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 found a “fix” for the woozy part several years back. I used to think it was panic attacks, because I do get those, so in would try to relax and lower heart rate and all that I do with panic attacks. Turns out it was a vasovagal response, not panic, so it’s low, not high blood pressure. So all I was doing just made it way worse. It’s a reaction meant to help reduce blood loss after major wounds, but I happened to one day cut my finger pretty bad and happened to have a smart watch on and as I was getting dizzy, it warned me that my heart rate was dangerously low. So I read about the vasovagal reaction and that autistic people can sometimes have an exaggerated one. Instead, I immediately start hyping myself up and if I’m not dizzy yet, I get up and jump up and down and get the blood flowing. Anything to get the blood pressure back up. I still sometimes still get some ringing in the ears and cold sweat, but I haven’t passed out since then.