Why are we scared of routine examinations?
Medical examinations are important because they aid in the detection and possible prevention of various diseases, ranging from simple cases of influenza to the most severe cases of cancer. Some of the procedures involved include recording of one’s age, weight and height, while documenting any health concerns shared by the patient. When a diagnosis is made, the physician prescribes a list of tests the individual should receive, to determine if the patient is suffering from any other issues. These tests may include blood and glucose levels, urine, HIV/AIDS or STD’s. Society should therefore adhere to a lifestyle of biannual medical examinations. Various reasons may arise in determining why individuals choose to avoid doctor visits, but phobias seem to be most prevalent. A phobia is described as a strong, persistent fear of situations, objects, activities or persons. However, three phobias which are closely related to bypassing routine medical examinations are trypanophobia, aphenphosmphobia and iatrophobia.
Trypanophobia, being the most prevalent, occurs when one exhibits panic upon the thought or sight of injections, also commonly known as ‘needle phobia.’ The fear of injections, is said to be an acquired or inherited disorder, more commonly developed between ages four and six. Statistics reveal that approximately twenty per cent of a general population, will exhibit some degree of fear towards needles and injections. This accounts for the reason why these individuals avoid medical treatment. Common symptoms include vasovagal reflex, tachycardia and hypertension. Vaccinations, immunizations and other injection-related tests were designed to aid in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and ...
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"Iatrophobia - Fear of Going to the Doctor, Doctor Fear, Doctor Phobia, Fear of Doctors, Phobia of Doctors, Phobia of Going to the Doctor and Fear of Doctor Visits." Iatrophobia - Fear of Going to the Doctor, Doctor Fear, Doctor Phobia, Fear of Doctors, Phobia of Doctors, Phobia of Going to the Doctor and Fear of Doctor Visits. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
"Iatrophobia." Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatments and Causes. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
"Needle Phobia Facts The Fear of Needles Has Many Names - But It Is Very Real." What Is Trypanophobia? 6 Facts About Fear of Needles. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
"Needle Phobia." Needle Phobia. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"PHOBIA: Living in Constant Fear." : Aphenphosmphobia: The Fear of Being Touched. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
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Just imagine for a moment that you have a cynophobia or the fear of dogs, would this be how you would feel. Driving down the road the oil light comes on. "I must stop the car to add more oil or I will damage the car engine. This looks like a good place to pull over. I'll just stop in front of this house. The oil is in the trunk, so I'll pop the top first, then get the oil out of the trunk. OK, I have the oil, but what if there is a dog at this house. Hurry, I have to hurry. A dog might come running out and bark at me any minute. Just get the oil in the engine. I can't my hands are shaking. Don't worry, there is no dog. Just get the oil in the engine. I don't care if I spill it, just get some in the engine. Take another look around, is there a dog anywhere. OK, the oils in, now hurry get back in the car. I can't breath. I'm safely back in the car, now just take a minute and breath. When will my hands stop shaking." This is how a person with a phobia of dogs might feel. There is no dog around anywhere in sight, but the thought of a dog running at them barking is enough to cause a panic attack. In "Exploring Psychology" David G. Myers defines phobia as "an anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation" (432). This paper will explore the history, causes, effects, and treatment of Phobias.
A phobic disorder is marked by a persistent and irrational fear of an object or situation that presents no realistic danger. Agoraphobia is an intense, irrational fear or anxiety occasioned by the prospect of having to enter certain outdoor locations or open spaces. For example, busy streets, busy stores, tunnels, bridges, public transportation and cars. Traditionally agoraphobia was solely classified as a phobic disorder. However, due to recent studies it is now also viewed as a panic disorder. Panic disorders are characterised by recurrent attacks of overwhelming anxiety that usually occur suddenly and unexpectedly (Weiten, 1998).
Characteristics of agoraphobia are a marked fear or anxiety about two or more of the following: "using public transportation" like cars, planes, trains, and buses; "being in open spaces" like a market, a parking lot, a bridge, or ship; "being in enclosed places" like a store, a theater, or an elevator; "standing in line or being in a crowd"; or "being outside of the home alone." (APA, 2013, pg 217) This fear differs from other phobias in that the fear is not the specific place or thing, but the person is afraid that they might not be able to leave or get help if they panic or are incapacitated or have embarrassing symptoms or situations. This might be because of other medical conditions such as vomiting or inflammatory bowel symptoms. Older adults might fear falling. Children might fe...
anxiety and panic attacks, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (1). Many of these symptoms cause people to avoid contact with the outside world, thus thrusting them deeper into their fears.
“Nosophobia and hypochondriasis in medical students”. Wikipedia, encyclopedia. 20 May 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosophobia. Web. 15 Ap 2014.
The Medical Board constructs a new supplementary guidance on ‘Maintaining Boundaries’ during an intimate examination. The Medical Board states that ‘Maintaining Boundaries’ acquire doctors to be sensitive to what patients may perceive as ‘intimate’ (6). The Medical Board explains that intimate examinations can refer to an examination that involves female breasts, the genitalia, or the rectum of a patient. According to the Medical Board, there are situations that may cause embarrassment or stress to patients. In some religions, examination by a member of the opposite sex is prohibited and the removal of clothes makes patients feel distressing. Example includes when a patient may need to undress for a skin check; patients who may be uncomfortable to be alone with a member of the opposite sex, or the physical examination of a patient ...
Almost everyone alive has a fear of something whether it be heights, spiders or even clowns. Some people however have more serious issues with their fears, fears that follow them almost everywhere they go, these fears are called phobias. It is estimated that 4 to 5 percent of Americans have some type of phobia, which is an irrational fear of situations and certain objects. There are over 500 known phobias; a very common phobia is social phobia.
Phobias are considered a part of anxiety disorders, a phobia is an intense and irrational fear of a certain thing or situation. Some examples of phobias include fear of heights, insects, and even talking in front of a large crowd. The intensity of phobias differ from patient to patient but the severity of phobia...
There are three kinds of phobias: simple phobia, social phobia, and panic attacks. Simple phobias, also called specific phobias, are fears of a specific thing, such as spiders or being in a closed place. Most simple phobias develop during childhood and eventually disappear. Specific phobia is a marked fear of a specific object or situation. It is a category for any phobias other than agoraphobia and social phobia. The categories of specific phobias are 1. situational phobias such as: fear of elevators, airplanes, enclosed places, public transportation, tunnels, or bridges; 2. fear of the natural environment such as: storms, water, or heights; 3. animal phobias such as: fear of dogs, snakes, insects, or mice; 4. blood-injection-injury phobia such as: fear of seeing blood or an injury, or of receiving an injection. (Wood 520).
The anxiety, panic attacks or phobic avoidance associated with the specific object or situation are not better accounted for by another mental disorder…
One of the characteristics of a phobia is a feeling that is greater than the fear of a situation or object with an exaggeration of the danger associated with the said situation or even object. This persistent fear often leads to an anxiety disorder that leads an individual to develop mechanisms that ensure one avoids the object or situation that triggers the occurrence of the phobia. Phobias can have highly debilitating effects on an individual including the development of depression, isolation, substance abuse, and even suicide. Many people take phobia for granted however, it is clear that it has the potential to impair the quality of life for both the affected and the people around them. The fact that many of the phobias are manageable using
I hate needles. That doesn’t come as a shock to most people who know me. I’m a wuss. I have a fairly long list of phobias, but needles rank right up there at the top. I once read somewhere that public speaking is the number one fear of most Americans. Coming in a not-so-close second place was death. So the way I interpret that statistic, that must mean that at a funeral, most people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. That’s pretty shocking. So what does this have to do with my fear of needles, you may ask? Not much. I just figured that since this paper is for extra credit, I can pretty much write whatever I want and not have to worry about getting a bad grade for being creative, so I just thought I’d throw that in there for giggles and make it a little more entertaining. But it actually does tie in. Can you guess what the third-ranking fear of most Americans is? Needles. (Okay, not really. I made all that up, but I hear that 90% of all statistics are made up anyway, so I guess it is possible that I could’ve read that somewhere.)
Introduce Topic: A phobia as defined by medicalnewstoday.com, “is an irrational fear, a kind of anxiety disorder in which the sufferer has a relentless dread of a situation, living creature, place or thing.”
the courage to visit a doctor to confirm this – Perhaps I am afraid of
In our society, it is not rare to hear people die suddenly without signs of serious illness preceding the death. A critical examination might show that such individuals were suffering from serious health condition that they and their family were not aware of. These critical health issues are often diagnosed during regular medical checkups.