much care for it. Rather, I get panic attacks seeing someone get hurt. Not necessarily through an accident, but intentional injuries - someone deliberately hurting someone else. I've pretty much stopped going to the movies or watching television. I even skim passages in books.

 

[xTech]

Luckily I don't have any phobia to do with blood, or i'd be pretty screwed lmao. Of course when I was younger I didn't especially enjoy the sight of blood, and needles really did scare me quite a lot because well, y'know it's a big pointy object. However now i'm completely over it and neither blood nor needles really phase me at all, mainly to the fact that I was kind of forced to get over it. I've probably had 50+ blood tests at this point, and have to set up my own injections every day, and i've found that you just get used to it pretty much. I wouldn't want to know what it's like to have to do all my stuff and have a blood phobia on top of it all though, I honestly don't even know how i'd go about doing anything.

On another note, I know my brother used to be pretty scared of blood though, and he'd have constant nose bleeds when he'd wake up when he was younger. I imagine it was pretty horrible for him since he'd cry almost every time and get really distressed, so I really do feel for anyone out there with a blood phobia, and hope you one day manage to get over it!

 

[moo_nieu]

No, sometimes I think it's cool looking though. I don't like shots, but for some reason I enjoy having my blood taken (that could just be because I like the praise the nurses give me for being brave lol who knows). When I get injured the blood doesn't bother me, I'm more concerned with cleaning the wound so I don't get infected Although, if there was a lot of blood I'd be concerned about bleeding out..

 

[Cherry Tree]

I don't like the sight of blood but I think I put that down to not liking needles and I associate it with that. I dont have a very good pain threshold anyway and I tend to feel dizzy and I can pass out if I hurt myself even as something small as stubbing my toe or catching my finger in a drawer...needless to say I was a worry for my parents growing up

 

[k e r f u f f l e]

I wouldn't consider myself to have a phobia of it. The only time I passed out after seeing blood was when I was getting blood drawn, but I was very sick that day, so I don't count it. Though I do get a bit uncomfortable at the sight of it in general!

 

[MyLifeIsCake]

I'm not afraid if seeing blood since when I was a little I used to have the habit of picking my skin until it bled. It wouldn't be a lot I'd just be like 'Ops I'm bleeding now.' However, for some reason veins and arteries make me wince. I can watch surgery videos and see them cut into flesh, sew up organs, reset bones, but when they have to clamp the veins I have to look away. I don't like seeing veins bulge out the skin either. I haven't had a lot of issues getting blood drawn (mainly bc I'm pale and don't look while they do it) but I've heard from nurse family members that some people are really bad at doing it and will dig around in your arm with the needle until they hit the veins they need :x

 

[Mayor Ng]

.. I've heard from nurse family members that some people are really bad at doing it and will dig around in your arm with the needle until they hit the veins they need :x

I've had it happen to me before, can be irritating. Even had the opposite happen where there was one time the nurse didn't stab quite deep enough and the needle came out and blood started to gush out of the open wound and the nurse was not even looking, she had her back towards me while she reached for empty vials I had to say 'ouch' for her to even realize, it wasn't hurting though but I wouldn't want my blood to just free flow out of my body

 

[Dwayne Johnson]

wouldn't say I'm afraid of blood but I hate getting blood work done and needles in general, last time I had blood work done I got very dizzy and ending up vomiting... and that's why I stopped going for blood work lol

 

[litilravnur]

I have vasovagal syncope since childhood. I remember me, 3-4yo, sitting with my big bro watching on tv some medical documentary (he wanted to be a doctor) and a surgery scene in bright colors... That was the first time I fainted. Only the mention of blood makes my hands sweaty and my anxiety arises... so I avoided blood tests (I didn't know my blood type until I was 15yo and also that time I fainted), some biology classes and stuff like that. Now I can manage a little the panic it causes to me for example during blood tests my dad or my bf accompanies me and makes me talk to distract myself but honestly, I don't think I would be able to get rid of this completely

 

[Bcat]

I don’t really have an aversion to blood, no. My brother on the other hand... lol

Idk if he’s still like this, but when we were younger he literally passed out any time he had to give blood. It was kind of hilarious

 

[Halloqueen]

I'm not uncomfortable seeing blood in most situations. I can see other people's blood, my own blood (provided it's not excessive), blood on surfaces, or blood in movies or games and be unfazed (by the sight of the blood itself anyway, I'd probably be concerned for the person who bled). Like Mariah said, I can see gore and not be anywhere near fainting, I'll be just fine.

That said, something about seeing your own blood being drawn through a syringe for medical reasons always gets me lightheaded to the point of possibly passing out. Easy enough to close your eyes or look in a different direction to avoid that, but yeah. Not afraid, just an uncontrollable bodily response like Mariah said.

 

[Corrie]

Maybe not a phobia but definitely high up there. I was getting my blood drawn and the second I saw my own blood on the floor, I got all sweaty and white and needed a cloth on my forehead.

 

[SpaceTokki77]

Not really a phobia, although I do cringe. It just makes me kinda uncomfortable to see it.