is dental phobia/anxiety a kind of hypochondria?

[De8934]

I was reading through some of the information in the common fears section and it mentions that a phobia is about concerns that the worst will happen or a preoccupation that bad things will happen.

Is this a type of hypochondria?

De

 

[Sparkles]

Hi De,

No, hypochondria is a belief that physical symptoms are a sign of serious illness even when there is no medical evidence to suggest an illness.

A phobia is usually described as an irrational and persistent fear of an object or place that people try their best to avoid, although I think many would argue that their fear is entirely rational as it stems from previous bad experience.

That's my view on it anyway.

 

[De8934]

Hi De,

No, hypochondria is a belief that physical symptoms are a sign of serious illness even when there is no medical evidence to suggest an illness.

A phobia is usually described as an irrational and persistent fear of an object or place that people try their best to avoid, although I think many would argue that their fear is entirely rational as it stems from previous bad experience.

That's my view on it anyway.

Hi Sparkles,

Thank you for the reply. I have been looking it up in wikipedia. There are some similarities. Hypochondria is described as a health anxiety but so also is dental phobia. I feel very uncomfortable with the thought of being a hypochondriac, god help, I hope i'm not that.

Like most that post on DFC my anxiety or fear of dental procedures and the anticipation of pain due to inadequate local anesthetic is driven by bad experiences, I do feel really uncomfortable at present with not being able to deal with all this is a rational way. I suppose that does make me a phobic, I think.

Sorry about the vague question, I have a check-up appointment coming up and it's on my mind.

De

 

[Sparkles]

I suppose they are both similar in some ways. But, hypochondria is more about fearing you have something when you don't, whereas phobias are generally about fearing a specific object or place that is real and you are likely to come into contact with.

I think hypochondria is classed as a somatoform disorder which is when there are physical symptoms but they aren't explained by a medical condition.

I wouldn't worry too much about whether or not you are phobic. Try to focus on what it is you are afraid of and what would help to make that easier.

I think it is entirely rational that you fear pain from dental procedures given you have experienced pain previously when you didn't have enough LA. Do you see a different dentist now? I think you need a dentist that you trust that will make sure you are numb and if you do experience any pain then you need to know you can tell the dentist to stop immediately and give you a top up.

When is your check up? I'm sure you will be absolutely fine, but I know it's hard not to worry.

 

[Barb1966]

They are the opposite in a way. A hypochondric person will always seek treatment for diseases that don't exist whereas a person with dentist phobia will avoid treatment for real illness.