Facing Your Fears

Hi everyone! So my latest post was inspired by a recent trip to the GP...

...to put it mildly, I'd describe myself as having a fear of needles. Now this is all well and good until it comes to the time when I need pre-university vaccinations, blood tests and all that kind of horrible stuff. So I've compiled a list of my tips for coping with your fears, be they big or small (such as a fear of custard, mud or perhaps tomato ketchup Iman!!). Please do note that I'm in no way a psychology or health expert (if you find these fears too overwhelming, don't hesitate to contact a professional!), these are just little things that help get me through those butterfly in stomach/shaking like a leaf moments in doctors waiting rooms!!

1. Try to put the fear into perspective, or rationalise whatever you're scared of. We've heard the age old phrase about insects - 'they're more afraid of you than you are of them' (debatable when you're staring a near enough tarantula sized beast in the face and are convinced that its mission is to eat you alive..) but really, it's true! In the grand scheme of things, one little needle in my arm isn't going to cause the world's end, and besides, it will be over in under a minute, leaving the rest of the day to enjoy life and forget all about it! Try to realise how small some phobias are when compared to more pressing matters in life. I'm not saying you shouldn't have these fears at all - it's perfectly normal and though some deny it, we are all scared of something, but it can help so much to think about things in perspective.

2. Music works wonders! Especially when faced with something such as a blood test, distraction and finding alternative focused is key. Personally I opt for some Ed Sheeran whilst at the doctors (calming, easy on the ears and an amazing voice! Though steer clear of Bloodstream if faced in that circumstance..) but try whatever helps to calm you down or put you in your happy place. Alternatively you may prefer to just talk to the nurse, or have a chat with a friend on the phone, for example, if you're scared of being on a crowded bus or alone on a train. It really is all in your mind, and often worries are magnified through a lack of alternative thoughts. Reciting song lyrics is also a fantastic solution as it means you have to completely concentrate on random words other than whatever you're having to go through. But perhaps keep this to silent, in your head reciting whilst on public transport...  Belting out Eminem lyrics on the tube mid-rush hour is rarely going to go down well!

3. Treat yourself after overcoming small hurdles! Now I'm not saying it's worth throwing a party every time you manage to successfully cross a road, but remember the amount of times, as a child, that your parents would give you little rewards for good behaviour or progress? Cleaning charts and gold star stickers aside, perhaps an ice cream or lunch out with a friend is the perfect way to end a day filled with a particular fear, if nothing else to cheer you up and put a smile back on your face :) this will also give you something to look forward to when faced with your scarf scenario!

4. See the humorous side of things, if at all possible! Funny story, while the nurse was trying to search for a vein the other day, unsuccessfully, she commented 'it must have seen me and ran away!!' - at the time, I found this hilarious, and it really relieved the tension and fear I was feeling. Maybe you're scared of seeing gory scenes in Casualty on TV but like to poke fun at the resemblance between fake blood and ketchup! (Sorry Iman this is probably not helping that sauceophobia..). Maybe when taking out a spider in the house, you can sigh and realise what a shame it is that this particular legged insect will most likely never feature in a David Attenborough documentary. This ties in with distractions, but is more specific: enjoying life's funny moments provides release and having studied comedy in my English course, I can confirm that laughter is in fact the best medicine.

So those were my 4 little ideas about overcoming your fears, one step at a time. Remember that something like this won't go away overnight, but over time, with some encouragement, you can grow and be proud of how far you've come in learning to be comfortable with what once used to scare you!

Hope this helps and see you in the next one :)

Jenna