Hi guys,
I have been dealing with trypanophobia all my life. When I am about to receive an injection, take a blood test, tuberculosis test, etc., I become extremely nervous. When I was younger (as in before this year) I would try to be "macho" and just hold in my anxiety. Now, I am more comfortable with appearing "weak" and actually cry and hyperventilate. I just cannot stand being near needles in medical circumstances. Sometimes when my back is not covered by clothing (ex. before taking a shower, on the beach, etc) I panic a little feeling that someone is going to creep up on me and inject an empty syringe in my spine, killing me. I think that what scares me the most about these injections is the fact that a) I cannot feel them going into my skin (very high pain threshold) and b) something is temporarily invading my body, which I feel is a private place for me and only me.
What is interesting is that I have no problem with piercings, unless they are surface piercings. I have a number of piercings on my ears, and one on my nose. I have been pierced by many different people and even myself. I enjoy the throbbing sensation after jewelry is inserted for the first time and larger gauge needles fascinate me - in fact, I want to be a piercer in the future. I think that I am not afraid of piercings because they go in one way and out the other, thus confirming that the needle is not resting in your body (vs. a blood test). Also, nothing is being put in your body. Lastly, there is some kind of pain or throbbing sensation associated with piercings.
My theory is that perhaps getting piercings (I am somewhat addicted to them) is my way of combatting my needle phobia? Perhaps it's a way of reassuring myself that needles can't creep up on you? I don't know, but that's what I'm thinking right now. Hopefully someone can help me out, since this is a great irony indeed!!!
Thanks alot!


****EDIT:**** I am not afraid of injections because of the pain. It is the idea that something is trespassing my skin, my protective barrier - if that makes any sense.

Hello there!

When I read this post I thought 'thank god I'm not the only one who feels this way'.
I'm 17 and I have quite a few piercings and stretched ears, I'm addicted to piercings. The latest piercing I got was my cheeks pierced...
I was fine when getting them pierced, like not a lot of people could handle the idea of having needles go through their cheeks!
However, I have a major phobia of needles... I think major phobia might even be an understatement haha. When I tell anyone they're always like 'but you have so many piercings, you can't be afraid' I'm petrified. Hyperventilating at the thought of getting a needle.
It's like how you fear something sticking a needle into you when you don't expect it, I'm the same when I'm near doctors or hospitals, always afraid of sitting on a needle and it going into me... Not afraid of it hurting, I take pain quite well and I know it would only be a little jab... It's just the idea of it sticking into me.
I think the fact my mother didn't usually agree to me getting needles as a child, I think this has made me fear them... Or maybe because I got a needle to prevent measles, mumps and rubella when I was younger and it went horrible wrong and since then I keep passing out when I get too warm... Hmm
Now I'm missing a lot of injections from my GP, I.e tetanus shot, cervical cancer shots... I'm even terrified of going to the dentist because I know I need a few fillings done which means needles :-(. I'm also wanting to get the birth control implant done but once again... Needles!
I think now that I've gotten my cheeks pierced... I might be able to go try get a shot done .. Maybe I could turn the anxiety into adrenaline like I do with piercings?
Hmmmm.....