Over coming a phobia

[Mysterious Gurl]

Hello everybody!

 

I have posted once or twice about being squeamish. If I'm near blood or there is a conversation going on about blood or body organs etc .. I feel really faint and light headed. I remember last yr in yr 11 I had to dissect a sheep eye, and as soon as I started to dissect I fainted immediately. The thing is having a phobia or blood or anything related to blood is going to be a hindrance to my career.

 

As mad as this seems I actually fancy the idea of being a biology teacher, in which case I will have to dissects things and watch videos on the human bodies. I really want to have a strong stomach because otherwise this fear will take over my life.

 

Has anyone got any ideas of how to over come this fear?? I tried by making myself watch this documentary called 'drastic plastic' and it was about live plastic surgery. I couldn't take it! I felt like jelly and I thought I was going to be sick!

 

Any help would be appreciated!

 

Miya

[Beec]

The only thing that comes to mind won't be easy.

 

If we are repeatedly exposed to something, if we see lots and lots fo it, we become cold to it. It stops having the effects it had.

 

If you read "On the Western Front", the soldiers in the beginning all want privacy like they had become used to, before it ends, they sit comfortably in the open when they need to relieve themselves. The extreme lack of privacy during the war makes them get used to having less.

 

So, my only guess would be for you to keep exposing yourself to the things that make you squeamish. Not an easy thing.

[chai714]

I think in the world of psychology, there are a few different therapies for overcoming a phobia. If I remember right, one of them is like what Beec said - exposure therapy. I'm not aware of the specifics, but talking with one might not be a bad idea. Good luck.

[whitefang]

I have a few fears / phobias the biggest one is needles, i can't bear the fact of having a needle be put into me. Funny enough i work part-time at my local vets where i often assist which includes using needles and im perfectly fine administrating it to animals.

 

Im also afraid of heights and spiders which is annoying i have all the common fears / phobias

 

As for overcoming them i haven't yet lol, it's something that takes time im guessing other than that have thought about having a word with your doctor to maybe be referred to a specialist? because it's nice that you want to be a Biology teacher but again as you said you'd probably have to disect animals. It's defiantely something you would have too overcome, im disecting a horses leg this week, not sure how well the other students in course are going to manage lol.

 

There was a programme on TV not long ago about Paul Mckenna helping people overcome phobias and problems by reprogramming their memory through the use of techniques and enhancing the experiences with hypnosis which i found interesting and kinda wished that i could meet him.

 

I know im not being much help talking about a TV programme lol but have you also ever considered Hypnosis? (just curious)

 

- whitefang

[Jinx]

Blood Phobia is one of those that often takes years to cure or is never cured from what I've read and personally experienced. I can take most things but if I watch anything with too much blood I'm out like a light.

 

I used to be bothered by the slight things, but now I've worked my way up. I take things related to blood that I can stand no matter how small or day to day they are and relate it to others, it becomes a tad bit less scary then.

 

Another thing I did to myself to help control, is make sure I've had a full nights sleep and full breakfast or lunch before a class. It helps a lot for avoiding the fainting, when you haven't had food or sleep then its a lot easier to pass out.

 

Also, on a full stomach, over the years when I had a strong phobia pertaining to blood I'd take the fainting thought and correlate it to my stomach. Meaning, as soon as I began to feel faint I'd instead think my stomach is bothering me. Its odd, but now when I see blood instead of feeling faint my stomach bothers me, and see you can treat stomach upset but not faint.

 

I think one of the worse problems too, is that the body becomes far to adjusted to just passing out as the answer. That is the one idea you have to come to is somehow making your body think something else is the answer to the problem, not fainting. Fainting is not positive. I guess the idea is that when you get sick the body causes fainting and fainting relieves exposure to that problem for the time being and reinforces the "I don't like it, thus I pass out, all is well." in the brain.

 

Like someone said, sometimes exposure is used but with blood its not always good. It may actually cause more anxiety and backwards result, it really depends on the individual. For myself, I started out with small blood related problems. I'd read articles on blood disorders, with photos (cells). Yes, sometimes I'd pass out but of course I'd go right back to it and do it again. Then on up to Fictional movies (ex. Horror movies with gore) and keep watching them until I became adapted as could be. Then once comfortable there, work upwards to Surgical and Live Human related problems. I personally cannot watch blood being taken or surgery, too much.

 

Yet, I'm assuming you could use the self exposure tactic if you believe you can remain commited to it, because as soon as you give up because its too much and you pass out, its just reinforced again. Along the lines of - If you fall, get up and try again.

[TheDMan05]

I used to have a phobia of wasps and still kinda have a phobia of spiders. It used to be really bad :shocked!: but what I did was to tell myself that I am not scared and to think of things that make me happy, whenever a wasp or a spider was around. Also just by imagining seeing one or even touching one helped.

 

I am not saying this will help you but you could try adapting that technique to your phobia. Your mind can easily be fooled, even when you consciously do it yourself.

[BellaDonna]

As mad as this seems I actually fancy the idea of being a biology teacher, in which case I will have to dissects things and watch videos on the human bodies. I really want to have a strong stomach because otherwise this fear will take over my life.

 

You might still have a chance to pursue your career, despite your phobia. Many courses are using "virtual dissestion" now. Do you think you could stomach seeing a simulation of a dissection via computer?

 

I do agree with the others that repeated exposure is the best way to overcome the fear. You will eventually become de-sensitized.

 

I worked as a dental assistant while going through college and had to see a lot of blood, saliva, tissue, mucous, and many other very terribly yucky substances associated with people's mouths. ( I also saw a lot of patients with "needle phobias"...)

 

At first the sight of such substances used to almost make me throw up...but after a while it became commonplace and I was less squeamish. Seeing it again and again is the best way to train your sense of sight to deal with it.

 

Then there's smell.....One thing that worked well for me is that I used to put a small amount of Vick's vapor-rub under my nose, under my mask- this got rid of the smell factor. I told my sister to do the same this year when she dissected a fetal pig..... It helped her.

 

You might also consider hypnotism if all else fails. I'm not really a believer in it- but it's worth a shot if this could ruin your careers goals.

 

BellaDonna

[atomic40]

I am not the biggest fan of blood but I do find the human body fascinating. I am currently in the midst of a career change into medicine (following in my Mom's footsteps) She tells me it is something you get used to. I grew up in NH, hunting and cleaning animals never bothered me so why should this? I don't have a problem w/ needles or that stuff. I am passionate about helping people so I do not want this fear to stop me and I will not let it. I force myself to watch surgeries on Discovery Health and online. It is not as bad now for me and I believe it will get better.

[Mysterious Gurl]

You might still have a chance to pursue your career, despite your phobia. Many courses are using "virtual dissestion" now. Do you think you could stomach seeing a simulation of a dissection via computer?

 

I'm not sure what you mean by this? Sorry I haven't heard of what is it exactly?

 

Is hypnotism expensive? I might try it. I don't want my phobia to stop me in my career but it might. The thing thats worst is when we have to watch a video on organs and on blood related topics; this makes me feel worse than ever. I can almost handle the sheep eye and the pigs heart but I feel faint at anything else. Even teacher student conversations on blood and organs makes me feel sick to the stomach.

 

I tried making myself watch programmes with topics on blood but it just made me feel sick. This documentary (Drastic Plastic) was live surgery and it showed images and footage of skin been cut and blood oozing out and I switched it over before I threw up.

 

I even feel a little faint writing about it.

 

Thanks for all your replies!

 

Miya

[atomic40]

By the way, what is your career (or what is it going to be if you are still a student)?

[Mysterious Gurl]

I want to be a biology teacher

[BellaDonna]

I'm not sure what you mean by this? Sorry I haven't heard of what is it exactly?

 

Basically, instead of doing a "real" dissection with a dead specimen right there in front of you- some teachers and students use the internet and conduct a "virtual dissection" on the computer, using images on the screen instead. Many high schools in my areas are option for this because it saves them money and prevents them from having to purchase actual specimens and equipment. Instead they can just do it in their computer lab.

 

Examples:

 

link removed

 

But it seems that images alone also bother you too. Perhaps it would be easier if you slowly made yourself look at some of the different dissection images on the computer.

 

BellaDonna

[Mysterious Gurl]

I aksed my biology teacher who is the head of science, and she said if you are squeamish you don't dissect and if you aren't you just go ahead and dissect. It was quite helpful information as it was stuff I already knew.

 

I think I can handle dissecting the organs .. it's probably the animal itself that I will feel very weak about. The idea of cutting a mouse down the middle is kinda gross and mean

 

I attempted to watch Casualty on tv again and I can only hand so much before I feel faint.

 

I'm going to try eating breakfast as an above poster said and hopefully this is a process of getting over my phobia,

 

thanks

 

Miya

[whitefang]

That's good, seeking ideas from you biology teacher. I am similar, i can't watch any programmes about people being open but i can stand over and watch a dog's leg been opened and pined together or have a sheep being operated on. I work in a vets part-time but it's funny how im perfectly fine with seeing animals being opened up but not humans .

 

Everyone is different, there are many ways of over-coming your phobia it's just finding the right one for you that's the thing. I'd suggest giving the things that have been suggested a try and see how you go, if your still no different after, go and have a word with your doctor as he could possibily shine some light on your phobia maybe.

 

- whitefang

[yeawutever]

Well the only way to get rid of the fear is to be expose to it many times or if you are thrown in a tub or tank full of blood. I too have a phobia I haven't over come yet, it's called claustrophobis, I can't stand it being in very closed space, I would like faint if I were inside a very small tunnel and I start feeling when I'm in the car and let's say there's large packages behind the back seat and I have a real small space to fill in. But hopefully, maybe I'll someday overcome it.

[Mysterious Gurl]

I'm sure I will get used to it in time. It's just quite hard at the moment. I fainted in yr 10 when we did the pigs heart or sheep eye whatever it was .. and I don't want to faint again.

 

I have until september to get used to used to dissecting. I want to ask a couple of biology teachers about diessecting and how they stomach it, but I feel kinda embarrased too can you think of a way I could ask them about it? Im a bit shy

 

thanks

 

Miya

[DN]

When you feel like fainting try this breathing exercise:

 

Breathe in for a count of four.

Hold your breath for a count of four.

Breathe out for a count of four.

Hold for another count of four before breathing in and repeating.

 

This will regulate the flow of oxygen to the brain, steady the heartbeat and reduce anxiety.

[Mysterious Gurl]

wow thanks for that DN! i'll try it

[archerz03]

Blood phobias, hmmm.

 

I'm not a psych or an expert but there are some things you can do to lessen the effect. Of course real professional help is the better way but it cost money.

 

First of all, do you faint at the sight of blood? or and the smell? or both, or is it just the idea of blood freaks you out? I highly doubt just seeing blood visually is the problem, or u'll be fainting at the sight of tomato juice If its the smell, learn to breathe through your month. If its just the idea of blood or a combination of the senses then its gonna take a lot of time and effort.

 

One thing that professionals do for phobias is conditioning the mind. Like with arachnaphobia, the patient is first in a room in with a harmless small spider, at a distance. Gradually they work they're way closer and closer, and to the point where they can touch them.

 

You can apply this technique with blood. Buy or have someone buy a nice meaty steak or pigs blood (quite tasty i might add when cooked right). See how you are around it it. Can you tolerate being around it? Touch it even? If you faint at the sight of a piece of meat, then do something even smaller than that. I can't think of anything smaller, but if there is one try that instead.

 

You need to start out small, then work your way up. Watching that video was not a good idea. Even some people that don't have blood phobia can barely stomach watching that. Don't rush things. Go only on to the next stage when you are confidently ready.

 

Doing Biology doesn't necessarily mean you have to be comfortable with blood, there are other types of biologist out there. So don't think that theres no future with your career choice.

 

Well, I hope i was helpful. If you actually do try what i describled above, try to do it with someone and don't faint on hardwood floors!! PM me how it went, I would like to know if it works or not.

 

Good Luck!

ArcherZ