According to the Cleveland Clinic, there is a name for fear of doctors or medical tests-latrophobia (eye-AT-rah-FO-bee-ah) You may avoid seeking medical care even when you’re very sick because you have extreme anxiety or panic attacks. The thought of getting medical tests also causes fear.
If it’s any comfort, it’s estimated that 1 in 3 Americans avoid seeking medical care even when they think they need it. If you’re the 1 out of 3 that lives in dread of medical visits and experience dizziness, dry mouth, feelings of extreme dread or terror, nausea, rapid breathing, shaking or trembling, this post is for you.
Unfortunately, I’m one of those that really stresses over medical appointments and I hate having my blood drawn. In trying to understand my fear, I realized the doctor and dentist of my childhood, while loved by my mother, had terrible bed side manners. When I was about 8 or 9, the dentist pulled one of my teeth because it was loose. Unaware of my loose tooth, I promptly fainted.
Having worked in health care for many years, I worry about a lot of “it could be,” and fill in the worse possible scenario. It turns out a number of people I’ve worked with do the same thing.
Cause of Latrophobia: There are a variety of factors that could be at the root of latrophobia, and understanding them can be an important step in over coming fears. Causes include:
• Have a chronic condition, particularly as a child, requiring multiple visits, tests and treatments.
• Negative interactions with medical providers, such as being misdiagnosed, receiving less than ideal care, feeling you are not being listened to ignored
• Belief of a bias against you because of gender, race, sexual orientation.
• Feeling powerlessness. The providers hold our medical fate in their hands while we, the non-professionals, await their expertise. “They know this secret about you that could change your life,”
• Lost someone close to you through a medical condition or accident
• Been or are a caregiver, where you’ve accompanied a loved one to appointments, tests and treatments
• Received bad news from a doctor regarding your health or someone you care about.
• Family history of phobias or anxiety
Strategies to overcome your fear
• Ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you worried about a particular procedure or a diagnosis?
- Are you intimidated by doctors’ offices or hospital rooms?
- Would you prefer a different doctor?
If you aren’t comfortable with your medical provider, look for another one. Medicine isn’t as cookie cutter as you might think. There are now MDs that specialize in life style medicine (uses lifestyle interventions-diet, exercise etc., as the primary way to treat chronic conditions) and integrative medicine (uses an evidence-based approach to treat the whole person, using conventional approaches and complementary therapies (e.g. acupuncture) A nurse practitioner or physician assistant might be a better fit. Check the website of the health center you are considering. Read about their providers as most sites will post pictures and biographies, including where they trained, area of expertise etc.
• Call ahead to find out what your visit will include. Many health centers have care coordinators that can help you better understand what an office visit or procedure will entail.
• Remind yourself that you have the power to control your own emotions. You also get to control what type of treatments, tests etc. that you will and will not do.
• Schedule your appointment when you are least anxious. For some, it’s good to be the first appointment of the day thereby avoiding sitting in the waiting room.
• Take a support person with you, such as a family member, advocate or friend. They can ask questions, take notes and help to improve the quality of your visit, as well as keep you calm.
• Bring a book or something to do with your hands so you have something else to focus on.
• Use telemedicine, an appointment over video, phone call or text chat, when available and appropriate.
• Breath: Focusing on your breathe can help calm you down. Try 4-7-8 technique (inhaling to the count of four, holding the breath for a count of seven, exhaling for a count of eight). Self-hypnosis is another option. Try a calming self-hypnosis practice
• Talk to your provider about your fears and concerns.
• A therapist specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be very helpful in resolving your phobia.
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