The fear of white coats is a very unpleasant phobia, complicated by the fact that a person often cannot be cured of it without the help of professionals. Don't worry, though; you can fix the problem yourself.
Getting rid of the fear of white coats: the first steps
The very first and most important thing to do is acknowledge that the problem exists. People often prefer to hide the obsessive fear of white coats. In such cases, even those who are faced with hypertension, arrhythmia, vegetative-vascular dystonia and other diseases that require supervision by a professional argue that they simply do not have time to visit doctors.
Sometimes people prone to such a phobia justify themselves by the fact that many drugs and medical procedures are expensive. In fact, in such cases, these are no more than just excuses.
Try to identify what exactly scares you. Often, the fear of white coats is not associated with something specific: a person is simply afraid to go to doctors, even if he understands that it is necessary. Think and articulate what scares you the most. Maybe it's unpleasant medical procedures, the lack of professionalism of some doctors, fear of painful sensations, unwillingness to know about health problems. Find your reasons and fight them.
Conquer fear with reason. For example, if you are very bad at examining the breasts, genitals, rectum, think that such procedures, although unpleasant, are short. Moreover, in many cases, they help to save human health and life, since thanks to them it is possible to identify diseases at the initial stages. Use positive arguments: "This procedure is necessary for me to be healthy and happy", "Thanks to the help of doctors, I will feel great."
How to overcome your fear of white coats
If you realize that specific doctors are scaring you, try to find other specialists. You can even seek help from a private clinic, where the best professionals work. It is thanks to the experienced, skillful, knowledgeable doctors that it is possible to overcome the patient's fear of dentists, gynecologists, proctologists and other "terrible" doctors.
Do not hesitate to ask your friends and relatives about the services of which doctors they use. This will help you determine which specialists are worth going to and which are not.
Often, the fear of the white coat is associated with the fear of medical procedures. If you are about to undergo treatment, ask your doctor for details on how you will feel and how long it will last. According to the observation of psychologists, clear directions are calming, while the unknown is frightening.
