An appointment with your doctor should not be something to be avoided or feared. These feelings may be intense enough to prevent some people from keeping up with annual visits, which can be a fatal mistake. However, getting over the fear of a visit to the doctor can be challenging, so consider a few tips:
Talk to your doctor about the problem:
Iatrophobia is a real condition and is characterized by anxiety and panic associated with going to the doctor. Your doctor may be able to not only give you some pointers, but if the condition is severe enough, prescribe something that will help you to relax a bit when you need to come into the office.
Ask as many questions as possible:
The more informed you are about your health and your appointments in general, the less you may feel you have to fear from going to the doctor.
Utilize a relaxation technique:
From deep breathing to listening to soothing music from your phone or portable music device, there are a number of things you can do to help yourself relax ahead of your appointment. The less wound up you are before you see your doctor, the more likely it is that you will be able to get through your appointment.
Ask a close family member or friend to accompany you:
Sometimes, the way to conquer the fear of seeing your doctor is to ask someone to go with you to the appointment. It’s always a bit less scary tackling a seemingly insurmountable task with someone by your side than it is when you try to do it alone.
The more you can try to make yourself feel as ease, the more likely it is that you won’t give up on going to your doctor.
