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Seeing blood is never easy, but for some of us, moments like this are a real challenge. Where do such strong emotions come from and can they be overcome?
“Whenever I see even a drop of blood, my head starts to spin, my legs give way, I get the feeling that I’m about to faint,” admits 37-year-old Sergey. Can such a reaction be explained only by increased sensitivity? Sergei suffers from hematophobia.
According to WHO, this obsessive fear of blood ranks third after the most common phobias – fear of animals and open spaces. Its distinguishing feature (as well as other medical fears – injections, hospitals) is a characteristic physiological reaction: frightened, a person does not feel the need to run away and does not panic, but he catches his breath, pressure drops sharply, which causes the risk of loss of consciousness.
Fear of death
“Most phobias are associated with the most ancient, archetypal human fears,” says psychotherapist Margarita Zhamkochyan, “fear of emptiness, darkness, heights, open space. But at the heart of all these fears lies one thing – the fear of death. Since primitive times, frightening intuitive sensations warn a person of the danger that threatens his life.
“The blood that flows in our veins is a vivid metaphor for life. As soon as the protective skin is broken, we begin to lose it, and it seems to us that life forces leave us with it. So blood really becomes a kind of symbol of death. And it scares,” Margarita Zhamkochyan explains.
In women, the fear of blood that occurs with any cut of the skin is often associated with fears of penetration and violence.
“Frightening dreams, obsessive fantasies – it’s hard to figure out what causes this anxiety,” explains Margarita Zhamkochyan. “Psychoanalysis allows us to understand the fear of blood that many women experience without sexual experience.” But they are not the only ones who feel it. The fact is that this archetypal fear is passed down from generation to generation: blood during the first menstruation and loss of virginity scared and still scares many women.
“I have learned to control my feelings”
Anna, 31, primary school teacher
“I was always afraid of blood, but I managed to deceive myself: when I saw it, I just averted my eyes. But three years ago, my trick did not work: when I went on an excursion with the children, one student fell and severely broke his knee. I was numb with fear and could not help him. This incident made me realize that my fear can lead to serious consequences. The doctor told me about behavioral therapy. After three months, thanks to the dramatizations, I learned to control my fear. First, we looked at pictures of blood, and then we were gradually taught to calmly react to it itself. It is believed that a phobia cannot be cured, but psychotherapy has undoubtedly made my life easier, and the sight of blood no longer frightens me.
Trying to remember why she became afraid of blood, 41-year-old Olga tells a story from her childhood: “At the age of 10, I had my first blood test from a vein. The procedure was unsuccessful: I lost so much blood that I fainted.”
“Sometimes, against the background of a traumatic experience, a feeling of anxiety appears, with which a person had already lived for a long time before this episode,” comments Margarita Zhamkochyan. – These can be classic childhood fears, fear of death, failure, loneliness. In a stressful situation, they are often projected onto a simpler and more specific object, in this case, onto blood.
New perceptual features
The fear of blood has been muffled by cultural practices for many centuries. During rituals or sacrifices (animals), hunting, combat battles, people “splashed out” their fears through aggression, including fear for their lives. Our contemporaries have lost the opportunity to openly and regulatedly express negative emotions. In addition, we are under pressure from the strongest social taboo on the manifestation of aggression, inspired in us from early childhood. We just got used to the sight of blood, and therefore it can also scare us.
What to do?
Tighten your muscles
Hematophobia is accompanied by a drop in blood pressure, so if you feel that you are about to feel sick, tighten your muscles, move your arms and legs to stimulate blood circulation.
Face “danger”
Blood on you, on other people, on TV… Imagine these scenes: first the ones you deal with the most, then the ones you find the hardest. For example, you can start with the word “blood”. Does it scare you? Write it on a piece of paper, say it out loud. When you get over this fear, move on to the next scene on your list. So gradually you will tame your fear and stop taking such situations too close to your heart.
Make inquiries
Like all people suffering from phobias, you dramatize the situation: you just pass the test, and it seems to you that you will lose a liter of blood. Ask your doctor or loved ones in detail how the procedure goes, this will help you get rid of excessive tension.
Advice for those around you
First of all, it is necessary to realize that a person really suffers from a phobia: this means that at the moment when he sees blood, he absolutely does not control himself. Be careful: as soon as you notice that he has become ill, put him on a chair, move him with your arms and legs. At the same time, behave as calmly as possible, try to restrain your excitement. To help him overcome his fear, invite him to go to the doctor’s office together. Show him the office and medical instruments, tell him how the procedure goes. And always warn the medical staff that your friend suffers from hematophobia.