Key takeaways:
Most people feel anxious leading up to surgery. But, for some, these feelings are debilitating. An intense fear of surgery is called tomophobia.
If you’re struggling with symptoms of tomophobia, try using coping tools that have soothed your anxiety in the past. If those don’t work, try something new like calming music or mindfulness techniques.
Your healthcare provider has likely treated people with pre-surgery fears in the past. So talk to them before your procedure to get information and support.
Being worried about an upcoming medical procedure, especially an invasive one, is very common. But some people’s worries go beyond the typical night-before-surgery jitters and cause intense anxiety.
Tomophobia is an acute fear of surgery that can keep you from getting the medical treatment you need. Like other phobias, it can cause physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety. These include:
Heart palpitations
Irregular breathing
Aches and pains
Trouble sleeping
Digestive issues
Poor concentration
How to cope with your fear of surgery (tomophobia)
Looking for ways to help manage your anxiety around surgery? Give these five tips a try, so that you can get the medical care you need.
1. Get informed
Part of what contributes to the onset of tomophobia is a fear of the unknown. (More on that below.) So, for some, learning the specifics of what will happen during surgery can go a long way in alleviating their worries.
However, this information can make some people’s anxiety even worse. So pay attention to what feels right for you. If you think it would be helpful for you to know exactly what will happen during your procedure, ask your provider to explain it in detail.
In addition, make sure you know about the resources available to you during your stay at the hospital. Some facilities offer things like acupuncture, massage, and access to counselors or social workers who can offer you emotional support before and after your surgery.
2. Recall ways you’ve managed anxiety in the past
One way to navigate fear before your surgery is to think about other times you’ve dealt with anxiety and try to remember what helped you in those moments. Was it a walk outside to clear your head or a call with a friend? Maybe you did some deep breathing. Or perhaps you watched a funny movie, read a book, or did something creative.
While your fears about your upcoming surgery might feel especially intense, try using coping techniques that have helped your anxiety in the past.
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3. Try a new technique
Sometimes, when our anxiety runs especially high, our usual coping techniques don’t work. If that happens to you, try something new or outside of the box.
For example, mindfulness meditation has been shown to help regulate symptoms of anxiety. You can start with some simple breathing exercises to calm your body and regulate your thoughts. When you do the exercises, notice how it feels to pay attention to your breath.
A simple, three-step breathing exercise you can try is:
Counting to three as you inhale
Briefly pausing
Then, counting to three as you exhale
Music may also have a positive effect on your pre-surgery anxiety. When preparing for your procedure, consider making a playlist of your favorite feel-good songs that you can listen to on the day of the surgery. This approach can be especially helpful when sedatives aren’t an option.
4. Talk to your surgeon and anesthesiologist
Remember that, when it comes to your health, there are no silly questions. So be sure to talk to your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and any other providers who will be involved in your procedure about how you’re feeling. They’ve likely helped many other people deal with pre-surgery anxiety and may have some ideas or suggestions that could work for you.
For example, some providers prescribe their patients an anti-anxiety medication or a sedative to help them sleep the night before a procedure. But these medications can impact recovery, so this option may not be safe in your case. Talk to your provider about any medication you’re planning to take before your procedure.
5. Surround yourself with support
If you’re facing upcoming surgery, know that you don’t have to go through it alone. Talk to your friends and loved ones about your concerns. And ask for help when you need it.
Support from your loved ones could include transportation to the hospital and follow-up appointments, help at home with things like cooking and cleaning, or simply the opportunity to talk about what you’re feeling.
Why are some people afraid of surgery?
Like other phobias, tomophobia involves an intense fear of a specific trigger. In this case, it’s the fear of surgery or other invasive medical procedures. Often, people develop tomophobia due to a negative past experience with medical care involving themselves or a loved one.
People with tomophobia may have experienced physical or emotional pain due to an unforeseen medical complication or provider error. Or they may have had a surgery that, while life-saving, significantly altered their body (like a mastectomy) or their ability to live independently (like an amputation).
Another contributing factor to the onset of tomophobia can be a fear of the unknown. Even though most surgeries pose a low risk of death, people with tomophobia often worry that the worst possible outcome will occur.
What to know if you’re especially afraid of anesthesia
Going under anesthesia is a concern for many people, because it results in a total loss of consciousness and control. But keep in mind that an anesthesiologist is a trained professional whose job is to keep you safe and comfortable during your surgery.
If you’re worried about an upcoming procedure that requires anesthesia, remember these reassuring points:
Thanks to recent advances in medical technology, research shows that anesthesiology is one of the safest fields in medicine.
Side effects from anesthesia are relatively minor and include things like nausea, sore throat, confusion, aches and pains, itchiness, and chills.
While waking up from anesthesia during a procedure is a common fear, it is actually quite rare. Anesthesia awareness, as it’s called, affects only up to 2 in 1,000 people.
The bottom line
Most people feel scared when facing upcoming surgery. But if your anxiety keeps you from getting a procedure you need, you might be dealing with tomophobia.
If this happens to you, talk to your provider about the procedure and get whatever information you need to feel empowered. If your usual coping techniques aren’t helping relieve your anxiety, try experimenting with some new ones, like mindfulness meditation or calming music.
Know that you don’t have to face surgery alone. Your surgeon and anesthesiologist are there to answer any questions you have and help you feel more comfortable during your time at the hospital. And your friends and family can listen to your fears and give you a hand as you recover.
Why trust our experts?
References
American Society of Anesthesiologists. (n.d.). Anesthesia awareness (waking up) during surgery.
American Society of Anesthesiologists. (n.d.). Effects of anesthesia.
Bradt, J., et al. (2013). Music interventions for preoperative anxiety. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Carleton, R. N. (2016). Fear the unknown: One fear to rule them all? Journal of Anxiety Disorders.
Emanuel, O., et al. (2021). Mindfulness for patients undergoing surgery: A cost-effective and potentially underrated tool for improving outcomes. British Journal of Anaesthesia.
InformedHealth.org. (2021). What can help relieve anxiety before surgery?
Katella, K. (2017). Pre-surgery anxiety? The anesthesiologist can help. Yale Medicine.
Samra, C. K., et al. (2022). Specific phobia. StatPearls.
Schmid, M., et al. (2009). Tomophobia, the phobic fear caused by an invasive medical procedure - An emerging anxiety disorder: A case report. Journal of Medical Case Reports.
Seger, C., et al. (2020). Recent advances in the technology of anesthesia. F1000 Research.
