I have two daughters. Growing up, my older daughter was very focused on becoming a veterinarian.
Any time she had to get blood drawn or an injection, she perceived it as an opportunity to learn about medical procedures and always watched the entire process carefully. She was never nervous or anxious before the needle stick and was only minimally aware of any discomfort. In fact, she loved getting her blood drawn. My younger daughter, on the other hand, hated any medical procedure and even experienced anxiety over having them done. She experienced the same blood draws and vaccinations as her sister, but always with fear and discomfort. Same procedures, different
perceptions.
As a pediatric nurse practitioner it wasn’t unusual for me to see patients in clinic that asked, “Am I going to get a shot today?”, the minute I entered the exam room. And it’s not just children who are nervous and scared of blood draws and injections. Many adults report that they avoid getting the flu shot yearly, even though they know it is highly recommended, due to their fear of needles.
I am happy to tell you that this does not have to be the case. Hypnosis is a great way to change our perceptions and address these fears. Hypnosis can make any blood draw or injection comfortable. Distraction techniques, such as blowing bubbles, blowing a pin wheel, singing a song, watching a video, or engaging in a game can be helpful, especially with young children. However, with older children and adults, using hypnosis is much more effective.
An especially effective hypnotic technique, called “the magic glove” can make any blood
draw or injection painless and fear free. I recommend watching a ten-minute video The
Magic Glove – Hypnotic pain management for children, to learn how to use it. Practicing the skill taught in this video several times prior to an anticipated blood draw or injection may be all your child needs to make the experience comfortable and anxiety free. However, if your child does not feel confident in the skill after watching the video and practicing on their own, a single hypnosis teaching session would be helpful so that they feel confident and empowered in their own ability.
I can attest to the effectiveness of hypnosis to make any medical procedure comfortable and anxiety free since I have used it when donating blood, having dental procedures, an endoscopy, and surgery. I am confident that hypnosis can help you, too. You don’t have to be afraid and uncomfortable with needles and neither does your child.
See how hypnosis can help more than just injections and check out other articles on my blog Here. Ready to start your hypnosis journey? Book a session for you, or a loved one, today!
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