{"id":20508,"date":"2023-05-11T06:17:49","date_gmt":"2023-05-11T11:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?p=20508"},"modified":"2023-07-19T11:38:35","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T16:38:35","slug":"how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you experience doctor anxiety, you might live with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psychcentral.com\/anxiety\/doctor-anxiety\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">iatrophobia<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It\u2019s the fear of most medical professionals, including nurses and medical assistants, along with the fear of hospitals, medical buildings and other aspects of medical care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Iatrophobia isn\u2019t as rare as you might think. Many people experience higher levels of blood pressure and other signs of stress when they visit the doctor. In some rare cases, iatrophobia might drive some people to avoid medical professionals entirely unless there is an emergency. If you get nervous ahead of a doctor\u2019s appointment, know you aren\u2019t alone. Use this guide to learn more about iatrophobia and how you can overcome it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What does doctor anxiety feel like?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anxiety manifests itself in many different forms, and you might not be able to identify the signs and symptoms immediately. If you normally don\u2019t deal with anxiety, you might attribute your iatrophobia to another cause. For example, you might think your irritability is caused by traffic on the roads or a stressful meeting you had earlier in the day. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/using-your-senses-to-manage-anxiety\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everyone experiences anxiety differently<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but here are a few common symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A fast or thumping heart rate<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rapid breathing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tightness in your chest and throat that makes it difficult to breathe<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Temperature fluctuations where you are either sweating or feel cold<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sudden aches and pains in your arms, legs, back or head<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nausea or a churning feeling in your stomach<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dizziness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Restlessness or an inability to sit still\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A sudden need to use the toilet<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irritability or frustration<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you find yourself tapping your foot while waiting for the doctor and getting annoyed when they are five minutes late, you might be experiencing anxiety about the appointment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical symptoms of anxiety are so common in medical offices that there is even a term for it: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/320861\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">white coat syndrome<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This occurs when a person\u2019s blood pressure is higher at the doctor\u2019s office than at home, which is a direct result of their anxiety and stress in the situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What causes doctor anxiety?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People experience doctor anxiety for multiple reasons and there might not be a single driver of your stress. There are likely multiple factors that can turn a routine physical into a stressful situation even for the calmest patients. Here are a few sources of iatrophobia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fear of diagnosis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: You might be worried that the doctor finds something concerning that could signify a major health problem.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Potential for judgment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: You might be stressed about your doctor judging your lifestyle choices (like your weight, smoking habit or other lifestyle factors). This also applies to parents when they take their kids to the pediatrician.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fear of procedures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Some people have had negative experiences with medical procedures in the past (like painful blood draws or dental discomfort) that make them wary of doctors.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fear of authority<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some people see doctors as authority figures and don\u2019t want to disappoint them with poor health.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Worry about cost<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many patients can\u2019t afford medical treatments and don\u2019t want to receive a diagnosis that could lead to costly treatments and medications.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you\u2019re generally a healthy person, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/how-much-health-anxiety-is-normal-right-now\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you might experience health anxiety<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where you\u2019re worried that something is wrong with your body. Waiting in a doctor\u2019s office can cause stress if you\u2019re concerned you might have an unknown illness that has gone undiagnosed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How to deal with anxiety when seeing a doctor<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if your fear of seeing a doctor is mild, you can still take steps to control your symptoms. Skipping doctor\u2019s visits can prevent them from catching key warning signs that could indicate problems with your health. It\u2019s better to stop minor issues early on before they become major problems. Follow these steps to confront and reduce your doctor&#8217;s anxiety.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Be honest with yourself<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step when dealing with your iatrophobia is to face it head-on. Admit that doctors and medical settings make you nervous, especially if your anxiety is to the point where it impacts your appointments. Learning <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/how-to-recognize-your-mental-health-needs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to recognize your mental health needs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a big part of seeking help for them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Too often, people try to suppress their anxiety and put on a brave face. However, ignoring your signs of stress can cause them to build up and overwhelm you. Once you learn to identify and deal with your doctor\u2019s anxiety, you can look for other signs of stress in your daily life. \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Schedule your appointment at a good time<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look at your week and consider the best times for you to see the doctor. Choose a time when you\u2019re naturally calm and unlikely to combine existing work and life stressors with your doctor\u2019s anxiety.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, some people prefer to schedule medical appointments on Fridays. They take the rest of the day off and treat themselves to a fun activity as a reward. This adds a positive element to a stressful experience. However, other people hate having to wait a whole week to see the doctor and would rather complete the appointment first thing on Monday morning to get it over with.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the benefits of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">booking medical appointments online<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that you can look at different available dates and times to choose the perfect option for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Ask plenty of questions<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the best ways to overcome your fear of doctors is to realize they\u2019re people too. Instead of viewing medical professionals as all-knowing authorities, see them as resources to answer your questions and help you learn about yourself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, it\u2019s OK to ask embarrassing questions. If you experience stomach discomfort and distress, you can talk about your poop. Your doctor has heard it all before and needs to know what you are experiencing in order to help you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next, know that no question is too small. You can ask about a minor pimple or a weird popping in your jaw if it bothers you. The more information you give your doctor, the better they can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/tips-on-helping-your-doctors-coordinate-your-care\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">coordinate your care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Bring a friend or family member along<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When in doubt, tap into your support system. Ask a friend, family member or significant other to attend the appointment with you. They can hold your hand and assure you that everything is going to be OK. You can also talk about your stress and anxiety regarding the appointment with this person.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Talk to a counselor<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your iatrophobia is reaching a point where you don\u2019t feel comfortable in any medical setting, you might benefit from talking with a counselor about your experiences. You could schedule a telehealth appointment on your computer or in person at the therapist\u2019s office.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The goal of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/therapist-counselors\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">therapists and mental health counselors<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is to help people understand where their anxiety comes from. They will walk you through the process of identifying your symptoms and teach you coping mechanisms to use when times get tough. With these tools, you can build the right skills to meet with a doctor or a dentist for treatment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Find a specialty doctor<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Iatrophobia has become a common condition for many people and some doctors are responding by making their offices more comfortable. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/dentists\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many dentists<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> work to create fun experiences for kids and calming appointments for adults, practicing \u201czero-anxiety\u201d care. Other doctors are remodeling their offices to create comfortable environments. Instead of overly sterile white walls and tile, they are investing in comfortable chairs, natural light and plants.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask your friends for doctor recommendations and research specialty doctors in your area who can help you create a positive association with the medical field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You aren\u2019t the first person to experience iatrophobia. The fear of doctors is very common, even as most medical professionals are working to help patients overcome it. Know your anxiety symptoms and take steps to feel more comfortable in a medical setting.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\">Need a doctor? Find one on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/\">Zocdoc<\/a>.<\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The fear of doctors (also called iatrophobia or \u201cwhite coat syndrome\u201d) is a common phobia that many people experience from time to time. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":20509,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[12,108,41,244,56,83],"class_list":["post-20508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-anxiety","tag-doctors-and-patients","tag-mental-health","tag-preventative-care","tag-primary-care","tag-wellness","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor - Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The fear of doctors (also called iatrophobia or \u201cwhite coat syndrome\u201d) is a common phobia that many people experience from time to time. Learn how you can identify the signs of anxiety and take steps to overcome it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor - Guides\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The fear of doctors (also called iatrophobia or \u201cwhite coat syndrome\u201d) is a common phobia that many people experience from time to time. Learn how you can identify the signs of anxiety and take steps to overcome it.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Paper Gown\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-11T11:17:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-07-19T16:38:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"564\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"265\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Zocdoc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Zocdoc\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Zocdoc\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8bb9e4709af3a32602a692b67647631f\"},\"headline\":\"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-11T11:17:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-07-19T16:38:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/\"},\"wordCount\":1329,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Anxiety\",\"Doctors &amp; Patients\",\"Mental Health\",\"Preventative Care\",\"Primary Care\",\"Wellness\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Guides\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/\",\"name\":\"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor - Guides\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-11T11:17:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-07-19T16:38:35+00:00\",\"description\":\"The fear of doctors (also called iatrophobia or \u201cwhite coat syndrome\u201d) is a common phobia that many people experience from time to time. Learn how you can identify the signs of anxiety and take steps to overcome it.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png\",\"width\":564,\"height\":265},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Guides\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/category\/guides\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"The Paper Gown\",\"description\":\"Stories for and about patients\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Zocdoc\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png\",\"width\":2059,\"height\":1049,\"caption\":\"Zocdoc\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8bb9e4709af3a32602a692b67647631f\",\"name\":\"Zocdoc\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/author\/jonathan-katzzocdoc-com\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor - Guides","description":"The fear of doctors (also called iatrophobia or \u201cwhite coat syndrome\u201d) is a common phobia that many people experience from time to time. Learn how you can identify the signs of anxiety and take steps to overcome it.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor - Guides","og_description":"The fear of doctors (also called iatrophobia or \u201cwhite coat syndrome\u201d) is a common phobia that many people experience from time to time. Learn how you can identify the signs of anxiety and take steps to overcome it.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/","og_site_name":"The Paper Gown","article_published_time":"2023-05-11T11:17:49+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-07-19T16:38:35+00:00","og_image":[{"width":564,"height":265,"url":"https:\/\/zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Zocdoc","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Zocdoc","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/"},"author":{"name":"Zocdoc","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8bb9e4709af3a32602a692b67647631f"},"headline":"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor","datePublished":"2023-05-11T11:17:49+00:00","dateModified":"2023-07-19T16:38:35+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/"},"wordCount":1329,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png","keywords":["Anxiety","Doctors &amp; Patients","Mental Health","Preventative Care","Primary Care","Wellness"],"articleSection":["Guides"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/","name":"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor - Guides","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png","datePublished":"2023-05-11T11:17:49+00:00","dateModified":"2023-07-19T16:38:35+00:00","description":"The fear of doctors (also called iatrophobia or \u201cwhite coat syndrome\u201d) is a common phobia that many people experience from time to time. Learn how you can identify the signs of anxiety and take steps to overcome it.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PG-IMG-10.png","width":564,"height":265},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-seeing-the-doctor\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Guides","item":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/category\/guides\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How to Overcome the Fear of Seeing the Doctor"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/","name":"The Paper Gown","description":"Stories for and about patients","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Zocdoc","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png","width":2059,"height":1049,"caption":"Zocdoc"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8bb9e4709af3a32602a692b67647631f","name":"Zocdoc","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/author\/jonathan-katzzocdoc-com\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20508"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20508\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}