Another study found that 18% of health care workers in long-term care facilities felt the same way, she said.
An extreme fear of needles or medical procedures involving injections is technically called trypanophobia, said Jeffrey Geller, president of the American Psychiatric Association.
“Some people avoid needles because of fear of pain, some from fear of fainting,” said Geller. “And some people do faint.”
It may have an evolutionary basis, said Thea Gallagher, an assistant professor and the director of the clinic at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania. “We know from evolutionary biologists that seeing a sharp object going into our bodies is not something we are supposed to be cool with,” said Gallagher.
But Geller and Gallagher said barriers created by this fear or phobia could be lowered with careful public health messaging, along with self-help techniques individuals can practice or, in severe cases, professional assistance from a therapist.
Public health messaging should avoid drawings that exaggerate the size of needles or syringes, “which are not helpful,” said Geller, noting that the covid vaccinations involve “a small syringe and needle.”
But, as to the effect of those TV images night after night? Well, it could go either way.
“For those with a fear, it could exacerbate it,” said Geller. “For those who don’t have the fear, it could be reassuring to show that it’s a routine practice.”
McLenon, the researcher from Michigan, said she has heard, anecdotally, that those shots on TV “make people more afraid.” “Can’t we get some pictures of the vials or something else?” she suggested.
For instance, Hoffmann, the writer, said if he were designing the perfect visuals for a covid vaccination campaign, it would not refer to injections directly at all.
“If I were to drive by a drugstore and it had a poster in the window saying ‘Come get it today for your family. Do it for the nation. Do it for the public good’ We would all know what the ‘it’ is. They don’t have to show it.”
Still, McLenon and others say no one has yet studied the effect specific images about the covid vaccine have on people because it’s so new. And the desire to get back to a more normal society may help those with a fear of needles push themselves to get a covid vaccine, whereas they might not feel the same way about, say, an annual flu vaccination.
Hoffmann, who said his fear began after extensive dental work as a child, said he intends to get a shot. But when his turn comes, he said, he’ll likely be very nervous; his heart will race and he will sweat. Unlike some people with a fear of needles, he does not faint, although he understands that reaction.
“A lot of people assume that what I’m afraid of is the pain,” said Hoffmann. The worst part for him, he said, is how he can’t control his fear in that public setting. And it’s embarrassing. “I’m not alone when it happens. The person giving me the injection sees it. I can’t hide it.”
The emergency use authorization granted Feb. 27 by the Food and Drug Administration for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is good news for people like Hoffmann. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines currently available require two doses, spaced a few weeks apart. Which means facing fears twice.
Whether it’s one or two shots, experts suggest a variety of steps to help people who struggle get through the process — bring a support person, take deep breaths, stay positive, just to name a few.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. We come by it honestly,” said Gallagher from the University of Pennsylvania. “Anxiety is likely making it into a bigger monster” than it should be. “It’s not worth beating yourself up about.”
Facing the Fear
For the millions of Americans who have some fear of needles, there are ways to help yourself cope, say experts.
Put it in perspective. Be positive about the reasons you are getting the vaccine and remember that the pain will be short-lived, like a stubbed toe, said Thea Gallagher, director of the clinic at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania. For those getting the two-dose regimens, “be objective about how the first one went,” she said, “and that you got through it.”
Bring a support person. Some vaccination sites will allow this. Ask.
Practice deep breathing or other techniques to help stay calm at the site. Eat something and drink water beforehand; it reduces the chance of fainting. And you can request being inoculated in a reclined position.
Tell your vaccinator of your concerns. “When you get there, you can say, ‘Look, I don’t like needles.’ The health care providers are used to that,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.
Don’t be afraid to seek professional help if your fear is intense but you feel strongly about getting vaccinated. A therapist can use cognitive-behavioral techniques or exposure therapy to help, said Dr. Jeffrey Geller, president of the American Psychiatric Association.
KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.
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