It is normal to have a dislike for going to hospital. However, for some, this dislikes turns into fear and can affect them in the longrun. Hospital fear is also known as nosocomephobia that can make one avoid going to hospitals. You can find a person having an increased heart rate and can even get an anxiety attack when you see a doctor. It also makes people afraid of getting treated, taking medication and even undergoing surgery since they do not believe they will survive.
Hospital fear manifests in different forms that are discussed in this informative post including:
- Latrophobia
This is the fear of consulting with a doctor and is mainly seen by people who avoid going to the dentist because they believe they will receive bad news. You can also find people afraid of lab tests and medical personnel.
- Homophobia
This is the fear of blood. People with this phobia usually get extremely uneasy at the sight of blood and can even faint. Anyone with this phobia needs to consult a physician to get treated.
- Mysophobia
Mysophobia is extreme fear of germs. There is a show called “Monk” that featured a detective with a severe case of mysophobia. People with this phobia are likely to develop other phobias and can get very anxious. In some cases, it happens after experiencing a traumatic event.
- Thanatophobia
People with thanatophobia fear being dead or dying. This fear affects a person’s normal life and get extremely distressed when they visit hospitals since they do not think they will come out alive. They also get anxious when a loved one dies since it reminds them of their worst fear.
- Claustrophobia
This is one of the well-known phobias. It is the fear of being in an enclosed space. People suffering from this feel like they are choking when surrounded by people. A simple elevator ride or being on a plane or small room can trigger a panic attack. Even wearing tight clothes can make one feel like they are choking.
- Hypochondriasis
Seeing someone close to you suffer from a serious medical condition can traumatize you. It can make you believe that you are suffering from the same condition or there is a serious problem with you. This is hypochondriasis and it makes you believe you are sick when you are perfectly healthy.
- Trypanophobia
No one likes getting injections. However, an extreme fear of needles is trypanophobia. It makes one imagine the pain even before the injection. If a particular treatment involves injection, the person is at risk of getting worse and even dying.
Treatment options available
If you have any of the above phobias, the first things you need to do is see a physician. They will present treatment options available for your condition. Hospital phobia can endanger your life since you will not be willing to get treated even for serious conditions. Because of the phobias, you believe that going to hospital and interacting with medical personnel will harm you. You can find yourself associating the word hospital, doctor, nurse or other medical terms with pain which should not be the case.
You need to corporate with your doctor as they want the best for you. For the treatment to be successful and to give you a chance at leading a normal life that is phobia-free, you can follow these simple tips.
- Consult your physician
- Listen and follow what the doctor says. You might be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist.
- Do your research so you can find out the type of phobia you have. If you are going for therapy, ask as many questions as you can. Be honest so the root of your fears can be found.
- If you have prescribed medication, take it according to your doctor’s advice.
- Also, it all starts and ends with you. You need to keep a calm mind and remember that fear only grows if you feed it.
There are several other phobias one can suffer from. Most of the hospital fears occur in children. What is important is to seek treatment early since some can put you in life-threatening situations. Keeping a positive mind and following your doctor’s instructions will help you change and get better.