Although the needle is one of the most important precision medical tools, it may become a source of terror and fear for some, and this is the case with the phobia of needles. Some people reach the point of compulsive avoidance. It is not just a passing fear, but rather a psychological condition that requires visiting a doctor and starting effective treatment to get rid of that nightmare. Through this article, we will learn together about the causes and symptoms of this condition, the approved methods of diagnosis, and effective treatment methods.

What is needle phobia?

Trypanophobia is a psychological state of intense, irrational fear that overwhelms a person when he sees needles or medical injections. He may feel excessive anxiety, leading to panic attacks. The percentage of those affected by this condition is estimated at about 10% of the world’s population. Therefore, this type of phobia requires effective treatment to rid the patient of that painful nightmare.

Causes of needle phobia

There are many causes for phobia of needles, some of which are acquired and some are inherited. The reasons include the following:

• Previous painful experience: The patient is exposed to a bad experience with injections since childhood, and his feeling of fear develops and becomes an illness.
• Watching others suffer: The patient may be exposed to seeing people suffering or having a bad experience with needles, which creates a similar feeling in him over time.
• Genetic factors: Some research and studies indicate that fear in general and fear of needles in particular is a hereditary disease, especially among people who have anxiety about medical tools.
• Physical response: Some people experience an automatic body reaction when seeing needles, which includes dizziness and sometimes fainting. 
• Extreme fear of pain: Needles may be associated with pain for some people. When they see them, they think about their consequences and feel afraid of the pain caused by that needle.

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Symptoms of needle phobia

Symptoms of needle phobia are divided into physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, and behavioral symptoms, and all of these symptoms appear when seeing needles, either in a picture or while being injected with them.

First: physical symptoms

Physical symptoms at the sight of the needles or at the moment of exposure to the injection include:

• ضيق التنفس.
• التعرق المفرط.
• Accelerated heartbeat.
• Exposure to dizziness and fainting.
• Nausea and stomach disorders.

Second: The psychological and behavioral symptoms of phobia

As for the psychological and behavioral symptoms of needle phobia, they include the following:

• Having severe anxiety.
• Avoid medical examinations and vaccinations.
• Excessive fear long before the injection date.
• Panic and having seizures when seeing needles or even thinking about injections.
• Finding it extremely difficult to control anxiety despite realizing that the fear is unjustified.

Diagnosis of needle phobia

Needle phobia can only be diagnosed by a doctor or psychologist through organized and systematic steps that include:

1. Clinical evaluation and examination: The doctor asks about the symptoms that appear when seeing needles, and assesses whether fear may actually affect your daily life or not.
2. Approved diagnostic criteria: The doctor uses the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders (DSM-5) to confirm that the patient suffers from a phobia of needles. This diagnosis is based on a set of questions to determine the level of fear and anxiety that the patient experiences and the extent of their impact on his thinking and life.
3. Rule out other conditions: The doctor performs some tests and evaluations to ensure that the symptoms are not related to another psychological condition such as generalized anxiety disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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Treatment for needle phobia

Usually, in severe cases, specialist doctors may use a combination of drug therapy, psychological and behavioral therapy, while in simple and moderate cases it may be Behavioral therapy It alone is sufficient, and below we learn about the types of treatment in detail:

First: treatment with medications

In severe cases of phobia or fear, doctors recommend sedatives or anti-anxiety medications, the most important of which are Diazepam or Lorazepam. He advises taking these medications before the injection date to reduce anxiety symptoms, while noting that the doctor should use local anesthetic creams with the phobia patient before the injection to reduce pain.

Second: Psychological and behavioral therapy

Psychological and behavioral therapy relies on many options that work together to achieve the best outcome, including the following:

• Gradual exposure to needles:
  The doctor exposes the patient to the needles first by viewing them in pictures only, then touching them without injecting, and finally the doctor actually gives the patient the injection after getting used to it.
• Relaxation techniques:
  These techniques are used to eliminate or control anxiety and include progressive muscle relaxation exercises to prevent tension, and deep breathing exercises before and after the injection, while introducing the patient to the culture of distraction, for example, watching a video or talking to someone at the time of the injection to distract him from fear.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy:
  It is one of the most important therapeutic programs that help get rid of the phobia of needles quickly and easily. It consists of sessions with a psychiatrist and specialist, which helps to change the negative thoughts associated with the image of a needle. It is a program for challenging fears and learning many strategies that help him cope.

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Tips for dealing with needle phobia

Together, we will learn about the most important tips for dealing with the phobia of needles, which are recommended by the specialist doctors at the Rafah Center at Al Mousa Specialist Hospital to reduce anxiety and improve the experience during injections, and they include:

1. Acknowledge the problem. It is okay to feel fear, but the most important thing is to deal with it in the right way.
2. Learn more about injections so that there are no wrong ideas resulting from the experiences of others or previous experience.
3. Maintain relaxation and meditation exercises such as deep breathing before the injection to reduce stress and fear.
4. Tell the doctor about your problem and ask him to use a thin needle and apply a local anesthetic so that you do not feel pain. 
5. Do not look at the needle during the injection, use distraction, and try distraction techniques such as squeezing a rubber ball.
6. After the injection, reward yourself, do something you love, monitor your progress, acknowledge your achievement, and tell your doctor about it.
7. Finally, never neglect psychological and behavioral treatment and constantly follow up with your doctor until your condition improves quickly. 

Treating phobia of needles is not complicated and depends on a combination of drug, psychological and behavioral treatment with ways to live with the symptoms. The Rafah Psychiatry Center affiliated with Al Mousa Specialist Hospital offers the best psychological and behavioral treatment techniques to deal with this condition successfully and achieve amazing results in a short period. All you have to do is contact the center and schedule an appointment with the doctors as soon as possible to begin the treatment journey. With us, you are safe.

Frequently asked questions

We receive many questions from our followers about the phobia of needles, which we answer in detail below: 

What is women's fear of needles?

Women's fear of needles is an innate fear in many cases, so it may not be classified under the name needle phobia unless the fear becomes excessive and is accompanied by the symptoms we mentioned above.

What is the fear of getting hit by a needle?

The fear of being struck by a needle may be a pathological phobia, or it may be a normal fear, as many people do, due to their fear of feeling pain. Therefore, the disease must be diagnosed by a specialized doctor and not just word of mouth.

How do I get rid of my fear of needles?

You can get rid of your fear of needles through effective medical treatment at the hands of specialists, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, which changes your outlook and fear towards needles permanently with an integrated protocol adopted by Al Mousa Specialist Hospital.

How long does it take to treat needle phobia?

There is no specific period of time that it takes to treat the phobia of needles, as each case differs from the other in the severity of the symptoms and the extent of its readiness to receive treatment. In general, the minimum period for treating any psychological problem is never less than 6 months to obtain results.

Sources and references

Trypanophobia (Fear of Needles) – cleveland clinic

How to manage fear of needles (trypanophobia) – aurora health care