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Are You Afraid of Doctors?
You are not alone.
Do you shake in your boots at the thought of seeing a doctor? Do you go out of your way to keep from seeing one? If so, you are not alone. Many people, especially those with mental health challenges, fear doctors.
This piece will concentrate on the fear of doctors, what causes it, and how you might overcome your phobia of white coats.
Why A Fear of Doctors?
The fear of doctors is known as iatrophobia and means that people have an extreme fear of physicians and medical tests. People with iatrophobia often refuse medical or mental health help even when they are very ill.
Iatrophobia affects 1 in 3 Americans and is sometimes very dangerous. This phobia affects not only children but also adults. Some people who suffer from illness anxiety disorder (IAD), once known as hypochondria, are more likely to form a fear of doctors.
However, people who have a controversial mental health condition such as dissociative identity disorder (DID) develop a fear of doctors for good reason. Many folks who have DID have faced doctors, both mentally and physically, who do not believe in their diagnosis or worse, believe that all people with mental health challenges are liars about their symptoms.
