How to survive from dr appointments and the like?

I have some serious issues managing through dr appointments, even though appts to psychiatrists and the like don't seem to bother me so much anymore.

Today I was at a doctor, and I got a feeling she's somehow angry with me, especially as I was being nervous, though I'm sure the doctor had just their own work stress to deal with. However now I'd need to go to blood tests, and I'm absolutely terrified! I'm not so scared of the blood, and it doesn't hurt much, but I feel I have no control over the situation, I start feeling dizzy and I feel very insecure in these types of situations.

How could I make it easier for me to deal through these sort of things?

Dear Khazzura:

Take slow, deep breaths while waiting at the clinic. Also, and this will work if the nurse is a nice person- if you tell her/ him that you are nervous and scared, maybe the person taking your blood will be kinder than usual, talk to you through it like they do with young children..?

atina

You are making too much of this. If you want to get better, you have to work at it, and making your doctor appointments is a critical part of that. Going to the psychiatrist should be therapeutic, not disturbing. If you are not getting on with your psych, find a new one. As far a regular doctors are concerned, you have to stand up for yourself. Make chat with the doctor. Even be a bit self-deprecating, like "I know I come here a lot but I feel I have issues and anxiety about them, and the only way I can move on is to find out if the issues are real or not." As for the blood tests - I can certainly understand. I don't like them either. I just tell the nurse right off that I need to lie down and they say sure and take me to a room where I can lie down. I turn my head away, don't look at the blood, and in a pinch, it's over. Tell the staff what you need.