Fear of blood (haemophobia)

En español: lee sobre este miedo en Fobias.org.

A fear of blood can make blood tests, cuts, nosebleeds and even some TV programmes hard to face. Many people feel faint rather than panicky.

Understanding this fear

Haemophobia is an intense fear of seeing blood, whether that is your own, someone else’s or blood on a screen. It belongs to a group known as blood, injection and injury phobia, which also covers fear of needles, wounds and medical procedures. What makes it unusual is the body’s reaction. Instead of only speeding up, many people feel their heart rate and blood pressure drop after a brief surge, which can lead to feeling faint or actually fainting.

Some estimates suggest that around 3 to 4 percent of people have blood, injection and injury phobia, and one survey found that most of them experience this fainting response. It usually starts in childhood and often runs in families. Many people feel strong disgust as well as fear, and some feel detached or unreal when blood appears. It often sits alongside fears of needles, hospitals or injuries.

Common triggers

• A cut, graze or nosebleed
• Having a blood test
• Seeing an injury after a fall or accident
• Surgery scenes in hospital dramas
• Talk of operations or wounds
• Blood soaking through a plaster or dressing
• Childbirth videos
• First aid training
• A child hurting themselves

Where it shows up

• GP surgeries and blood clinics
• A and E departments
• First aid courses
• Science lessons and labs
• Kitchens when preparing raw meat
• Watching TV or films at home
• Sports pitches where injuries happen
• Antenatal appointments

Symptoms

In your body

• A brief racing heart followed by a sudden drop
• Lightheadedness and tunnel vision
• Going pale and clammy
• Nausea
• Hot or cold flushes
• Fainting or nearly fainting
• Weak, wobbly legs

In your mind

• Fear of fainting in public
• Strong disgust
• Feeling detached or unreal
• Embarrassment about the reaction
• Fear of being useless if someone gets hurt
• Dread of upcoming medical tests

What you might do

• Avoiding blood tests and check ups
• Looking away or leaving the room
• Switching off medical programmes
• Ruling out careers in health or care
• Turning down first aid courses
• Sitting near exits just in case

What causes it

Blood phobia seems to run in families more than many other fears, which points to a mix of inherited sensitivity and learning. A child may pick up the reaction from a parent who turns pale at the sight of a cut, or have a frightening experience such as a bad injury or a hospital stay. The fainting response itself may have deep roots, as one theory is that a drop in blood pressure once helped limit bleeding after an injury. Once someone has fainted, the fear of fainting again becomes its own trigger, and avoiding anything to do with blood keeps that fear alive.

How it can affect your life

The most serious effect is on health, as people may skip blood tests, check ups and screening. It can also limit career choices, for example ruling out nursing, care work or veterinary roles. Parents may worry about coping if their child gets hurt, and pregnancy care can feel daunting because of the tests involved. Fainting in public can also be embarrassing and knock confidence.

Things that can help day to day

• Learn applied tension, a simple muscle tensing exercise described in NHS leaflets, to help stop you fainting
• Lie down or raise your feet as soon as you feel faint
• Eat a meal and drink water a few hours before a blood test
• Tell the person taking blood that you tend to faint
• Notice your early warning signs, such as feeling clammy, and act on them early

When to get help

If you faint, see your GP so they can check there is no other cause. It is worth getting help if the fear is stopping you from having blood tests or medical care you need, or limiting your work and family life. Your GP is the right first step, and you can also refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies.

How I can help

If you tend to faint, tell the nurse or doctor before a blood test so you can lie down. It’s very common and they’ll be used to it.

Common questions

Why do I faint when I see blood?

In blood phobia the heart rate and blood pressure often rise briefly and then fall quickly, which reduces blood flow to the brain and can cause fainting. This is called a vasovagal response. It is rare in other phobias, and if fainting happens it is worth seeing your GP to rule out other causes.

Can you get over a fear of blood?

Yes, many people do. Gradual exposure, learning applied tension and approaches such as hypnotherapy can all help, and the fear does not have to stay with you for life.

What is applied tension?

Applied tension means tensing the muscles in your arms, body and legs for a few seconds, then releasing, and repeating a few times. It helps raise your blood pressure so you are less likely to faint, and it works best when practised daily for a week or so before you need it.

Where does it come from?

Often a childhood injury or a frightening hospital visit. It often comes alongside a fear of needles or medical settings.

How do sessions work?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to blood. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Further reading: Medical News Today: Fear of blood (hemophobia) · Healthline: Hemophobia · Mind: About phobias

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