[AnxiousGirl]

So in my pervious post I wrote that I haven't seen my therapist for a month and today was the first time back and we started exposure therapy. I have a SEVERE phobia of anything medical related, I can't even watch shows about hospitals. So today my therapist was explaining to me how the exposure would work and asked if I was nervous, which of course I was. Apparently she sensed the fear because I was quiet during the session. So my homework for the week is to start watching a show about hospitals and everything. I watched 2 episodes today, but as I was watching it, I kept pausing it, or covering my eyes, or just skipping all the parts with surgeries, needles, deaths... Which completely defeats the purpose. I don't know what to do. I decided to watch another one but only got through 5 minutes of it because I couldn't take it anymore. The fear of seeing a needle out of the nowhere was stressing me out too much. She said I can email her if I have any concerns but how on earth am I supposed to get myself to get blood drawn (the last exposure) when I can barely make it through a 45 minutes tv show?

[VelvetRevolver]

Sorry you are going through a tough time in therapy. Why don't you try non-medical shows, like tattoos shows etc. Even though the people may have some discomfort, there is no life or death and the end result is beautiful. Just a suggestion. Be well,AG!

[Cinnamon_Stick]

I had severe medical anxiety. I still have it but not so bad. I could not watch surgery or anything like that. It took me needing to have surgery and my blood drawn often now to get over it. I wish I had more advice to offer you. The greatest thing I learned is that anxiety can't hurt you and you are in control of it.

[Crescent Moon]

I wish you didn't have to watch those shows by yourself without your therapist there to 'ground' you. That said, I don't think 5 min. is a failure, when before you couldn't do any of it. Another strategy might be to watch something that is real mild as far as medical exposure, and work your way up. I'm guessing it would be better for you to not start with looking at simulated surgeries. I like the tattoo artist suggestion. Yet another idea is to google non invasive medical tests and start with that... watch a demonstration on youtube. Say, an x-ray, or an MRI - something where it does not involve needles, etc.

If you have to have your blood drawn, etc., do not look at what they are doing, tell them ahead of time that you don't want to see any needles. And if you could have someone to talk to you about something random, silly, etc. to occupy your mind, it will be over in one or two min. The actual needle stick is less than a second, and often you can't even feel it.

[LonesomeTonight]

Could you maybe start smaller and, say, just look at pictures (online or in a book) of needles and other medical equipment? It does seem like your T should be helping you through it more, like actually being there with you. Maybe she doesn't realize how intense your fear is? I'd e-mail her for sure.

[unaluna]

I get my blood drawn every 3 months - for like the last 20 or 30 years - and i dont look when they stick me! If i dont look, i dont feel it - maybe just some pressure. If i look - yeah i feel it. So i dont look.

[Chummy]

You can start smaller. Set a goal that you watch 10 minutes of an episode. And then 12, 14 etc. Something like that.
I don't know what kind of show you watch, but you could also start with something easier. Like what has been mentioned by others. Maybe fiction is a little bit easier than real life docu? Like scrubs or Grey's Anatomy instead of a show where real people are hurt and get surgery?

[Rive.]

I agree with LonesomeTonight, I assumed you'd (both) start small with pictures (visualized then moving on to concrete ones) and build up a hierarchy of fears. Didn't your T run through relaxation techniques as well, first off? And only then building up to higher level of fears (e.g. watching shows themselves).

I also assumed T would help you (as in, doing it together) not only to familiarize yourself but also help lessen feelings of panic and/or feeling overwhelmed...

Please, definitely get back to T. Could you also ask her to start 'smaller' so to speak. It's like you're already jumping at the deep end...and on your own.

Still, congrats for doing it and trying though, and on your own at that!

[ThingWithFeathers]

Well done on giving it a go. Yeah, it's really tough to endure, but you're doing well. Each time try you could try to hold on a little longer than the time before. 5 mins is great, now see if you could go 5mins 30secs. You're in the early stages of exposure, and I think you're doing well with your attempts.

[eeyorestail]

Like others said, it sounds like you and your therapist need to alter the exposure ladder so things go more slowly and with more support. Please don't give up! It's hard work, and there will be starts and stops.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[iheartjacques]

I hate needles and faint at the sight of blood. I've had very good nurses though. They are gentle and I don't look and I lie down so I don't pass out.

[Pennster]

I wonder if maybe it would be easier if you started with exposure to resources that were designed to reassure people? I have a lot of medical anxiety, too, and I think that watching dramatic shows about surgeries and other potentially painful procedures would maybe be a bit overwhelming. And I think they are a little misleading in a way, because most of the time when you go to the doctor, you are just going for a checkup or for advice about a minor ailment. Lots of us can go decades without needing surgery.

Maybe you could try starting with kids' videos and books that are designed to make children less afraid of going to the doctor? Youtube seems to have a few helpful videos, and they have the advantage of being really short. I do not know if there's anything like that for adults but maybe your therapist could help you find some more reassuring resources.

I also found that yoga was super-helpful in making me less afraid of medical things. Partly because it helps with relaxation in itself. And it also made me feel more in touch with my body and more in control of myself. Going there was a form of exposure therapy for me because in the beginning the classes raised similar feelings as going to the doctor did, and as I went I could see that it was all working out ok and I really enjoyed it.

[AnxiousGirl]

Originally Posted by Chummy

You can start smaller. Set a goal that you watch 10 minutes of an episode. And then 12, 14 etc. Something like that.
I don't know what kind of show you watch, but you could also start with something easier. Like what has been mentioned by others. Maybe fiction is a little bit easier than real life docu? Like scrubs or Grey's Anatomy instead of a show where real people are hurt and get surgery?

I'm watching Grey's right now. It's still intense.

[AnxiousGirl]

Thanks for all the encouraging replies! T and I have done exposure on a smaller scale together (looking at needle pictures, holding an actual needle,...) now were getting to more intense things like this. I dont want to email her and say I can't do it because then ill never get over this fear and never get the shots that I need.

[RedSun]

Anxious girl, you are being so brave.
I think one thing that has helped me, although not medical phobia so don't know how relevant...but I decided that there wasn't an end goal. If I wanted to, I might do xxx (I guess get blood taken for you) but I might not. I can always choose, and choose to say no. I will kind of work towards it, but I don't have to do it to achieve anything...it really helped me. Xx

[msxyz]

Why not watch with her in therapy? Take your phone if it had that capability or a laptop or similar.

[skeksi]

Originally Posted by msxyz

Why not watch with her in therapy? Take your phone if it had that capability or a laptop or similar.

I think that's a great idea. I've done exposure therapy with my T in the past, and we are doing it again now (on something different) and it wouldn't happen if I didn't have him pushing me to get through the exposures and comforting me when I get through them.

[Miswimmy1]

I have done INTENSE exposure therapy for severe OCD. And I'm not gonna lie- it was not a pleasant experience. But it's one of those things that when it feels bad, you know it's working. It sucks. But you get better before you feel better. If that makes any sense.

The good thing is that you typically start out with very small exposures. And work up to something like the blood draw. It sounds impossible to do now, but once you've done the prior exposures, it won't seem like such a mountain anymore. I promise.

I'm curious as to whether your therapist had you help her make your exposure "ladder" and if she had you rate your anxiety for each step? Watching two episodes of a hospital TV show sounds like a bit of a long exposure for the first thing. Is it possible to ask her if you could go more slowly? Like 10 minutes without closing your eyes, kind of thing? Normally, in exposure therapy, you do the activity and record an initial anxiety number. And then wait until your anxiety halves. And then you take a short break. And repeat a couple times per day until the fear begins to lessen.

I know it's tough. But stick with it! Exposure therapy really is affective. It sucks and it's hard but it's worth it. Good luck! Feel free to PM me any time