Although<unk> phobia is defined simply as an extreme fear of medically related shots/injections, it appears in several varieties. Vasovagal Although most specific phobias stem from the individuals themselves, the most common type of<unk> phobia, affecting 50% of those afflicted, is an inherited vasovagal reflex reaction. Approximately 80% of people with a<unk>  report that a relative within the first degree exhibits the same disorder. People who suffer from vasovagal<unk> phobia fear the sight, thought, or feeling of<unk>  or<unk> like objects. The physiological changes associated with this type of phobia also include feeling faint, sweating, dizziness, nausea, pallor, tinnitus, panic attacks, and initially high blood pressure and heart rate followed by a plunge in both at the moment of injection. The primary symptom of vasovagal fear is vasovagal syncope, or fainting due to a decrease of blood pressure. Many people who suffer from fainting during<unk> procedures report no conscious fear of the<unk> procedure itself, but a great fear of the vasovagal syncope reaction. People become more afraid of the side effects of low blood pressure caused by the idea of a<unk>  A study in the medical journal Circulation concluded that in many patients with this condition (as well as patients with the broader range of blood/injury phobias), an initial episode of vasovagal syncope during a<unk> procedure may be the primary cause of<unk> phobia rather than any basic<unk> . These findings reverse the more commonly held beliefs about the cause-and-effect pattern of<unk> phobics with vasovagal syncope. Although most phobias are dangerous to some degree,<unk> phobia is one of the few that actually kill. In cases of severe phobia, the drop in blood pressure caused by the vasovagal shock reflex may cause death. In Hamilton's 1995 review article on<unk> phobia, he was able to document 23 deaths as a direct result of vasovagal shock during a<unk> procedure. The best treatment strategy for this type of<unk> phobia has historically been desensitization or the progressive exposure of the patient to gradually more frightening stimuli, allowing them to become desensitized to the stimulus that triggers the phobic response. In recent years, a technique known as "applied tension" has become increasingly accepted as an often effective means for maintaining blood pressure to avoid the unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous, aspects of the vasovagal reaction. Associative Associative<unk>  is the second most common type, affecting 30% of<unk> phobics. This type is the classic specific phobia in which a traumatic event such as an extremely painful medical procedure or witnessing a family member or friend undergo such, causes the patient to associate all procedures involving<unk>  with the original negative experience. This form of<unk>  causes symptoms that are primarily psychological in nature, such as extreme unexplained anxiety, insomnia, preoccupation with the coming procedure, and panic attacks. Effective treatments include cognitive therapy, hypnosis, and/or the administration of anti-anxiety medication. Resistive Resistive<unk>  occurs when the underlying fear involves not simply<unk>  or injections but also being controlled or restrained. It typically stems from repressive upbringing or poor handling of prior<unk> procedures (for example, forced physical or emotional restraint). This form of<unk> phobia affects around 20% of those afflicted. Symptoms include combativeness, high heart rate coupled with extremely high blood pressure, violent resistance, avoidance, and flight. The suggested treatment is psychotherapy, this may include teaching the patient self-injection techniques or finding a trusted health care provider. Hyperalgesic Hyperalgesic<unk>  is another form that does not have as much to do with fear of the actual<unk>  Patients with this form have an inherited hypersensitivity to pain, or hyperalgesia. To them, the pain of an injection is unbearably great and many cannot understand how anyone can tolerate such procedures. This form of<unk>  affects approximately 10% of people with<unk> phobia. The symptoms include extreme explained anxiety, and elevated blood pressure and heart rate at the immediate point of<unk> penetration or seconds before. The recommended forms of treatment include some form of anesthesia, either topical or general.
Fear of needles
Fear of flying
Fear of trains
Food craving
Fear of medical procedures
Fear of falling
Heat intolerance
Thermophobia