I have major anxiety about going to the doctor in general, and that includes my Dermatologist!
Anxiety at my last dermatologist visit
It's easy to feel anxious about going to see your dermatologist, especially if you had an anxiety-producing experience the last time you were there, or if you've never gone and don't know what to expect.
The last time I physically saw my dermatologist was probably 3+ years ago. At the time, I was there to cover questions I had about my skin and get my Rosacea medication prescription renewed.
After what I thought was the end of my appointment, she said it was time to do a full body skin exam (aka skin cancer screening). I'm not going to lie, I panicked. I hadn't mentally prepared to be stripped naked and checked over with a bright light.
In my state of anxiety, I politely told the assistant I wasn't, "mentally prepared", to do a full body skin exam, so we'd have to do it next time. She hesitated, but said ok, and that was that.
My next appointment with my dermatologist was a virtual visit during the pandemic, so the pressure was off, but I still hadn't done my annual skin exam.
How to overcome your fear of going to the Dermatologist
1. Take one step at a time
If you have fear and anxiety around going to the doctor, believe me, I get the fact that just picking up the phone to call and make the appointment can be one of the biggest obstacles to overcome!
It took a little extra mental fortitude, but I'm here to say that today I made an appointment to have my first ever skin cancer screening, aka my full body skin exam! I can actually hear the crowd cheering.
Here are some truth bombs:
- The fear is real and this action did not come lightly.
- I thought of every excuse in the book to keep putting it off.
- It did not come without major worry and anticipatory anxiety.
- It did not come without buying a new pair of underwear.
- I have been worrying about making this appointment for months and months and months.
- I literally had to psych myself up just to make the call.
- But the important thing is that I made the appointment!
Just take one step. If I can do it, you can do it too.
Make sure to congratulate yourself for doing it. We all know it was a big freaking deal.
2. Let yourself think through all the what-if's
One of the ways that helped me work through my fears to even get to the point of being able to call to make the appointment, was to let myself think through all the scary, unknown what-if's.
Worrying about what could happen, even the wildest, most outlandish scenarios, can actually bring you to the end of the what-if stories. After indulging a little on the wild side, I realized, "Oh well, if all or any of these totally strange, awful or embarrassing things happen, can I deal with it? Yes. I probably can."
3. Remind yourself why it is important
You've probably heard people say, "remember your why". If you do something for long enough, even putting something off long enough, you can forget why it was important to you in the first place.
Going to the dermatologist to have a yearly skin exam is important because they can keep track of your skin from year to year to see if things change. If they do find pre-cancerous spots on your skin, they can be caught early and taken care of so you can have the best outcome.
I know it's especially important for me to have my skin checked every year, because I had a blistering sunburn when I was just 7 years old, and had many more sunburns across my childhood and teenage years. Because of the unfortunate decision not to protect my skin back then, I am at a higher risk for melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.
4. Simply take next steps
When you think about it, doing anything hard or uncomfortable starts with deciding you're going to do it, and then following through with a series of steps (no matter how hard or uncomfortable they may be) until you're done.
Making the appointment was hard, but actually following through with the appointment is the next big hurdle. But I'm here for it. I've committed. I conquered the hardest part so far, which was to make the appointment in the first place. I've thought through the scary what-if's and probably will again as my appointment gets closer.
But along with thinking through all my fears, I'll also remember why it's important; why I'm doing it in the first place, and I'll just keep taking next steps until before I know it, I'm walking out of the dermatologist's door, all finished.
I hope these ideas can help you to overcome your fear of taking the next steps and making those hard doctor appointments, including a yearly skin cancer screening with a licensed Dermatologist.
Do you have any other tips about how you've overcome your fear of going to the doctor (or dermatologist)?
We'd love to know! Leave us a comment below!
[Update: Not to scare you, but you might want to listen to Episode 54 of the Fairface Podcast where I share my grueling experience having sebaceous hyperplasia removed. So much for overcoming fear!]
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