5 Ways To Cure Hospital Anxiety, Surgery Fear, Fear of Medicine

The prospect of cancer is a scary one indeed. Sometimes people find it helpful to begin to prepare themselves for what might be bad news because being prepared often helps people feel more in control and thus less anxious. Have you considered reading some books on ovarian cancer as well as information about how to treat it and be well? Perhaps other readers here will have their own thoughts to add from their own experiences. I hope things go very well in March.

Hello Danielle,
Anxiety can make us beyond miserable. And when we have physical illness tangled up in it, things become even worse. When we're not feeling in top shape, it's difficult to use our coping strategies (such as your meditation). Have you considered working with a therapist? Often, a therapist can be very helpful in reducing phobias. In the mean time, it sounds like it's very important for you to take the medication. What if, rather than thinking of all of the dangers of medication, you think of all of the benefits to your current health issues. List reasons why the medication is necessary, research the possible side effects, their likelihood, and what can be done to reverse any side effects. Also, list ways that your fallopian tube abscess and ovarian cysts are negatively affecting your life as well has how much better things will be when these problems are gone. Focusing on these things might help you take your medication more easily, and working with a therapist can help you in the long-run. Hang in there! Good luck to you as you get through this (and you most definitely can get through this!).

Hi Joyce,
Fear of surgery is a common fear, so you're not alone. Hopefully Jodi's post and comments from other readers have given you some helpful ideas. You mentioned that you've had surgery before. How did you get through it that time? What went well? Are there things you did then to feel better that might work again this time? Also, what fears did you have before, and what happened with them? Did you find that they didn't happen? Or if some of them happened, what did you do to make things better? You don't have to answer these here! :) These are just some things for you to ponder and possibly write down in a diary or journal to help you "one-up" the anxiety.

Hello Destiny,
The very fact that Jodi wrote a post about hospital anxiety indicates that it's fairly common. You are not the only one who feels the things you describe! In my (humble) opinion, it's great that you are researching your symptoms, reading about anxiety, hospitals, etc. and in general learning more about what you are experiencing. Knowledge really is power, and knowing what to expect can reduce the fear of the unknown. It's wonderful that you are able to identify specific sources of your fear as well as things that might help you deal with them. Every hospital is different, of course, but in general they do try to help patients relax, and they accommodate needs whenever they can. Perhaps arranging a visit to your local hospital, and having someone you trust accompany you, might help you alleviate some of your anxiety. Because every hospital is different, there isn't one specific type of person or department that handles things like this. You might want to try the hospital's website to see what they offer, whom to contact, etc. Keep working on conquering this anxiety!!

Hi Taylor,
You are doing the right thing to take charge of your fear -- find articles, supportive blogs, etc. These are rich with ideas and perspectives, many of which you just might find helpful. From your comment, it seems like a big source of your anxiety is fear of the unknown (a very common fear). By seeking information, you are reducing the unknown. Good luck to you as you go forward.

Hello Max,
Thank you so much for telling your story. I think many people are going to benefit a great deal from your words of wisdom. Congratulations for taking the steps you needed to take and for not giving up.

Hi Cheska,
“出现问题”是一个巨大的焦虑的一部分,can make us very miserable. It sounds like you are doing proactive things in talking to the surgeon and someone else who underwent a similar surgery. Have you considered talking to a therapist? Talking with a professional in person, one-on-one, can be very helpful in overcoming the "what-ifs." Something that can be helpful is to write a list of the specific things you are afraid of, then look at those one by one. Do some research, and write down how likely each is to happen, what usually happens instead, etc. Breaking down your fear and then having evidence to counter your fear can put your mind at ease. Good luck with your upcoming surgery!

Hi Barb,
我很抱歉听到你的predicament. Unfortunately, I've heard many such stories. Some strategies that have worked for people in similar situations is to respect yourself and establish boundaries of what you will allow people to say to you, and if they cross the line, gently stand up for yourself by informing them that they are not treating you right and why. That's hard -- I'd find it difficult to do, but when it comes to your health and well-being, you are important. It might feel uncomfortable inside to demand proper treatment (and even treatment at all. I don't think that legally a hospital can refuse treatment.), but you can definitely stand up for yourself. Think of your health above all.

Hi Nikki,
Gradual exposure therapy can be very effective in overcoming specific phobias. It's very effective when done with a therapist. The principle behind it is to slowly get someone used to what he fears, little by little so it's not overwhelming. For example, he might start by simply looking at pictures of doctors and other medical things. He could then read simple books and work up to more complex things. You could drive him by a clinic or hospital every day, and when he's used to that, you could park in the parking lot and eventually he'll get out of the car and approach the building. This increase in exposure goes on until he can enter a doctor's office for an appointment. Again, it's good to do this with a therapist as he/she will prepare him for each new stage, will process the experiences with him, and will likely give other specific "homework" to help him overcome his phobia. I just wanted to give you a summary of how gradual exposure therapy works. Phobias are frustrating and limiting, but they can be overcome. Good luck to you both!

baby yesterday brought many surprises to my life, and yet i felt troubled in my heart, i could not really understand these feeling, not even when we where apart, at times i would be so very happy, but then there was loneliness in my soul darling

Hi Jake,
Jodi is the one who wrote this particular article, but as she's no longer writing for HealthyPlace, she is unable to respond to comments. I'm very glad you found her article to be helpful. I definitely recommend trying meditation. Good luck!

Hi Carlo,
Welcome to the HealthyPlace Anxiety-Schmanxiety blog! I'm so glad that you discovered this resource and that this article and the responses left by everyone were reassuring. Jodi is the author who wrote the article, but as she is no longer writing for HealthyPlace, she is unable to respond to comments. I'm Tanya, one of the current authors of this column, and I just wanted to thank you for your comment and say that I'm glad that this particular article helped ease your fear a little (as you can probably tell from the responses, you're not alone in feeling fear/anxiety around hospitals). I hope that your visit to the er ended well!

Hi Nikki,
Jodi is the one who wrote this article, but she's no longer writing for HealthyPlace so she is unable to respond to comments. While I certainly don't want to speak for Jodi, I definitely wanted to respond to your comment. What a horrible experience you describe, and it makes perfect sense that it was traumatizing and now PTSD rears its ugly head. While it might continue to rear its ugly head, there are ways you can tame it. It sounds like you already have found some ways. You are focusing on a new caring GI team, and you have worked with them on a plan to help calm you. That's empowering! It sounds like even though the fear is present, you can move past it to do what you have to do -- something to be proud of.

我在这个网站上to find some relief from my anxiety I have about my upcoming surgery, but after reading this comment it brought back a bad experience I had in an emergency room. I was hoping to escape that awful feeling I had there and thought I was finally over it. But now the last comment reawakened my fears. I guess I should of took the authors advice and not read others experiences in the hospital because of a chance of reading someone else's bad experience. In the ER I was in pretty bad pain in my abdomen. The doctor said he would help me with the pain and then do some tests. Hours went by and nothing was done for me even though I was still in extreme pain. I asked the nurse numerous time for relief and to see the doctor. After a few times of asking I think she became very annoyed with me. I was not being rude at all, I was just in a lot of pain. Still with no help or doctor to see me, I finally got up and walked to the nurses station and demanded to speak with the doctor. They told me to go back in my room and the doctor would see me soon. Another hour passed and this time I got upset and again called the nurse demanding some pain relief and to see the doctor. Next thing I knew a security guard walks in and tells me I have to leave. After pleading with the security guard, he said if I do not leave voluntarily I would be escorted out of the hospital. Stricken with pain and stress I left and then spent the rest of the night at home until the next morning when I went to my primary care doctor. This was the worst experience I have ever had with hospitals and doctors and it still bothers me quite often. I was in extreme pain, I wanted help but instead I was humiliated.

Just an FYI if you rip your call button out of the wall (they're made to do that in the event of an emergency) the nurses will come in immediately. I know this from personal experience. I spent a year of my life in the hospital at age 27 and I had a nurse do the exact same thing to me. I waited over half an hour for my nurse to respond before I ripped my call button out of the wall. She wasn't happy but I got what I needed and she never did it to me again ;)

Hi Julie,
Jodi is no longer writing the Anxiety-Schmanxiety column for HealthyPlace, which means that she is unable to reply to comments on her posts. I'm hesitant to expand on something that she wrote, but I did notice that there is a contact form on her website. Also, searching "fear of own mortality" brings up several reputable websites (stay away from "wiki" sites, yahoo answers, etc.) that you might find helpful. Good luck with your upcoming surgery.

Thanks for sharing your story, Zack!

Great job!

Maybe they are being saved there.

Or a friendly, skilled ear to listen validate and reassure!

I am having surgery on September 18th @ 8am at Loyola outpatient center, I'm scared what can I do?

Thank you so much!