How to cope with fears before surgery. Causes of fear before surgery and effective methods to overcome it

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Most people have to go on the operating table at least once in their lives, sometimes to save their lives, and sometimes not only (for example, when a woman is indicated for a cesarean section).

There is only one thing left for us to do - come to terms with this thought and trust the competence of doctors. Because than longer person delays in making a decision, the more complicated his problem becomes.

Few people are able to manage their emotions so well that they do not feel afraid of surgery at all. It's normal to feel nervous. How to overcome anxiety and prepare yourself mentally? Some tips are in our article.

Talk to doctors

If surgery prescribed to a person as planned, and not as a urgently, there is always a chance to understand how to calm down before surgery, so that on the important day you can come to the medical facility in full combat readiness, with an optimistic attitude. It is no secret that in recovery it is the patient’s mood that plays almost the key role.

Patients may be concerned about different fears: rational, related to real risks; irrational, for which there is no basis.

For example, people may worry that:

• The operation will be performed by incompetent specialists.
• Unforeseen difficulties will arise.
• During the operation there is a risk of becoming infected with something.
• The surgeon will leave an object in the patient.
• There will be postoperative pain.

To dispel these doubts, it is very important to first communicate with the surgeon and anesthesiologist to ask all your questions. In most cases, doctors must carry out not only a series of medical examinations and tests, but also consultation with the patient on issues upcoming operation. For example, you could ask:

• How exactly the risk of complications is minimized;
• what difficulties are possible and what you can do to avoid them;
• what modern medical inventions make it possible to perform surgery with a minimum of risks and high efficiency;
• how anesthesia is administered before (or rather, what type of anesthesia is used);
• how a person feels during and after;
• what pain relief medications will be used;
• How many such operations has the surgeon already performed? Usually after answering “Ten” it becomes much easier.

If necessary, you can talk to another surgeon from another hospital to compare answers and put your mind at ease.

The doctor must tell you what can be done before the operation and what absolutely cannot be done: what tests to take, what to eat and drink (or not to eat at all), what specific procedures and preparations to carry out.

It is very important to strictly follow what the doctor said. And, for example, if you can’t eat food in the evening, you shouldn’t wake up at night and, out of nerves, gnaw on cookies in the kitchen until the morning.

Someone might find it helpful to be able to complain about their fears and cry on someone’s reliable shoulder. But you absolutely cannot feel sorry for someone - as soon as a person sees emotions in the eyes of others, this is transmitted to him, and even a strong spirit can become unstuck.

Voice your expectations: ask you not to regret, but to maintain faith in a positive outcome.

Try, if the situation allows it, to think about the future - when everything is left behind.

For believers, this is also a very important moment. It is useful to visit your church and tell the priest about what important event ahead, ask to pray for you.

You need to pray not only for yourself - prayer for the surgeon (and other participants in the process) is also important.

Often patients, especially if the doctor has not provided them with enough information, try to fill in the gaps on their own. Usually, this is done by reading articles on the Internet, forums, and watching videos of similar operations. This can be done, but it is important to consider your character and not overdo it. Still, there may be materials on the Internet written by not very competent authors, on forums there are too many emotions, not objectivity, and video recordings... Such a sight is not for every eye.

If a person is suspicious and emotional, it is better to abstain. It is optimal to strive to receive information first-hand – from a doctor.

Many people experience fear of surgery, but some have learned to manage this fear, while others grow it to enormous limits, drawing in their imagination pictures of all sorts of complications or fatal outcome. And these thoughts of fear are not very useful for the body; rather, on the contrary, they can attract what a person is afraid of. Therefore, it is important to let go of the fear of surgery. It is important to trust doctors, the universe and your body.

How to cope with fear of surgery

Your imagination plays a big role. No matter how difficult and scary it may be, it is important to switch from negative images to positive ones and imagine how your operation is successful. How do you feel better and better every day after the operation? In other words, program your subconscious for success. This helps a lot. And the chances of recovery increase several times.

If you are a believer, then go to church, or ask your loved ones to ask for your healing. You can also read prayers at home or in the hospital. This calms and inspires faith in healing. There are many facts that suggest that with the help of faith and prayer, people were healed from many diseases, including incurable ones.

Self-hypnosis formulas can help overcome fear of surgery. Say them constantly and don’t let thoughts and fears settle in your mind.

These are the formulas:

I am worthy of health and healing.

I feel better and better every day

I'm programmed for success.

Don't hold back negative emotions. If you feel like crying, cry. Talk to someone about your fears. Don't keep them to yourself. Accept them and manage them in the ways below or in any other way.

I am undergoing surgery (laparoscopy) to remove a dermoid cyst from the ovary. I am very afraid of anesthesia, panicky. The fact is that I already had a bad experience with anesthesia. I wanted to scream in pain, but I couldn’t even open my eyes. Miraculously, I managed to move my leg - the surgeon noticed and ordered additional anesthesia. I still felt everything, but I couldn’t move anymore. I have never experienced such pain. And what doctors say about patients during surgery is better for no one to know. Just some animals. In the end, nothing was found or cut out from me, but the horror remained and interfered with my life.

Alena, 25 years old

It's a pity that you found yourself in such an unpleasant situation with anesthesia. It sounds like she's severely damaged your ability to trust doctors. If you are prone to introspection, you can think about why this happened to you and what lesson you learned. What exactly did fate want to convey to you by placing it on the hospital table to the “animal doctors”?

You may find it easier to prepare for surgery if you do three things. First: before the operation, it is best to get to know the operating doctor to whom you will be assigned, and, if possible, the anesthesiologist. Tell him about yourself, your worries, show him your individual human nature. Then, during the operation, the likelihood that you will be treated as an abstract, insignificant body will be significantly reduced. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, but it is worth trying, especially if your operation is planned and not emergency.

Second: treat the memories of the previous operation as nightmare. A nightmare that wakes you up at night. Do this exercise: play it in your head, or better yet, tell it out loud several times everything that happened - voices, sensations in the body. Just instead of what the doctors actually said, imagine that they are telling you compliments, words of approval or support. They stroke you and generally take care of you in every possible way. It's difficult, but you need to use the power of your imagination.

To reduce the risk of recurrence nightmare, spend 2-3 days before surgery indulging your ego and body. Do what you love, what gives you genuine pleasure: both for the soul and for the body. It is desirable that these be a variety of exciting activities.

Third: often helping to overcome fear is having a super idea, the achievement of which requires an upcoming operation. This could be the idea of ​​healing a diseased body, the idea of ​​preserving reproductive function or the ability to bear and give birth to healthy children.

Ask a question to an expert online

Fear accompanies throughout life: it is expressed in simple phenomena or in fear of a crucial event. Anxiety determines behavior and habits.

Fear of surgery is an irrational fear, but not as groundless as most phobias. The person does not understand what is happening and has no control over the situation, so to cope obsessive thoughts before surgery it is very difficult for him.

Reasons

It is normal to feel anxious before a major operation. It's natural defensive reaction psyche facing the unknown.

Reasons for fear:

• fear of the unknown;
• fear of pain;
• fear of medical negligence;
• fear of consequences.

Uncertainty about medical workers- these are beliefs obtained as a result negative experience. He forces you to avoid in any way medical institutions, refuse the necessary examination. The frightened man postpones the operation. Such fear is harmful and allows the disease to progress.

Effect of anesthesia

The operation is performed under general anesthesia while the patient is unconscious. Losing control is frightening, and it forms the basis of intense fear.

Under anesthesia, a person does not evaluate behavior medical personnel. He is unable to influence the course of surgery. It is difficult for people who do not trust anyone but themselves to undergo surgery with anesthesia. They are closed and demanding.

Fear and mysticism

Another reason for fear is the belief that the soul is not attached to the body in unconscious. The patient is afraid of losing this connection and delays surgical intervention. Some believe that under anesthesia a person gets closer to fine line between life and death.

They need a consultation with a psychologist who will help them cope with the cause of their fear.

Getting rid of fears

To overcome the fear of complex operation, you need to understand what it is. Fear is a reaction to possible threat. Fear does not appear without a reason. It requires a foundation that creates internal tension.

You can get rid of the fear of surgery by:

• work on thinking;
• consultation with a psychologist;
• informative conversation with medical staff;
• physical and psychological preparation.

It is important for the patient to tune in to positive results and reassure loved ones.

Working on your thinking will help you not only survive surgery, but also prepare for rehabilitation.

The right attitude

The preoperative period includes a long, step-by-step examination of the body. All this time the person is preparing for the operation. If serious concerns arise, the patient should consult a psychologist.

It is a common practice for cancer patients or people with serious illnesses to mandatory are under the supervision of a psychologist.

For such patients, illness is a physical and moral test.

Therapy and auto-training

To overcome fear, you need to trust the surgeon. Cognitive therapy is used to combat persistent phobias or suppressed fears. behavioral therapy and auto-training.

Behavioral therapy is based on replacement incorrect settings. The fear caused by the thought will go away if the person reanalyzes it. Behavioral therapy is carried out by a psychologist who conducts a frank dialogue with the patient, but does not force the correct conclusions.

Studying the details of the future operation

It’s scary for a patient who doesn’t understand what’s happening to him. He can seek help from a surgeon and allay possible concerns. If he's afraid of anesthesia, he should find out everything possible risks and complications after surgery. Such information destroys fear based on the fear of the unknown.

For the operation, anesthesia is used in an individual dosage. It is administered using a simple injection and is painless for the patient. Advantages of the procedure with the introduction of anesthesia:

• lack of sensitivity during surgery;
• immobility;
• relaxation of the whole body.

Along with such advantages, it stands out psychological factor: While a person is unconscious, he cannot experience fear or strong excitement.

The doctor controls the progress of the operation, so before performing it you should find out about his qualifications and experience. Do not be afraid to show curiosity: the fewer questions the patient has, the easier it is for him to cope with the fear of surgery.

Disadvantages of anesthesia

A conversation with an anesthesiologist will help you learn about the risks. The main danger anesthesia is an attention disorder. Patient in postoperative period be sick. Dizziness and confusion occur periodically.

Headaches are accompanied by dry mouth and a feeling of confusion. Such side effects Anesthesia is not life-threatening and is temporary. About possible negative consequences The patient will be warned to avoid unnecessary stress and fear during the postoperative period.

Proper preparation

Overcome the fear of complex surgery general anesthesia will help the right approach to the operation. This is a forced manipulation to get rid of the disease.

The patient undergoes a body examination. The results of such diagnostics are a prognosis, like will undergo surgery and what to expect from it. On the eve of the operation, a conversation is held with the surgeon. He talks about all the details of the intervention and answers all the patient’s questions. At this stage of preparation, the authority of the surgeon is crucial.

Psychological attitudes

Preparing for surgery is a necessity. The less stable the patient is, the more time he needs to psychological preparation. How to reduce your level of fear before surgery:

• get distracted, do a monotonous task that requires attention;
• talk with loved ones and relatives;
• draw up a rehabilitation plan;
• come up with a small ritual that will serve as a signal to calm down.

The patient begins to delve into his own anxious thoughts if he has nothing to do. Boredom is a favorable environment for the development of fear. On the eve of the operation, the patient needs to take free time reading, playing games or watching interesting films. If he doesn't have time to think about possible consequences, the internal tension will go away.

Conversations with loved ones have a beneficial effect. These are people who know how to reassure and support the patient. Planning for the near future, after surgical intervention, will allow you to get used to the idea that anesthesia and surgery are only one of the stages of recovery. The inner attitude in such situations is very important.

Prayers and rituals

It is not so important what a person believes in, what is more important is what this faith gives him. If it is easier for him to place the outcome of the operation on God, then prayer will help eliminate fear. It is useful to associate certain phenomena with favorable signs.

The patient’s immediate environment may participate in unique rituals. You shouldn’t allow fanaticism in this matter, but an additional incentive won’t hurt. It shifts some of the responsibility onto someone else, and thereby reduces fear.

Everyone is tested before surgery normal people, even a routine appointment with a doctor causes some psychological discomfort. Fear of surgical intervention is the body’s defense of the unknown, and the person is unable to formulate the idea of ​​what exactly causes fear: a hospital environment, the operation itself, or a long rehabilitation period. How to do it before the operation will be discussed further.

Etiology of the phenomenon

The most obvious and main reason is, although he knows about his diagnosis. It is not the responsibility of the surgeon detailed explanation how the operation will be performed and how long the rehabilitation will take. The main goal of the operating personnel is to do their job efficiently, and the psycho-emotional component should be dealt with by a psychotherapist.

On the other hand, a complete understanding of all stages of the operation and the recovery period is also not beneficial to the patient. Today, many resources offer information on all the intricacies of treatment. However, everything is not so simple; each patient is individual case, this requires the professional opinion of the attending physician. Having read about how the operation is performed, how anesthesia works, and much more, a person falls into.

Another “terrible” circumstance is fear upcoming anesthesia. Some are afraid that poorly administered anesthesia will lead to them not falling asleep and feeling everything. Others, on the contrary, are afraid of the consequences of anesthesia. For example, there is an opinion that general anesthesia significantly shortens life. Still others. I'm afraid I won't wake up after anesthesia - that's what they say.

It is hardly possible to find a person who would not be afraid of the upcoming operation. However, most are capable, because health is more expensive in any case. But for some, the inexplicable happens - they are attacked by uncontrollable panic. Medicine knows such cases when patients simply refused surgical treatment just out of fear.

How to overcome yourself

The patient can always choose whether to have surgery or not. However, if doctors do not see any other treatment options other than surgery, the refusal must be formalized in in writing. Doctors need this to a greater extent to relieve themselves of responsibility if something happens. sharp deterioration the patient's condition.

Not agreeing to undergo surgery out of fear is unacceptable. But it happens that a person, even having chosen for himself good clinic and specialists, refuses surgery - and all because of internal anxiety that haunts him.

It would be logical to ask yourself the question: how to get rid of the fear of surgery? And the answer will be the understanding that you can’t do without it - it will get rid of the disease, and maybe even save your life. But everything is simple until you encounter the problem yourself.

The following tips will help you stop being afraid of surgery:

A good, friendly atmosphere in the ward also plays an important role. There are many people worse than you, so try to help each other and not make the situation worse.

Physical component

The psychological attitude is very important, but physiological readiness also plays an important role. Usually you can get by with simple rules:

• giving up alcohol and;
• compliance with nutrition and diet;
• refusal of cosmetics and perfumes;
• compliance with all doctor's instructions;
• independent control of body temperature and pressure.

You need to understand that all fears are unfounded, you have no control over what will happen. However, everything can be explained, for example, you learned about the incompetence of a doctor. Then refusing the operation is quite natural. Seeking help from another professional should change everything. General condition the patient may also cause the operation to be postponed. Therefore, any changes in your health should be reported to your doctor.

Trust between patient and doctor will help avoid many psychological troubles. You cannot hide any information from a specialist; for example, some people are embarrassed to talk about past sexual diseases or simply forget to report some fact from their medical history. And before the operation, the person understands that what was left unsaid could affect the diagnosis and choice of treatment method. This circumstance can cause real problems, so there is no need to lie and tremble, thinking about what will happen, it is better to talk again with a specialist.

Remember those fearless girls who go under the knife plastic surgeon, sometimes completely unfounded. The desire to look better than others overcomes all fears of surgery.

Regular elective surgery is the same. Think about the fact that this is a necessity that will help you become healthy and help you get rid of the disease. You will live fully and freely.

There is no need to panic before surgery. Be afraid of what comes next. Think about what to do if you give up now and leave, and whether the gamble is worth the candle.