Trypanophobia (A complete guide)

This article will give a brief idea about Trypanophobia. Then it will focus on the causes and symptoms of Trypanophobia.

Then it will describe the process for the diagnosis of Trypanophobia. Finally, it will highlight the treatment of Trypanophobia, both psychotherapies, and medications.

Trypanophobia:

Trypanophobia refers to the irrational fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles.

This type of fear has been mostly found in children but as soon as they reach adulthood they learn to tolerate needles easily.

It has been estimated that around 10% of Americans have this phobia 

Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder that can disturb a person’s life miserably.

It includes panic like condition in which people suffering from this disorder experience a high amount of anxiety or panic-like condition from the mere thought of injections or hypodermic needles. 

This fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles can be manageable as it doesn’t much affect the daily life or day-to-day life of an individual but sharp things like needles which can cut through the skin can create extreme anxiety in the patient.

CAUSES OF TRYPANOPHOBIA:

There is no particular cause that has been found so far for Trypanophobia, but environmental factors and genetic factors are responsible for it as it is for almost all other phobias. 

If a person’s family history has had some anxiety or phobic disorder or as a matter of fact any mental disorder, it is more likely for the individual to develop Trypanophobia.

Environmental factors like past trauma where the child has been exposed to needles a lot than required.

Some medical emergencies occurred or the child had very sensitive skin and never got into contact with any.

Both extremes can cause this phobia. Changes in brain chemistry can also be a reason for it.

There are chances that the person suffering from Trypanophobia also suffers from GAD or Depression. Or that person might develop any of these disorders as a comorbid disorder.

SYMPTOMS OF TRYPANOPHOBIA:

The symptoms depend on the severity of the phobia and the most common symptom would be panic attacks. 

Some of the common symptoms are:

• Severe anxiety with a mere thought of  injections or hypodermic needles 
• Derealization, depersonalization
• Breathlessness, choking sensations
• High blood pressure
• Sweating, nausea, fainting
• Dizziness, restlessness, nervousness
• Lack of concentration
• Racing thoughts
• Panic attacks
• Avoidance of medical care

DIAGNOSIS OF TRYPANOPHOBIA:

In order to make a diagnosis for the condition of Trypanophobia, it is important to observe the patient for an amount of time.

His behavior which includes fear will tell all about the phobia.

An extreme fear which interferes with the medical treatment and even creates a problem in meeting with the doctor explains the extremity.

Then the physician might recommend for some psychological tests in order to be sure of the underlying problem.

TREATMENT FOR TRYPANOPHOBIA:

There is no particular treatment that has been found for this phobia but a mixture of treatments that have been found helpful for the people suffering from phobia and anxiety can be helpful for Trypanophobia as well.

Psychotherapies:

• Talk Therapy:

Talk therapy seems very simple and easy but it’s quite opposite.

A person is about to talk about his weaknesses, it’s not easy at all.

But it sure does wonders to the client as once he lets out all the emotions, it becomes easy for him to focus on the bright side of life.

• Relaxation Therapy:

Relaxation Therapy, on the other hand, can be very helpful with these patients as it helps in calming down the racing of thoughts.

JPMR helps a person in focusing on his breathing and his one muscle at a time, which helps the client in letting go of the negative thoughts of  injections or hypodermic needles or losing medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles and the focus stays on himself only.

This helps in the long run with acceptance.

• Mindfulness:

Mindfulness might be a good choice for the patients with the fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles, as the main purpose of mindfulness is to accept everything and being in the present.

It makes sure that a person’s senses are widened and opened. This will again help the client with acceptance.

• CBT:

CBT is one of the best Therapy which focuses and challenges the negative automatic thoughts and it has proven to be helpful with all kinds of anxiety and phobias and it can be helpful with Trypanophobia as well. 

Medications:

• Antidepressants:

These medicines are not only used for the patients suffering from depression or have a comorbidity of depression, but it also helps with the patients suffering from anxiety and phobias as well.

• Anti-anxiety medicines:

These medicines help the client in controlling the symptoms of anxiety but it cannot cure the phobia.

To get a cure from phobia one has to mix the treatment of medications with psychotherapy.

Although one must not take any medication without consulting with the Doctor.

CONCLUSION:

This blog has briefly described Trypanophobia. Then it has focused on the causes and symptoms of Trypanophobia.

Then it focused on the process of diagnosis of Trypanophobia.

Finally, it highlighted the treatment of Trypanophobia, both psychotherapies, and medications.

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CITATIONS:

healthline.com