With the acceleration of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign for adults over the age of 18, needles are something that one out of five young adults report having phobia for needles which means that some adults may decide not to take the COVID 19 vaccines.
75% of people who have a phobia of needles may experience a rise and unexpected drop of blood pressure when getting the jab, which might lead to fainting. To aid in tackling this fear, Mindler, a mental health app has created a free interactive needle phobia iCBT module for those with needle phobia and may want to avoid needles.
As part of the interactive module, the user learns the applied tension technique (AT) to make the blood pressure rise, making it unlikely for the person to faint while taking the jab. To combat fainting, patients can learn the technique, through tensing and continuously releasing their muscles. A video that depicts how the exercise works can be viewed here.
The iCBT interactive module is free of charge on the Mindler app after downloading it and it can be done independently. A further in-depth iCBT self-help programme will also be made available to patients who already have an appointment with a psychologist at Mindle.
The led psychologist at Mindler UK, Dr. Siobhan says: “The covid 19 vaccine drive is reaching a critical point in the UK where millions of people have not received one or both vaccine doses, but studies show that a lot of youths are scared of needles, and some of them might avoid the vaccine jab entirely.
“At Mindler, we will ensure that people feel more comfortable getting the vaccine, so we are offering an interactive needle phobia iCBT module for free as part of the Mindler app. We hope that the interactive exercises will provide patients with the required tools to tackle their phobia and avoid feeling faint or fainting while they are taking the vaccine.”
Mindler is a new mental health app that provides people with the chance to manage conditions such as phobias, anxiety, and depression. It achieves this by providing them with the freedom to book video call appointments with a psychologist in a place, at a time that is right for them.
The service provides programmes within the app with video calls to aid patients between sessions to provide them with tools to have the understanding and management of their health. iCBT is a cognitive behavioral therapy that is delivered online.
Mindler aims at treating patients as quickly as possible with evidence-based methods, and to reduce the stigma associated with seeking assistance for a mental health condition.
