# Are you scared of needles?



## whiterabbit (Jan 20, 2006)

I've noticed that quite a lot of people are scared of needles. I was just wondering if these people are in the majority or not.

I personally am not. I always liked getting vaccinations at school because I got a bit of a sadistic kick out of seeing the supremely confident people fall to pieces at the sight of a needle while I stood tall and proud for once. I was all [smug]"Ha, what's the big deal guys, this is nothing."[/smug].

Seeing the quieter people fall to pieces was a bit tragic though.

So, are you or aren't you?


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## kos (May 19, 2009)

I think everyone is alittle apprehensive about getting a foreign object stuck in their arm and a foreign liquid injected into their blood stream. If your a drug adddict tho needles are your best friend. I voted Yes on this pole.


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## bowlingpins (Oct 18, 2008)

whiterabbit said:


> I've noticed that quite a lot of people are scared of needles. I was just wondering if these people are in the majority or not.
> 
> *I personally am not. I always liked getting vaccinations at school because I got a bit of a sadistic kick out of seeing the supremely confident people fall to pieces at the sight of a needle while I stood tall and proud for once. I was all [smug]"Ha, what's the big deal guys, this is nothing."[/smug]. *
> 
> ...


haha.

I used to be afraid of needles, now I am not so much.


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

Petrified. Even now I will worry about it weeks in advance and I have come close to passing out when giving blood in the past.


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## Just Lurking (Feb 8, 2007)

Not exactly a fan of needles, but wouldn't go so far as to say I have a fear of them.


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## Canadian Brotha (Jan 23, 2009)

I'm not afraid of needles but I can't say I like the sensation of having one, I find the irritation afterward to be one of those pains that isn't really a matter of feeling hurt so much as it's just there annoying you like a headache or stubbed toe


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## LostinReverie (Mar 18, 2007)

I can get really light headed when having blood removed, but I'm not afraid of needles themselves.


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## Kelly (Dec 12, 2003)

I donate blood regularly, so I am no longer afraid of needles.

Have a nice day,
Kelly


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## Miss Apprehensive (Jul 17, 2009)

Yes, I'm terrified of needles. My fear has decreased a little though.


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## Syrena (Aug 6, 2009)

Terrified, though I feel that way about (physical) doctors in general. I can easily work myself up into a panic attack over it.


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## Toad Licker (Nov 2, 2007)

Nope not at all, not even when I was a kid.


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## foxwithwings13 (Jul 21, 2009)

absoulutbly terrified of needles!!!!


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## njodis (Nov 8, 2006)

Amazingly, not really. I mean, I wouldn't go to a "have needles inserted into your person" festival or anything, but I wouldn't say I'm 'scared' of them, no.


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## yellowpaper (Nov 13, 2007)

Very. I actually envy the current majority who is not.


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## ShyFX (Mar 6, 2006)

Yeah. But I pretend like I'm not, cause I don't want to look like a sissy.


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## Hank Scorpio (Oct 28, 2008)

They don't bother me but I couldn't do it myself like a diabetic.


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## Sierra83 (Sep 24, 2007)

I used to be utterly terrified of needles, but since I started taking lithium I have had to go in to get my blood taken every few months, so it barely fazes me now. The only problem I have is with the slight discomfort of actually having the needle in for a long time.


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## Dipper (Jul 15, 2007)

No, even as a kid I wasn't scared of them. You barely feel anything. I think only once was I kinda sorta hurt by a shot.


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## EagerMinnow84 (Sep 1, 2007)

I am not scared but I cannot look at the needle if I have to get a shot. I close my eyes tightly, dig my fingernails into my skin (I tend to do this when I am stressed or at the dentist) and thankful when it is over.


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## livinginfear (Jan 31, 2009)

I could care less about the needle, but I don't like the close proximity of the person administering the shot -- I'm afraid my arm might start shaking or something, and I'll be embarrassed, which of course, would make the shaking much worse. Humiliation is my greatest fear; physical pain has always taken a way distant second for me.


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## Duke of Prunes (Jul 20, 2009)

I was when I was 5 years old, but they don't bother me at all now. I've never had an IM injection, which I hear are painful, but I'm fine with SCs and IVs. They barely hurt for a second when they go in and a second when they come out. I don't like the sensation of having a needle in a vein though, it feels very uncomfortable having something sharp in there and the feeling of having blood sucked out/something being pushed in isn't nice, but it's over in a few seconds anyway.


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## Freedom2010 (Jan 29, 2009)

I hate getting injected with needles, but I wouldn't exactly say I am petrified of them. I guess I would just call getting injected with needles an unpleasant experience.


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## Dolly (Jun 6, 2009)

I am most definitely afraid of needles -- they're long, sharp, and pointy with weird, ominous looking fluids in them. And what's worse is they're jabbed into ALL kinds of places on your body. *shudders* I think part of my fear stems from my experience with planters warts on my feet. The dermatologist I went to had to burn holes in the callouses before sticking needles in the holes to administer the medicine. Needless to say, it was extremely painful. Plus, I bruise really easily when I get shots, and they can ache for weeks after I get them.


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## Tangent (Jul 1, 2009)

I was afraid of needles when I was younger...not in the ridiculous melodramatic way that some people are...I just had an intense internal dislike of the prospect of having a sharp piece of metal forced through my own skin.

But about a year ago my physical health utterly fell through the floor, and I have felt so much worse pain over such a long period that I couldn't give a **** about needles anymore - a bit of minor stabbing is nothing. In some strangely masochistic way I actually quite like it when hospital people need to take blood samples (repeatedly) and are constantly giving me unnecessary reasurances because most of the people they see are terrified of the prospect.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Yes. I can handle a little innoculation, but I get nervous about blood tests because I usually faint afterwards.


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## fern (Nov 16, 2008)

I have a very serious phobia of all things medical related (hospitals, diseases, blood, surgery and needles). Every time I have to get a shot or give a blood sample I pass out.


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## tigerlilly (Mar 30, 2009)

i hatehatehate needles. which i guess is a problem since i want to be a psychiatrist and that requires going through medical school. :um


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## Scream (Jul 21, 2009)

I gotta get a shot this Friday. I'm not really afraid of them but I am hesitant and would rather not get something stuck in my arm. just looking at the needle freaks me out.

then again, I hate pain.

im afraid to pour peroxide on a small cut because i dont like feeling any type of pain.


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## SilentLoner (Jan 30, 2006)

I'm not fond of them but I'm not afraid to get shots or blood drawn.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

not really.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Yes, needles terrify me.

Now if you're talking about the really tiny kind they stick in your upper arm for an allergy shot (which I got for years starting at age 11), now those aren't a big deal. It's very fast and you don't feel much. The same kind of quick poke with a tiny needle in the arm is used for flu shots.

Blood samples are a very different story. They're not tiny & nor fast by my standards. The needles they use for that look huge to me and they have to play "let's find a vein" which on me is like playing Where's Waldo except harder to find and then it seems to take forever for them to get their sample.

Despite my love of money, I'd never be able to donate plasma because of this. Getting me to do plasma donations would likely require payment of $10,000+ per month.


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## Duke of Prunes (Jul 20, 2009)

UltraShy said:


> Blood samples are a very different story. They're not tiny & nor fast by my standards. The needles they use for that look huge to me and they have to play "let's find a vein" which on me is like playing Where's Waldo except harder to find and then it seems to take forever for them to get their sample.


I used to have blood samples taken all the time and the needles didn't look so big to me but maybe my memory is just bad. I have great veins though, they'd just take one look at my arm, stick it in and get the sample on the first try.


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## WineKitty (Nov 26, 2004)

UltraShy said:


> Yes, needles terrify me.
> 
> Now if you're talking about the really tiny kind they stick in your upper arm for an allergy shot (which I got for years starting at age 11), now those aren't a big deal. It's very fast and you don't feel much. The same kind of quick poke with a tiny needle in the arm is used for flu shots.
> 
> ...


The gauge of needle used to DRAW blood is rather small. The gauge of needle used to DONATE blood is much larger. I dont know why you are convinced you are a tough draw Karl; I will have to fly out to Milwaukee and personally draw you the next time you need to get lab work done.

Anyone who is afraid of needles SHOULDNT donate blood.

I dont sweat needles; its quite benign by comparison to other things in medicine.


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## nubly (Nov 2, 2006)

no i used to give myself shots in the past and have received a lot of them when i was in the army. it doesnt bother me at all. but ive never been used to giving shots to other people though


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## xyzhousexyz (Jun 21, 2009)

No, I actually love the doctors! (the only place where needles touch my body)


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## Meee (Oct 24, 2005)

Yeah i pretty much hate needles :|

Also, i fainted once in a discussion about taking my blood. There weren't any needles, it wasn't going to happen that day or anything, just talking about it was enough lol. That's pretty bad. Although in my defense i hadn't eaten in a while and there was something really weird about the lighting and air in that room that made me dizzy anyway.

It's mostly just the anticipation that does it. It's another irrational fear like SA.


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## Xtina_Xposed (Sep 10, 2007)

I hate needles >.<


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## lyssado707 (Oct 29, 2004)

Not as long as there's a trained professional using it on me.


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