Do You Have Needle Phobia?

Nobody enjoys getting a shot, but how can you distinguish simple distaste for a needle prick from a full-blown phobia?

According to Dr. James Hamilton, a family practitioner in Durham, N.C., and a leading researcher on needle phobia, needle phobia affects at least 10 percent of the population.

The condition has been defined by psychological experts only relatively recently and it's currently included in the American Psychological Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV).

The following questions aren't scientific, and they are no substitute for an expert psychological diagnosis. But your final score on these items may point to whether or not you possess some of the psychological traits or risk factors for needle phobia.

Curious? Take out your paper and pencils and get started!