Fear of surgery what to do. How to deal with the fear of surgery under general anesthesia

Almost all people have a fear of surgery. It should not be embarrassed, since fear is a natural psychological reaction of a person, which includes his defense mechanisms during surgery.

The need for any operation is determined by the surgeon, but the final decision is made only by the patient. However, many patients do not have many options, especially when their lives are at risk.

To overcome your fear of surgery, you need to understand that this is often the only possible way treatment. That is, medication methods will not bring a positive result. Therefore, before going to the surgeon’s table, you should be absolutely sure of the following things:

in the competence of the attending physician;
in a positive treatment outcome;
few side effects;
in the presence of internal strength for a successful recovery after surgery.

At the same time, you should approach the choice of a doctor most carefully, since the outcome of the operation depends on his knowledge and precision of his hands. In addition, if the doctor’s team includes qualified personnel, then at each stage of intervention in the internal organs the quality of the treatment provided increases. At the same time, the patient will be surrounded by attention and care, which not only improves his psychological condition, but also helps to calm down.

Remedies will help overcome the fear of surgical treatment mass media(Internet, TV shows, newspapers). They inform the patient about the progress of this treatment and the number of positive and negative reviews about it. In this case, it is necessary to use specialized sources of information, since with their help you can study in detail the operation and the progress of its implementation. Receiving information from “yellow sources” should be completely excluded.

Moreover, we must not forget about taking tests, since their results may contain contraindications for the operation. Of course, such information may repel a person from surgical treatment, but at the same time it can protect his life and health. Any doctor equipped with the most information about his patient will be able to most successfully carry out the required treatment. But if you can’t overcome your fear, you can turn to a medical psychologist for help. He will be able to find the necessary parting words.

Patients' internal mood

Many people, when turning to medical institutions for help, do not think that they can hear the words of the treating specialists about the need for surgical intervention.

Such information becomes shocking, since a person’s instinct of self-preservation sharply worsens. This allows any person to protect themselves from various mechanical penetrations into internal organs and from possible undesirable consequences. At the same time, very often the feeling of fear of surgery manifests itself much more acutely than the fear of the disease itself. Finding yourself in such a situation, it is very important to tune in to a successful outcome.

In order to have the required attitude, you need to fulfill some wishes, which any surgeon can tell you about. The first of these wishes should be the collection of the maximum amount of information not only about the operation, but also about the consequences of refusing it. In addition, you must be sure of the successful completion of treatment procedures. If the probability of a positive outcome is 50% or more, then you cannot refuse them.

Before the operation you need to familiarize yourself with modern techniques its implementation, the availability of high-quality equipment and the degree of qualification medical personnel. The presence of unique devices in the hospital will help not only cheer up the patient, but also reduce the risk of unfavorable completion of treatment. We must not forget about alternative methods that can help a person avoid surgery and cure the disease.

When choosing a treatment method, the simplicity and duration of further rehabilitation should be taken into account. One of the most important methods conviction is the realization that there is no other method of healing at this point in time.

The patient can also be supported by self-esteem, which should be based on confidence in the positive outcome of treatment and in the absence of side effects. This feeling in most cases reduces not only the recovery period, but also reduces the number of complications.

Besides, positive emotions human organs allow the internal organs of a person to be in a relaxed state, which allows doctors to more effectively cope with the task assigned to them.

Before undergoing surgery, any person is first admitted to the hospital. This happens a few days before it takes place. At the same time, you can’t give in bad mood, transmitted from neighbors in the ward. All people are individual and react completely differently to the same painful sensations. The patient's attention is focused only on negative reviews, completely ignoring the positive results. In this case, an audio player with relaxing music will be a reliable assistant.

An upcoming operation always causes anxiety and worry, regardless of whether the person has had a similar experience. In order not to expose your body to stress, you need to know how to overcome the fear of surgery under general anesthesia.

Surgery under anesthesia causes fear and anxiety in the patient

There are many reasons for the development of this fear and they are individual for each person. It is possible and necessary to fight them, since surgery, anesthesia and postoperative recovery are already a huge burden on the body. You shouldn’t expose him to destructive obsessive fear.

Causes of fear

Speaking about the reasons for the fear of surgery under general anesthesia, it is impossible to single out any special reasons. Fear is based on thanatophobia (fear of death), iatrophobia (fear of doctors), and tomophobia (fear of operations). This phobia very rarely has a precursor. psychological trauma or emotional shock. In most cases, it is based on the patient’s far-fetched experiences. Fear of surgery arises due to:

Lack of information. The person does not know how the surgery will take place. What frightens him is not the fact of the procedure itself, but the inability to control it in an unconscious state. It makes you feel helpless and vulnerable.
Too much information. The medical staff explains in detail what they will do during the operation. Particularly impressionable and suspicious people are able to imagine a picture with the most unpleasant details.
Stories from other patients have the worst effect on a person before surgery. You can hear that an anesthesiologist can do his job incorrectly and the person will wake up.

Modern drugs have virtually no side effects; during the operation, the anesthesiologist is next to the surgeon and monitors the patient’s condition. If the effect of anesthesia comes to an end, then it is extended with another portion of the medicine.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this fear, like any manifestation of fear, are typical. They greatly complicate the work of anesthesiologists, as the heart rate is disrupted and blood pressure rises greatly. In this condition, it is more difficult to determine the dose of anesthesia for the patient. Somatic manifestations of fear are:

dizziness;
darkening of the eyes;
nausea and vomiting;
headache;
sweating;
stomach upset;
tremor of the limbs.

Panic attacks are also possible, in the midst of which a person cannot control himself.

Methods for dealing with fear

You can get rid of fear on the eve of surgery using techniques developed by psychotherapists to help people in such a situation. Doctors may prescribe powerful sedatives that relax muscles, reduce emotional stress and prepare the patient for anesthesia.

Psychological preparation

The support of loved ones, as well as consultation with a psychotherapist, helps to overcome fear. Experts recommend using the following methods:

Action by contradiction: you need to imagine in the smallest detail how the operation would take place in the complete absence of anesthesia.
Introductory lectures: educational program on the topic of how the operation occurs and what consequences it brings. This will help cope with fear if the person is not very impressionable and can calmly look at blood (if we are talking about watching thematic videos).
Detachment, maximum detachment from reality. This technique is relevant for children. The patient imagines that everything that happens to him is actually happening to another person, a character from a fairy tale or a movie character.

It is difficult to calmly survive the fear of surgery if the patient withdraws into himself.

To get rid of the fear of anesthesia, you should imagine how the operation would have gone without it.

Conclusion

It will not be easy to remove fear if a person is really afraid of surgery under anesthesia. It is necessary to be aware of the fact that this is being done for good.

If it is possible to carry out the procedure under another type of anesthesia, this should be discussed with the anesthesiologist. This may help relieve panic attacks if the phobia is related to general anesthesia.

Often, a person requiring surgery will experience feeling of fear before the upcoming operation. This is absolutely normal, because fear is a natural defense mechanism whose task is to protect us from danger.

Having heard from the doctor that an operation must be performed, a person, under the influence of fear, begins to subconsciously delay such a radical solution to the problem, looking for more and more new reasons that prevent the operation from being performed immediately. There’s work, which just can’t wait now, and relatives who need help right now, and children who need to be prepared for school...

In the meantime, you can try to be treated with unconventional methods, miracle pills, or even go to your grandmother-healer.

Here and now we will try to figure out how to prepare ourselves for surgery.

Many people avoid visiting doctors even with serious “bells” from their body. As a consequence of this, the doctor can observe an already advanced “picture” upon treatment and therefore suggests surgery, since the use of conservative methods will no longer help to cure.

Ask your doctor for details of your diagnosis and the consequences of refusing surgery. If the doctor insists that surgery is necessary, then clarify the prognosis for the further course of the disease. If the chance of recovery is less than 50 percent, postponing surgery for too long is dangerous. A planned operation can lead to the development of complications to a much lesser extent than an emergency one.
Find out if alternative treatment is available.
Get a full medical examination, because full information information about the condition of your body will help the doctor choose a method of surgical treatment.
The latest treatment methods using modern medical equipment, will reduce rehabilitation time, but can be expensive.
Set yourself up to the fact that there is no turning back. Think about how you will feel without surgery and what the risks are.
Find special literature with information about the operation proposed to you. Find out from medical publications that you are not even the thousand and one who have gone through this successfully.
Read patient reviews about the clinic where you will have the surgery.
If you can’t get ready for the operation yourself, contact qualified help to a psychologist.
If you are facing emergency surgery, you need to understand and accept the fact that it is too late to use other treatment methods, and refusing surgery could cost you your life.

The operation and subsequent recovery period will be much more successful if you can maintain a positive attitude towards positive result. It is very important to use the internal resource of self-hypnosis. In most cases, this helps to recover even from very serious illnesses.

Don't listen to the horror stories of your neighbors in the hospital ward

Never listen to the stories of your roommates about unsuccessful operations and deaths. If possible, it is better to go out into the corridor during such conversations. If you are unable to leave the room, ask your relatives to bring you an audio player with headphones.

Information about successful operations

What you really need now is as much information as possible about operations that were successful. It would be nice if your family found and printed out such information. Stories from people who have undergone surgery. Find out more about rehabilitation therapy. Set yourself up for a positive outcome. Give yourself confidence that everything will go smoothly.

Special medical literature

Find suitable sources of medical literature that tell you about your upcoming surgery. Reading them will help you understand that this area is well studied and similar operations have already been successfully performed on thousands of other people.

Think about life after surgery

Think about how you will live after surgery. The disease has receded and no longer bothers you. A strengthened body is full of strength and ready for an active life. The disease no longer interferes with your work and family relationships. And all this will become a reality after healing.

If you can't stop worrying

On the eve of the operation, are you very worried? Do not hesitate to ask your doctor for a sedative, because you need to get a good night's sleep to prepare your body for the upcoming operation.

Stay in touch with family

Ask that after the operation they allow you to call your loved ones and tell them about the successful outcome of the operation. Imagine this moment, how you dial a number after you recover from anesthesia. Imagine sharing your joy with your loved ones.

Faith in success

Belief in success is the basis, what helps people overcome difficulties. It is known that a person does not use his capabilities to the fullest, so faith in success will become the command that will direct all the body’s reserves to fight the disease. With Vera, recovery will go faster, and you will be able to maintain health for many years.

Our imagination plays a big role. Even though it is difficult, try to shift your attention to positive thoughts. Imagine a positive outcome from the operation. Think about how your health will improve every day after surgery. In other words, program your consciousness for success. Tell yourself:

- I am worthy of health and healing.

“I feel better and better every day.”

Self-hypnosis techniques will speed up recovery. Believe in success and that you will get better soon. I wish this to you with all my heart.

General anesthesia is prescribed to the patient if during the operation it is impossible to use local anesthesia for complete pain relief. Hundreds of thousands of people go through this procedure every day. It will help to reduce the likelihood of complications, both during and after surgery. competent preparation to anesthesia. The patient is required to strictly follow the recommendations that will help him prepare for the upcoming test physically and psychologically.

In many cases of surgical intervention, it is impossible to do without general anesthesia. Despite its relevance and necessity, such anesthesia still remains not entirely subject to human will. Medicine cannot give a 100% guarantee that this artificial sleep will not have negative influence. An honest and open dialogue between the patient and the anesthesiologist is important when planning an operation, which should be prepared in advance.

Back in the middle of the last century, anesthesia before surgery was associated with a risk to the patient’s life. Today, thanks to a huge leap in the development of all branches of medicine, as well as due to the use of advanced technologies, there is no longer any need to talk about mortality due to anesthesia. However, there remains a small possibility of a threat to the health of the human brain (mental impairment is possible).

Almost everyone who has to go through this procedure experiences fear, sometimes turning into panic. But, since there is no alternative to such anesthesia, it is necessary to use all available possibilities to achieve maximum safety. To do this, before anesthesia, it is important to prepare your body in accordance with established rules and individual requirements of the attending physician. If you do everything as the anesthesiologist advises, you can reduce the likelihood of complications.

The advantages of general anesthesia include such factors as the patient’s lack of sensitivity to the surgical procedures being performed, and the patient’s absolute immobility, allowing surgeons to work with concentration and without tension. In addition, a person under general anesthesia is completely relaxed, which allows doctors to work even with hard-to-reach vessels and tissues, without wasting time. Another advantage is that the patient’s consciousness is turned off during the operation, and therefore there is no fear.

In some cases, anesthesia is accompanied by such side effects, such as attention disorder, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, pain and dry throat, headaches.

These unpleasant sensations are temporary, and their intensity and duration can be adjusted if you prepare for the upcoming operation as required by the doctor, for example, by not eating or drinking water for several hours before the procedure.

Preparing for surgery

It is important to properly prepare for surgery under general anesthesia. Depending on the complexity of the upcoming surgical intervention, the general health of the patient and many other factors, the preparation time can vary from 2 weeks to six months. During this time, the patient sometimes develops a persistent fear of surgery and anesthesia, which is fueled by stories from other patients or anonymous testimonies read in the tabloid press.

The anesthesiologist, together with the surgeon who will operate on the patient, should have an informative conversation with precise instructions on what you can eat and drink a month before the operation, a week before it and on the day of it. In addition, the patient must be examined by other specialized doctors who study the state of his health and also give him useful advice on adjusting, for example, smoking, weight, lifestyle, sleep.

Even before a short and simple operation under general anesthesia, at least next study patient's health status:

blood test (general);
urine test (general);
blood clotting test;
general analysis urine.

It is important to tell the truth about how you feel. If the patient was properly preparing for surgery, but a few days before the operation he noticed an increase in temperature or an exacerbation chronic illness, for example, gastritis, the attending physician should know this! If the patient is not feeling well, the operation must be postponed.

Fear of surgery under anesthesia

Feeling afraid of anesthesia or a surgeon’s scalpel is normal and should not be ashamed. To reduce feelings of anxiety, you can seek help from a psychologist. In many developed countries Each patient must be consulted by such a specialist before surgery, and if necessary, consultations can be multiple. In our country, few clinics and hospitals can boast of such an opportunity, so patients themselves sometimes have to ask their doctor for a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist for a conversation.

It is believed that the patient’s psyche is traumatized already in the clinic, when the doctor recommends surgical treatment to his patient. Even then, fear begins to occupy a dominant position in a person’s consciousness. Anyone undergoing surgery needs the sensitivity of the medical staff.

Every patient without exception should be reassured and encouraged. If the patient shows a particularly intense feeling of fear (cries often, talks about death, sleeps and eats poorly), he needs urgent consultation with a psychologist. In the preoperative period, most patients are in dire need of preparation for surgery, not only medicinally, but also psychologically. There are several areas of mental support for patients:

training of children and elderly people;
preparation for emergency surgery;
preparation for planned surgery.

Fear is a strong emotion, which in this case plays a negative role, preventing the patient from adjusting to a favorable outcome of the operation.

Since the consequences of anesthesia depend not only on the anesthesiologist, but also on the patient, you should carefully consider your own emotional experiences and promptly see a specialist to restore mental balance. You can be afraid of anesthesia or the outcome of surgery, but still live full life, without poisoning it either to yourself or loved ones. To do this, you should prepare for the operation psychologically and physically, controlling not only what you can eat or drink, but also what you can and should think about.

Psychological attitude

First of all, you should give up ostentatious bravado and admit to yourself: “Yes, I’m afraid of anesthesia.” Every patient who is about to undergo major surgery experiences fear. This is a normal state, since a person is accustomed to controlling the work of his own body, and the thought that he will be helpless inspires fear and anxiety. In addition, there is fear for the consequences of anesthesia and the success of the operation itself. Such anxiety is normal if it is not constantly present and does not disrupt the patient’s usual rhythm of life.

To psychologically prepare for an operation under anesthesia, while experiencing fear, you can do auto-training, yoga, and meditation. It is enough to master the technique of proper relaxation and breathing in order to feel peace of mind and peace. Breathing exercises and a positive attitude will help overcome fear and panic.

Physical training

In addition to the psychological aspect, body preparation is important:

about all accepted medicines(even about 1 aspirin tablet) the anesthesiologist and the attending surgeon should know;
you should tell your doctors about your recent previous diseases and allergic reactions;
You cannot hide diseases suffered in the past that are popularly considered indecent (syphilis, gonorrhea, tuberculosis);
you should not eat or drink 6 hours before surgery;
It is advisable to quit smoking 6 weeks before the appointed date;
Removable dentures and piercings must be removed from the oral cavity;
you need to remove contact lenses and hearing aids (if any);
Decorative varnish is removed from the surface of the nails.

A week before surgery, you should eat foods that help cleanse the intestines of toxins and gases. If you prepare correctly, the body will tolerate anesthesia easily and without complications. A competent approach and following the instructions will help you not to be afraid of the upcoming procedure and will allow you to restore strength after the operation.

Instructions

Talk to your doctor and try to understand the essence of the diagnosis he made, as well as the possibility that you may experience certain consequences due to your refusal to carry out the procedure. If the doctor insistently recommends surgery, you should accurately find out the most likely prognosis of the disease. If the chances of recovery with the help of conservative medicine methods are less than 50%, you should not postpone surgery for a long time. After all, operations performed as planned are less dangerous for the development possible complications than emergency ones.

Explore the possibility of alternative, albeit expensive, techniques conservative treatment.

Go through a comprehensive examination of your health and truly evaluate your own financial capabilities, this will allow you to choose a method of surgical treatment. If an operation is necessary and there is a possibility of choosing its implementation, compare and weigh everything and negative sides one or another method of surgical intervention.

When choosing a technique, it should be taken into account that performing surgical operations traditional way leaves significant scars on the patient’s body, but the preparatory and rehabilitation stages, as well as the cost of the operation itself, are much less. Operations performed with modern equipment and using the latest techniques usually require less time and costs for rehabilitation, but are expensive in themselves.

Try to convince yourself that there is no turning back. Imagine your condition without surgical treatment and the healthy state in which you will remain and subsequent rehabilitation. That is, you need to clearly understand your prospects for the future.

Beeline provides subscribers with a USSD request number *110*181#. With its help, you can set up a GPRS-based Internet connection on your mobile phone. The second number that helps you receive is the USSD command number *110*111#. By the way, after sending such a request, you will need to disable yours, and then again his. This operation allows you to register the device on the network and enable received automatic settings.

Making a decision to undergo an operation is difficult for a person. While awaiting surgery, the patient's attitude towards a positive outcome is of particular importance.

Instructions

Without a medical education, it is difficult for a person to get ready for a planned surgical intervention. Fears that frighten the patient are often associated with the lack of reliable information about the outcomes of similar surgical procedures.

It is worth remembering that fear is a natural physiological defense of the entire body and is inherent in humans by nature. Therefore, do not try to deal with fears on your own, bringing the natural psychological state to the effect of phobia and catastrophizing.

First of all, talk to your doctor, having previously identified the issues that interest you most. It is advisable to state them in advance in in writing from the comfort of your own home.

When talking to a specialist, try not to worry. Consulting only involves verbal communication in doctor-patient contact. Determine the possibility and need to take sedatives.

Find Additional information on carrying out similar operations. It is important to determine for yourself the success of their outcomes.

When packing for a medical facility, take with you books by your favorite author and other literature that interests you. Reading will not only help you take your mind off your thoughts before the operation, but will also serve as a kind of sedative before bed.

Follow all doctor's instructions exactly. You should not arrogantly believe that the body will cope with the disease on its own.

Don't give up morning exercises. WITH physical exercise the body receives the load it needs. It is possible that in postoperative period the body will need additional strength to recover.

Try not to feel sorry for yourself. It is important that your emotions are only positive. Good mood and confidence in a favorable outcome of the operation will become indispensable companions in difficult times.

Monitor your diet daily. Go for a walk, do your daily activities. Communicate with relatives and friends. By distracting yourself from inner unrest, you will gradually cope with your fears.

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Helpful advice

If you are unable to overcome feelings of fear and hopelessness on your own, turn to online resources that provide the opportunity for communication between people who have already gone through similar life tests. An alternative to such communication can be a consultation with a psychologist.

Most motorists want to know about traffic jams in advance. Cars equipped with navigators can receive such information in advance. All you have to do is set up “Traffic” in your navigator.

You will need

-GPRS, WiMax, SkyLink connection;
-navigator,
-computer for synchronization.

Instructions

You can install a third-party application from Garmin - Garmin Navitel. You can download the program completely free of charge on the official website. Install it on your computer. Connect your navigator to it. The Garmin Navitel interface interacts with most operating systems of modern devices. Select "Sync" from the File menu. Garmin will process the maps available on the navigator and add a number of its own (a request for this operation will be displayed during the synchronization process). In addition, the Garmin: Car on the road function (traffic informant) will be added to the navigator.

To use the Garmin: Car on the road app, launch it on your navigator. The program will ask for consent to use GPS and mobile internet(in Russia, the SkyLink signal is the most stable, followed by GPRS and WiMax in terms of power). Select Allow. A map with main roads will be displayed, then clusters of cars and a little later - individual cars. This system is highly accurate, so you can protect yourself from traffic jams and save travel time.

You can configure “Traffic” on Navitel navigators common in Russia. Update the program version to the latest available. Go to the settings of the “Navitel.Navigator” program, select “Other”. Check the boxes next to the “Traffic” value. Now information about the traffic situation is available to you when your navigator is connected to the Internet.

If you do not yet use a Sim card or USB modem in your navigator, you can distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi from your mobile device. This method will not be the fastest, but it can help out in a difficult situation on the road.

Wi-Fi adapter

A Wi-Fi adapter is a universal means through which the user has access to the Internet. Very often you can find built-in Wi-Fi adapters. Most often they are located directly in the computer or laptop itself. Each type of Wi-Fi adapter has different functions. For example, some of them can only receive a signal, while others can also distribute it.

When choosing and purchasing Wi-Fi adapter, you need to decide specifically for yourself why you will use it. For example, if you already have a home Wi-Fi internet, but the desktop computer cannot enter the created network, because it simply does not see it. This problem can be solved by simply purchasing a standard Wi-Fi adapter with a signal reception function. In another case - when there is no Wi-Fi, but there is a computer with which you will distribute the Wi-Fi network. As mentioned above, in this case you will need to buy a Wi-Fi adapter that supports the signal distribution function.

Setting up a Wi-Fi adapter

After the Wi-Fi adapter is installed, the network must be configured. This process does not take very long. The most important thing is to follow the instructions exactly. The Wi-Fi adapter is configured slightly differently, depending on the operating system used. For example, the process of setting up an adapter to operating system Windows 7.

In the field where the network connection is provided, you need to find the item “Network and Sharing Center”. After the corresponding window appears, you need to find “Change adapter settings”. The Network Connections window will then open. In this folder you need to find the wireless connection and right-click to open the context menu and select “Properties”.

In the window that appears, you need to find and select the line “Internet Protocol TCP/IP v4” and click on “Properties”. Next, you need to check the box next to “Receive automatically” (on all values). Confirm this operation by clicking the “Ok” button. Then, if a connection has already been created on the router itself, you need to select the created connection in the all connections window and connect to Wi-Fi network.
. It can be Opera or Google Chrome. They have the least number of different unnecessary functions. The faster your browser loads, the faster the Internet will work.

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Sources:

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