If you think the only thing that makes hospitals scary are Hollywood directors with a penchant for depicting abandoned, ragged clinical establishments as the backdrop of a great horror movie, think again. There’s a deeper, more real, and widely misunderstood psychological phenomenon that affects people in far more serious ways—and it’s called the White Coat Phobia.

The Whitecoats are Coming!

Paul Revere might have been behind the iconic “the redcoats are coming!” expression, and the whitecoats are no less scary—to people with White Coat Phobia, at least. The particulars of this phobic mania are easy enough to understand: it’s the fear of white coats—specifically those worn by doctors, dentists, and maybe, mad scientists. In more clinical terms, it’s also known as White Coat Hypertension. The reason is pretty obvious: some people, when in a hospital or clinical setting, or near a doctor/dentist, experience a hike in their blood pressure—a phenomenon known as hypertension.

Why Does Your Blood Pressure Rise?

For people who find medical settings a tense, overwhelming scenario, often experience a spike in their blood pressure. This is more due to external cues—in this case, the dreaded medical setting—as opposed to internal physical complications.

For many people, it’s the unfamiliarity of the entire situation that causes this stress. For others, it might be the fear of needles, of hospitals in general, or of medical equipment (it does tend to look scary at times, probably the reason why aforementioned Hollywood directors are so keen on using them as props for horror movies).

White coat hypertension often surfaces when people have their blood pressure taken by doctors in a medical setting, which results in the readings being higher than what your normal blood pressure is at home.

The Consequences

The natural consequence of being someone who experiences white coat hypertension every time they’re in a medical setting is that treatment becomes a pressing concern. Because of our fear of hospitals and “white coats,” we find excuses to avoid visiting a doctor. For people who need to seek immediate medical attention, this can be a great obstacle, especially since some ailments worsen if they’re left unchecked for too long.

Additionally, the problem of inaccurate sphygmomanometer readings in a hospital setting can lead to a misdiagnosis. You might be diagnosed for high blood pressure when in truth you’re just experiencing hypertension due to the scenario. We suggest that everyone should take some time to relax before allowing a doctor to take their blood pressure, in order to obtain a more accurate reading. If you own a sphygmomanometer, you can take your readings right at home, without needing to go near a white coat. Additionally, you can also wear a 24-hour monitor to assess your blood pressure better throughout the day, so that an average reading can be surmised.

Dig Out the Root Cause

Unchecked and prolonged white coat hypertension can lead to sustained hypertension, which in turn, can cause several diseases and disorders. In order to ensure your wellness and health, you can take professional help from a hypnotherapist. Let a hypnotherapist use cognitive behavioral therapy to dig out whatever might be causing this fear of medical settings in you.

Don’t wait before it’s too late to get help: book a hypnosis session over Skype with Rekha or visit her in person at Blossom Hypnosis in Pittsford, NY.

Links:

https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/heart-health/white-coat-syndrome-physiological-reality/

https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/features/beyond-white-coat-syndrome#1

https://militaryhistorynow.com/2016/07/04/the-redcoats-are-coming-the-facts-and-fiction-of-paul-reveres-famous-ride/