Unf, I do have phobia with blood. Can't stand seeing it either.
So I wouldn't be able to watch like what you did, that would give me a nightmare!
Fainted too when I offered my finger to be pricked to have the blood taken in high school. I know, pathetic ay?
karrie said:
Is it really a phobia when your body is reacting to physical injury?
If you want to donate again, you have to take your blood pressure into account, and make it's stable before you go. I know a lot of people (the vegans I know especially), who need to make a special point of adding salt to their food to keep their blood pressure within normal ranges.
You also need to make sure you've eaten a good meal ahead of time.
Actually the last time was when I was in Singapore. So there is a doctor to check your blood pressure. The doc said mine was rather low but still ok, she then advised me to drink about 7/8 small cups of water before donating, which I did. I ate too before going to the clinic and didn't feel anything abnormal.
I did get worried when the nurse couldn't find my vein on my right arm, which was used the previous time I was there actually, which I found odd and probably made me worried.
I reckon your body can react cause of phobia. It's in your mind and the thought does affect you physically too, I suppose.
I'm phobic with height too, and it always gives me a chill on my back whenever I look down.
And I'm thinking to overcome it by doing skydiving well with an instructor on my first time, after I gather enough guts to do it!
Props to you for giving blood despite your phobia!
Oh, it's nothing really. Pangloss is too and it sounded he did much more.
My blood type is O, universal donor. So the way I see it, if I could give it without causing me much problem (well the phobia is something I want to overcome anyway), why not? Plus, I read somewhere it's actually good for us to have our blood re-generated every now and then.
Distraction usually works. Get yourself one of those stress balls and work on it with your other hand.
Or bring an iPod with Dexy's Midnight Runners' "Eileen" looping on it.
Pain is always a good distraction from pain...
I thought distraction might work. Like how Ross did to Rachel in Friends. Bless him, I like his character in that series, well apart from the cheating part...
Actually what you and Skiing suggested might work. I can just put some loud music to hear on earphones. I have no idea what that song is, but will give it a try!
Stress ball wouldn't work
Cause the last time when I fainted, I had to squeeze the ball which is the practice in Singapore anyway, and the previous time before it I was told to do that too, and this time whenever I squeezed I felt more as if the blood was sucked from my vein and again I reckon it made me more worried!
