Doc Martin's Fear of Blood

I've been watching the British series Doc Martin on Netflix and Hulu, and it made me wonder if someone who fears blood could ever watch a vampire movie or tv show? I'm surprised it hasn't come up even once on that series.

Maybe having vampires come to Port Wenn, Cornwall, would be too obvious. It makes me wish for a Halloween episode.

The story goes that Doctor Martin Ellingham has to leave his career as a surgeon behind and exile himself to Cornwall when he is stricken with Hemophobia, or fear of blood. Obviously as a General Practitioner (GP), this still causes problems, especially during emergencies. That is one of the major plot points of the series, and something Doc Martin struggles with as he tries to overcome his fear, which causes him to shudder at the sight of a bloody finger or a rare steak.

Like all phobias, this is a problem of overactive imagination. Doc tells people that it all started when he spoke to a family just before an operation, then suddenly couldn't follow through in cutting the patient, perhaps for fear of doing harm or disappointing her family. Or perhaps he has the fear of killing someone, then having to face the family.

Indeed, family issues seem to be at the heart of all Doc Martin's troubles, as he longs for a close-knit family, yet was raised by cold parents, has lost his favorite aunt, and his wife Louisa causes more stress than security for him. Even the blood of his newborn child has him leaping into the bushes to vomit.

I hope before the series ends we find out the root of his problem, whether it's based in childhood trauma or just his psyche warning him to move to Cornwall and find happiness. Hasn't happened yet, just saying.

From FearOfStuff.com

The bright crimson hue of blood is thought to serve as a warning system for the human body. When we are bleeding, we are in danger. While many people have no great fear of blood, in others, it can provoke a phobic reaction known as hemophobia (or hemotophobia).

The queasiness or severe nausea that are common for sufferers of hemophobia may cause fainting and lightheadedness. In fact, in the best-selling novel Twilight, the heroine, Bella, faints when blood is used during a science class project. This modern example of hemophobia is particularly interesting, since Bella goes on to fall in love with a blood-drinking vampire named Edward Cullen.

. . . The smell of blood can also be a source of distress in hemophobics. The coppery, metallic scent of fresh blood can cause great psychological distress in afflicted persons.
Some hemophobics may become vegetarians or vegans in order to remove themselves from the reality of preparing and eating flesh foods. The handling of raw, bloody meat can make them physically ill.

. . . Science and technology have exacerbated this phobia. As we come to understand more about the transmission of diseases through the blood, it becomes easy to fear its harmful qualities. People are more reluctant to touch another person’s blood than ever before, and with good reason.

AIDS and Hepatitis C are just two examples of life-threatening diseases caused through blood transmission. Other examples of terrifying blood-borne pathogens are the Ebola virus, which was featured in the film Outbreak, and the very similar Marburg virus.