At age 50, I have to undergo a stereotactic breast biopsy and am completely terrified of needles. It's a severe case. I also don't know who is performing the procedure and I worry that the doctor will not understand my phobia. I have been researching ways to help reduce my fear and am so happy to have seen this TEDx talk. I had actually purchased a Buzzy a few months ago so that I might be able to finally get a check up complete with blood work. I'm working up to that. But a few abnormal mammograms force me to have the biopsy. Thank you, Amy Baxter, for empowering me (and for inventing the Buzzy!). I'm going to call the radiologist to discuss options to help reduce my anxiety
Wow, so sorry I didn't see this a year ago. We hear from so many people who are petrified of needles and feel misunderstood by the medical profession. Hopefully the more people feel empowered to speak up (needle phobia is about 12% in 50 year olds) the more healthcare will listen and help. Thanks for sharing your story, and glad I could help.
I have extreme needle phobia for 27 years I got no treatments that involved needles, no vaccines nothing. I was never forced by my mother to have any medical procedure done save once and so I do not have a fear of doctors as well so anything not involving needles are fine, but needles no. I am in treatment now to deal with this phobia and have been able to have my blood drawn twice over the last two months due to some very skilled nurses that do take the phobia seriously but before that it took 27 years since the last time. When I was eight I went to have a blood test done and it hurt, to the point where my entire world narrowed in to just pain, I can remember the look of the shelves in the doctor's office as that moment is burned into my mind and I was screaming bloody murder and begging him to stop and he would not stop, convincing my mother that once the needle was in it was better to just get it done and while I experienced the most painful thing in my life up to then this doctor was berating me, telling me to stop screaming, that I was scaring the little kids, that I was a coward. I was completely in shock after that and off course I was told it did not really hurt, my experience was completely invalidated. Then about a year later I had another blood test, this one did not hurt as much but it still hurt allot more than the pinch most claim, and that was with numbing cream. I asked the nurse to be careful changing the tubes and she ignored me, just slamming them in while telling me I was a cowards and a bother and that I was not really feeling pain. Then then I was ten I was so terrified of needles I refused any vaccines but my mother managed to talk me into a needed blood test. I was to scared and could not sit still though but I was starting to feel more comfortable but then another nurse came in yelling that one could not spend that much time on one patient, she grabbed my wrist and tried to hold me down while berating me and ordering me to sit still, the needle looked like a knife she was going to stab me with. My mother stopped it that time and as we walked out this nurse had a screaming fit berating us both, telling us how we wasted everyone's time and how I was just a coward. After that I did not even dare to try to have any needle procedure done until now when I am 35 and I am still terrified, and the thing is, when I have gone to have my blood drawn those two times I get these huge reactions afterwards where I feel shame, feel I am worthless and I can hear those doctors and nurses berating me and I feel small and worthless. I was afraid of needles when I was eight but that doctor made it into a full blown phobia.
I am one of those "extreme" 10%ers. I am 41 years old and have not been able to get a shot since I was forced at 16, due to a traumatic experience I had in my childhood. 2 years of therapy have not worked, and even during my exercises the physiological responses my body reacts to needles always seem to just take over any training I have done. I agree with the speaker on that the medical Profession, DOES NOT have any sort of empathy with an adult with my condition. Even know as I have been having issues with health Doctors still do not wish to help me unless I give them blood. I wish the speaker would do the research on adults with this issue.
I am doing that research now. Please send me your story info@mmjlabs.com with as many details as you can recall about the incident, and the experiences you've had in doctors offices since then. Thank you!
I am too--and I was thinking when I went to my dentist--it is a radically different experience. Topical numbing and then a shot--one of the dental assisted both distracted me and comforted me. It was a great experience. I needed that. When I go to my doctor's office--nearly no concern. I think there needs to be a re-look at this my the medical community. I was reading a paper and some people wait too long to get treatment to avoid the pain. I think most people if they could get through it much more easily would seek that route. Also, in our world of innovation that we would have less obtrusive delivery method should be here today. Thank you for your posting.
Thank you! I'd like to GIVE more of this kind of talk, so we're of the same mind. I'm preparing a "future of pain management:" talk for Singularity U's Exponential Medicine in October. Will post a link.
Jacqui Chew Thanks so much for inviting Dr. Baxter to speak. This is by far my favorite TED talk of them all! I'm ashamed that TED hasn't put this on their website yet, if I ever head to TED HQ, I will make a note of this to them to actually consider having this video up on ted.com, it's AMAZING (and SUPER Relevant to my current research now in Medical Ethics).
I have struggled with needle phobia for many years and I am convinced that one of the reasons that made it worse was the feeling of being understood or even being made fun of. Over the years I have seen over and over how people who are scared of heights/spiders/snakes/dogs/you name it are understood and even comforted. People with claustrophobia get help to be able to do an MRI: they can get sedated in order to do it. In dentists, people can get sedation. For people with needle phobia though, it's all "don't be a baby about it", "just get over it" or "it's just a tiny needle, it won't kill you". Well will that closed space kill you, Karen? I am convinced that needle phobia is the most underrated, misunderstood and neglected phobia in the World. No other phobia is seen as connected with being childish as much as needle phobia is. I'm convinced this is what is making the whole problem worse, since many adults who have needle phobia simply don't admit they have it, for fear of being made fun of. The problem is that they start refuging in their fear, in silence, just as I have done. It has felt much safer to just avoid going to a doctor than going there and being 99% sure I would be misunderstood and made fun of.
as someone who also struggle with needle phobia I also agree. My parents can wave needles off pretty easily but the moment I have to do something that involves a doctor or god forbid a needle it a struggle for me. That's were the point of contention is, it's hard to describe to people without the phobia how hard it is. Because if you were to describe it to someone, it would seem over dramatic but that's kind of the point. Now, I can't fault them for having lackluster advice since they haven't shared the same feelings. But it feels almost hopeless when all I hear is "it's just a pinch" or "it doesn't hurt that bad". Now that i'm 18 I want to take control of my health. However, this is a huge hurtle I need to tackle if I want to visit a doctor on a regular basis.
Needle phobia is critical in attaining universal immunisation among children. This requires more research and change in doctor behaviours and practices. There must be greater implicit understanding of pain management as a subject in public health. These factors most certainly have direct/indirect effects on immunisation and vaccination.
Long story short, some doctors don't believe hypersensitivity to pain exists and that I have it. Because of this, I'm so terrified of needles that my options for studying abroad (which is required in my school) are severely limited, even more so by other issues I have. Africa? Forget it. Mexico? Nope. Australia/New Zealand? Yeah... no. I could go on. I really, really want to go to these places, but just the thought of all those needles... Even anaesthetics probably wouldn't help because my anxiety has gotten so bad. I don't know what the point of this was. I guess the moral of the story is, have some freaking empathy or you will screw up a kid for life.
Please send me your story at info@mmjlabs.com with as many details as you can recall about the incident and the experiences you've had in doctors' offices since then.
I went to therapy for this issue! General talk therapy with a therapist over several months but it changed everything! I now get an iv for chronic pain treatment every 8 weeks and even started getting them in my hand last year (one of my places of trauma) after needing to get an emergency unprepped iv. There's hope! 💙
At age 50, I have to undergo a stereotactic breast biopsy and am completely terrified of needles. It's a severe case. I also don't know who is performing the procedure and I worry that the doctor will not understand my phobia. I have been researching ways to help reduce my fear and am so happy to have seen this TEDx talk. I had actually purchased a Buzzy a few months ago so that I might be able to finally get a check up complete with blood work. I'm working up to that. But a few abnormal mammograms force me to have the biopsy. Thank you, Amy Baxter, for empowering me (and for inventing the Buzzy!). I'm going to call the radiologist to discuss options to help reduce my anxiety
Wow, so sorry I didn't see this a year ago. We hear from so many people who are petrified of needles and feel misunderstood by the medical profession. Hopefully the more people feel empowered to speak up (needle phobia is about 12% in 50 year olds) the more healthcare will listen and help. Thanks for sharing your story, and glad I could help.
I have extreme needle phobia for 27 years I got no treatments that involved needles, no vaccines nothing. I was never forced by my mother to have any medical procedure done save once and so I do not have a fear of doctors as well so anything not involving needles are fine, but needles no. I am in treatment now to deal with this phobia and have been able to have my blood drawn twice over the last two months due to some very skilled nurses that do take the phobia seriously but before that it took 27 years since the last time.
When I was eight I went to have a blood test done and it hurt, to the point where my entire world narrowed in to just pain, I can remember the look of the shelves in the doctor's office as that moment is burned into my mind and I was screaming bloody murder and begging him to stop and he would not stop, convincing my mother that once the needle was in it was better to just get it done and while I experienced the most painful thing in my life up to then this doctor was berating me, telling me to stop screaming, that I was scaring the little kids, that I was a coward. I was completely in shock after that and off course I was told it did not really hurt, my experience was completely invalidated. Then about a year later I had another blood test, this one did not hurt as much but it still hurt allot more than the pinch most claim, and that was with numbing cream. I asked the nurse to be careful changing the tubes and she ignored me, just slamming them in while telling me I was a cowards and a bother and that I was not really feeling pain. Then then I was ten I was so terrified of needles I refused any vaccines but my mother managed to talk me into a needed blood test. I was to scared and could not sit still though but I was starting to feel more comfortable but then another nurse came in yelling that one could not spend that much time on one patient, she grabbed my wrist and tried to hold me down while berating me and ordering me to sit still, the needle looked like a knife she was going to stab me with. My mother stopped it that time and as we walked out this nurse had a screaming fit berating us both, telling us how we wasted everyone's time and how I was just a coward. After that I did not even dare to try to have any needle procedure done until now when I am 35 and I am still terrified, and the thing is, when I have gone to have my blood drawn those two times I get these huge reactions afterwards where I feel shame, feel I am worthless and I can hear those doctors and nurses berating me and I feel small and worthless.
I was afraid of needles when I was eight but that doctor made it into a full blown phobia.
Having someone who take you seriously is SUCH an important part.
I am one of those "extreme" 10%ers. I am 41 years old and have not been able to get a shot since I was forced at 16, due to a traumatic experience I had in my childhood. 2 years of therapy have not worked, and even during my exercises the physiological responses my body reacts to needles always seem to just take over any training I have done. I agree with the speaker on that the medical Profession, DOES NOT have any sort of empathy with an adult with my condition. Even know as I have been having issues with health Doctors still do not wish to help me unless I give them blood. I wish the speaker would do the research on adults with this issue.
I am doing that research now. Please send me your story info@mmjlabs.com with as many details as you can recall about the incident, and the experiences you've had in doctors offices since then. Thank you!
***** I will send it over soon.
I am too--and I was thinking when I went to my dentist--it is a radically different experience. Topical numbing and then a shot--one of the dental assisted both distracted me and comforted me. It was a great experience. I needed that. When I go to my doctor's office--nearly no concern. I think there needs to be a re-look at this my the medical community. I was reading a paper and some people wait too long to get treatment to avoid the pain. I think most people if they could get through it much more easily would seek that route. Also, in our world of innovation that we would have less obtrusive delivery method should be here today. Thank you for your posting.
@@mmjlabs are you still doing this?
Amy McDonald what part? Research- I published this study in vaccine 2017; now evaluating If multimodal pain relief can eliminate post/op opioids
Very interesting talk - I enjoyed listening (and learned a lot). I'd love to see more of this kind of talk on UA-cam.
Thank you! I'd like to GIVE more of this kind of talk, so we're of the same mind. I'm preparing a "future of pain management:" talk for Singularity U's Exponential Medicine in October. Will post a link.
brilliant - thanks.
Thanks for bring to our attention the hidden threat of needle phobia.
So sorry to hear :-(
Jacqui Chew Thanks so much for inviting Dr. Baxter to speak. This is by far my favorite TED talk of them all! I'm ashamed that TED hasn't put this on their website yet, if I ever head to TED HQ, I will make a note of this to them to actually consider having this video up on ted.com, it's AMAZING (and SUPER Relevant to my current research now in Medical Ethics).
Now that FluMist won't be an option, perhaps TED may think the relevance is increased?
I have struggled with needle phobia for many years and I am convinced that one of the reasons that made it worse was the feeling of being understood or even being made fun of. Over the years I have seen over and over how people who are scared of heights/spiders/snakes/dogs/you name it are understood and even comforted. People with claustrophobia get help to be able to do an MRI: they can get sedated in order to do it. In dentists, people can get sedation. For people with needle phobia though, it's all "don't be a baby about it", "just get over it" or "it's just a tiny needle, it won't kill you". Well will that closed space kill you, Karen?
I am convinced that needle phobia is the most underrated, misunderstood and neglected phobia in the World. No other phobia is seen as connected with being childish as much as needle phobia is. I'm convinced this is what is making the whole problem worse, since many adults who have needle phobia simply don't admit they have it, for fear of being made fun of. The problem is that they start refuging in their fear, in silence, just as I have done. It has felt much safer to just avoid going to a doctor than going there and being 99% sure I would be misunderstood and made fun of.
as someone who also struggle with needle phobia I also agree. My parents can wave needles off pretty easily but the moment I have to do something that involves a doctor or god forbid a needle it a struggle for me. That's were the point of contention is, it's hard to describe to people without the phobia how hard it is. Because if you were to describe it to someone, it would seem over dramatic but that's kind of the point. Now, I can't fault them for having lackluster advice since they haven't shared the same feelings. But it feels almost hopeless when all I hear is "it's just a pinch" or "it doesn't hurt that bad". Now that i'm 18 I want to take control of my health. However, this is a huge hurtle I need to tackle if I want to visit a doctor on a regular basis.
Needle phobia is critical in attaining universal immunisation among children. This requires more research and change in doctor behaviours and practices. There must be greater implicit understanding of pain management as a subject in public health. These factors most certainly have direct/indirect effects on immunisation and vaccination.
Long story short, some doctors don't believe hypersensitivity to pain exists and that I have it. Because of this, I'm so terrified of needles that my options for studying abroad (which is required in my school) are severely limited, even more so by other issues I have. Africa? Forget it. Mexico? Nope. Australia/New Zealand? Yeah... no. I could go on. I really, really want to go to these places, but just the thought of all those needles... Even anaesthetics probably wouldn't help because my anxiety has gotten so bad. I don't know what the point of this was. I guess the moral of the story is, have some freaking empathy or you will screw up a kid for life.
I grew up believing in doctors...I ABSOLUTELY no longer do! Regret having trusting them!
Add to that the fear of whats IN the shot ! Has anyone read the (covid) vaccine inserts ?
I need help with my needle phobia, like really bad.
Please send me your story at info@mmjlabs.com with as many details as you can recall about the incident and the experiences you've had in doctors' offices since then.
I went to therapy for this issue! General talk therapy with a therapist over several months but it changed everything! I now get an iv for chronic pain treatment every 8 weeks and even started getting them in my hand last year (one of my places of trauma) after needing to get an emergency unprepped iv. There's hope! 💙