For everyone who has had mental issues around pressing the button, this is for you!
Some time ago, I made a post on here about how I was having massive issues getting over the mental block that prevented me from committing to pressing the trigger. I mentioned that the button required some “force” and was met (surprisingly) with downvotes and lots of negative comments invalidating my experience. I’ve also noticed a few other posts here sharing a similar sentiment where the posters ended up deleting their accounts, likely because they were met with the same invalidation.
So! I’m here to validate folks who have a hard time pressing the trigger, and offer my advice!
First of all, yes, you do need a firm press on the button and that can be tough! It’s not a soft press, but is more akin to pressing to unbuckle a seatbelt where you get a little click response. In my experience, if you let your finger linger on the button and slowly apply pressure, you’re going to have a hard time. Committing to one motion and JUST focusing on the press is going to really help with follow through.
Here are some things that help me:
Record a voice memo on your phone. It sounds silly, but a brief memo where you remind yourself to only focus on pressing the button and then doing a countdown has helped me.
On days where the mental block is really strong, if you don’t have someone who can do the shot for you, call a trusted friend! My partner is a gem and sometimes counts me down on the phone on high anxiety shot days. The accountability from another person helps a ton.
If you’re someone who is comforted by control and information, take the label off the pen and watch how it works. This might make the act of pushing the trigger less scary because the process is demystified!
Remember that there’s no kick back. There are clicks but they’re gentle. This likely sounds silly to folks who don’t struggle, but the ones that get it, get it.
Watch a video of someone else doing the shot. This doesn’t always help me, but sometimes it does.
I hope this helps. This sub was very unhelpful when I posted about this in the past, so I’m hoping this thread can be a safe space. Anxiety is real, and mental blocks are so frustrating. I’ve had shot days where I know it won’t hurt, but I struggled to firmly press the button regardless.