Ah yes, the perfect reason for not vaccinating, a fear of needles

    by CarpenterWeary2724

    40 Comments

    1. “I risk people’s lives and I comment on posts of people dying because of people who made the same choices as me no biggie ☺️” /s

    2. I mean, I have a fear of needles (way worse when I was a kid) but that didn’t stop me so… skill issue?

    3. I was terrified of needles as a kid and into young adulthood. I cried. I remember one appointment for a single vaccine taking 15 minutes because I couldn’t stop crying. (Yep, panic attack.)

      I ended up advocating for myself (around my 20s) and telling the person administering the shot that I have a fear of needles, but I should be mostly okay as long as I don’t see the needle itself. (One lady told me, “I’d be concerned if you DID like it.” Which, touché.) It helped to just voice that and be upfront about it.

      Last year, around this time, I developed a rash. No known triggers. It only got more painful the longer I went without treatment. (Psoriasis.) I tried everything and nothing worked.

      The only solution was an injection taken every other week. Originally I was extremely nervous because I still had quite a bit of a needle phobia. Now with the amount of blood work and injections I’ve had… My phobia has gotten a LOT less of a problem. It still shows up, but not NEARLY as bad.

      As much as the phobia has gotten better, I still can’t get myself to administer the meds. Luckily my dermatologist is kind and lets me come in where she or one of her employees will administer it for me and do a basic skin check.

      Yes, needle phobias are extremely common. But they should NOT prevent you from getting basic healthcare. I can assure you, whoever you see has had a patient with a needle phobia. Just advocate for yourself. Typically I close my eyes during an injection and I let them know that in case they worry.

    4. That’s a weird way to say “I only care about myself, I don’t give a shit about other people”.

    5. Not defending them, but needles can suck. I got my blood drawn when I was a kid by somebody who clearly had no idea what they were doing, and now I need like a full month of mental breakdown to even schedule any appointments that need to draw my blood.

    6. BadahBingBadahBoom on

      >the only ones I ever had were my baby ones and I’ve been just fine lol

      For people who seem eternally confused by correlation vs causation (see Tylenol-Autism fiasco), they seem completely unable to spot *actual* causation when it is screaming straight at them.

    7. Yeah, because it’s all about you, you selfish shitgibbon. Herd immunity? Is that what I get from taking bovine dewormer?

    8. The most self-centred, inconsiderate people in the world have won apparently and they will take down everyone else with them

    9. BloodOfTheDamned on

      I have an intense fear of needles. Absolutely despise it, injections, IVs, getting blood drawn for lab work. But I am conscious of my health and the health of those around me, so I deal with it like a fucking adult and endure it anyways.

    10. I have a fear of suffering from a preventable disease.

      Look up Shingles. My dad almost lost his eyesight because of it.

      I paid to get that one done.

    11. East_Kaleidoscope995 on

      This has the same energy as “I drove home drunk yesterday and I’m fine so clearly all those anti drunk driving people are wrong”.

    12. I think it’s terrible to be flippant about something as important as vaccination like the person here seems to be, but I do actually know someone who suffered medical abuse as a child who has a debilitating phobia of needles, and it’s a real problem for any kind of medical care, including vax.

      No one takes it seriously, not even doctors and caregivers, but it is very hard to find treatment for these kinds of super-intense phobias, and every attempt to force her to get shots in the past has just lead to additional traumatic events like being restrained by multiple people while in the middle of a PTSD flashback.

      I don’t think this person has something like that, but that makes it worse, because there really ARE people to whom a phobia is a serious hindrance to getting vaxxed.

    13. Its0nlyRocketScience on

      People do a lot of things they hate to keep themselves and others comfortable. I hate listening to bitchy people at work, but I do it because I could hurt them and get myself in trouble if I slapped everyone who pissed me off

    14. Dumbassahedratr0n on

      I have to lay down and hyperventilate for 20 minutes before any needle, but i know the cost of not doing it would mean yet more needles.

      Sure it’s a phobia but I want to be healthy. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it in the long run to guarantee my immunization

    15. EndlesslyUnfinished on

      These are the same people who don’t give their children vegetables because they didn’t like vegetables growing up.

    16. I have a fear of needles. I still jab one in my thigh every week because the benefits outweigh the costs.

    17. “The only vaccines I’ve ever had are the most important ones and I’m still alive. Wait, what was my point again?”

    18. I legit had a diagnosed phobia of needles from childhood through my young adult years.

      I still got my vaccines.

      I’ve been able to get rid of the phobia through exposure therapy (via several hospitalizations and medical issues lol) and using deep breathing/meditation whilst getting injections and blood draws.

    19. I have a fear of needles. I’ve donated blood 9 times, and I’m only 25…

      For those who dont know, blood and plasma donations use huge 16-18 guage needles

    20. Well, should you ever not be fine and die because of a preventable disease, don’t you worry, because somebody else who is still alive will continue to write how useless vaccines are 😊

    21. My brother refused to get the tdap before his daughter was born because of his fear of needles. Refuses all medical care in general.

      After she was born I was talking to my SIL about her c section and I made a comment about how scary that sounds and my brother said “you’ll have to get over it because it’s what women do.”

      … like okay bitch you’re afraid of a shot and I’m literally talking about my SIL getting gutted while awake so maybe don’t talk lol

    22. They’re starting to introduce non needle immunisations… what will be the excuse for not vaccinating then?

    23. Some people have a crippling fear of needles and while they should absolutely try and get past it, it’s a much better reason than believing they give you autism, have microchips in them etc 

    24. Unconventional01 on

      I too had a fear of needles but I feared the infection and virus more. So I did what any person would do, I learned to master my fear of needles. It truly wasn’t hard. I figured all that out by the age of 12 I think.

    25. It’s at least a legitimate, honest reason – rather than some misinformation or ignorance about vaccines. I don’t agree with it but it’s at least honest.

    26. I think that is a big reason a lot of people jumped on the activax train, they just mostly don’t want to admit it.

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