I am scared of needles... Some tips for kids to 'survive' their shots
Very few people like to have a needle be stuck into them, but some people are very scared of it or have a phobia.
How you feel about getting an injection is not always relevant, because some times we need to get one or have blood drawn for tests, which all involve needles.
Fear of needles, known in medical literature as needle phobia, is the extreme fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles. ... It has also been referred to as trypanophobia, although the origin and proper usage of that term is highly controversial.
Instead of somebody just saying 'Suck it up buttercup', there are a few things that you can do to make the whole experience a bit more bearable.
The waiting can be even worse that the injection itself, because while you are sitting there waiting for your turn your imagination can take you many places and you can work yourself up more than necessary.
Do not punish yourself by sitting there and just thinking about the shot the whole time or telling yourself how sore it will be. Distract yourself with something you enjoy doing. Be it playing a game or reading or being on social media. Before you know it it will be your turn.
Take deep breaths and concentrate on it. While inhaling and exhaling deeply and thinking about it while you are doing it, you will calm yourself down. Try not to focus on the idea of the injection, but rather on your steady breathing.
If you are in the doctor's office or the room where you will be given the injection, find something on which you can focus. It can be a poster, a picture, writing or an object. Look at it and ask yourself questions about it and study the detail of the item you are looking at. The more you focus on something the more your mind is distracted from what is happening on the injection side.
Some people say that if you cough once before the injection and once during it, the pain will be less.
If you tense up your muscles then it can make the pain worse, because if the area is tensed where the needle must go in, it will cause more pain. So concentrate on trying to relax your muscles, especially the ones where the needle must go in.
Look away when they are injecting you, because many times when we see the needle going in, we tell ourselves it has to be sore and then we tense up.
Do not feel shy about the fact that you are scared of getting a shot. Many people are and if you are honest with the doctor or nurse, they will try their best to get it done as painless and quickly as possible. They have given shots many times, so trust them.
