h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I HATE getting poked by needles! I hate watching other people getting poked by needles, and I hate hearing people talk about getting poked by needles! Not only does my skin crawl around needles, it wanders off and hides in a dark, comfy place until all threat of needledom is long since missing. Why can't they just give us all pills for whatever the problem is? Do the doc's get some sort of joy out of digging a cold steel railroad spike in our arms, shoulders, etc.?

God only knows.

I also have a loathing of razor blades, butchers' knives, etc., but only when they're close to my wrists or neck. Not the quite sensible inkling that I should keep them away, but a strong sense of repulsion. Yecch.

I totally agree. This is one of my two great phobias, the other being heights (fear of falling, to be exact). The thing is, I was OK when I was a kid. The phobia materialised during my early twenties, and made itself evident when I went to give blood. I swear that the needle was the size of a hollowed out knitting needle - one of the really large ones. I haven't been able to give blood since, and even injections are horrifying. I don't even like to see the darn things on TV.

Like, whoa, sychronicity moment!

When I was 4, I had a blood test administered by what can only be described as very unsympathetic medical personnel. Ever since, needles have held a terror for me. I had to have a blood test about a month ago and I started hyperventilating when the technician opened his kit bag.

Falling, ditto. I actually have a fear of being out of control at speed - falling, skateboards, rollerblades - anything that doesn't have an obvious and simple pair of brakes that I can apply at any moment. I tried to learn to rollerblade once, but just couldn't cope with it. Hell, I never even had a bike. The thought of hurtling into something (and inevitably cutting myself!) made them an impossibility for me.

I can ride a bike, but haven't done so for a long time. It took me a long time to learn because I was scared of falling off. Even once I learned I still wobbled a lot and didn't like putting my arm out to indicate which way I was going to turn. I guess one of my problems is that I don't trust my sense of balance. Sometimes I'm not even sure I've got one.

Cor. Perhaps we're related

If you have ever wondered what its like to be a small piece of cheese at a party that has been speared with a cocktail stick, go to you doctors and ask for a deep gluteal muscle injection for hayfever. Im sure they just inject milk instead of the white steroid, its the fear of needles that stops you sneezing.

You could be right Damon - I hate injections in the mouth, too ( I don't fear needles otherwise).
btw hi and welcome to the Guide - if you'd take the time to write an introduction ("hi" suffices) it would be easier to get in contact with you (without getting conversations completely off topic...)

have fun,
k*

Oh god yeah. Dentist injections in the mouth that make you numb. It also pushes your lower set of teeth 2 inches in front of your upper set for the rest of the day so you can only eat soup through a straw for 24 hours and mumble so terribly when you try to talk that you make Marlon Brando at the end of Apocalypse Now sound as clear as a BBC newsreader.

I like this website , it suits my sarcasm nicely.

The happy laughter knockout gas is much more fun.

In March I had a minor op which required a general anaesthetic. So there I was lying on an operation trolley expecting a mask to be plonked on my mouth, but oh no, I get a needle in my arm. It knocked me out in about 3 secs after a minor tingling sensation. I didnt even manage to say" Do you expect me to talk Goldfinger?" to the anaethetist. Woke up half an hour later fresh as Bonnie Langford on speed.

Oh my God I hate needles. When I was about eight I had a blood test, and the needle got stuck in my vein. i've always hated the things, but I've a feeling this eXperience just made it worse. I always shake and cry before an injection... you should see me. I get sooo abused by my so-called friends about it. I can't even watch it on the telly, it makes me wanna scream!
Red Petunia

Whenever somebody has an injection on TV, I always tell Richard to tell me when it's over. Mind you, we're going to Egypt for our holidays this year, and we had our jabs yesterday. I only had to have one (combined typhoid and hepatitis A) because I'm up to date on tetanus. I was really glad I only had to have one. I was really scared before I had it, and not too happy afterwards. I still don't know why I'm scared of hypodermics, though.