I have gotten my blood drawn a few different times and I know it's not that big of a deal. I don't have any specific anxieties or fears about it other than worrying about the pain, because I have had pain from needles before. (It's nothing super intense, but it hurts more than most people say it hurts. This might be a psychological thing, but I'm not sure.)

Despite knowing logically that it's not a big deal and will be over before I know it, my body still responds to it as if it is an extremely scary situation. My heart pounds, my breathing gets a little faster (though I try to focus on taking deep breaths), I feel a little dizzy, I feel just generally in panic, and I'm not really able to talk to the tech more than answering basic questions (they probably can tell I'm nervous so they try to have a conversation, but I'm not able to talk with them).

I've found that this usually gets better each time I do it, because I'm able to remind my brain that the last time went perfectly find and I'm able to be a little calmer the next time.

But unfortunately, the last time I had my blood drawn did NOT go well. I had a few other procedures coming up that I was anxious about, and I tried to focus on the blood draw specifically because it was the "easy" one and I knew I didn't have to worry about it. But that backfired. The needle hurt a lot more than normal and I felt pretty dizzy afterwards. Then when I got out to the van with my mom, I looked down at my band-aid to realize blood was running down my arm. I do NOT like seeing myself bleeding and this kickstarted my anxiety. My mom gave me something to stop the bleeding and I held it on there the whole way home. I started crying about the pain and from freaking out about it bleeding like that (it wasn't a lot of blood, but it's never bled afterwards before). I felt anxious/emotional the rest of the day.

~

This brings me to my question. I have to get my blood drawn tomorrow or the day after, and I am very anxious about it. Because of how dizzy I felt last time and because I know it will worsen my anxiety this time around, I am scared I may pass out. Being able to plan for things and having more information helps me to convince my brain not to be as anxious.

So what happens if you pass out from getting your blood drawn? I have never passed out in my life and I don't know what it would be like or what dangers could happen because of the fact that there may still be a needle in my arm.

Also, does anyone have tips on how to be less anxious about the process in general and avoid passing out? I try to take deep breaths, I hold a squishy toy in my other hand, and I try to use coping skills to help stay calm, but none of them seem to work.

Can anyone help me with this please?

~~~~

UPDATE: It went really well this time and I did NOT pass out. I listened to Bluey in my ear bud and squeezed a mini squishmallow. It was super quick and I didn't get dizzy. I still got very anxious before and during, but I was able to calm down as soon as my arm was bandaged.

Thank you for all of your advice and kind words! You're all so sweet!

Located in US, if that matters. I have insurance but its a nightmare to navigate and it scares me.

I have a bunch of change to deposit and I know they'll only accept it if it's in the bags.

I have the bags but what do I do now? How much goes in a bag? How do I split the change up? Do I need to write on the bags?

My teen is absolutely terrified of blood draws for 2 reasons. One is the pain of the needle. I get that and it’s manageable. The second, and the one that sends her into a panic attack, is that she swears she can feel the blood leaving her body.

I googled it and hemophobia is a thing but she’s not scared of the blood. Just the feeling of it leaving. I don’t understand it and can’t talk her through it. The ER had to give her something for anxiety tonight because she just couldn’t calm down.

Help?

(Yes, we are looking for a therapist)

hi! i just moved to a city for the first time ever and am terrified of driving around with rural driving etiquette, so i've decided to get groceries delivered today. i already put the order through, but i don't know the etiquette around physically getting the groceries. do i let the delivery person into my house? do i help them unload their car? i tipped already, but i just don't know how to go about the manners here!

Hi!!! I’m 15M (nearly 16). I’m autistic and homeschooled due to medical issues and don’t get out like… at all. Even when I was going to school, I had no friends and didn’t speak to anyone for the entirety of middle school. I’m terrified to talk to people and don’t know where to go to find anyone to talk to. There aren’t any people my age in my neighborhood or any schools very close to my home so I don’t think there’s a lot of people with kids my age in my specific area. I don’t have the means of getting many places either. I don’t know where to find people that are my age range and nice with similar interests and I don’t know how to talk to them. I’m also queer (FTM) living in a very very red area and I’m afraid to talk to people because of that. People would not know by looking at me, I look like an androgynous female I think. I don’t want to form relationships with people that don’t know or see me as who I actually am, but I’m too scared to tell people I don’t know because I have no idea how they’ll respond, and I’m scared to tell people I do know (if I knew anyone lol) because I’d be scared of losing them as soon as I’ve gotten to know them. Help???

hi so first for context: I've had many tattoos/piercings done, and for some reason these interactions have generally been pretty awkward and uncomfortable for me. I get the impression that my autism may be making me come across as rude or weird in these situations as I don't fully understand the social rules surrounding tattoo shops, despite my repeated best efforts. in the past I've shrugged this off because I live somewhere with an excess of tattoo artists, so if a social experience is ever too painful or embarrassing for me I can always go to someone else the next time I want something done.

however, I'm currently looking to have a piece of scarification done. reputable scarification artists are much less common than tattoo artists, and this is something I'll have to travel for. so it's extremely important to me that I don't fuck this up the way I've fucked up in the past.

I have an artist picked out who I'd like to email. I want to inquire about whether he's currently accepting scarification clients, what the price estimate would be, and (assuming he's accepting clients) whether or not he'd be willing to do my idea. my idea is similar to things he's done in the past, but I'm the most nervous about explaining my idea to him in a way that makes sense without being overbearing either (in case he wants to make adjustments to it, since he's the expert and knows what's doable or not). I've had a tattoo artist bluntly call one of my ideas stupid before so this is a sore spot for me lol

it feels silly to ask but if anyone, especially people with experience in the body mod scene, could give me a run-down on dos and don'ts for going about this in a respectful and normal way it would be greatly appreciated. as well as maybe some advice for how to conduct myself in this situation after the initial email correspondences, assuming he's willing to work with me.

thank you

I’ve always wanted to be a mom and I’m at the stage in my life where I’m ready for that to happen. The only thing is that I’m terrified of bloodwork and needles. I just recently got my blood drawn and they had to stick me multiple times and i passed out and threw up in the process. The nurse asked me if I wanted kids and i said yes and she told me that if I wanted kids then i better get used to it. I am more terrified of the needles than actually having a baby. I need some advice…

Hello!

I'm neurodivergent and have a lot of social anxiety. Any time I think somebody is around me, watching me, I don't want to exist. It's hard to explain but I don't want to be percieved Or judged by them. The thing is that it runs in a loop - because I don't want to be seen, I either trip or walk weird and that makes me feel even more embarrassed.

And because I get so anxious my muscles automatically tense up every time and they either spasm or I twist something when I force it.

My mind has convinced me that there's this barrier, that this is something that holds me back. And it makes my social anxiety worse. When I look at a couple, I think ah they are together because they probably don't have a weird walk. It's ridiculous!

I have tried walking with music in my ears, used a smart watch, gotten a buddy to keep checking in with step counts, but I think I just really want you guys to tell me that this weird walk thing isn't real and there's no real barrier. Please tell me that so much doesn't rely on a walk

I think it is a huge problem and then I keep working on it so hard but maybe if I just chill out I'll be fine.

For some reason I’m super nervous to tell her. Any advice on how I could start the conversation?

I love playing video games, but my laptop is a bit crap. I’ve been on the subreddit for it, but could someone please explain what actually happens when I run a game that is to graphically intense for my gpu? Like I’m very worried it will break my laptop or crash the whole thing if I play the wrong one.

Edit: you all are such a lovely, nice community! Thank you for being so kind with my silly question!

(For context, living in Australia)

Hey folks. In, like, March this year, I went to the doctor for the first time for an anxiety referral, and went through all the steps, excellent. This was a huge step for me, that I'd otherwise been avoiding doing. I got a referral sent to a psychologist and then waited for them to follow up. I later discovered that I was meant to do the follow up, but by this point it had been three months.

Now I don't know whether I am still within a timeframe where I can contact the psychologist and follow up myself, or whether I should go back to the GP and get another referral and just pretend the first one never happened. Does anyone have advice? I really need this referral but feel weird about the fact that its been like, at least six months since getting it.

I've been trying to move for a while now and finally got a response back from someone. I used the resources I got from my last post on here but I realized I have no idea where to go from here. Do I meet with the person I'm potentially moving in with face to face? What do I say? What should we be discussing? Is there anything I should be aware of?

hey everyone! i first wanted to thank everyone who responded to my post yesterday! i didnt respond to too many people since i figured id just make a general update: i survived! i took everyones advice and made sure to tell the phlebotomist about my anxiety and she was so kind and understanding. i made sure to stay very hydrated which made finding my vein a lot easier, and i was able to lay down for the entire process. i also took it upon myself to bring my mom as a buddy and a small plush spider i could squeeze if anything got uncomfortable. that being said, the most uncomfortable part of the whole thing was the damn band being around my arm. the actual draw was the least of my worries and i barely felt a thing. in the end, it wasnt a comfortable experience, but yeah. i survived haha. thank you again to everyone here for helping me conquer one of my biggest phobias, it means a lot!

hey there, 23F here. after pushing it back for over 2 years, im getting my blood drawn tomorrow for the first time tomorrow in order to help diagnose some medical issues ive been having. thing is, i am EXTREMELY afraid of the idea of blood draws and IVs. shots dont bother me since they are so quick, but ive heard blood draws take more time and are much more uncomfortable. im tempted to cancel my appointment and back out like a coward again even though i know i need to get it done. what can i expect tomorrow from the whole thing? does it go by quick? does it hurt? thank you so much in advance

edit: follow up question: would it be okay if i took something for anti anxiety (in my case xanax) before my appointment to calm my nerves? or would that mess with results too much?

edit 2: thank you to everyone who has responded and continues to respond, this is why i love reddit, i appreciate everyones honesty and first hand experiences!

I live in the UK and have always been absolutely terrified of a world war happening ever since i was younger, i try not to look at stuff but the more i get anxious the more i want to know. This stuff on the news has really affected me these past couple of weeks, and i don’t know what to do. Is there any information which clarifies what is going to happen? sorry if i sound stupid LOL

i am to the point where i would rather be nuked and die on impact rather than lose people to the draft.

i am looking to get some thc gummies via the internet, but i havent done this before how should i do this and is there any site you would recomend

I've applied to a job at a cinema, and they want to do a phone interview tomorrow afternoon. I've never had a job before, so this is the very first time I'm doing a job interview and I'm really freaking out.

What should I expect from it, and how should I best prepare? Also what's the best way to overcome interview anxiety?

Thank you!!

I've always wanted to do a martial art because I've got a few friends that do it (BJJ, taekwondo, etc). I grew up going to judo competitions because my childhood best friend was involved with it and I still enjoy watching judo. But now I'm much older (22) and I feel it's more difficult to start a sport as a total beginner.

My main questions are:

- There is a judo club locally in my town and a judo club at my university, would one be better than the other?

- What knowledge (if any) should I go into a first session with?

- Will I be given a uniform to wear during a first session or should I just wear regular workout gear?

- Generally, are clubs welcoming of beginners or should I prepare to get a little bit of flack?

- Is there any general etiquette that I should be aware of?

Any other info is also welcome - I'm a bit scared to dive into something new I've got no experience in, but it seems really fun! TIA.

i've always done just a carryon because checked bags feels so complicated, but i'm moving so i need to bring more bags... knowing what the process looks like would be really helpful but i dont really know how to ask/look it up and i have to do it all by myself. thank you for your time.

I grew up Mormon and left the church years ago. I've been slowly exploring things that I didn't feel comfortable/able to do growing up (exploring sexuality, getting tattoos, trying coffee for the first time, etc.). Now I'm in a place that I'd like to try drinking. I've actually smoked pot a few times in the past, so I'm not really worried about effects or whatever, it's more about the process of buying it and what stuff to try? Also, I should probably mention that I am a few years above drinking age, haha. 😂 (I'm in the US, btw.)

I don't think I'm ready to try going to a bar, I think I'd rather try some stuff on my own and get a feel for what I like/don't like first.

Anyways, suggestions on what to try? Tips on amounts? There's a few liquor stores around me, but I'm so nervous to go in and look around-- I want to know what to look for (I've got some issues with social anxiety, so I'd like to avoid talking with the cashier or whatever as much as I can 🫠 Thanks!

EDIT: Thank you all sm!!

i have heard all the horrible things that are going to happen to minorities and women’s rights, how democracy and free elections will be gone. i understand that i am on very biased places on the internet but it all sounds very probable and i am quite scared.

Hi all,

I'm trying to think of ways to catch up with a friend from high school that I haven't properly spoken to since we graduated about 3 years ago now. We were close but COVID got in the way of everything, I'd really like to reconnect if he's interested.

I was thinking it might be a good idea to go straight into suggesting something we could do before I even get a response just to avoid the awkward "How've you been" text, but I understand that might be a bit overwhelming.

So here's the format I was thinking of sending right off the bat:

"Hey, it's been ages, how's it going?"

"Would you be up to catch up sometime?"

"I've been playing (game we used to play a lot) again recently, was thinking it might be fun to catch up over that, just an idea though" - I feel like this comes off as a bit clunky, but I feel like it gives the conversation a direction.

"Then again it's a busy time of year, might not be the best time to ask" - Just to give him an out in case he's not interested.

Once again, I feel like this might come off as a bit overwhelming to send him all at once, but having been on the other side of just a "how've you been" text, I feel like providing a direction such as suggesting an activity increases the chances you'll actually reconnect. Idk, maybe I'm thinking about this way too deeply lol.

What do you all think? Any responses are greatly appreciated!

Is there a way to find a friend that is a girly girl similar to myself online? I am introverted, but am thinking I would like to have at least one friend that has common interests to me. Coffee dates, shopping, antiques, etc. The only thing I am hesitant about is that I have chronic health issues that make me unable to drive. If I go anywhere, I have to get a ride with my family or boyfriend. I have one friend that I have known since age 14, so she knows everything about me. She always comes to pick me up. She has a very busy life though, and we rarely hang out in person. Any of y’all’s input on this would be helpful! Thanks!

I got recommended to ask this question here by someone in r/evilautism. I just got accepted into vet tech school!! Yaaaay🎉🎊 One big problem though, the advisor made it very clear I have to join a study group as soon as possible but there aren't premade study groups. She said people just form study groups with the friends they make in the first couple of days. I'm sooo bad at making friends. I've looked up guides, taken notes, practiced and failed many times. My brain moves too slow for casual conversation, I don't usually think of a response until too much time has passed and it's awkward. I script basically every interaction already, but people are so unpredictable when I hit a question I'm not prepared for I buffer. Is there any I can do here?? I'm thinking of making posters advertising a study group and posting them around school, that way maybe I can make a study group first and make friends with them that way. Any tips or advice would be very much appreciated, I've been panicking a little bit because I CANNOT fail.

Title. I’m worried about breaking a bone bc I fractured my foot once (from exercising, too...how fitting). I walk 40,000-45,000 steps a day, I’m about 103 pounds at 5’3, and I’m 17 year old girl. I eat enough (2,000 cals a day), I just exercise a lot. I was diagnosed with anorexia at 14, but don’t have it anymore. I’m not scared of dying if it’s something quick like a heart attack, so if that’s the only risk associated with exercising too much, I’m fine with it.

how do you know if you have osteoporosis? Can it go away on its own? Can you get serious issues from too much exercise? I don’t know why I’m making this post, I’m just stressed. Please don’t be mean in the comments. If you think this is stupid, just scroll.

So I’m 16, and I’m starting college soon. I’ve been accepted by top choice school and it’s a four and a half hour drive from my house. I’m very excited but also pretty terrified. I’m not used to being responsible for.. everything.

I do my own laundry and I drive myself to school every day. I do the dishes sometimes and I usually get the mail after school but sometimes I forget. I keep my truck pretty clean but when it gets dirty I put off cleaning it for forever. I’ve only been through a drive thru once and I didn’t really get close enough to the window. I hate backing out of parking spaces so I try to avoid parking anywhere that I can’t pull straight out of. My cooking skills don’t really go past poorly cooking pasta or macaroni from a box.

It sounds really stupid but I’m like on the verge of tears writing this because I have no idea how I’ll survive on my own. I can’t cook, my parking sucks, I can’t go through drive thrus, I’m scared to order my own food at restaurants, I always go through self checkout at grocery stores because I don’t wanna interact with the cashier, also I suck at using my debit card (I can never figure out which side to swipe or plug in or where to tap it or if it even taps), I’m scared to get shots at the doctor’s office, I really need a haircut but I’m too scared to do it.

Dude I’m so scared, I’m so anxious, I can’t do anything myself. I’m still a kid. And in less than two months I’m moving away and I’ll have to find new doctors and a new dentist all on my own, and if I wanna buy anything I’ll have to get it myself, if I wanna eat anything I’ll have to make it/buy it myself.. I’m not ready for this.

Sorry to write so much. Now I’m actually crying. I really wanna go to this school. There’s no closer options and I love their program and campus. I just don’t know what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna be all alone in a new place and I won’t know anyone and I suck at making friends. I haven’t made a new friend in years. The librarians know me better than anyone else in my school, my friends are the characters in my books. Ugh this post is such a mess I’m sorry. Could someone please just.. tell me what to do? Like what to do once I move down there. What responsibilities I’ll have and I don’t know.. just how to be a functioning adult when I’ve never done it before?

Thanks.. I’m gonna go bawl my eyes out now.

hi!! so I've been learning portuguese and spanish for a while now and I really want to get an opportunity to practice talking to people in real life but I don't want to be annoying about it.

since I work in food service I actually get a decent amount of practice taking orders in spanish and asking my hispanic coworkers what random spanish words mean, but I've never ordered in spanish at a restaurant myself, or had a full conversation in spanish. and even though my portuguese is better than my spanish because I've been really taking it seriously, I have still never spoken to someone in portuguese in real life, only online.

I'm just scared of offending the workers by ordering in their language because it might come off like I think they can't speak english. I'm also scared of other customers in the restaurant looking at me and judging me. and I'm also scared of making a mistake in the language and saying something wrong. so how do I go about doing it? do I just walk in and start ordering in the language or do I say "I'm gonna try ordering in portuguese" in english first? would it be better to do it at a counter service restaurant or at a sit down restaurant? is there even a polite way to do this sort of thing or is it just inherently rude? any advice would be appreciated <3