So, I am on the spectrum and have recently had to start using a medication that requires periodic intramuscular injections. I’m fine with the little bit of pain and the rest of the process, but there is an intense hesitation to do the initial jab. If I don’t use enough force to penetrate the muscle, I have to push again or start over and that is way worse of a sensation and pain.
No matter how many times I’ve done it, I can’t get over that intense hesitation. My brain just won’t let me do it. It’s not the pain since I have a really high pain tolerance. It’s just some inability to intentionally use force to injure myself or something like that.
So, anyone else had similar issues or have any tips for tricking my mind into allowing me to do the jab?
Thanks!
I had this exact same issue… it was like a survival instinct kicks in. Like the lizard part of my brain goes “woah hold up there mate, you’re not actually going to injure yourself right? We don’t do that.”
I never really found a quick fix… it was just really extremely unbearably hard for 100 times, and then it slowly got easier. But those first 100 injections were fucking brutal. I just had to get through it. I forced myself to do it only because I knew the alternative was worse for my health