Many people have been seen to have several phobias, and while some are completely normal, others might be a little bit unusual.
Several people don’t like the idea of being pricked with needles and pins; however, some people’s fear is more exaggerated than others.
If you have an incapacitating fear of needles and pins, then you just might be suffering from belonephobia.
Belonephobia comes from two Greek words; “Belon,” meaning pins or needles, and phobia, meaning fear.
Hence, Belonephobia is the irrational fear of needles and pins. Sometimes, this fear can be debilitating and destabilizing to the patient.
According to research, more than 10% of the total population in America and Europe who have presented with phobias have been seen to present with belonephobia.
People suffering from belonephobia will most often refuse to go to any hospital when they are sick or injured to prevent being pricked with needles and syringes during treatment.
This phobia, just like many phobias, presents itself when the patient is confronted by his or her triggers, which in this case are the sight of needles and pins.
People who suffer from belonephobia will avoid vaccinations and treatments at all costs.
While some experience the symptoms of this phobia occasionally, others may experience it often. For example, imagine a diabetic who has to have shots of insulin injected into him at specific hours of every day.
If the person is also suffering from belonephobia, it will be very difficult for such a person to cope with his or her diabetic condition.
Belonephobia is a specific phobia that belongs to a certain group of anxiety disorders. It is often associated with trypanophobia, which is the fear of injections.
In certain cases, it is easy for a medical doctor to easily confuse the signs of belonephobia with symptoms of other related phobias such as hematophobia or aicmophobia.
It is important to note that one doesn’t necessarily have to see these needles, pins, or sharp objects to begin to experience the symptoms of this phobia.
In some people, just the mere thought of needles, pins, and sharp objects is enough to trigger an anxiety attack and, in severe cases, a full-blown panic attack in the patient.
Causes of Belonephobia
According to research, this phobia has no specific cause. However, these fears can occur due to certain events that can be grouped under a learning system known as classic conditioning.
Classic conditioning is often known as a forced learning system, which most times occurs after a traumatic event.
For example, suppose the patient has had an unpleasant experience with needles and pins or has seen where another person(possibly a close family member) experience such unpleasant situations with pins and needles. In that case, the person will likely develop a belonephobia.
However, it is also important to note that not everyone who has had unpleasant experiences with pins and needles would have such irrational fears.
Most people who develop this condition do so because they already have the genes that increase their risk of developing belonephobia.
People who already have genes that are predisposed to developing anxiety attacks or mental illnesses can most likely develop belonephobia after having an unpleasant experience with needles.
Every human is made up of genes, which are obtained from the child’s parents. In any situation where either the mother or father or any member of their family has developed mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or anxiety disorders such as levophobia and so on, the person has a higher chance of developing this disorder.
It is important to note, however, that although your genes may put you at a higher risk of developing a phobia when you have a parent who has a mental or an anxiety disorder, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you would develop the same phobia as that of your parent or family member.
It means that if, for example, your parent developed a phobia such as autophobia or thanatophobia, you may not necessarily develop this same type of phobia. You may end up developing a completely unrelated phobia, such as belonephobia; however, this largely depends on your triggers.
Another possible factor contributing to the development of belonephobia is brain chemistry. Although some psychologists don’t agree with this factor, some have speculated that an alteration in brain chemistry and balance can result in the possible disruption of a certain brain process.
Once these processes are disrupted, it can cause an imbalance in some brain centers, including emotional centers such as the center for pain, pleasure, and fear.
Symptoms of Belonephobia
Phobias are very problematic conditions that oftentimes must not be ignored. Once you have begun experiencing certain signs, the patient must seek help from a professional who can help him understand what is happening to him or her and possibly help the person manage his condition.
One common sign a person is suffering from belonephobia is complete avoidance of their triggers. Most people who are suffering from belonephobia try to run away from their triggers.
This often gives them a false notion that they are in charge of their situation. However, what they often don’t realize is that their fear rules them, and it is limiting their life and productivity.
As it was earlier mentioned, in some cases, the patient may not need to be brought close to his/her triggers. Just the mere thought of their triggers can immediately cause the patient to have full-blown panic attacks.
Panic attacks, although they are related to the brain, can cause the patient to have real physical symptoms.
Some of these symptoms are associated with panic attacks caused by belonephobia, and they include;
- Trembling and tremors
- Uncontrollable sweating
- Chills and/or hot flushes
- Intense difficulties in breathing
- Shortness of breath in extreme cases
- Tachycardia (which is characterized by rapid beatings of the heart)
- An uncontrollable urge to go to the toilet.
- The tightness of the chest
- Severe chest pains mostly characterize chest angina.
- Dizziness and severe headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Feeling faint and dizzy
- Pins and needles sensations in both hands and feet
- A constant ringing in one’s ears
- Confusion and rapid disorientation
- An increase in blood pressure
- An increase in pulse rates
- Hyperventilation
In severe cases, the patient may also experience some other symptoms which are not physical but rather psychological. Some of the psychological signs the patient may experience include:
- Fear of fainting
- Fear of ever losing control
- Fear of death or dying slowly
- Fear of sickness and harm
- Withdrawal from others and self-exclusion
- Shame, self-blame, and guilt
- Difficulties in concentrating and confusion
- Irritation, mood swings, and anger
- Fear and anxiety
Treatment of Belonephobia
Most people who have belonephobia often think that they do not need treatment. This is because they often feel that they are in control of their phobia once they avoid it. However, this is not true.
Avoidance is often not a solution to the problem. It is only a means to prolong their phobia.
However, it is important for anyone who is suffering from belonephobia to seek the help of a professional who would help them understand their phobia and why they behave the way they do.
There is no known sequence of treatment or treatment plans for belonephobia. However, over time, there is a combination of treatment plans that have been tried and seen to help patients who are suffering from belonephobia.
It is important to note that these treatments are not guaranteed to work individually, and no form of treatment should be taken on your own. A professional psychiatrist or therapist must supervise all treatment plans.
The following are the treatments that are available for belonephobia. They include;
Talking Treatments
Just as the name implies, talking treatments has to do with the patient discussing their phobia with his/her psychiatrist.
These sets of therapies are often considered to be laid-back treatments and physically non-intrusive.
There are several types of talk therapies; however, they all have four common goals, which include:
- Helping the patient see and recognize certain harmful patterns that can be traced to how the patient thinks, behaves, and acts and finding ways to change their thoughts.
- Helping the patient to find and resolve complicated feelings, and if they can’t be resolved, help them find ways to live with them.
- This will help the patient make sense of what is happening to them and allow them to get to know themselves better.
- This gives the patient a place to feel safe talking to a seasoned professional who won’t judge them or make light of their condition and who they can trust with certain personal information.
In most cases, according to research, talk therapies are considered effective. However, not all talk therapies can help in resolving belonephobia. There are majorly two forms of therapy that are effective, and they include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, also known as CBT, is a form of talking treatment that helps the patient understand why they act the way they do.
This form of therapy usually supports the concept that our behaviors are constantly influenced by what we see, think, and perceive.
The major purpose of Cognitive Behavioural therapy is to help patients dealing with belonephobia identify their fears and compare them to reality.
This way, the patients can accurately see the distortion and learn ways to help them change their perceptions.
For example, for a person who suffers from belonephobia, cognitive behavioral therapy can help him or her identify if the fear of pins and needles is an accurate interpretation of reality and, if it isn’t, help them identify ways to change their distorted perception.
Exposure Therapy
Often, Exposure therapy comes after the patient has understood their fears. Just as the name implies, exposure therapy deals with the gradual exposure of the patient to his or her fears, which in this case is belonephobia (fear of pins and needles).
If you are undergoing exposure therapy, your doctor will gradually introduce you to your fears and watch for your body’s reactions and language. At a gradual pace, the patient is brought to a comfortable place with his or her fears.
It should be noted that for exposure therapy to be carried out, it must be done in a controlled environment and must be carried out by a therapist or psychologist.
The Use of Medications
It is important to note that medications will not treat or cure your belonephobia; however, all that the drugs will help do is relieve the symptoms that come along with your belonephobia.
It should also be noted that these drugs must not be used without the supervision of a doctor.
Although therapies are a definitive solution for phobias, however, medications can help provide temporary relief.
Some of the medications that your therapist can prescribe include:
- Tranquilizers
- Beta-blockers
- Antidepressants
Self Help
To avoid any phobias or to overcome the difficulties that can arise when any phobia such as belonephobia arises is to ensure that one takes care of oneself.
You must know how to help yourself as well as control your phobia, especially if you know that you are at risk of developing belonephobia.
