Fear of Needles making you ill? Hypnotherapy Can Help.

I went for a well woman check last week. I knew the routine: weight taken, blood pressure taken. Stress free right?  Unexpectedly, the nurse decided  to take some blood…

Whether it was the ‘stress’ around  Covid, a case of ‘white coat’ syndrome or the effect of a busy morning,  I can’t  say,  I suddenly found myself  feeling anxious: my blood pressure went up and my hands became quite sweaty! I wasn’t mentally prepared for a needle in the arm!  I found myself using my own stress release techniques to ensure I remained calm.

Feeling nervous about needles?

Hypnotherapy research  (Holmes and Rahe 1967) & (Lazarus and Folkman 1984)  shows that our thoughts directly affect our behaviours. Studies show that stressful thinking about procedures such as dentistry, needles or  taking blood, can affect a patient’s nervous system. When hypnotherapy was offered to nervous patients, their stress reduced and patients said that they felt a lot calmer. (Lang et al 1996 & 2000).

Stressed about injections?

Needle ‘phobic’ clients say they have high levels of stress and anxiety around injections or having blood taken. In some cases, the fear is so great, it stops clients from going ahead with their treatment plans.

Some clients tell me their fear of needles has been a problem since childhood. Some say they can’t remember what causes them to fear needles or injections but the fear is real. It’s a relief when they learn that those fears are not unusual and that hypnotherapy can help them to feel better quickly.

How can hypnotherapy help reduce anxiety?

Hypnotherapy can help reduce anxiety and fear about needles by working with the unconscious mind. In sessions we gently help the brain to release past trauma. Using hypnosis, a I work with the unconscious mind to go back in time and ‘process’ the initial event, removing triggers from the memory creating the fear response. The client is then supported to create a new healthier approach/program to their own medical treatment. I also teach my clients  calming strategies which they can use in the treatment room and an audio they can listen to on their headphones.

Feel calm and in control

Some clients only need one session, some require more, we discuss this after the session. Every client I have worked with has gone on to successfully reduce their anxiety, phobic responses and/or fears which means they were able to complete their required medical treatment feeling calm and in control.

Find out more

If you’d like to find out more about how hypnotherapy can help you, send me a message to book you free phone consultation. https://www.facebook.com/JuliePhillipsTC/