For as long as I can remember, I have suffered from nosocomephobia.
Nosocomephobia is the fear of hospitals.
This phobia is ludicrous because hospitals are known to be a sterile environment with staff that wants to help you feel better.
Yet, about 3% of the U.S. population suffers from this strange fear.
Hospitals are very integrated into our lives. We start our life at the hospital, make routine appointments every year, make emergency visits, and visit loved ones in pain.
While happy memories can be made at the hospital; graphic, traumatic, and painful memories can also be made here. Maybe you found out you lost your loved one, you have been diagnosed with a crippling disease, or maybe you just saw your expensive bill.
Anxiety associated with hospitals ranges from feeling nervous to panic attacks to refusal to step foot in the building. Former president Richard Nixon suffered from nosocomephobia, and said that "if I go into the hospital, I'll never come out alive."
Within the fear of hospitals are a variety of additional fears or anxiety triggers. Nosocomephobia sufferers might experience is white coat hypertension.
White coat hypertension is a syndrome where someone’s anxiety in a clinic or hospital causes a high blood pressure reading. It is believed that of those with high blood pressure readings, between 15% and 30% suffer from white coat hypertension.
Another fear that nosocomephobia suffers could have is Needle phobia. Needle phobia is the fear of needles. Needles are uncomfortable, painful, and utterly terrifying to those of us with this phobia. Personally, I have the tendency to faint when I receive shots.
With any kind of anxiety, it is important to remember that these feelings are not rational. Remind yourself that the situation isn’t really as bad as your brain might tell you it is. Bring distracting tasks to your appointment. Tell your doctor when you meet them that you are feeling anxious. If all else fails — remember to breathe.
You are not alone in this phobia, and you don’t have to face this irrational fear on your own.
