Here I am on holiday, relaxing, reading my book when that word leapt off the page.
𝐓𝐫𝐲𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚
I said it out loud and my husband glanced over,
“Fear of being on a trip?” he joked.
Hardly!
It’s the official name for the extreme fear of needles, something I’ve had since childhood, and despite everything I’ve been through with cancer – surgery, treatment, blood tests, infusions, cannulas – that fear hasn’t gone away. If anything, it’s worse.
People often assume that cancer would “cure” a needle phobia.
That exposure therapy by way of necessity would dull the fear, that I’d be used to it by now.
But fear doesn’t always work like that.
Sometimes, the more you go through, the more sensitive you become, your nervous system a little more finely tuned.
So yes, I still brace myself before bloods. I still need to take anti-anxiety meds and feel faint with anticipation. I still need to breathe deeply and look away. I still see stars.
I share this because… whatever you’re dealing with, it doesn’t have to make logical sense to be real.
You’re just responding to what your body remembers.
If you’re navigating post-cancer life, or supporting someone who is, don’t assume the hardest parts are over.
Sometimes, they’re just changing shape.
Coaching after cancer isn’t just about the big things. It’s also about helping you meet the small, stubborn fears with compassion and courage.
