Donating Blood Can Help You Overcome Trypanophobia (Fear of Needles)

In addition to other benefits.

Photo by author.

Yesterday marked my 32nd or 33rd lifetime blood donation to the Red Cross. I’ve lost count on the exact number. Most of my donations were whole blood. Others were double red cell donations. This is where an apheresis machine is used to collect your red cells, while returning your plasma and other fluids. So those visits count as two donations in one shot.

So far, my lifetime donation amount is over four gallons, which is almost the total amount of blood that’s in the human body (3.5–5 gallons).

I’ve been giving blood to the Red Cross since I was a junior in high school. I had just turned 17, and it just so happened my school was holding a blood drive in April right after my birthday. I didn’t need parental permission to donate. I did, however, need permission from my lifelong fear of needles.

My needle phobia probably goes back to a traumatic episode I encountered as a child. When I was four or five I was running around my chrch when I tripped and smacked my forehead right on the corner of a wall.

I don’t remember exactly what happened next. But I do recall waking up and being strapped to a hospital bed while doctors were trying to stitch my bleeding wound together, kicking and…