This post is made possible with support from the Meg Foundation. All opinions are my own.
Did you know a lot of people are scared of needles? It’s a really common fear — 25% of people have anxiety when it comes to needles and shots. For some, needles can be so scary that they will avoid things like getting the COVID-19 vaccine, which we all need to be getting when we can.
Are you scared of needles? Trust me, you aren’t the only one. It’s definitely not something to be ashamed or embarrassed about. I have anxiety about medical things and seeing a needle can really put me over the edge.
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How can you get over Needle Anxiety?
I’ll be honest. You can’t always completely stop the anxiety, but you can lessen it if you have a plan. Have you ever heard the saying, “Action is the Enemy of Anxiety?” It’s really true. If you have an action plan when you go get your vaccine, you will be in control with tools to help lower your anxiety. The Meg Foundation can help you make a plan if you visit their Hack the Vax site.
I’ve learned a few techniques over the years to get through my needle anxiety. Whenever I go in for a vaccine I like to give myself a few different ways to get through it. Sometimes I do just one or two of them and sometimes I have to do several to keep my anxiety from rearing up. Here’ s a few things that get me through it:
- I avoid looking at the shot sitting on a table. I don’t want to even know how big or small that needle is.
- I ask them to tell me when they are about to give the shot, so I can take a breath in and then breathe out while the shot goes in. It’s a great way to distract yourself.
- When it’s time for the shot I never look at what they’re doing. I look away in the opposite direction.
My husband just got his second Covid vaccine a few days ago. They have our big vaccine hub at a giant racetrack. It’s a great setup for anyone with needle anxiety because there’s a lot of distractions to keep your focus on other things. You stay in your car the whole time which makes it impossible to see any needles or even anyone else getting the vaccine. Plus, you’re busy filling out paperwork and navigating through the lines with other cars, so you’re keeping yourself busy.
Hack the Vax and Create Your Action Plan
There are quite a few ways you can help your anxiety with needles. Hack the Vax has a great interactive plan builder that leads you through all kinds of ideas and techniques to create a personalized action plan just for you.
Once you create your plan, they email it to you. This makes it easy to see your plan right on your phone, so you can know exactly what to do when you go get your vaccine. You can totally do this!
Think, Plan, Go!
Think, plan, and go get your shot without fear, and pass on these techniques because you never know when someone else is feeling nervous.