What is it?What is it?
Many people fear injections to some extent, but once that fear becomes persistent, excessive and unreasonable, then the fear becomes a phobia. Injection phobia is the fear and avoidance of receiving various types of injections, and/or of having a blood sample withdrawn through venipuncture (pricking a finger). This is a specific phobia and is extremely common yet not very well recognised, and affecting 3.5 % to 10% of the population.
DIY self diagnosis
How do I know if I have an injection or needle phobia?
- If you have a marked, persistent, and excessive fear of needles.
- If exposure to needles almost invariably provokes in you an immediate anxiety response.
- If you recognise this fear is unreasonable.
- If needle-sticks are either avoided, or endured by you with intense anxiety or distress.
- The avoidance, anxiety or distress significantly interferes with your normal routine, occupational or academic functioning, social activities or relationships, or if there is severe distress about having the phobia.
How we can help
Anxiety UK is a user-led charity with more than forty years experience in supporting those living with anxiety. By becoming a member of Anxiety UK, you will have access to a range of benefits, including:
- Access to reduced cost therapy within two weeks of submitting your therapy request
- Access to our helpline (available Monday-Friday, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm) staffed by volunteers with personal experience of anxiety
- Receipt of four issues of Anxious Times, our quarterly members” magazine
- Access to the members only section of our website, featuring regular support surgeries facilitated by anxiety experts
- Access to specialist helplines, including the psychiatric pharmacy helpline and the psychology information helpline
And many, many other benefits that will help you manage your anxiety long term. To become a member of Anxiety UK click here or ring 08444 775 774 today.
Recommended reading
Smith & Nephew sponsored the production of an Anxiety UK booklet on needle phobia. This includes self help information, along with details of useful treatments. To download this booklet click here.
There are a range of other helpful resources that will support you in your recovery from needle phobia. To find out more please click here.
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Personal experience
Do you suffer from needle phobia and want to share your experience with other people? Post your personal experience in the comments box below where it will be sent to our moderator for approval. Many people find this part of the site very useful when trying to understand their disorder so your comments really do make a difference. Please note, all comments submitted to the Anxiety UK website may be used by Anxiety UK for (but not limited to) publicity and promotional material.
I have had this phobia for as long as I can remember. Like many sufferers, it is also coupled with an intense dislike of anything involving blood and gore. I don”t think I”ve had any particularly bad experiences that caused the phobia, although I know that my dad occasionally faints at injections, and my Mum would always dread blood tests quite loudly.
The funny thing is, I really know that the injection itself, or the blood test, or whatever, doesn”t really hurt, and I”m lucky that I don”t go faint. It”s just the thought of it that bothers me. In fact, I”ll often spend hours worrying about something that last for about 3 seconds. Nuts! But I know I”m not on my own.
I”ve definitely got better as I”ve got older. I remember dreading injections weeks in advance of the event- so much when I was a kid that I would almost be sick. I would try to get out of school if I knew we were due to get an injection, and when it came time for Rubella, I managed to convince my Mum that people had died after having the injection, so that she wouldn”t make me have it!
As an adult, I”ve taken risks by not taking injections that were advised. For instance I once worked in a job where I was advised to have a course of three Hepatitis B injections. I had two, but then because I was pretty low risk for infection, I never quite got round to going back for the third¢â‚¬Â¦.
Laura
I have suffered with a needle phobia all my life, and was increasingly fed up at how bothered I was by this; married, aged 39 and too scared to seek help about starting a family because of the blood tests I knew this would incur.
I have been having Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and whilst at session 8 I had a full-blown, grade-9 panic attack watching my therapist have blood drawn (I sobbed, howled, whimpered, panted, cowered and shook but stopped short of passing out, I watched again yesterday (session 9) and whilst I was anxious, I was nowhere near crying and watched the whole thing without even flinching. I realise now that I was only really anxious about whether I”d have another grade-9 panic¢â‚¬Â¦not really about the needle at all. Panic attacks of that magnitude are seriously frightening and unpleasant and I now realise that it”s THAT that I”m scared of experiencing, not the actual blood test. I have my own booked for a fortnight”s time, and guess what¢â‚¬Â¦obviously I”m nervous but I”m more worried that I”ll panic than worried about the blood test itself, and whilst it”s unpleasant, I know it will not kill me – so bring it on.
Heather
I have had a fear of needles ever since I can remember.
I think it must have started when I was about 7 years old when I was living overseas. A young boy threw an old piece of wood at me which had a rusty nail in it – the nail went into the side of my forehead and I had to be rushed to hospital for several Tetanus injections. Ever since then, I can”t even think about needles because I start to feel dizzy, nauseous and sweaty and feel that I need to lie down. This fear is really debilitating as it has now morphed into a general fear of doctors and hospitals. I can”t stand the smell of hospitals or any place that smells like hospitals (a smell of a particular type of disinfectant). I can”t have injections or blood tests without practically blacking out and the other day I went to see an acupuncturist for a problem that I”ve been having with sinus infections (thought it might also help me to face my fear of needles) and as soon as she started putting those tiny needles in my legs, I had to be put into the recovery position because I nearly fainted. People without phobias have no idea how people with phobias feel. They think its irrational and believe me I know it is but I can”t be rational when it comes to needles. I am actually really worried that I won”t want to have children because I”ll have to have blood tests etc. This is a frightening thought as I am a real family person.
Lucy
I have a terrible fear of injections to the point where i sweat,shake,foam at the mouth,e.g panic attacks i have never had a bad experience with them no more than any other child, i thought it would get better with age but it hasnt its got a lot worse to the point i can’t even see it on the t.v or be in a room with one but my doctors no help he just keeps trying to book me in for a blood test, i would like to know if there are any other way of getting CBT treatment other than via your GP thanks
Lucie Farrow.
Hi Lucie,
You can certainly get help through the Anxiety UK therapy services without going through your GP. Click the link above that states ‘get help in your area’ and you can find out if we have a therapist there for you. You might want to start out with some hypnotherapy then move on to CBT if you still need additional support.
Best wishes
Cat (Anxiety UK)
its not me who is afraid of needle,it is my daughter,she has got to have her first survicle cancer jab next month.She cries about it every night.It hurts me to watch her cry what can u do to help her ?
thank you
I have a horrible phobia of needles, even reading this page and writing this reply is causing anxiety as I’m having to think about them. It’s really starting to take over my life, to the point where I am seriously considering not having children, even though that’s what I have always wanted.
My phobia began when I had my tonsils out at 6, I have poor veins and don’t bleed well and I sat for 20minutes whilst 3 nurses dug around in my arms & hands to try and get blood. The area was numbed so all I could feel was the movement and ever since then, I cannot bear the sight of needles. If they are on TV I can’t watch, and the sight of IVs make me extremely panicky and nauseas. Luckily I’ve never had to have one but I couldn’t visit my sister in law in hospital because she had a drip in, after having a miscarriage. (That’s what’s made me reconsider having children, I’ve even thought that if I did fall pregnant, I’d not tell the doctor because I couldn’t put myself through the stress of regular blood tests and the prospect of an IV if there were any problems)
People always say to me “but it doesn’t hurt’ and I can’t seem to make them understand that I’m not scared of the pain – I couldn’t care less about the pain, it’s just the thought of the needle being sat under my skin. I’ve had panic attacks in the doctors & hospital when I’ve been for blood tests before. I get hot & sweaty, palpitations, nausea and it’s getting worse and I don’t know how to control it. I’ve got to have a filling at the dentist tomorrow, and I’m already sweating about it. I burst into tears when the dentist told me, and he was really insensitive, he told me to stop crying because I wasnt having it there and then. I know it’s irrational but I just can’t deal with needles.
Hi guys
I’ve read all your comments and i really do need help. I am absolutly petrefied of needels but at the minute i have a decision to make which could mean life or death and its going to take a needle to determin the outcome but im more scared of the needle
Please help!!!!!!
What sort of problem is it? I’m struggling with something vaguely similar at the moment but mine isn’t life and death :S There are some anti-anxiety medications you can get from your GP, a friend of mine has a phobia of dentists and finds the whole thing a lot better with meds she got from her GP.
If it’s life or death, then I think you should go for it. I know what you mean about being terrified, I am too (that’s my post above) but if it genuinely is that serious you can bear it. Explain your phobia to your doctor/nurse and they will be supportive, they deal with it regularly and will be able to help you through it. Also take someone with you as support because they can help you through it. The needle will be a small part of it and that small unit of time could save your life and is surely worth it.
I’ve been terrified of needles since I had a horrible blood test in my late teens. I cried throughout the whole thing and fainted at the end. And because my Mum (who is also afraid of needles) came with me she fainted after being so traumatised by what I’d gone through! I’ve read all of your comments and the weird thing is that it HURT for me. It really really hurt, one of the worst pains I’ve ever had (and I once broke my arm). When I tell people it was the worst experience of my life they don’t believe me or think I’ve lived a sheltered life, but it’s no exaggeration. That ten minutes was the most traumatic of my life. I’ve avoided all injections since then and I rarely go to the doctors. I’ve avoided hospitals too where possible and even put off visiting my friend who had a baby because I didn’t want to go in the hospital. I can’t look at people who have needles in their arms. I hate looking at the veins of people’s hands to be honest!
Now I need to have a blood test for health reasons and I don’t know what to do. I burst into tears at even the thought of it and I just don’t think I can make myself go. My GP seemed a bit unsure about what to do with me (I was a bit of a sobbing mess when she mentioned the b word). She didn’t even know if I could get help on the NHS. Her only suggestion was to have the blood test done at a hospital instead because they know what they’re doing. Which really means she didn’t want to deal with me herself.
Sometimes when I think about the blood test I had the pain comes back in my arm and it’s like I’m there again. Also – does anyone else feel violated by the needle? It’s in your body for so long, and you really don’t want it there.
im only 14 and hate needles i have to get a booster next year,i got my cancer jag last year and before i got it i fainted
I’m 15 years old and I have had needle phobia for the past few years. It’s not that I’m scared or overly anxious, it’s actually a physical phobia.
The thought of a needle is unpleasant as it is to many people. Whenever anyone mentions needles, I feel the prick in my arm from when I had my HPV injections a couple of years ago. The problem though, is after I have an injection, or watch someone have an injection, I feel ill before eventually blacking out completely, losing sight and hearing for a moment. I experienced a similar reaction when I had my ears pierced.
I think that it all started when I had a filling at the dentist and the anaesthetics got into my bloodstream, making me ill for a moment. Since then, I would faint at the sight or experience of an injection.
I find that some things can help me a bit, like having the injection whilst lying down and having a lollipop to calm me down but I don’t want to have this phobia at all anymore because I have to have an injection soon and in the future I know I will need more fillings and I will need blood test.
Professional psychiatric help isn’t really an option for me. And being a Christian, neither is hypnotherapy. Is there anything I can do to rid me of this phobia?
Hi
This must be very distressing for you. Anxiety including phobia is the result of irrational thoughts/beliefs/fears and these thoughts can cause all sort of physical symptoms and behavioural changes. Managing anxiety and phobia is all about stay positive and having faith in yourself. Focusing on these negative thinking and the physical symptoms or repeating the coping behaviour will make the anxiety and phobia worst. We have a fact sheet on Injection phobia/fear of needles on our Shop that may give you some information on the phobia. We also offer a range of therapy services to members at reduced rates, and therapy can be face-to-face as well as over the phone and webcam. Please take a look at the “What kind of treatment is the best for me” under our Get Help session.
Best wishes
Andy
I’ve got a bit better about needles, now with the valium-like pills I’m issued to take an hour before I go for a blood test and with my partner in tow (if left on my own I ‘forget’ to go) I can make myself turn up and lie down and roll up my sleeve and stay there and let them stab me and not run away.
But despite supressing all the more extreme outward reactions (ok maybe I still cry and shake and whimper a bit) I cannot suppress my physical reaction. I go into shock, my veins sink and the blood withdraws from my arms and legs into my core. Last time my very nice doctor finally found a vein but only got half a centimeter of blood before the supply cut itself off and she exclaimed it was sucking back. Would CBT help with this or just with more of the outward symptoms suppression?
Hi G
This must be distressing. Your situation sounds like that your body is giving the “fight or flight” response, which everybody will experience if they are under pressure or experiencing stressful situations. Because you are anxious and that feelings have been accumulating, your body is in an alert mode that it is prepared to fight back in case anything bad happened. The physical reaction is a common issue among people with anxiety. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is one of the effective therapies to treat anxiety and we have supported a lot of people to access it and overcome their problems. If you are interested in receiving the CBT, please consider to access it through us because we can offer our members therapy service at a reduced cost and it is more flexible. Alternatively, you can ring us on 08444 775 774 for more advice and information.
Best wishes
Shirley
I have had a phobia of needles since childhood and have just turned 40! I turn into a complete crazy woman, sobbing, shaking, shouting and usually fainting if I have to come into contact with them eg dentist. Last week I had to go for a biopsy at the hospital and was more worried about the needle than the fact I might have skin cancer. I completely lost it and despite having my husband with me sobbed and shook through the whole procedure then fainted in the waiting room afterwards. One of the previous posts mentions being afraid of having a panic attack as a result of the needles and I agree. Someone suggested trying rescue remedy but it didnt help one bit and now I feel like such an idiot for all the fuss I caused. I have to go back for the results and am feeling stressed and embarrased. My GP has not been sympathetic about my phobia but I feel that I need to do something to tackle this “other woman” that errupts from me every time I see a needle.
Hi Linda
Focusing on the negative thoughts or recalling the events/experience from the past will only reinforce the fear and anxiety itself, and I would not recommend you doing that. I would recommend Clinical hypnotherapy to you if you are finding it difficult to relax when it comes to injection and medical examination. It focuses on teaching you relaxation techniques which you can use to manage the anxiety. Please visit our Get Help session for more information. Be more pro-active and positive and distract yourself from these negative thoughts.
Good luck
Andy
I too have a debilitating phobia of needles and have had it as long as I can remember. I haven’t had an injection for about 7 years now and I’m seriously putting my health at risk with my fear. I need blood tests to check for diabetes, anemia and coeliac disease as I keep regularly fainting, but I am purposely avoiding going to the doctors as I am terrified of the injections I’ll need to have.
I have no idea what to do about this as no one understand how terrified I am. Just the thought of having to have an injection brings me to tears and the last time I had an injection I launched into a full scale meltdown, screaming, crying, physical violence…I ended up punching the doctor! I have tried sedatives such as valium but they only seem to make me worse then I crash hard afterwards. I have also tried CBT and this has done nothing for me. It’s not the pain I am scared of but the actual injection/needle itself. So many times people have said ‘it doesn’t hurt’ or ‘just shut your eyes’…they have no idea of the severity of my phobia!
Can anyone recommend anything to help me as I am at my wits end with this crippling phobia and my health is definitely suffering as a result.
Hi Katie
That must be very distressing and you need to take action with your health. Anxiety including phobia is associated with irrational thoughts and negative thinking. These thoughts are reinforced by physical and psychological symptoms/discomfort and unhealthy coping behaviour, i.e avoidance. Focusing on these negative thoughts, symptoms or the coping behaviour will only reinforce the fear and anxiety itself. You need distract yourself from focusing on these negative thoughts or even recalling the events in the past. CBT aims to raise your self-awareness on these negative thinking pattern and to promote a more positive way of thinking with the use of a variety of cognitive and behavioural techniques but after all it’s still your decision to choose if you want to practice these techniques, and more importantly how you want to think and feel. I have to mention this because I don’t want people to read your story and think CBT won’t help them. Perhaps you can consider clinical hypnotherapy which focuses on teaching you relaxation techniques and might ease your anxiety when it comes to injection. You can find more information on the Get Help session.
Take care
Andy