How to Cure Your Doctor Phobias
Scared of the dentist’s drill? Queasy when it comes to needles? Five strategies to help you cope.
You’ve probably experienced unrealistic fear in your life, like acrophobia (fear of heights) while you’re on the top floor of a skyscraper, or claustrophobia when you’re stuck in a crowded elevator. These fears have no logical basis. Yet, fear of your doctor, dentist, or medical care in general — known as iatrophobia — is grounded in reality, considering it’s associated with actual painful procedures and potentially life-altering diagnoses.
People with iatrophobia tend to worry obsessively before a visit to the doctor or dentist. They might postpone appointments in an act of avoidance. Or they can have symptoms of White Coat Hypertension, a well-documented phenomenon whereby the stress of seeing a doctor causes an increase in blood pressure. People with iatrophobia may also feel extremely uncomfortable in the waiting room and often describe difficulty talking when the doctor is asking questions.
What causes iatrophobia?
Iatrophobia is a relatively common condition in today’s society, affecting at least 3% of the population. Mara Hollander, a health services and policy researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, was the lead author of a…
