Overcoming Iatrophobia, the Fear of Doctors

Fear of doctors
Johnny Greig/E+/Getty Images

Iatrophobia is an extreme fear of doctors, medical care, or the medical care system as a whole. Most of us do not particularly enjoy going to the doctor. From the often long waits to the cold, sterile environment to the possibility of a painful procedure, doctor visits can cause anxiety in nearly anyone.

For some people, however, normal anxiety gives way to outright panic that can rise to the level of a specific phobia. As with many phobias, fear of doctors may actually have an underlying cause related to another fear, such as a fear of needles or illness.

Is It Iatrophobia or Normal Anxiety?

Since it is normal to be nervous before a doctor visit, it can be difficult to tell whether your symptoms constitute a full-blown phobia. Only a qualified mental health professional can make this determination. However, a few signs may signify that your fear is out of proportion with normal anxiety towards doctors' visits. You may experience all, some, or none of the following:

Obsessive Worrying

Normal anxiety is typically transitory that will pass. You might feel a wave of nervousness when actively thinking about an upcoming appointment. You may feel stress on the way to the doctor’s office or while sitting in the waiting room. However, you will not spend a great deal of time thinking about an upcoming visit, and you will be able to distract yourself from the anxiety if your fears are within an expected range.

If you have iatrophobia, however, an upcoming doctor visit may be the source of endless worrying. You might find it difficult or impossible to focus on other things. Once you have reached the doctor’s office, you are likely to experience feelings of panic and a sensation of being out of control. You might sweat, shake or cry, or even refuse to enter the examination room.

Other Illness-Related Phobias

Many people with iatrophobia worry that they might need to see a doctor, even if no visits are currently scheduled. You might become obsessed with minor ailments, fearing that they will require medical treatment.

It is relatively common for iatrophobia to occur alongside illness anxiety disorder (previously known as hypochondriasis) or nosophobia (fear of disease), which are both phobias of illness. You may not actually fear the doctor specifically, but rather the possibility of being diagnosed with an illness.

While avoiding the doctor may help you avoid an official diagnosis, it doesn't mean you can avoid a potential illness itself. But it can make such an illness more difficult to treat.

Postponing Doctor Appointments

Those who merely experience nervousness about doctor visits typically do not try to avoid them. If you have iatrophobia, however, you might find yourself putting off checkups, vaccinations, and other routine care. You might suffer through even relatively serious illnesses on your own, rather than seeking professional treatment.

Dentophobia

Although either phobia can occur independently, dentophobia, or fear of dentists, often occurs alongside iatrophobia. It is common for dentists to trigger the same fears as those triggered by doctors of all types.

For some, dentophobia may be more pronounced given that even a regular check-up will result in the uncomfortable and sometimes even painful sensations that accompany a teeth cleaning.

White Coat Hypertension

Although controversial, the phenomenon of white coat hypertension has been documented by numerous researcher, with some studies showing as many as 30% of individuals exhibiting signs.

This occurs when the stress of seeing a doctor is enough to raise your blood pressure to a clinically significant level. With WCH, your blood pressure is normal when checked at home or in another setting, such as a health fair, but is high at the doctor’s office.

Overcoming a Fear of Doctors

Iatrophobia can be more difficult to treat than many other phobias due to the nature of the fear. While phobias can generally be treated with a combination of medications and therapy, many people with iatrophobia fear mental health professionals as well as other types of doctor. It may be difficult for you to visit a professional treatment provider for this or any health issue.

Although it can temporarily worsen your anxiety, it is very important that you seek treatment. Over time, untreated iatrophobia can cause you to avoid needed medical care. This can put your health and well-being at risk, and may ultimately result in difficult, complicated medical procedures for conditions that would have initially been easy to treat.

It may sound paradoxical, but it is good for you to discuss any fears you may have with your doctor. It may help ease your concerns to have them better explain any actions they take during your visit and directly address any concerns you might have. An empathetic doctor will do their best to make you feel more comfortable and safe while you are in their care.

If you have had a bad experience with a doctor in the past, know that you are not alone, and that this does not have to prevent you from seeing doctors in the future. If you're able, and are concerned that such an experience may be the source of your fear, it may be worth exploring your options to change doctors. This can be true both for your physical healthcare professional or a mental health professional like a therapist. Not every doctor will be the best fit for you.

Don't Let Past Health Dictate Future Behavior

You might find yourself or a loved one saying—logically, we might add—"I never saw a doctor all these years and I never got sick, why should I start now?" Men especially are more hesitant to see a doctor, and this is even more pronounced amongst African American men. This can be tied to fear as well as masculinity norms, a fear of perceived weakness, and a history of poor treatment of African Americans by the medical community.

Even if you have lived many years without serious illness—and without seeing a doctor—that doesn't mean this trend will last forever. Our immune system naturally worsens as we age, making it more likely that we will require medical care in our later years. The fear you or a loved one may feel is valid, and we know it doesn't feel good, but the old adage about an ounce of prevention is grounded in truth

Taking care of our mind and body can become more difficult as we get older, and so it may naturally require us to change some of our behaviors, and overcome some of our anxieties.

Personalized Treatment Options

Some mental health providers offer services via telephone or the internet. Although seeking in-person treatment is generally preferable, these services can help you tame your phobia enough to face an in-person visit.

It can sound scary, but exposure to the source of your fear is seen as one of the most effective ways to overcome your fear. Facing your fears in a safe and comfortable setting can go a long way to feeling better.

Search for a mental health professional that offers services in a low-key setting that is more homelike than clinical. Some professionals work out of their homes or rented spaces in office buildings, rather than hospitals or medical facilities. Some wear jeans and other casual clothes, and some provide soothing music, televisions, and other services designed for relaxation.

A good treatment provider will work at your pace and take the time to allow you to become comfortable with the environment before moving on to treating the phobia. Many phobias are treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and group seminars. Look for a provider that offers the type of treatment with which you feel most comfortable.

Seeking treatment for iatrophobia is never easy. With a bit of advance research, however, you should be able to find a mental health services provider that makes you feel comfortable. Take someone with you to act as a support person if needed, and focus on developing trust with your provider before moving on to the actual phobia treatment, and to proactively seeking other medical care in the future.

5 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Hollander MAG, Greene MG. A conceptual framework for understanding iatrophobia. Patient Educ Couns. 2019;102(11):2091-2096. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2019.06.006

  2. Franklin SS, Thijs L, Hansen TW, O'brien E, Staessen JA. White-coat hypertension: new insights from recent studies. Hypertension. 2013;62(6):982-7. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.113.01275

  3. Powell W, Adams LB, Cole-Lewis Y, Agyemang A, Upton RD. Masculinity and Race-Related Factors as Barriers to Health Help-Seeking Among African American Men. Behav Med. 2016 Jul-Sep;42(3):150-63. doi: 10.1080/08964289.2016

  4. Montecino-Rodriguez E, Berent-Maoz B, Dorshkind K. Causes, consequences, and reversal of immune system aging. J Clin Invest. 2013 Mar;123(3):958-65. doi: 10.1172/JCI64096

  5. Kaczkurkin AN, Foa EB. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders: an update on the empirical evidenceDialogues Clin Neurosci. 2015;17(3):337-346. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/akaczkurkin

By Lisa Fritscher
Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer and editor with a deep interest in phobias and other mental health topics.