Hematophobia is defined as an intense and irrational fear of blood. Those afflicted with this common phobia may be terrified by the sight of their own blood, the blood of others or animals, and sometimes even images or thoughts of blood. Blood can serve as a reminder of their vulnerability to injury and the inevitability of death.Individuals with hematophobia may exhibit a typical phobic response, which includes an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Conversely, some experience a different reaction characterized by a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, leading to pallor and weakness, and possibly fainting. This latter response can foster a new fear—the fear of fainting.Throughout history, literature has done little to alleviate the fear of blood. In Homer’s "Iliad," rivers turn red with blood as the vengeful Achilles slays Trojans. In Shakespeare’s "Macbeth," blood becomes a horrifying emblem of guilt for Lady Macbeth, who obsessively washes her hands to cleanse them of both real and imagined bloodstains. In Bram Stoker’s "Dracula," blood is the sustenance for a vampire.The term "hematophobia" originates from the Greek words "haima," meaning blood, and "phobos," meaning fear. Other English terms derived from "haima" include "hemodialysis" (a process for removing impurities from the blood), "hemoglobin" (a blood component that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body), and "hemorrhage" (rapid blood loss). An alternative term for hematophobia is blood phobia.
