I need some help!

[Emi_C]

I went to the doctors and they said that I need to have a blood test. The problem is that I had to psych myself up even to go to a GP so going to a hospital and have a blood test...gave me a panic attack! My mum recommended a slight sedative that would make me feel relax but even the thought of that made me have...another panic attack!

I think I might have a phobia of medical stuff and illness (if there is such a thing) because thinking about anything involving medicine, medical procedures/stuff and illness makes me feel panicked and literally terrified.

Anyway I was just wondering if anybody feels the same as me and if so how you deal with it. Also if anybody has any advice for having blood tests I would like to know because...I still kind of need to do it....

 

[Mega_Cabbage]

Maybe you could wear a blindfold so you can't see that you are in a hospital or having your blood drawn?

 

[Xara]

I feel your pain. I don't have a phobia of medical stuff or anything like that, but I am pretty freaked out when it comes to needles, especially when I have to get one for blood work.

Whenever I have to get a needle, what I do is I'll bring something with me that I can listen to music with, and I'll plug my earbuds in and forget the world. That works for me pretty well, as I'm so distracted with whatever song I'm listening to, that I don't pay attention to the needle at all, and I don't feel it.

If that's not an option for you, maybe distract yourself with positive thoughts? Don't look at your surroundings or what's happening (do not look at the needle), and think about things that make you happy. Things that you want to do with your life, things you're looking forward to. Stay as calm as you possibly can, and just think about the things in life that don't bring you anxiety.

Or maybe even bring someone you're close to with you. A friend, parent, partner, etc. Bring them for distraction so that you focus on them, and not the blood test.


Really sorry if this wasn't helpful at all; but I wish you the best...hang in there <3

 

[Emi_C]

Maybe you could wear a blindfold so you can't see that you are in a hospital or having your blood drawn?

Yeah I was thinking about that, I remember when I was a child I had to have like a where's wally book put infront of me to block the needle because I was terrified back then aswell. I don't know I just need to get into a right mind-set before I think

Thank you~

- - - Post Merge - - -

I feel your pain. I don't have a phobia of medical stuff or anything like that, but I am pretty freaked out when it comes to needles, especially when I have to get one for blood work.

Whenever I have to get a needle, what I do is I'll bring something with me that I can listen to music with, and I'll plug my earbuds in and forget the world. That works for me pretty well, as I'm so distracted with whatever song I'm listening to, that I don't pay attention to the needle at all, and I don't feel it.

If that's not an option for you, maybe distract yourself with positive thoughts? Don't look at your surroundings or what's happening (do not look at the needle), and think about things that make you happy. Things that you want to do with your life, things you're looking forward to. Stay as calm as you possibly can, and just think about the things in life that don't bring you anxiety.

Or maybe even bring someone you're close to with you. A friend, parent, partner, etc. Bring them for distraction so that you focus on them, and not the blood test.


Really sorry if this wasn't helpful at all; but I wish you the best...hang in there <3

Thank you for the advice~ You're right I do need to think positively I think everything that I'm panicked about is all in my head and I just need to relax and do it.
Thank you so much for your support~<3

 

[watercolorwish]

u should bring ur phone or something to distract yourself like your 3DS?

 

[Emi_C]

u should bring ur phone or something to distract yourself like your 3DS?

Yeah I definitely want to bring something along to distract myself. Hehe, I'd love to play animal crossing while there

 

[Celestefey]

Blood tests aren't too bad in my opinion, they don't tend to last too long, I think mine lasted about 45 seconds, maybe just under a minute. It might depend on how many samples they need but trust me it will go by REALLY quickly and before you know it it will be over and done with. Definitely bring something to distract you, like your phone, some music, talk to a family member about something, read a book, just ANYTHING that you know will keep your mind off of it. You probably won't even notice the needle. It doesn't hurt, you might feel a little sensation in your arm or wherever they take the blood from but it's not painful or anything. You've just got to be positive. Whatever your fear may be of medical procedures... It is completely irrational. I know that you can't help it, but your anxiety about it is making it worse for you. You just need to think it through logically, step by step, rationally. If that makes sense? If I'm worried about something I just think through what's going to happen in my head as realistically as possible and that helps calm me down. Anyway, hope it all goes well, I am sure you will be okay!

 

[Emi_C]

Blood tests aren't too bad in my opinion, they don't tend to last too long, I think mine lasted about 45 seconds, maybe just under a minute. It might depend on how many samples they need but trust me it will go by REALLY quickly and before you know it it will be over and done with. Definitely bring something to distract you, like your phone, some music, talk to a family member about something, read a book, just ANYTHING that you know will keep your mind off of it. You probably won't even notice the needle. It doesn't hurt, you might feel a little sensation in your arm or wherever they take the blood from but it's not painful or anything. You've just got to be positive. Whatever your fear may be of medical procedures... It is completely irrational. I know that you can't help it, but your anxiety about it is making it worse for you. You just need to think it through logically, step by step, rationally. If that makes sense? If I'm worried about something I just think through what's going to happen in my head as realistically as possible and that helps calm me down. Anyway, hope it all goes well, I am sure you will be okay!

Thank you for the encouragement~ I'm gonna try my best to calm myself down about it

 

[Paperboy012305]

Hey, I had to get a blood test this year and it wasn't that bad. I had to look away and think of other pretty things, and try not to look at it. If you think about it and/or look at it you'll get that adrenaline feeling and possibly pass out. My mom told me to do all those things by not looking at it and thinking of something else. Everything went fine afterwards.
Now about the needles, I don't really have a fear of them as I, look away from them. Sure it hurts, but I surely don't give a care about it because. Look away, pain, done. The same goes for blood tests, and truth be told, this is the first year I had it done.

Off-Topic. (I hope it doesn't apply to the bad word rule) When I have to get pricks on my finger man I will surely feel uneasy because I have never done it before and don't know how it feels.

Anyway, I hope I helped you calm down. And if I didn't, at least I tried, right?

 

[Emi_C]

Hey, I had to get a blood test this year and it wasn't that bad. I had to look away and think of other pretty things, and try not to look at it. If you think about it and/or look at it you'll get that adrenaline feeling and possibly pass out. My mom told me to do all those things by not looking at it and thinking of something else. Everything went fine afterwards.
Now about the needles, I don't really have a fear of them as I, look away from them. Sure it hurts, but I surely don't give a care about it because. Look away, pain, done. The same goes for blood tests, and truth be told, this is the first year I had it done.

Off-Topic. (I hope it doesn't apply to the bad word rule) When I have to get pricks on my finger man I will surely feel uneasy because I have never done it before and don't know how it feels.

Anyway, I hope I helped you calm down. And if I didn't, at least I tried, right?

Thank you for the advice~. It has helped me calm down, I feel more confident in getting it down now. I feel like all my panic was for nothing and now I've seen the light . I hope that you survive the finger pricking; I'm sure it'll feel fine

 

[AnimalCrossingPerson]

What you have is normal. Before having the test, let them know how you are feeling and make sure you are lying down if possible.

I've still not had my meningitis jab and threw up after the last one. Yeah, a blood test is different but they're similar enough to me.

 

[Tiny Kitten]

I (thankfully) don't have panic attacks, but I do have a pretty big phobia of needles, so I HATE getting shots or blood tests. anything in my skin just makes me sick to my stomach. I couldn't even get my ears pierced. But since I have to have flu shots and the like, I have an aunt who's a hypnotist, and she goes with me every time. I know it sounds like whooey, but a good hypno-treatment, and you wont even be able to feel the needle. It might be something to look into.

 

[Emi_C]

What you have is normal. Before having the test, let them know how you are feeling and make sure you are lying down if possible.

I've still not had my meningitis jab and threw up after the last one. Yeah, a blood test is different but they're similar enough to me.

Yeah I think I'm gonna tell them just to do it and not talk to me because I feel as if I need to be in some sort of zone to be calm and if they're gonna talk to me and make me thinking about it then I'm just gonna spiral basically. And yeah same I still need to get a jab I purposely missed :/

- - - Post Merge - - -

I (thankfully) don't have panic attacks, but I do have a pretty big phobia of needles, so I HATE getting shots or blood tests. anything in my skin just makes me sick to my stomach. I couldn't even get my ears pierced. But since I have to have flu shots and the like, I have an aunt who's a hypnotist, and she goes with me every time. I know it sounds like whooey, but a good hypno-treatment, and you wont even be able to feel the needle. It might be something to look into.

I don't have my ears pierced either , just too much for me I think Wow hypnotism sounds awesome I'd love that. I guess it would be like the sedative my mum recommended; I just be so relaxed that I wont even know whats happening.
Thanks for the advice~!

 

[Acruoxil]

Well as a medical student, all this stuff actually fascinates me.

I'd say just close your eyes during medical treatment or when you're getting shots, and think of pleasant stuff. It'll be over before you know it. Or talk to the doctor about random stuff, they'll be happy to talk to you.

 

[namiieco]

I find that listening to my favourite piece of music really calms me down, so that might help.

 

[DinoDymo]

When I was little I used to sit on my mums lap and the nurses used to blow bubbles to distract me which now that I think about it was really nice of them xD.
But now I play a game on my phone in my other hand while they are doing the actual blood test which makes me feel better.