Understanding and Overcoming the Fear of Blood

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsDiagnosisCausesTypesImpactTreatmentCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Causes

Types

Impact

Treatment

Coping

This article explores the symptoms, diagnosis, and causes of hemophobia. It also covers the treatments and coping strategies that can be helpful.

Symptoms of Hemophobia

Hemophobia can cause physical symptoms like:

It can also cause emotional symptoms, including:

While most types of phobia lead to an increase in cardiac activity, BII phobias such as hemophobia can cause an abrupt and sometimes dangerousreductionin blood pressure and heart rate.This sudden drop can lead to fainting at the sight of blood, which is relatively common for people with hemophobia.

Rarely, an extreme reaction to the sight of blood could lead to cardiac arrest and even death.If you or a loved one is experiencing serious cardiac symptoms after the sight of blood, call 911 or seek help immediately.For help dealing with hemophobia, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357.

Rarely, an extreme reaction to the sight of blood could lead to cardiac arrest and even death.If you or a loved one is experiencing serious cardiac symptoms after the sight of blood, call 911 or seek help immediately.

For help dealing with hemophobia, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357.

Diagnosis of Hemophobia

Whendiagnosing a phobia, your doctor will look for signs that show your fear of blood is extreme, has lasted for at least six months, and causes significant problems in other areas of your life.

Your doctor will also check to see if you have symptoms of a related phobia, like the fear of hospitals (nosocomephobia) or needles (trypanophobia), or if you show signs of a common comorbid condition, like:

Recap

Causes of Hemophobia

Hemophobia affects around 3% to 4% of people. While it’s hard to determine an exact cause, BII phobias may have a genetic component. Many people with this type of fear have multiple family members with the same condition.It’s also possible to have developed this phobia during childhood if a caregiver or another adult showed extreme discomfort around blood.

Hemophobia can also be related to trauma. If you have experienced or witnessed a severe injury involving significant blood loss, you may develop a phobia.

Your phobia may also be rooted in another underlying fear, like:

In some cases, the fear of blood may be related to a fear of loss of control or even afear of death.

Types of Hemophobia

Hemophobia symptoms can occur in a variety of situations; you don’t necessarily need to be in sight of blood to experience discomfort and anxiety. While phobias may begin as a fear of a specific stimulus, they can become generalized over time.

Impact of Hemophobia

Hemophobia can cause a wide range of difficulties that may prove life-limiting or even dangerous. If you are afraid of blood, you may be reluctant to seek medical treatment.You might postpone or avoid annual physicals and needed medical tests. You may refuse surgery or dental treatments.

Parents with hemophobia may find it difficult or impossible to bandage their children’s wounds. You might pass these tasks off to your spouse whenever possible. You may also overreact to minor injuries in your children as well as yourself, frequenting emergency rooms or walk-in clinics when home treatment would suffice.

A fear of blood may also cause you to limit activities that carry a risk of injury. You might be unable to participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, or running. You may avoid sports, carnival rides, and other activities that you perceive as dangerous.

Over time, such avoidant behaviors can lead to isolation. You might develop asocial phobiaor, in extreme cases,agoraphobia.Your relationships might suffer, and you might find it difficult to participate in even the normal activities of daily living. Feeling depressed is not unusual.

RecapA fear of blood can have a limiting impact on your life. You might avoid any situation that could lead to injury or exposure to the sight of blood. As a result, normal daily activities may be severely impaired, which can affect relationships and contribute tolonelinessand social isolation.

A fear of blood can have a limiting impact on your life. You might avoid any situation that could lead to injury or exposure to the sight of blood. As a result, normal daily activities may be severely impaired, which can affect relationships and contribute tolonelinessand social isolation.

Treatment for Hemophobia

Hemophobia responds very well to many treatment methods.Therapyis generally the first-line treatment option, and medication may also prove helpful.

Medication

If your phobia is severe,medicationslike antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs may help. These may be prescribed to control the anxiety and allow you to focus on your treatment, or they may be useful in situations where you have to undergo a medical procedure or otherwise face your fear of blood.

Psychotherapy

One of the most common psychotherapy options for phobias iscognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). In CBT, you learn to replace your fearful self-talk with healthier responses to the sight of blood.You also learn new behaviors and coping strategies.

Your therapist may also tryexposure therapy, where you are gradually exposed to things that trigger your fear. In exposure therapy, your therapist provides you with guidance and a safe environment to help you learn how to calm yourself down at the sight of blood.

Other forms of talk therapy,hypnosis, and even alternative treatments may also be helpful.

A skilledtherapistcan guide you through the process of recovery, which can be difficult or impossible on your own. With help, though, there is no reason for hemophobia to control your life.

The Best Online Therapy ProgramsWe’ve tried, tested and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain.

Coping With Hemophobia

You can learn tomanage your hemophobia, and seeking professional treatment is an important part of that process.

Taking other steps can also help, like:

If you experience fainting at the sight of blood, familiarizing yourself with the symptoms that typically precede a fainting spell may help you reduce your chance of injury. If you feel faint, try to:

RecapIn addition to seeking professional treatment, there are self-help strategies that can help you cope with a fear of blood. Understanding the condition and practicing relaxation strategies can be helpful. Knowing how to respond when you find yourself feeling faint upon the sight of blood may help you avoid injury due to a fall.

In addition to seeking professional treatment, there are self-help strategies that can help you cope with a fear of blood. Understanding the condition and practicing relaxation strategies can be helpful. Knowing how to respond when you find yourself feeling faint upon the sight of blood may help you avoid injury due to a fall.

Summary

While it is natural to feel uncomfortable at the sight of blood, if your fear is keeping you from undergoing regular medical check-ups and necessary procedures, it may be time to consult with amental healthcare professionalwho understands how to treat phobias. Treatment can alleviate the anxiety associated with hemophobia and help you recover from your symptoms.

Resources and Support for Coping With Phobias

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596Wani AL, Ara A, Bhat SA.Blood injury and injection phobia: The neglected one.Behav Neurol. 2014;2014:471340. doi:10.1155/2014/471340Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific phobia. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Pan Y, Cai W, Cheng Q, Dong W, An T, Yan J.Association between anxiety and hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2015;11:1121-30. doi:10.2147/NDT.S77710Wani A, Bhat S, Ara A.Persistence and inheritance of blood injury and injection phobia.Gulhane Med J. 2016;58:67-73. doi:10.5455/gulhane.172838Singh J, Singh J.Treatment options for the specific phobias.Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol. 2016;5(3):593-598. doi:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20161496Pitkin MR, Malouff JM.Self-arranged exposure for overcoming blood-injection-injury phobia: a case study.Health Psychol Behav Med. 2014;2(1):665-669.Spiegel SB.Current issues in the treatment of specific phobia: recommendations for innovative applications of hypnosis.Am J Clin Hypn. 2014;56(4):389-404. doi:10.1080/00029157.2013.801009Ritz T, Meuret AE, Ayala ES.The psychophysiology of blood-injection-injury phobia: Looking beyond the diphasic response paradigm.Int J Psychophysiol. 2010;78(1):50-67. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2010.05.007

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596Wani AL, Ara A, Bhat SA.Blood injury and injection phobia: The neglected one.Behav Neurol. 2014;2014:471340. doi:10.1155/2014/471340Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific phobia. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Pan Y, Cai W, Cheng Q, Dong W, An T, Yan J.Association between anxiety and hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2015;11:1121-30. doi:10.2147/NDT.S77710Wani A, Bhat S, Ara A.Persistence and inheritance of blood injury and injection phobia.Gulhane Med J. 2016;58:67-73. doi:10.5455/gulhane.172838Singh J, Singh J.Treatment options for the specific phobias.Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol. 2016;5(3):593-598. doi:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20161496Pitkin MR, Malouff JM.Self-arranged exposure for overcoming blood-injection-injury phobia: a case study.Health Psychol Behav Med. 2014;2(1):665-669.Spiegel SB.Current issues in the treatment of specific phobia: recommendations for innovative applications of hypnosis.Am J Clin Hypn. 2014;56(4):389-404. doi:10.1080/00029157.2013.801009Ritz T, Meuret AE, Ayala ES.The psychophysiology of blood-injection-injury phobia: Looking beyond the diphasic response paradigm.Int J Psychophysiol. 2010;78(1):50-67. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2010.05.007

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596Wani AL, Ara A, Bhat SA.Blood injury and injection phobia: The neglected one.Behav Neurol. 2014;2014:471340. doi:10.1155/2014/471340Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific phobia. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Pan Y, Cai W, Cheng Q, Dong W, An T, Yan J.Association between anxiety and hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2015;11:1121-30. doi:10.2147/NDT.S77710Wani A, Bhat S, Ara A.Persistence and inheritance of blood injury and injection phobia.Gulhane Med J. 2016;58:67-73. doi:10.5455/gulhane.172838Singh J, Singh J.Treatment options for the specific phobias.Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol. 2016;5(3):593-598. doi:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20161496Pitkin MR, Malouff JM.Self-arranged exposure for overcoming blood-injection-injury phobia: a case study.Health Psychol Behav Med. 2014;2(1):665-669.Spiegel SB.Current issues in the treatment of specific phobia: recommendations for innovative applications of hypnosis.Am J Clin Hypn. 2014;56(4):389-404. doi:10.1080/00029157.2013.801009Ritz T, Meuret AE, Ayala ES.The psychophysiology of blood-injection-injury phobia: Looking beyond the diphasic response paradigm.Int J Psychophysiol. 2010;78(1):50-67. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2010.05.007

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Wani AL, Ara A, Bhat SA.Blood injury and injection phobia: The neglected one.Behav Neurol. 2014;2014:471340. doi:10.1155/2014/471340

Samra CK, Abdijadid S.Specific phobia. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.

Pan Y, Cai W, Cheng Q, Dong W, An T, Yan J.Association between anxiety and hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2015;11:1121-30. doi:10.2147/NDT.S77710

Wani A, Bhat S, Ara A.Persistence and inheritance of blood injury and injection phobia.Gulhane Med J. 2016;58:67-73. doi:10.5455/gulhane.172838

Singh J, Singh J.Treatment options for the specific phobias.Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol. 2016;5(3):593-598. doi:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20161496

Pitkin MR, Malouff JM.Self-arranged exposure for overcoming blood-injection-injury phobia: a case study.Health Psychol Behav Med. 2014;2(1):665-669.

Spiegel SB.Current issues in the treatment of specific phobia: recommendations for innovative applications of hypnosis.Am J Clin Hypn. 2014;56(4):389-404. doi:10.1080/00029157.2013.801009

Ritz T, Meuret AE, Ayala ES.The psychophysiology of blood-injection-injury phobia: Looking beyond the diphasic response paradigm.Int J Psychophysiol. 2010;78(1):50-67. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2010.05.007

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