How to Overcome Aichmophobia

Aichmophobia is the fear of sharp objects like knives, needles, or pencils. Aichmophobia can be a serious inhibition on your quality of life, and you may even forego important medical procedures because you fear needles.^{[1]XResearch source} This can be difficult to deal with, but fortunately, it's possible to overcome aichmophobia under the supervision of a mental health professional. If you feel overwhelming anxiety or panic around sharp objects, you should contact a professional and begin therapy. Your therapist will try a series of exercises to desensitize you to your fear of sharp objects. Outside the doctor’s office, you can use a multitude of techniques to overcome aichmophobia. Managing your symptoms of aichmophobia can bring a dramatic improvement to your quality of life.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Assessing When to Seek Help

1
Determine if you feel anxiety when around sharp objects. People with aichmophobia display symptoms of anxiety and stress when around any sharp or pointy objects. Some people have such a severe case that the corners of a table provokes a reaction. Monitor your feelings around sharp objects. Notice if you feel panicked or like you have to get away from the sharp object. Some people even suffer panic attacks. These are clear signs of aichmophobia.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Note that people with aichmophobia may not have full panic attacks when around sharp objects. The signs can be more subtle, like increased heart rate, shortness of breath, or trembling.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Some people with aichmophobia have anxiety just thinking about sharp objects. Give yourself a test by forcing yourself to think about these objects. You may notice your heart and breathing rate go up, and you may feel short of breath. These are symptoms of increased anxiety.
2
Notice if you consistently avoid sharp objects. Patients of aichmophobia will usually avoid knives, needles, forks, and other sharp objects. They may do this consciously or unconsciously. Pay attention to your daily activities and see if you feel the need to avoid these objects. If so, this is another symptom of aichmophobia.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Avoidance is a common coping mechanism for people with phobias. It can impact your quality of life in dramatic ways. Think about all the situations where you may be around sharp objects. You've probably avoided social gatherings and doctor's appointments because of the fear.^{[5]XResearch source}
3
Consider if you have a hypersensitivity to pain. Also known as central pain syndrome, hypersensitivity indicates when people feel pain in levels much higher than normal.^{[6]XResearch source} In some people, this increased pain sensitivity is a root cause of their aichmophobia, as they would naturally fear needles, medical procedures, or being accidentally cut. If you feel pain in a higher than normal way, this could be behind your fear of sharp objects.^{[7]XResearch source}
- There is no specific test for pain hypersensitivity. Some people experience a constant, dull pain throughout their body. Some are fine until they experience an injury. Because the symptoms can be non-specific, seek the help of a specialist if you suspect you have any kind of pain disorder.
- If you’ve been avoiding shots or other medical procedures because of pain, ask your doctor to apply an analgesic spray to your skin before inserting a needle. This can cut down on the pain so you don’t have to sacrifice your health.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Seeking Psychological Assistance

1
Visit a mental health professional if you think you have aichmophobia. While aichmophobia may be scary, it is completely treatable. But recovery requires intervention from a specialist. If you’ve experienced anxiety or panic attacks around sharp objects, don’t delay in seeing a mental health professional. They can assess your symptoms, diagnose you with aichmophobia, and design a treatment that will help you overcome your fears.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Find a professional who is right for you. When making an appointment, ask if this counselor has experience treating aichmophobia.
- If you belong to a local support group for your phobia, see if any members there have recommendations for therapists. A personal recommendation can go a long way here.
2
Gradually expose yourself to sharp objects. Exposure therapy is the most common treatment for aichmophobia. It involves slowly exposing yourself to the object of your fears (in this case, sharp objects) until you’ve become desensitized to the fear. With an exposure regimen, your therapist will probably start by having you visualize sharp objects and see how you respond. Once you can do this without feeling anxiety, the therapist will then show you photos of sharp objects. Finally, the therapist will start bringing sharp objects into the room during your sessions. Over time, you can overcome your fear entirely.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Exposure therapy requires consistent work, so keep up with your therapist’s instructions.
- Be very careful if you try exposure therapy at home. Over-exposing yourself to the object of your fear before you’re ready can have the opposite effect and make your anxiety much worse. Always work slowly and follow your therapist’s directions.
3
Talk through your fears with cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT is a common treatment for people with anxiety disorders like aichmophobia. It involves talking through your fear and uncovering why you respond to sharp objects with anxiety. Your counselor will probably use a combination of exposure therapy and CBT to help you develop coping mechanisms when you see sharp objects. The goal is retraining your brain to respond more positively to these stimuli.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Inform your counselor if you’ve ever had a traumatic event involving sharp objects in your past. This can be the root cause for some people with aichmophobia, and it will influence the way your counselor treats you.
- CBT is effective but requires consistent work both with your therapist and at home. Make sure to keep all your appointments and do any outside exercises your therapist tells you to.
4
Consider taking antianxiety medication if you have panic attacks. Since aichmophobia is an anxiety reaction, antianxiety medication can be effective in treating it. Your therapist may prescribe a medication like Xanax or Klonopin to help you work through anxiety and panic attacks.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Take any medication exactly as directed.
- Usually this type of medication is not taken daily, but only when you feel an anxiety attack coming on.
- The symptoms of an anxiety attack include increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, nausea, feeling faint or dizzy, and high levels of fear or paranoia. Recognize these symptoms so you can respond accordingly when an anxiety attack begins. When you notice the signs, you can take your medication or start doing relaxation exercises.^{[12]XResearch source}
5
Try hypnotherapy if other traditional methods haven't worked. Hypnosis has shown some effectiveness for phobias like aichmophobia. Unlike in movies, hypnosis doesn’t involve putting you to sleep and brainwashing you. A hypnotherapist will just guide you into a relaxed state so you can talk about your fears more openly. If traditional methods aren’t working for you, hypnosis may help you work through your fear.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Ask your therapist for a recommendation for a licensed, professional hypnotherapist.
- Any hypnotherapist you visit should be a member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis or the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. These organizations have admissions standards that assess the education, qualifications, and ethics of its members.^{[14]XResearch source}
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Treating Aichmophobia from Home

1
Fight anxiety with exercise and yoga. Aichmophobia can occur because you are overstressed and don’t have an outlet to process anxiety. Physical activity helps reduce stress and anxiety. If you aren’t an active person, consider starting an exercise regimen or visiting a local yoga class. Getting on a regular exercise schedule can help reduce your overall anxiety.^{[15]XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitalsGo to source}
- If you haven’t exercised much in the past, start off slow to avoid getting injured. Try a 30-minute exercise session 2 or 3 days per week to start, then gradually exercise for longer periods on more days.
- You don’t have to workout hard to enjoy these benefits. Taking a walk a few times a week can cut down on your stress and anxiety as well.
2
Practice meditation techniques. Meditation is a great way to reduce the anxiety and panic that comes along with aichmophobia. Try starting a daily meditation regimen for a few minutes every day. Work on clearing your mind and breathing deeply to reduce your stress.^{[16]XTrustworthy SourcePubMed CentralJournal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of HealthGo to source}
- You can then use these meditation techniques to ward off panic attacks when you see sharp objects. When you feel the anxiety coming over you, stop and focus on your breathing. With enough practice, you can stop anxiety attacks with meditation techniques.
3
Avoid self-medicating with alcohol or drugs. People with phobias sometimes try to handle their fears with drugs or alcohol. This is an unhealthy coping mechanism that can cause more issues like addiction or health problems. Avoid the temptation to numb your fears with substances and work with a medical professional instead.^{[17]XResearch source}
- Symptoms of substance abuse include using substances at school or work, hiding the amount that you use from friends and family, using more than you intended to, and being unable to stop even if you try. If you've developed a problem with substances, contact the National Drug Helpline by calling (844) 289-0879 or visiting http://drughelpline.org/.
Treating phobias can be a long process. Sometimes you’ll see improvement but then your anxiety can return. If this happens, don’t worry. It’s normal. Keep in touch with your therapist and if you feel like you’re moving backward, schedule another appointment.^{[18]XTrustworthy SourceNational Health Service (UK)Public healthcare system of the UKGo to source}
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