Why does fear arise before surgery and how to overcome it?

Main reasons for fear

The most common reason for fear before surgery is lack of information . A person cannot imagine what exactly the intervention in his body will be like. Not all doctors want to share details and descriptions of the disease and mechanisms for eliminating it. Doctors do not always have time to talk with a patient, since there is a queue of patients in the corridors. For some medical specialists, it is difficult to tell the average person what the disease is and why it occurs. All this causes misunderstanding and fear.

People often get the impression that doctors are soulless people. They don’t care about the problems of an individual, they do not always strive to help, they can easily cause harm to health in order to finish their work as quickly as possible. In practice, everything looks different. The medical officer has a plan for receiving patients, he took an oath that he would save people's lives and improve their physiological health . Therefore, such fears are far-fetched and unjustified. If necessary, you can have a heart-to-heart talk with a psychologist or psychotherapist. It is not the doctor's responsibility to talk to the patient.

It happens that a person knows too much information about his disease. Most often, the search comes down to studying information written on the Internet. In practice, to make an accurate diagnosis, the patient needs to undergo a series of tests, which will then be analyzed by several medical specialists. Only after this can you find out what kind of disease the patient has and what treatment methods should be used.

Psychologists also advise you not to watch videos on the public network that show details of the operating process . There are a number of professions in which the sacrament must be preserved. A person’s consciousness may simply not tolerate what he sees, and phobias instantly develop. Medical specialists did not immediately come to carry out operations; their psyches were prepared (they spend more than 6 years at the university, study the structure of organs in detail, and attend autopsies). All this is not necessary for the average person to know.

How to get ready for surgery? Fear of surgery is often associated with anesthesia. This is another type of surgical intervention in the body. It causes panic. Some people think that anesthesia may not work; there will be pain that is incompatible with life. In practice, the process is monitored by an experienced anesthesiologist; he has indicators that determine the readiness of the patient’s body for surgery .
Additional fears are associated with the consequences of anesthesia. A small percentage of people believe that it is possible not to wake up after a drug-induced sleep (these are very minimal risks compared to driving a car).

Delivery to the operating room.

The patient is brought into the operating room naked. There should be no clothing, jewelry, piercings, etc. on the body. If the patient has a manicure or pedicure, it must be removed (in some cases, anesthesiologists look at the color of the nail plate to assess tissue oxygen saturation).

How to get rid of the fear of surgery

The patient has the right to choose to accept or refuse the operation. When a surgical intervention on the body is established by a council of doctors to save a life or improve health, a person must refuse the operation in writing. This way, doctors will not be held responsible in case of an accident or unforeseen circumstances.

Why is there fear before surgery? In most cases, you just need to deal with the causes of fear . A person may realize that a medical institution has a high level of service, a large number of satisfied clients, and a high level of training of medical specialists. Despite the minimal risks, the patient continues to be haunted by internal anxiety.

To get rid of such a phobia, it is enough to tell yourself about the need to improve your health. Sometimes it is impossible to do without surgical intervention. You need to try to cope with your emotions, write down rational arguments on paper, and re-read them several times.

Here's what you can do to minimize fear of surgery:

• read prayers
• get distracted by other things
• weigh the risks
• think positively
• don't escalate the situation
• take sedatives

Prayer is one of the easiest ways to get rid of a phobia for those who believe in a higher power. For skeptics, this method will not bring much benefit. It is absolutely not necessary to go to church and light candles. It’s enough just to pray, ask for help, health and patience for yourself.

The most unpleasant time is the evening or night before surgery.

How to overcome fear? It is important not to be alone with your own thoughts. It is best to ask your loved ones to come visit, talk about pleasant topics, or go to the cinema or theater. There is no need to withdraw into yourself or dwell on negative thoughts.

A small percentage of the operation is due to force majeure circumstances. It is worth treating this as the structure of the world and nature as a whole. You won't be able to control everything. This fear can only be combated by collecting as much information as possible about the clinic and medical specialists. Please note that only one patient per 250 thousand people dies as a result of a medical error . That is, the chances of dying for this reason are reduced to almost zero. The patient has a much higher chance of passing into another world due to the lack of therapeutic measures for his disease.

Positive thinking can help overcome fear of surgery. You need to try to think only about good things. It is important to force yourself to replay exclusively pleasant memories in your head before going to bed, and not to focus on the upcoming surgical intervention. You can try to visualize how your life will change in a positive direction after the operation.

For example, if a person is about to have his appendicitis removed, then one can imagine going to a restaurant or visiting entertainment venues. During gynecological surgery, it is advisable to think about future childbirth and pregnancy. Under no circumstances should you escalate the situation.

It is advisable not to seek information about force majeure during the operation, how death occurs and for what reasons. You need to tune in to a positive wave.

If none of the above points help, then you can simply drink a sedative. It will stimulate deep sleep and improve the overall physical and mental health of the patient.

Suitable means for taking inside the body are:

• chamomile
• St. John's wort
• mint
• fireweed
• Linden

Please note that before taking such herbs, you must consult your doctor. It happens that the patient has an allergic reaction, or the simultaneous use of several medications is contraindicated.

How not to be afraid of what will happen during and after the operation? The answer is obvious - just relax, forget about the bad, trust the doctors and yourself.

If a person is in the hospital before an upcoming surgical intervention, then you can walk along the floors of the medical facility and talk with other patients. Information about how other people struggled with their fears may be useful; you can ask how patients feel after surgery, whether the experience was worth it. This way time will pass much faster, and there will be no room for negative thoughts.

The diagnosis has been made, what to do next?

Next, everyone needs to calm down and sort out the life of the patient’s family “on the shelves.” Everything has already happened - the tumor has grown, there is no point in analyzing the reasons for its occurrence. Causes of cancer - past, present - long and difficult treatment. Not abstract therapy, but a specific operation and hospitalization date for the surgical stage, or multi-week chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

It is necessary to discuss with a relative with cancer who will help with getting a bulky bag to the emergency department on the day of hospitalization, who will visit and on what days. Who will help me go to chemotherapy several times a week or attend radiation sessions every day? Finally, how will the family function during this period, who will take responsibility for the children or elderly parents left at home, who will take care of the dacha, who will walk the dog.

Everything is very specific and with a detailed discussion of practical issues, because each time it becomes more difficult for working relatives to ask their superiors to accompany their loved one to a medical institution. It is likely that assistance will have to be distributed to all family members.

It seems that the first days after receiving the diagnosis are not the best time to discuss family life. But it only seems, firstly, that this forced distraction from painful thoughts will eliminate the “funeral” mood. Secondly, the cancer patient sees how important his opinion is to the family; one cannot “go limp” if many problems cannot be resolved without it. Thirdly, it is by their desire to help that loved ones demonstrate their love. For the patient and his family, discussing plans for the near future is an important job that eliminates unnecessary thoughts.

Physical preparation for surgery

Before the upcoming surgical intervention, it will also not be superfluous to physically prepare the patient. It is worth adhering to a few simple rules:

• Do not drink alcohol for several months before surgery
• try to smoke as little as possible
• follow the diet prescribed by the doctor
• do not use perfumes and decorative cosmetics
• use internally only those medications prescribed by the doctor
• measure and record your own temperature and pressure every morning

In order not to be afraid of surgery, you just need to not let fear into your mind. It is important to remember that surgery is performed by a team of doctors and nurses. If there is a reasonable fear that the specialist will not cope with the task, then it is better to seek help from another surgeon . If the tests are unreliable, you can always undergo a re-examination. How not to be afraid of accidents? It is important simply not to focus your attention on this fact. You just need to accept that this happens in the world, but it affects individual lives.

To get rid of fear as soon as possible, experts advise telling your doctor about your phobia. It happens that patients hide facts from their anamnesis. They do not provide information about past sexually transmitted diseases or injuries. Before the date of surgery is scheduled, the patient may realize that he has given false information to the medical professional. In practice this can lead to negative consequences.

There are fearless people who are ready, without any rational explanation as to why surgery is needed, to go under the knife . Here we are talking about those who are obsessed with plastic surgery and adjusting individual parts of the body. Such people are not afraid of anything. Their fear is often false, since unjustified surgery (without appropriate medical indications) can significantly worsen their health.

Common Myths and Refutations

The most common myths that cause a person to develop fear are identified. Each of them has a refutation. The data is presented in the table.

Many people, having learned that their fears were only myths, easily agree to anesthesia. It is important to first undergo a laboratory and instrumental examination. Blood and urine tests and chest x-rays are required. Collect tests indicated for the presence of an underlying disease.

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