Fear of blood

One of the most common phobias is the fear of blood. Many people have a question: what is the correct name for the fear of blood? The answer is hemophobia or hematophobia. This is a panic condition, accompanied by a strong fear that arises at the sight of blood. A characteristic feature is that a person is horrified by the sight of not only his own blood or blood on his body, but also the blood of other people and on other people. The intensity of fear, both in the case of observing one's own blood and someone else's, is almost the same. The only difference is that in the second case, a hemophobe can turn away or leave, but it is impossible to run away from one's own blood, so the experiences will be more intense. That is, the fear of blood arises from its appearance in principle.

When a person suffering from hemophobia (we will use the first version of the name) is present at an accident involving blood, not only the immediate victims need medical assistance, but also the hemophobe, since he may faint at the sight of blood. And the situation here does not depend on whether the person is weak, or if he feels unwell or has poor health. Hemophobia affects quite strong and healthy people, both men and women.

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Reasons for fear of blood

There are many different reasons for the development of hemophobia. According to scientists, the fear of blood is caused by the fundamental fear of death, i.e. all this is driven by the instinct of self-preservation. It is caused by a genetic predisposition inherited from our ancestors, who had a fear of injury and a fear of blood, because medical skills were poor, and injury in those days actually meant death.

Another reason for a person's fear may be a previous personal experience. Perhaps, earlier in life, a person had some strong trauma that impressed him, or he fainted from some ordinary injection, for example, in childhood. Or once, parents, having seen blood on a child, reacted very violently, and the child, accordingly, was very scared. And then in adulthood, all this developed into a phobia.

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Symptoms of Fear of Blood (Hemophobia)

When a person with hemophobia sees blood, they experience the following symptoms:

• the face turns pale;
• limbs tremble;
• the heartbeat increases;
• breathing becomes difficult;
• panic attacks;
• the pressure rises or falls sharply;
• a person strives to leave the place;
• may faint.

How to get rid of the fear of blood?

Often people are afraid not of the sight of blood itself, but of the procedures associated with it, and pain, for example, from an injection. Or they think that by giving blood from a finger, they will lose a liter of blood or even more.

Fear of blood, like many other phobias, can be overcome with a little effort. Sometimes it is important to determine the root cause - to remember the incident that led to it, for example, some childhood experience associated with a real situation or, perhaps, with an impressive film. If such a cause is hidden and it is not possible to find it, then doctors recommend getting rid of hemophobia by controlling and fighting your fear. In this case, when the situation arises, you need to: normalize your breathing (inhale and exhale evenly and deeply), increase blood pressure (clench your fists), stimulate blood circulation (strain your muscles, move your arms and legs) so as not to faint.

And most importantly, if you have a fear of blood, do not avoid its appearance, on the contrary, try to meet your fear face to face. This will help you overcome it faster and more effectively and get rid of it forever. Moreover, the fear of blood can be dangerous for your health and the health of your loved ones, because in some difficult situation you will not be able to react adequately, which can lead to tragic consequences. Think about it and be sure to consult a doctor. Hemophobia can and should be treated.