If someone tells you they just returned from a routine vaccine visit, do you have flashbacks to your childhood… when you saw the doctor for a regular check-up.. and during that visit, the doc forced you to roll up your sleeve to poke you with a shot? Then the day you no longer fell at the mercy of your parents’ decision, you refused all shots going forward? Now if a conversation arises about anything medical, you proclaim you’re scared of shots and swore them off.
Fear of needles, or needle phobia, actually falls under a real medical term - aichmophobia. The dread is real. It’s so common that around 22% of the population may momentarily lose consciousness when a needle is introduced to them during a medical visit.
It’s time to face your fears and look at why you might be scared of shots to overcome it. With August being immunization awareness month, there’s no better time to review the need for life-saving immunizations. And getting one doesn’t always require a doctor’s visit. For your flu vaccine and shingles, you can check with your pharmacy in Powell, TN.
Why Are People Scared of Needles and Vaccines?
Vaughn Pharmacy, a local pharmacy in Powell, TN, wants to dig deeper into why so many people shudder at the simple thought of a needle. Knowledge is power and if you can wrangle it in, you can run to a pharmacy in Powell, TN to face your fears and get that long-overdue vaccine.
- Just like our memory above, childhood recollections serve as a common reason adults avoid shots at all costs. The problem is that looking decades back, your memory likely morphed into an inaccurate story, full of more pain and suffering than you actually endured.
- It's not always a bad experience at the doctor's office, sometimes a friend or relative can trigger the fear by telling you horror stories surrounding vaccines and needles!
- Taking a huge step back and looking at the overall picture, evolution may be partially thanked for why so many people hide their arms at the sight of a needle. It’s not natural to want to sustain pain or have a skin prick. Cavemen never inoculated so any sharp poke wasn’t a welcome one.
- More recently (over the past few decades), fears ramped up during the AIDs and HIV crisis. The thought of a dirty needle was commonplace considering the headlines focused on the risks of infected needles.
It’s no wonder so many people want nothing to do with vaccines. But the truth is that all of the above doesn’t give good reason to skip a shot. Afterall, immunizations protect you, and the ones you love, by avoiding disastrous illnesses and diseases. No pharmacy in Powell, TN, or anywhere else, wants to see you avoid medicines that should be protecting you.
Overcoming Your Fears
Ok, so you’ve embraced your fear and are now ready to figure out how to overcome it. Tuck these pointers in your back pocket and make the commitment to update yourself on overdue inoculations. Call your doctor or check with a pharmacist at a pharmacy in Powell, TN.
- Think Logically - Instead of focusing on the worst case scenario, be logical and focus on the fact that it is incredibly rare for problems to arise.
- Focus on Your Breathing - This can get you through the shot by concentrating on your breaths and before you know it, you’ll be all set to go home.
- Try to Meditate - Before you face the needle, conjure up three things you’re grateful for and focus on them. Or, focus on goals and accomplishing them.
- Distract and Desensitize - If possible, let your mind go elsewhere during the jab. Even if you struggle to leave your nervous spot, the poke will be complete before you can even think of something to distract yourself with.
- Ask About Numbing Cream - Check to see if the area can be prepared with a slight numbing medication such as ethyl chloride spray or topical anesthetic. Though injections inflict minimal and minor discomfort, knowing your skin is numbed may help put your worries to rest.
If you can wrangle in your fear of needles and shots, you may be saving yourself for more emergent needle pokes down the line. Wherever you decide to take the plunge, at a pharmacy in Powell, TN, or a doctor’s office, letting the staff know of your hesitation can help, too. Professionals administering vaccines encounter countless scared children and adults. Besides being equipped to give you the shot, they’re also able to help alleviate your fears.
Your Hometown Pharmacy Since 1966
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Vaughn Pharmacy is a local, family-owned pharmacy serving the community in Powell, TN. Specializing in providing personalized and attentive prescription programs to our patients, we believe you are more than just a number – you’re part of our family!
(865) 947-1581