A mass vaccination programme against Covid-19 is now being rolled out in the UK. Although the government is working to ease the fears of those who are worried about the safety of the vaccine, some people have an even bigger fear — the fear of needles and/or injections, say clinical therapists Clem and Margaret Turner.

They write:

Needle phobias are quite common and can affect as many as one in 10 people. Fears can arise from memories of bad experiences with needles or injections earlier in life.
It’s not always known where the fear started but sometimes it can be a memory from the past. Maybe as a child a person developed a fear of needles because they had a lot of blood tests or other procedures and these fearful memories are now presenting as a phobia.

So what can you do if you have a needle phobia?

Methods of coping with a needle phobia can vary from person to person; there is no ‘one size fits all’ treatment. In our therapy practice we use a variety of different treatments, including Clinical Hypnotherapy, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to help our clients. These methods of help can be accessed via a one-to-one session with one of our therapists.

Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation and practising progressive muscle relaxation will also help. One thing which will help straight away if you are worrying about having to have a vaccination is the following breathing technique.

Following these simple steps will allow you to reduce your anxiety levels in seconds when practised.

1. Find somewhere comfortable to sit and sit upright.
2. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your tummy.
3. Take a deep breath in, taking about three seconds — the hand on your tummy should rise and the hand on your chest should stay still
4. Hold the breath for three seconds
5. Breathe out, making the breath last about six seconds.
6. Do this 10 times and practise it on a regular basis and this will calm your anxiety, allowing enough oxygen to get to the brain so you can think clearer.

Our therapy practice offers practical techniques and treatments to help to release the fears and/or phobias you have experienced around needles, injections, fear of blood etc. Call 01623 556234 today for more information or email [email protected] from the Clem and Margaret Turner Therapy Practice, Sutton, or go to www.clemturner.co.uk

The practice is also still offering during lockdown a free relaxation download that is available from this link.

More hypnosis information here.