Russian psychologist Lilia Gladkikh cited several reasons why some adults fear doctors and avoid visiting medical clinics.
The specialist said: "Fear of doctors and clinics is not necessarily formed as a result of a direct negative experience, but may arise due to early stress and repressed feelings during childhood, and there are several scenarios that explain this."
She added: "The first scenario is related to the child being exposed to strong emotions emanating from a close person, often the mother. If she is experiencing stress, emotional breakdown, or crying, as in the case of a family member's illness, the child's memory records not only her condition but also the entire surrounding environment, such as people, white coats, smells, and the general atmosphere. These images remain firmly fixed in his mind, so that any similar stimulus later can trigger anxiety, even if the original event is forgotten. The person may reach adulthood without realizing why he is afraid of clinics or doctors."
She continued: "The second scenario is related to the child himself being admitted to the hospital, where he is exposed to great psychological stress as a result of being separated from his mother and undergoing medical procedures that he does not understand, especially if this happens before he acquires language, i.e., before the age of one year."
She pointed out that "the third scenario relates to the repression of feelings, as the child learns to hide some of the emotions associated with fear and link them to other things later on. In adulthood, admitting fear of the doctor may become easier than confronting the real feelings, thus establishing a firm association between the doctor and danger."
She pointed out that this fear may also be linked in some people to a fear of death, as the person fears receiving a diagnosis that threatens his life.
