Blood phobia

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]

Additional recommended knowledge

Essential Laboratory Skills Guide

Weighing the right way

Daily Visual Balance Check

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]

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]

Blood phobia in popular culture

• The character Tsunade, a medical ninja, from the anime Naruto has hemophobia, a fact that Orochimaru exploits.

References