Effective Ways to Overcome Pre-Surgery Anxiousness By Gina Daniels

By some stroke of luck, you managed to reach adulthood without ever once having surgery. Your consistently good health has always been the envy of friends and family members alike. However, your doctor has recently informed you that you’ll need to undergo a minor operation. Although this procedure is far from serious, it will require you to be put under anesthesia and go under the knife. Since virtually every member of your inner circle has had surgery at some point, it’s no surprise that your loved ones don’t seem particularly worried. Unfortunately, you don’t share their good spirits. In your eyes, the prospect of surgery – even minor surgery – is nothing short of terrifying.

Ever since you were young, you’ve been afraid of having surgery. Just the thought of being anesthetized and cut open continues to fill you with intense anxiety. Still, for better or worse, you have to undergo this operation. Unfortunately, the intense sense of dread you’re feeling simply refuses to subside. No matter how much you fret over the operation, you won’t be able to change the fact that you need it. With that in mind, finding ways to reduce your pre-surgery stress is in your best interest. The following tips will prove useful to anyone suffering from pre-surgery anxiety.

Discuss Risks with Your Doctor

Many people with surgery-related anxiety are afraid of something going wrong during their operations. While there’s always a small risk that something unexpected may occur, the odds are overwhelmingly stacked in most patients’ favor. Should you require further reassurance, sit down with your doctor to discuss the risks associated with the operation you’ll soon undergo. Chances are she’ll be able to provide you with an abundance of favorable statistics and offer professional insight into why this operation is both safe and necessary. For good measure, you may want to schedule a special consultation with the doctor(s) who will be performing the operation.

Seek Out the Comfort of Loved Ones

Going into a hospital or surgery center by oneself can be very frightening. This is made worse by the fact that most people don’t associate medical facilities with good things. Luckily, you can save yourself a great deal of anxiety by having several friends or family members accompany you to the hospital on the day of your operation. Knowing that familiar faces will be waiting for you when you come out of surgery will serve as a comfort as you prepare for the operation.

Talk to a Therapist

If your fear of surgery has become too stressful to live with, you’d be well-served by talking to a good therapist. When shopping around for the right one, look for a therapist who has extensive experience counseling people with deep-seated fears. With the help of insightful conversations and EMDR exercises, you’ll come to understand the root of the fear and begin taking steps to abolish it. Your therapist might also be able to point you in the direction of a support group that caters to people with longstanding fears.

Undergoing surgery for the first time can be scary, especially if you’ve managed to avoid having it well into adulthood. Even if the operation you need is considered minor, the idea of being forcefully put to sleep and cut open is understandably disquieting. If you’re determined to conquer your fear of surgery, remember to discuss risk factors with your doctor, seek out the support of loved ones and, if need be, undergo therapy.

About the Author: Gina Daniels is an independent web designer who lives and works in St. Petersburg, Florida. Last year, when her doctor recommended that she undergo bariatric surgery, Gina enlisted the services of the skilled surgeons at Bay Surgical Specialists.

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