Blood phobia

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Blood phobia (also, AE: Hemophobia, BE: Haemophobia) is the extreme and irrational fear of blood. Acute cases of this fear can cause physical reactions that are uncommon in most other fears, specifically vasovagal syncope (fainting).[1] Similar reactions can also occur with trypanophobia and traumatophobia. For this reason, these three phobias are categorized as "blood-injection-injury phobia" by the DSM-IV.[2] Some early texts refer to this category as "blood-injury-illness phobia."[3]

[edit] Etiology

Blood phobia is often caused by direct or vicarious trauma in childhood or adolescence.[3] There is also a genetic component to blood phobia.[4]

[edit] Treatment

In patients with vasovagal blood phobia, patients who are successfully treated with psychological interventions are seen as unique.[5] In contrast, many behavioral techniques useful in mitigating vasovagal syncope, such as applying tension to the muscles in an effort to increase blood pressure, are helpful to patients with blood phobia.[6] Medical devices, such as pacemakers, are also used to treat patients with blood-phobia.[5]


[edit] References

  1. ^ The Merck Manual. Retrieved on 2007-05-19.
  2. ^ Lipsitz, JD; Barlow, DH; Mannuzza, S; Hofmann, SG & Fyer, AJ (Jul), “Clinical features of four DSM-IV-specific phobia subtypes”, The Journal Of Nervous And Mental Disease 190 (7): 471-8 
  3. ^ a b Thyer, Bruce A.; Himle, Joseph & Curtis, George C. (Jul), “Blood-Injury-Illness Phobia: A Review”, Journal Of Clinical Psychology 41 (4): 451-9 
  4. ^ Neale, MC; Walters, EE; Eaves, LJ; Kessler, RC; Heath, AC & Kendler, KS (December 15, 1994), “Genetics of blood-injury fears and phobias: a population-based twin study”, American Journal Of Medical Genetics 54 (4): 326-34 
  5. ^ a b Van Dijk, Nynke; Velzeboer, Simone CJM; Destrée-Vonk, Anneke; Linzer, Mark & Wieling, Wouter (January 2001), “Psychological treatment of malignant vasovagal syncope due to bloodphobia.”, Pacing And Clinical Electrophysiology 24 (1): 122-4 
  6. ^ Peterson, Alan L. (Lt. Col.) & Isler III, William C. (Capt.) (September 2004), “Applied tension treatment of vasovagal syncope during pregnancy”, Military Medicine 169 (9): 751-3