Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsDiagnosisCausesTreatmentCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Causes
Treatment
Coping
Nosocomephobiais a marked, excessive fear of hospitals.People with a fear of hospitals experience intenseanxietyand distress when they go to a hospital or even think about one. They may also go to great lengths to avoid clinical settings and medical care, which can put their health and safety at risk.
Learn more about nosocomephobia, including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and more.
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Nosocomephobia refers to an intense, irrational fear of hospitals.It’s a type ofspecific phobia, which is a kind ofanxiety disorderin theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition(DSM-5). People with specific phobias experience significant symptoms of anxiety, distress, fear, and panic when they are exposed to a particular situation, animal, object, or activity.
The fear of hospitals may fall under the “blood-injection-injury” subtype of specific phobias. Other common medically related specific phobias includehemophobia(fear of blood) andtrypanophobia(fear of injections).
When people with nosocomephobia are in a hospital or think about hospitals, they may experience the following symptoms:
Avoidance of the source of one’s fear is another common symptom of specific phobias. For example, people with nosocomephobia may go out of their way to avoid hospital settings due to their distress.
This symptom can have a negative impact on significant areas of a person’s life, including their physical health and well-being. Some people with a fear of hospitals may be so afraid to undergo necessary medical testing that they don’t get the treatment they need.
Are Phobias Common?Specific phobias are common among children, teens, and adults alike. About 12.5% of U.S. adults will experience a specific phobia at some point in their life.
Are Phobias Common?
Specific phobias are common among children, teens, and adults alike. About 12.5% of U.S. adults will experience a specific phobia at some point in their life.
A List of Common Phobias
To diagnose you with nosocomephobia, your healthcare provider will use the DSM-5 criteria for specific phobias. They may ask you about your anxiety symptoms, how they affect your health and relationships, and if you’ve experienced them for six months or more.
Your healthcare provider will likely ask additional questions to rule out other related psychiatric conditions, such aspost-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) orobsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD).
Researchers have noted several factors that can increase the likelihood of developing a fear of hospitals, such as:
Many people with specific phobias don’t seek treatment, but highly effective approaches are available.If you think you may have nosocomephobia, discuss the following treatment options with your healthcare provider:
Seek HelpIf you or a loved one is struggling with a fear of hospitals or any other mental disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
Seek Help
If you or a loved one is struggling with a fear of hospitals or any other mental disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
To cope effectively with a fear of hospitals and other specific phobias, it’s important to learn how to relax as much as possible. To improve your overall mental health and calm your anxiety symptoms, you can:
There are also several different ways you can feel more comfortable in a medical environment, such as:
What Is Fear of Getting Sick (Nosophobia)?
Summary
Nosocomephobia refers to a type of specific phobia that involves a marked, excessive fear of hospitals. People with nosocomephobia experience symptoms of anxiety—such as excessive sweating,lightheadedness, rapid breathing, fast heart rate, and nausea—when they visit or think about hospitals. Some people with a fear of hospitals go to extremes to avoid medical settings, which can have a negative effect on their health.
A Word From Verywell
Some people are embarrassed to open up about experiencing a specific phobia like nosocomephobia, however, you are not alone. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting the help you need.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hudswell L, Pinson J, Ramdave S, Bradley J.No needle to fear: an approach to needle phobic patients.Asia Ocean J Nucl Med Biol. 2020;8(2):160-163. doi:10.22038/AOJNMB.2020.45184.1304American Psychological Association.Specific phobia.National Health Service.Overview - phobias.National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.MedlinePlus.Phobias - simple/specific.Sawyers C, Ollendick T, Brotman MA, et al.The genetic and environmental structure of fear and anxiety in juvenile twins.Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2019;180(3):204-212. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32714Öztürk Şahin Ö, Topan A.Investigation of the fear of 7-18-year-old hospitalized children for illness and hospital.J Relig Health. 2019;58(3):1011-1023. doi:10.1007/s10943-018-0688-xSürme Y, Özmen N, Ertürk Arik B.Fear of COVID-19 and related factors in emergency department patients.Int J Ment Health Addict. 2021:1-9. doi:10.1007/s11469-021-00575-2Witthauer C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Meyer AH, et al.Associations of specific phobia and its subtypes with physical diseases: an adult community study.BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:155. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0863-0Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Meuret AE, Simon E, Bhaskara L, Ritz T.Ultra-brief behavioral skills trainings for blood injection injury phobia.Depress Anxiety. 2017;34(12):1096-1105. doi:10.1002/da.22616National Health Service.Self-help - phobias.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hudswell L, Pinson J, Ramdave S, Bradley J.No needle to fear: an approach to needle phobic patients.Asia Ocean J Nucl Med Biol. 2020;8(2):160-163. doi:10.22038/AOJNMB.2020.45184.1304American Psychological Association.Specific phobia.National Health Service.Overview - phobias.National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.MedlinePlus.Phobias - simple/specific.Sawyers C, Ollendick T, Brotman MA, et al.The genetic and environmental structure of fear and anxiety in juvenile twins.Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2019;180(3):204-212. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32714Öztürk Şahin Ö, Topan A.Investigation of the fear of 7-18-year-old hospitalized children for illness and hospital.J Relig Health. 2019;58(3):1011-1023. doi:10.1007/s10943-018-0688-xSürme Y, Özmen N, Ertürk Arik B.Fear of COVID-19 and related factors in emergency department patients.Int J Ment Health Addict. 2021:1-9. doi:10.1007/s11469-021-00575-2Witthauer C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Meyer AH, et al.Associations of specific phobia and its subtypes with physical diseases: an adult community study.BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:155. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0863-0Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Meuret AE, Simon E, Bhaskara L, Ritz T.Ultra-brief behavioral skills trainings for blood injection injury phobia.Depress Anxiety. 2017;34(12):1096-1105. doi:10.1002/da.22616National Health Service.Self-help - phobias.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Hudswell L, Pinson J, Ramdave S, Bradley J.No needle to fear: an approach to needle phobic patients.Asia Ocean J Nucl Med Biol. 2020;8(2):160-163. doi:10.22038/AOJNMB.2020.45184.1304American Psychological Association.Specific phobia.National Health Service.Overview - phobias.National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.MedlinePlus.Phobias - simple/specific.Sawyers C, Ollendick T, Brotman MA, et al.The genetic and environmental structure of fear and anxiety in juvenile twins.Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2019;180(3):204-212. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32714Öztürk Şahin Ö, Topan A.Investigation of the fear of 7-18-year-old hospitalized children for illness and hospital.J Relig Health. 2019;58(3):1011-1023. doi:10.1007/s10943-018-0688-xSürme Y, Özmen N, Ertürk Arik B.Fear of COVID-19 and related factors in emergency department patients.Int J Ment Health Addict. 2021:1-9. doi:10.1007/s11469-021-00575-2Witthauer C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Meyer AH, et al.Associations of specific phobia and its subtypes with physical diseases: an adult community study.BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:155. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0863-0Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Meuret AE, Simon E, Bhaskara L, Ritz T.Ultra-brief behavioral skills trainings for blood injection injury phobia.Depress Anxiety. 2017;34(12):1096-1105. doi:10.1002/da.22616National Health Service.Self-help - phobias.
Hudswell L, Pinson J, Ramdave S, Bradley J.No needle to fear: an approach to needle phobic patients.Asia Ocean J Nucl Med Biol. 2020;8(2):160-163. doi:10.22038/AOJNMB.2020.45184.1304
American Psychological Association.Specific phobia.
National Health Service.Overview - phobias.
National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.
MedlinePlus.Phobias - simple/specific.
Sawyers C, Ollendick T, Brotman MA, et al.The genetic and environmental structure of fear and anxiety in juvenile twins.Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2019;180(3):204-212. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32714
Öztürk Şahin Ö, Topan A.Investigation of the fear of 7-18-year-old hospitalized children for illness and hospital.J Relig Health. 2019;58(3):1011-1023. doi:10.1007/s10943-018-0688-x
Sürme Y, Özmen N, Ertürk Arik B.Fear of COVID-19 and related factors in emergency department patients.Int J Ment Health Addict. 2021:1-9. doi:10.1007/s11469-021-00575-2
Witthauer C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Meyer AH, et al.Associations of specific phobia and its subtypes with physical diseases: an adult community study.BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:155. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0863-0
Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1
Meuret AE, Simon E, Bhaskara L, Ritz T.Ultra-brief behavioral skills trainings for blood injection injury phobia.Depress Anxiety. 2017;34(12):1096-1105. doi:10.1002/da.22616
National Health Service.Self-help - phobias.
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