Phobia

[Duncan03]

Alright, Im ready for the criticism and laughing this post will incite. Like a lot of people, I have a phobia and mine is of needles but more specifically hypodermic needles. I know for MEPs they need blood and they're will be inoculations throughout the boot camp experience but does anyone have any advice? I understand, I have to just deal with it, but honestly its a phobia that is out of my minds control. I mean, I've almost passed out. I don't know why, but I have so should I even bother telling anyone before hand of just buck up and hope for the best. Thanks in advance for any help.

Poolee Duncan

[mcspam]

look away? I dunno, your gonna have to learn to deal with it.

[lake9]

u get alot more shots in boot camp. if u say u cant control it ln ur head then i have no advice. but i dont want to know what will happen if u get shot...thats like a big hot needle. good luck though, i would get use to getting needles.

[Duncan03]

It is literally only a reaction to needles. People with knives and guns and such dont bother me in the least. Its just the hypodermic needle. I figured no one would have advice but I figured I'd try.

[Kiri]

I suffer from this personally, and I have to tell you, it sucks. It doesn't really go away, but it gets easier the more you're exposed to them. They don't ever really put a huge needle in you at MEPS, and yeah, you're going to get a lot more shots in boot camp.

I knew this would be a huge part of my life in the military, so I made to personal choice to get over it or get used to it. So far it's been closer to the latter. I've forced myself to give blood 3 times so far at school blood drives, and the needle they stick into you there is a big ass piece of suck, but like I said that was my personal choice. I used to be morbidly afraid of needles, but now they just kinda creep me out and give me chills, ya know? Anyway, good luck, Poolee Gibson.

[Steve018]

Look forward to it and own that *****. idk, sounds hard to overcome. just look at it like a marine corps obstacle.

[Taviah]

Just let yourself pass out, that way it'll be over when you wake up.

[bubbathepoolee]

Its all in your head.

How do you get used to the dark? You turn all the lights off and deal with it.

Same thing applies here. Just do it, and it won't seem all that bad.

[Time Bandit]

After the first few you should realize its nothing big. I didn't even feel the shot at MEP's they did it so fast.

[lake9]

After the first few you should realize its nothing big. I didn't even feel the shot at MEP's they did it so fast.

i can handle shots but the guy at meps ****ed up my arm so bad. it was all bruised the next day. lol

[calebh180]

I used to be the same way but just dont sweat it. Its not a big deal just look away and dont look at the needle, looking at the needle makes it so much worse.

[Bagwell916]

Drawing blood is very easy. The best thing to do is to think nothing of it. Whoever is drawing the blood at your MEPSCOM, just talk to them about sports, joining, etc. while he does it. It makes it much easier when you think nothing of it.

Another thing to do is just pull the fake yawn when it happens. It'll turn into a real yawn and it'll be done by the time you even look back. ;)

[Bagwell916]

Drawing blood is very easy. The best thing to do is to think nothing of it. Whoever is drawing the blood at your MEPSCOM, just talk to them about sports, joining, etc. while he does it. It makes it much easier when you think nothing of it.

Another thing to do is just pull the fake yawn when it happens. It'll turn into a real yawn and it'll be done by the time you even look back. ;)

[Nerd]

i can handle shots but the guy at meps ****ed up my arm so bad. it was all bruised the next day. lol

Thats because MEPs doctors are incompetant civilians :P

...kidding (sort of)

Man, to get over needles, don't look at them. If you don't see them you should be ok, right?

Remember, it doesn't even hurt that badly

[Domc]

Best thing I can say is between now and your ship date, go give blood at blood drives, when the needle is going to go in, just laugh about it with the person doing it, keep your mind off of it and you will be fine.

There was a girl at MEPS with us who couldn't handle giving blood so we all just started to talking to her and having her focus on us, she didn't pass out cause she took her mind off it. She did go extremely pale though, at that point just drink water.

[Andrew09]

I have the same thing man, honestly you just have to come to terms with the fact that it's something you have to do to move on with your career. I have been told by many folks with the same phobia that have come and gone to bootcamp that you're so tired and emotional during processing week that you really don't care about the needles that much. The closer I get to my ship date (7 days away) the more I can start to relate with that... because I frikin hate needles but every day that goes by I start worrying less about the stupid shots and more about getting through bootcamp, friends, family, etc. Hope that helps.

[wilsontc11]

Don't let a phobia of needles get in your way of becoming a Marine. Yeah, if its bad you'll probably feint when you get your shots (You get a series of shots twice during boot camp), but it doesn't last forever. Who knows, maybe you'll over come your fear of it. Just try and remember its all in your head

[Agent Johnson]

Alright, Im ready for the criticism and laughing this post will incite. Like a lot of people, I have a phobia and mine is of needles but more specifically hypodermic needles. I know for MEPs they need blood and they're will be inoculations throughout the boot camp experience but does anyone have any advice? I understand, I have to just deal with it, but honestly its a phobia that is out of my minds control. I mean, I've almost passed out. I don't know why, but I have so should I even bother telling anyone before hand of just buck up and hope for the best. Thanks in advance for any help.

Poolee Duncan
I'm scared to death of needles, it's not bad. Just look away and you wont even know it happened until it's over. The guy pokes me and goes "oh **** I missed" then I looked over angry and he's said just kidding your done.

[Duncan03]

Thanks guys. All this advice is helping a lot. Didn't realize so many people had the same problem. I mean, I was aware that people thought it sucked but not as bad as me. I've since realized the goal of becoming a Marine far far out weights any fear of needles. Like a previous poolee said, its not the pain that bothers me, just a mental block of needles. Also, Wilson, my friend Joseph South graduated same battalion and company as you. He was platoon 2005. Once again, thanks a lot guys for all the advice. Its helping a lot.

[sparkie]

I always had 'white coat' syndrome. As a kid needles made me faint. Now when I see a Dr,,,,, My blood pressure goes up. I'm not a woose, heck I can do my own minor surgery. It is what it is. A protecvtive mechanism outta your control My best advice,,,, Breathe, and pick a spot on the wall to conscerate at. It gets better with age.

[cjredneck500]

im not scared of needles, i i pass out every time i get stuck with one, its normal for some people, i even passed out at MEPS and they were cool with it, just tell them so they expect it hahaha

[Big Tuna]

Heres another way for you to look at it.

If you come face-to-face with an enemy, are they going to sugar coat things? Are they going to be nice and cater to your needs? Of course not.

Everybody has their own various mental blocks, their own deep dark fears (and anybody who claims to be fearless is a liar). But you have to suck up everything you got and push forward. Boot camp will challenge you mentally and physically. And just like every other obstacle, you will find a way to overcome it.

If other people can do it, you can too brother.

[Duncan03]

Thank you all for the motivation and advice. Like was said by someone else, its something I can't control in my own mind. I already know I can get through it. Just basically sweating the small stuff like a lot of people do. It's all good though. Earning the title won't be stopped by a silly mental block of needles. Thanks again.

[holey336]

i used to have the same issue as a kid but after being hit by a car i ended up in the hospital with broken bones and had to get shots every 4 hours(pain meds), eventually i came to associate needles with pain relief and have loved them ever since, but at first i had to deal with them and just looked away and imagined someone was pinching me

[Rasmussen]

I have the same problem. I am scared to death of needles to the point that I have to have 4 ppl plus a nurse hold me down (and I'm a tiny girl) just to get a flu shot. So I know exactly where you are coming from. But honestly when I went to Meps and got my blood drawn I was just fine. You just have to get in the mindset that you're planning to be a Marine so it's a challenge you must overcome. I wish I knew how to help though.

[USMC Infantry]

Just let yourself pass out, that way it'll be over when you wake up.


Umm no dont do that