Why Do People Have a Phobia for Doctors?
Even though the fear of doctors hasn’t been officially designated as a phobia, it actually exists. One study found that about 3% of American citizens have a fear of going to the doctors. That figure is quite high, considering the damage that being afraid to go to the doctors can do to one’s health.
In this post, we'll highlight two of the major reasons why you might be afraid to go to the doctors, as well as ways for you to confront and overcome your fear.
You’re afraid of the unknown.
The fear of the unknown is the leading cause of the fear of doctors all over the world. Like many other phobias, the fear of doctors is unreasonable. To think that going to see a doctor somehow makes your sickness real is just ridiculous. It’s much better to see a doctor and have it checked out than to hold out and hope that it goes away.
Additionally, most people have lost a relative or loved one in a hospital. Because of that, they tend to associate the loss of their loved one with the hospital. Even though the hospital is one of the best places to be in situations of a health crisis, they rarely see it that way.
You’re afraid of treatment.
Besides the fear of an unfavorable diagnosis, some people are also afraid of the instruments in the hospital environment. For example, they are afraid of needles. Understandably, the fear of needles is quite common, and maybe even rational. However, it shouldn’t stop you from receiving health care and treatment, especially when you need it.
The sight of many of the other treatment equipment, like the defibrillator, causes people to be afraid. Very often, people mask this fear in many ways. One of them is that they tend to reschedule their appointments a lot. “I’m busy” and “I feel fine” are some of the excuses used in this situation.
How to Overcome Your Fear of Doctors
Talk to yourself.
One of the first steps to kicking a fear of going to the doctors is to ask yourself why you're so afraid. You need to understand what you're worried about. Is it a diagnosis, or are you just intimidated by the aura of the doctor’s office?
Seek help.
You can seek help from a therapist. They can help you identify the source of your fear or anxiety, and guide you toward solving it. Talking to a therapist can also help you relieve some other hidden fears you might not know you had.
Get some support.
You can ask your friend to accompany you to your doctor’s appointments when they come up. That’s a much better way of dealing with your phobia than avoiding medical care. Remember to choose only someone close to you. They can help you get through your appointments. You may even find yourself starting to warm up to doctor’s appointments.
Talk to your doctors.
Talking to your doctors is also a very straightforward way to confront your fears. You have to remember that doctors are people, too. If your doctors are anything like the ones at Bayless Healthcare, then you can expect them to understand your position. They might even make accommodations for you to make your hospital visits much more pleasant.
