Do you : Go it alone or take along supportive company ?

[kitkat]

It let me vote with no problem but have never had issues voting before!

Anyway my answer as most you probably know from other threads is and always will be ALONE! 100% I wouldn't maybe mind going as a support to another person but I do not receive support well in the dental environment. I'm embarrassed when my dentist acknowledges my fear let alone someone who sees me on a regular/daily basis! I think I'm just normally very in control and dentistry just puts me into such a state that I'm busy enough trying to manage myself...another person would just be a bother to me and one more person I have to act "normal" in front of. I don't admit my dental fears to people outside of DFC ...and my dentist...I treat it as one of my deepest, darkest secrets!

[letsconnect]

By the way; could someone tell me what this one means please

Wikipedia to the rescue :

"LOL, an abbreviation for laughing out loud, or laugh out loud, is a common element of Internet slang... It is one of many initialisms for expressing bodily reactions, in particular laughter, as text, including initialisms for more emphatic expressions of laughter such as LMAO ("laugh(ing) my ass off"), and ROTFL or ROFL ("roll(ing) on the floor laughing")."

[carole]

I thought when I asked, I may well be kicking myself for asking this one, but no I wouldn't have got it in a thousand years It is one to be used with caution, oh and I love this one like you said, made to fit me.

THANK YOU for explaining

[Carys]

Interesting, so, so far that is more who 'go it alone'.

Can I just add something, as Carole was saying, I am not attaching any judgement to any of the options ! There is no need for ANYONE to say they are embarrased about taking their whole family and half their neighbours (if that helps LOL ?!?).....it was more an interest in seeing how divergent people are in their choices. Different things work for different people !!!

[Aldridge]

I really need to be alone, so I can try to psych myself up, stop shaking and remember to breathe! Hopefully, by the time I get called in, I have managed to "detach" my mind slightly, if that makes any sense at all! I don't even like meeting anyone I know in the waiting room and having to speak to them, purely because it puts me off my mental plan of action and then when I do get called in, I think, "No, I'm not ready!" Being phobic is very complicated and time-consuming!

[carole]

Isn't it just, I like to just sit quiet but I am lucky that so far in the 8 months that I have been at my dental practice, when I have gone, we go straight in when we get there, no waiting around, which I thought was very good.

[Geraint]

I always go alone. I find it easier to express my fears / disscus my worries if I am alone I find it less embarrising, as I am quite a private person.

[Kim]

I seem to be in the minority here, and I find that really odd. I am so in awe of you all who go alone. I wouldn't want anyone in with me when I am having treatment, that would really freak me out. When I went to the first dentist, he left the door open, and there were all sorts of people passing by and looking at my jelly state wibbly wobbling all over the place in THAT chair - hated it!

I just wouldn't be able to drive myself there, and if by some miracle I did, I certainly wouldn't get through the door. I was unable to make an appointment until tomorrow, because I had no-one to 'hold my hand' to go in, and the lovely receptionist said well if you can get here, sit in the car and one of us will come and get you. Such a lovely gesture, but I still wouldn't be able to do it. I also have to wait in the car right up until the last minute, because I can't stand to be in the waiting room.

I just don't get m hubby tho' as he is coming with me tomorrow to do paperwork etc, but he had asked my daughter to come along as well, without checking this was alright with me first!! I have since had a conversation with my daughter and said I just wanted hubby to come, and she is fine with that.

[letsconnect]

I seem to be in the minority here, and I find that really odd. I am so in awe of you all who go alone.

Don't be in awe - we're just a sad bunch of stiff-upper-lipped saddos who don't want any witnesses around ...

I must say I'm surprised by the result (though the statistics may well change once more people vote). Anyone for a round of karaoke??





(the one in the middle is carole!!)

[brit]

Kimbo - I think in the early days after years of avoidance/extreme fear, it is perfectly understandable that you would want a support person - in 5 years time, you will probably be happy to go alone.
The posters who have already answered are not at your early stage or never quite were.
Drummerswife was similar to you and I can think of many many more who no longer post.