Fear of blood
If the mere thought of donating blood makes you shiver, and any small cut leads to fainting, this may be a sign of a phobic disorder. What is its cause and how to overcome this fear? Find out with an expert

Some people are terrified of the sight of blood. Any manipulation, taking tests for them is a real torture. And dealing with a phobia is not easy.

What is the fear of blood called?

Fear or pathological fear of blood in the scientific community is called hemophobia. At the sight of one’s own or someone else’s blood, even at the thought of it, there are attacks of strong excitement, panic attacks, which are almost impossible to predict.

This phobia can significantly limit a person both in choosing a profession and in their usual life, when receiving medical care.

Causes of fear of blood in adults

It is believed that hemophobia is one of the common types of fear, although people do not often go to the doctor with this problem. The main reasons are called psychological disorders. The previously existing genetic theory of this phobia was recognized as untenable by studying identical twins. It has been determined that environmental factors, society, various psycho-traumatic situations, but not heredity, become the key provocateurs.

Disorder options may be as follows:

  • fear of someone else’s blood;
  • reactions to own blood;
  • fear of the blood of animals, fish, birds;
  • the kind of blood as such in any creature.

One of the reasons is considered to be various injuries that can be dangerous to health and life, the fear of a repetition of such an episode, a firmly entrenched attitude of “blood – fear – panic”. Therefore, any options for manipulating blood can cause panic attacks. Problems from childhood are possible if the mother scolded for cuts or wounds.

By the way! Blood phobia can be spurred on by various media, movies that show scenes of violence, bloody wars, disasters.

Symptoms of blood phobia in adults

Hemophobia can manifest itself as an uncontrollable, panicky and irrational fear, panic attacks at the sight of blood or certain manipulations. Typical for her:

  • loss of consciousness due to the type of blood (one’s own or someone else’s);
  • severe pallor;
  • trembling of limbs and body;
  • labored breathing;
  • palpitations, pressure surges;
  • dilated pupils, a feeling of horror on the face;
  • nausea, dizziness, dizziness.

Because of such reactions, the hemophobe avoids any procedures in every possible way, fears the slightest injury, refuses conventional medical tests and procedures. From the mere thought of a blood draw or possible bleeding, a cut with blood, a hemophobe can feel chills or suffocation, discomfort in the chest, dizziness, weakness in the legs. His thoughts are clouded, his legs and arms go numb.

How to get rid of the fear of blood for adults

Although many do not consider hemophobia to be a serious disorder, they do not go to the doctor, it can seriously impair a person’s life. Refusal to receive medical care due to fear of blood can lead to serious problems.

Diagnostics

Hemophobia can be determined by its manifestations by analyzing the existing complaints and feelings of a person at the sight of blood. It is important to additionally conduct a psychiatric examination and assess the general state of health in order to exclude more severe mental problems and neurological, as well as somatic diseases.

Modern treatments

This phobia is rarely severe, usually resulting in fainting and anxiety, and strong emotional reactions. Therefore, the psychotherapist seeks to develop in a person resistance to the sight of blood and tolerance for manipulation.

If you need to bring a hemophobe to his senses, for example, when taking blood, it is useful to tilt his head to his knees, increasing pressure and improving well-being.

There are special exercises that help overcome panic fear – a psychotherapist can suggest them.
Alexander MeshcheryakovPsychiatrist of the highest category

If hemophobia leads to severe fears, because of which the patient does not leave the house, refuses to use the devices, then the help of professionals is needed.

Prevention of fear of blood in adults at home

The basis of prevention is the formation in the child of a calm attitude to the sampling of cuts, the treatment of wounds. An example would be parents, older siblings, or other children. It is important not to intimidate the child, but to explain what awaits him, where the blood comes from and that it is not dangerous.

Popular questions and answers

We asked psychiatrist Alexander Meshcheryakov, how dangerous is hemophobia, can it be inherited and can it be cured by folk methods, will it lead to complications in life.

Can the fear of blood be transmitted from parents? Where does she even come from?
Hemophobia, or the fear of blood, is one of the common, “popular” phobias. The reasons may be different. And they may not always be exactly known at all. Yes, it can also be a hereditary predisposition, if a child constantly sees in childhood the reaction of one of the parents to the sight of blood or manipulations where there is blood. There may also be an increased sensitivity to certain external events, a negative experience of medical manipulations (painful operations, especially in childhood).

Blood is not the most pleasant sight, but hemophobia manifests itself in an acute attack of fear (like panic attacks) at the sight of blood, or when trying to take blood even for a simple analysis. Sometimes it’s bad even thinking about it. Often everything ends in a banal swoon.

Are complications of this phobia possible, does it affect the ability to work, does it threaten with disability, death?
Such a phobia will not lead to disability, but it will reduce the quality of life, like any phobia. Severe cases of this disorder are rare, usually at the level of fear of taking tests.

But sometimes a patient, even when seriously ill, refuses tests, treatment or surgery because of a phobia, dragging out time, which is also dangerous in its own way.

Is it possible to cure hemophobia on my own or with the help of non-traditional methods
No dietary supplements, leeches and acupuncture will help in the treatment. In treatment, it is important to reduce the level of negative feelings as much as possible. In severe cases, only a psychologist and a psychotherapist can help.

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