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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

hypnosis for needle phobia?

11 replies

jessEmcaity5 · 21/09/2014 12:27

Has anyone had any experience of a phobia of needles. YD has one (17 years old) and it is a bit of a problem..won't even consider having contraceptive implant because of it, and last time went for an injection nurse got to point of refusing to do it if she flinched one more time cos it was dangerous!

OP posts:
MarmiteMania · 21/09/2014 12:59

Also have dd 17 who has had needle phobia as long as I can remember. Mmr used to be fun.. For a blood test last year I bought her the numbing cream which along with a VERY patient nurse seemed to help, but I suppose it depends how bad the phobia is. Flu injection next week looking forward....

Original poster
jessEmcaity5 · 21/09/2014 13:39

so bad she flinches every time the needle approaches. Think she has got herself into a state over the past few years...since she had a bad injection which really hurt and left a big bruise (thanks nurse)

OP posts:
ChillySundays · 21/09/2014 16:04

My DD 19 is getting better. Had to have an injection at dentist. The dental nurse was really good. They also gave her a stress ball to squeeze. Was amazed but it seemed to work. I think the fact that she knew the pain of injection wasn't going to be as bad as the worsening pain if she didn't have the treatment helped
MMRs were horrendous. She did have that injection at 14 that the girls have. Apparently it was a real scene over it

wellIdeclare · 21/09/2014 17:16

I have a needle phobic late teens dd as well - her phobia stems from an awful experience in hospital when she was little and 2 nurses pinned her down to put a cannula in her hand. So bad now that when she had to have an emergency operation recently they had to gas her first before they could safely put an needles in! She similarly won't consider the implant, can't take the pill but is using the patches - would your dd consider these?

ChillySundays · 21/09/2014 17:40

My DD's started when she was about 5 and we took her younger brother for injections.

heartichoke · 21/09/2014 17:50

DS (13) has this problem rather severely. He had to have blood tests recently and he was so petrified - he tried refusing to go, and I had to use every trick in the book (threats, blackmail, reasoning etc) to get him there. The first time, he passed out completely - and the second time he ended up being very sick. I don't think I'd be able to get him to do it again.

I've tried talking to him about it, but he has a really deep visceral response. His father was exactly the same - didn't have dental treatment for years due to needle phobia. Although DS never knew this, and hasn't had contact with his dad since he was 2, he was terrified of needles by the time he had to have his pre-school booster. As far as I could tell, there was absolutely no basis for it - no bad experiences or problems. I couldn't care less about needles, so he certainly hasn't picked up any anxiety from me...

Anyway OP, I've considered hypnotherapy for him too (I'm worried that he'll be a dental and healthcare dodger when he's older if we don't tackle this while I've still got a modicum of control!), so I'd love to hear from anyone that has conquered this problem too...

Original poster
jessEmcaity5 · 21/09/2014 18:03

Not thought of patches...may look into!

OP posts:
Andro · 21/09/2014 18:55

heartichoke - CBT can be very good for phobias, I know a couple of people who have responded very well to it (not all do though)

My 7yo DD is having therapy to try and prevent this happening, her pre-school injections put her in ICU and I wanted to make sure the trauma was dealt with (she can't even go into the reception area of our GP surgery without a panic attack right now).

ALMOSTMRSG · 21/09/2014 22:10

Dd13 has had a needle phobia since she was little. She has Coeliac Disease and requires blood test at least once a year. I hoped as she got older the needle phobia would lessen, but the opposite seems to have happened. She recently refused to get her HPV injections at school and would only get them done if I was with her. Our GP thankfully agreed to give her the injection with me present in the local surgery. She fearfully clung on to me.
Dd now reacts so badly that she will throw up and will be soaked in sweat by the time we get to her appointment. This summer after a particularly difficult appointment for her annual blood test, her peaditrcian has agreed to get her some anxiety therapy, though CAHMS. Keeping my fingers crossed this will help her.

heartichoke · 22/09/2014 09:52

Andro - thanks - any idea how one could access a decent CBT practitioner? Our GP is useless, and just looked at me blankly when I mentioned the problem. (I need to change GP in any case!).

Andro · 22/09/2014 14:44

heartichoke - Changing GP's is a good idea, any HCP who doesn't recognise the very serious potential consequences of needle phobia needs a wake up call. A referral would also be much cheaper than private therapy.

www.cbtregisteruk.com/Default.aspx

The link above is the the official register of CBT therapists, you can search by area or check whether a suggested therapist is accredited. The other thing to be aware of is that not every therapist is right for a given person, you have to really trust your therapist (and be serious about making progress!).

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