Best therapy for phobia

[Teflondreams]

Can anyone advise what the best type of therapy for a severe phobia of blood tests/ cannulas would be?

I can just about cope with injections (lying down or I would faint) but I absolutely cannot tolerate blood tests or canulas to the point I am missing out on medical interventions and if these were more serious then I would be risking my life for the sake of avoiding these procedures.

It stems from a mix of medical trauma, terrible veins and a family tendency to faint and other strong physical reactions.

Some people find hypnotherapy useful, or exposure therapy.

CBT/exposure therapy for sure. I empathise OP, different phobia for me but I know how debilitating they can be. I wouldn't go to an A&E even if my leg fell off due to mine so I really do understand. CBT and exposure therapy is the only thing that's helped me make some progress.

I had hypnotherapy for a different, severe phobia (spiders) & it was really helpful.

Exposure therapy is better known as systematic desensitisation. You may need to get this privately and it can take some time but is very effective. Look for a therapist who specialises in anxiety disorders/phobias, and make sure you find one you trust. It's totally fine to have a first session with a couple and see who you click with.

Just practical tips- you need to keep your blood pressure up as when it drops you both feel faint and it's harder for them to do what they need to do!
I'm not sure you can necessarily cure it, your body just thinks you've been injured so it drops to the floor to stop you bleeding to death!
Anyway, have plenty of salt and fluids, massive drink of lucozade or squash and keep sipping in the waiting room. Tense your lower body, pump your feet up and down, astronauts do it to stay awake in g force! Sing in your head or out loud if you can, along with some loud music. Don't look at what they're doing and tell them you're a fainter so be quick. And make sure you're lying down! Although my speciality fainting lying down!

Hypnotherapy didn't work for me.

I guess I did my own exposure therapy for my spider phobia.

I bought a jumping spider. I don't handle her but I love her and my phobia is probably 75% less now.

@VsgKitt

Hypnotherapy didn't work for me.

I guess I did my own exposure therapy for my spider phobia.

I bought a jumping spider. I don't handle her but I love her and my phobia is probably 75% less now.

My dad did the same. He was horribly phobic of spiders, but started doing things like sitting in the room if one was there etc. He can now go and try to pick one up with his bare hands. Even I can't do that, am I am generally ok with spiders.

If it's caused by trauma, then trauma therapy to address the underlying trauma.

Exposure therapies have to be handled correctly otherwise there is a high risk of making the problem worse not better.

Simply because the central nervous system becomes sensitised to repeated painful stimuli, not desensitised. The only way to desensitise the central nervous system is with repeated non-painful stimuli - so any exposure therapy has to be planned correctly so that each exposure feels safe and therefore calms the central nervous system.