The Power of Affirmations – Overcoming my own Fear of Needles

Something few people may know about me is that I used to be afraid of going to the doctor. And more specifically, I was afraid of needles; whether it be shots or taking blood.

I remember one day having to go BACK to the dentist to have a cavity re-filled. Now, keep in mind, I was already a grown woman in my mid-twenties. I spent all day long at the office, agonizing about a dental appointment I had that day in which I knew they were going to have to numb my mouth. I was literally in tears, terrified of the impending event. I was so paralyzed by this fear that I asked a co-worker if they would come with me and hold my hand while the procedure was being done.

I get into the dental chair, I take the Novocaine, only to find myself minutes later waking from having a blackout.

This event lead me to seek help through hypnotherapy. I found a hypnotherapist and explained the situation to her. We looked through my past and didn’t really come up with a lot of data as to where this fear all began. It became apparent that this was something that was a self-created fear because I simply didn’t LIKE evasive procedures. It was my way of winning the sympathy of the people in my life to feel sorry for me because it was so scary. It all came down to one way that “control” was showing up in my life.

So, the hypnotherapist suggested I do a second session with her, and this session was going to be more suggestion oriented … teaching my subconscious mind to be OK with needles. An assignment was given to me that over the next week, before the next session, I was to write a page worth of positive affirmations to release the fear and control around needles and doctors. And we would do a session, using my own affirmations.

I put off the assignment till probably the last day before I was to have my next session with her. I was quite resistant to even thinking about it. But, the night before the session came, and I could not procrastinate any longer. I had to do it.

I sat looking at a blank page for what seemed like hours. I thought and thought some more. It was as if keeping this fear was a comfort for me in some way. A protective blanket or shield and I didn’t want to let it go and expose myself any form of personal power I had. Why?

Why was this fear so comfy? I took a sincere look into my deeper self. This felt almost like having to give something up. Like having to say goodbye to a friend. I heard myself say, “If people only understood how weak I feel during those moments.” And then, some other voice said, “Why do you want attention for being weak? You’re strong. You can be strong and get attention for your strengths in life!”

Hence, the first affirmation was born. “I am strong” From this ONE affirmation, grew another. “I am powerful” The just began to flow from me. “I am calm” “I can do anything” “I am healthy” “I am brave” “I am independent” I knew enough at the time to recognize that I don’t even have to say the words “needles” or “doctors” … but just focus on the resources I needed to bring fourth in myself and that would be all that I needed to heal this crippling fear.

“I am independent” “I let go” What other resources would I need? “I feel empowered” “I feel strong” “I am trusting” “I forgive myself”

These words were so amazingly powerful to me because I knew what they were really about for me.

I wrote a full page of these affirmations. I brought them to my hypnotherapist the next day. But, truthfully? By the time I got to her, most of the fear had already vanished! This session would just really seal the deal for me.

It was only within a few days that I had another doctors appointment in which I needed to have blood drawn. I went to the doctors office, BY MYSELF. I sat in the chair where they would draw the blood. I had previously visualized myself being able to do it and feel all that strength and calm. The only problem was, I did NOT visualize the part about the rubber thing they tie around your arm. Also, I had visualized the other arm. I was very set in my mind that I was OK with everything else, but this threw me off a little.

I asked them if they could just give me a couple of moments alone, which they did.

I took a few deep relaxing breaths. I re-envisioned this in the new way, feeling calm, hearing the affirmations in my mind that I had written. I instantly created one on the spot. “I am open to change” “I am open to change” “I am open to change” just in case there were a few more curve balls thrown at me.

They came back in, did the procedure and I was completely fine with it. I have never had an issue with it since.

Listen, I definitely don’t seek out opportunities to have blood drawn, nor do I donate. It’s still not something I really like to do at all. But, if I have to have a procedure, I am a million percent better at it than I was then and I treat it as if it was no big deal. I don’t look for any special attention or even mention that I have had this fear about it.

Since becoming a hypnotherapist myself a few years after that, I always felt that there is just as much, if not MORE power in writing your own affirmations. I would always have my clients write their own … I found the true magic was in getting people to actually change their thinking from the negative beliefs and converting that belief to a positive affirmation. Though sometimes it was quite an enormous task to get them to come up with anything positive to say … once they finally did the results that came from having them hear their own empowering words of wisdom spoken by me, their hypnotherapist, was simply amazing.