Anxiety about the vaccine

[anxietygirl60]

I am new here and hoping for some reassurance and encouragement.

For months now I have been putting off getting the covid vaccine, have cancelled and rescheduled a few times now, because my anxiety has been getting worse about it. The more I put it off, the more I keep thinking about it, the worse the anxiety gets. I really want to have the vaccine but I've let the negative noise on the internet get into my head and I keep thinking about the worse case scenario's of the side affects of it. I know that getting covid is way worse and I know that the likelihood of a bad reaction is probably quite small but my mind has built this up into such a huge thing that every time I think I'm ready to get it the anxiety kicks into overdrive and I just can't make myself physically go and get it.

I have a rescheduled appointment booked for the first jab on Dec 1. and I spoke to my doctor yesterday about my anxiety and hesitancy to get it. She helped a lot but there's still some lingering doubt about it and the consequences of getting it. Because once it's been injected into my arm there's no turning back and whatever happens is going to happen.

I just need some help getting over the line with it. If you have any reassuring words or experiences or even videos/articles from trustworthy sources I would really appreciate your help.

Please, no one trying to talk me out of it. I want to have it I just need to get over myself to get there.

Thanks in advance.

(Oh, I should have mentioned that it's not just the vaccine that I have issues with. It's all new medications. I have this weird phobia - I believe it is called Pharmacophobia - where I worry that any new medication will cause me to have a bad reaction or kill me. I won't even take anxiety meds. I also worry that the medication has been tampered with and will cause me harm. I am a weirdo for sure.)

[second time]

I was also very anxious and hesitant about getting the vaccine, after doing my research I realized that although the vaccine is new it is in fact on the backbone of 10-20 years research and trials. Having a friend who was quiet anti-vaccine crazy we got all the bombardment of the arguments of why not to have it.

We went down the rabbit hole of research on all the points and found none except the exceptionally rare reactions were founded in reality or science. Further most of the origins of the concerns were raised by people who benefit quiet substantially from the movement (including one person who was already sued for 10 million dollars for 'treating' people for cancer who died from his pseudo science advice). I believe its something like 80 percent of the stuff on Facebook comes from 8 people.

The latest info I read was suggesting after comparing stats of covid patients with that of vaccine side effects was that the rare fatalities and side affected people would have likely had similar reactions when they were infected with covid virus.

I also was very Anxious about getting Covid especially long covid.

I feel our government and health officials could do a much better job (or one at all) at explaining the with science the concerns of the anti vax are not founded in reality, you have to go look at overseas universities and professors to see the spike shedding does not happen, or why the reproductive system is not effected and was mistaken for a similar protein by a uneducated person.

I feel anxious about covid still, especially as I am grieving my brothers suicide at the moment which weakens immunity but so much better that I have had the shot.

[anxietygirl60]

Thanks, Whimbo!

[second time]

Oh I forgot to say, I also have Tourette syndrome and I was also concerned that the vaccine could aggravate my tics/effect my sensitive neurological system. It didn't.

Oh to make you feel a little lighter, (unless you have t.s. that is) at least you dont have to deal with the following.- having tourette syndrome which is aggravated by anxiety has been an extra challenging time for the whole pandemic, trying to hold yourself from a ticcing cough in public very daunting. Or concerned that at your brothers funeral you may yell out F##@ or not getting up now

[Mark Z.]

Hi Anxietygirl60,

Thanks for your reply.

I noticed that you mentioned you have some speculation about possible side effects, I wouldn't suggest you to do your own speculation unless you're a professional. It might be one of the root causes of your frustration, because in your heart you're not sure the speculation is right or wrong, and it might lead to completely different consequences. The feeling of uncertainty might be the root cause of the frustration.

But you also mentioned that you've already talked with your GP and got some professional advice, which means the risk is already minimized. Every step you've done is very right. Now you only have the last step - to make up your mind.

Perhaps you can think of it this way, every decision in our life is accompanied by risks. But at least getting vaccinated is your own choice, this is your fight, let yourself decide your own destiny, not the virus.

Moreover, it is very hard to overcome anxiety by yourself. The more you try to suppress it yourself, the more serious it may become. It's time to seek help. Asking someone to accompany you to get vaccinated is not a great burden. I'm sure your closed family or friends would love to do so if you speak out.

Mark

[Elizabeth CP]

Mysituation was different to you but we wanted the accine but had concerns about the sideeffects for my hsb due to his condition. I was concerned about us both being sick at the same time and me not being able to look after him.

I rang the GP receptionist and mentioned my concerns. We arranged for a GP appointment to discuss the issue with the option of one or both of us getting vaccinated after. Being able to talk to the GP about our concerns without being commited to the vaccine made it easy. He was able to reassure us and then the nurse vaccinated us before we could think any further.

I wonder if you could arrange a GP appointment to discuss your concerns with the option of getting the vaccine. This way you are going to see the GP not get vaccinated but can then get vaccinated if you choose straight after before you have time to get too anxious. If you can't get the vax on the day the GP can help you work out the most appropriate way to do this while managing your anxiety. I hope your GP can help you

[Mark Z.]

@Ekuzaveth this is a really good idea!

[anxietygirl60]

Thanks for your reply second time and for telling me about your experience with this situation. Your reply has been very helpful to me.

I too, just lately, have been doing my own research and have found that a lot of the noise on the internet is just that, noise. There are a lot of people just spouting misinformation, which had caused my anxiety to spiral out of control, and because of this it has made it hard for me, and I imagine, a lot of people to know what really is true. Right now, I am just trying to read legitimate information about the vaccine and the virus.

I'm very sorry about your brother, that's a very difficult situation to be dealing with but it's good that you got the shot. I lost my sister in 2007, not to suicide but it was very sudden and I still deal with the loss even now. It was her birthday last Tuesday and it was yet another one she wasn't here for and it was a milestone one as well. I didn't do too well that day. I'm not sure if this is helpful, because I suspect that nothing much is probably helping right now, and it might sound a bit cliché, but the only thing I can offer from my own experience is to take it one day at a time and be easy on yourself.

[anxietygirl60]

Thanks Mark Z.

You're quite right about me speculating about side effects and what you have said makes so much sense. You're also right about getting the vaccination being my choice so I feel more empowered by that realisation. It is the best thing for me to do for myself and once it's done the anxiety will go away to nothing.

[anxietygirl60]

Thank you for your reply and for telling me about your experience with this situation.

I did get an appointment with my doctor and discussed the vaccine at some length. She answered all the questions that I had about what I had been reading about online - all the misinformation about the subject - and helped me feel more relaxed about it but I still was not quite ready to get it done at that time. I wanted to come home and think about what we'd discussed. I have an appointment for the day after tomorrow - Wednesday - to have my first shot. I'm still a little apprehensive about it if I'm being completely honest but I feel much better about it than I did a week or so ago.

[Mark Z.]

Yes this is exactly what I want to say 🙂 Trust yourself and make the decision. You'll be all right.

Mark