S
SallyUK
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2011
- Messages
- 297
I am thinking about this today. I have always had negative and fearful associations with dental work, well my teeth really. It's complex and feeds into and from other anxiety I experience.
Over the years I have had a phobia and sometimes not so much but overall there is fear associated with dental work. I never feel 'safe' and at ease. I feel ok when I get an 'all clear' but there's always fear still. What next....
Maybe it's because I do have lots of restorations and compromised teeth, that I do have a real risk of dentures. Which symbolises to me so many negatives (that might not be realistic) The uncertainty of downhill from here is ongoing ,... would really love to not give so much anxiety to it all and just let things happen. Let my dental team guide me, fix things etc or even see that it's not all downhill.... that's the impression I have
But I just can't seem to imagine ever coming to terms with the situation or seeing it differently, although I still hope I will.
The thing I find hardest is that I never get to a place of confidence. Unlike other scary things in life, where you feel accomplishment and fear reduces. (I've done it with spiders) Is a phobia something that basically never gives back andvus akways a fear lurking? Something that it's hard to see the benefit of overcoming? I tend to think I am in real danger all the time, that every single thing about my teeth is bad and dangerous! Purely because I hardly ever have a gap from treatment. (Mainly repairing restorations and replacements) I literally spend a lot of time, money and energy on dental care and it all has a negative connotation. Writing makes me realise that I feel a lot of resentment as well as fear. I have to buy into the situation in order to maintain what I can but to be honest I find it hard.
I know that all my cleaning and repairs are preventing more issues but I struggle to feel anything positive. Just an endurance of fear and having to do something.
Lately it's effected other areas of my life and knocks my confidence to achieve other things. I'd much rather be challenging a fear that resulted in more progress.
If anyone has managed to put their phobia and dental situation into a good place despite still having to have treatment, I'd love to hear your experience.
I do try to be positive but deep down I'm not. I'm never going to feel great about my teeth. Maybe that's where my shift lies, lower expectations and acknowledging I feel angry about it. Beyond my control. Perhaps then I can be at peace and focus on other things. I still hold the belief that having issues is 'bad' and dentists and others want positive, healthy teeth and not a mountain of issues.
Over the years I have had a phobia and sometimes not so much but overall there is fear associated with dental work. I never feel 'safe' and at ease. I feel ok when I get an 'all clear' but there's always fear still. What next....
Maybe it's because I do have lots of restorations and compromised teeth, that I do have a real risk of dentures. Which symbolises to me so many negatives (that might not be realistic) The uncertainty of downhill from here is ongoing ,... would really love to not give so much anxiety to it all and just let things happen. Let my dental team guide me, fix things etc or even see that it's not all downhill.... that's the impression I have
But I just can't seem to imagine ever coming to terms with the situation or seeing it differently, although I still hope I will.
The thing I find hardest is that I never get to a place of confidence. Unlike other scary things in life, where you feel accomplishment and fear reduces. (I've done it with spiders) Is a phobia something that basically never gives back andvus akways a fear lurking? Something that it's hard to see the benefit of overcoming? I tend to think I am in real danger all the time, that every single thing about my teeth is bad and dangerous! Purely because I hardly ever have a gap from treatment. (Mainly repairing restorations and replacements) I literally spend a lot of time, money and energy on dental care and it all has a negative connotation. Writing makes me realise that I feel a lot of resentment as well as fear. I have to buy into the situation in order to maintain what I can but to be honest I find it hard.
I know that all my cleaning and repairs are preventing more issues but I struggle to feel anything positive. Just an endurance of fear and having to do something.
Lately it's effected other areas of my life and knocks my confidence to achieve other things. I'd much rather be challenging a fear that resulted in more progress.
If anyone has managed to put their phobia and dental situation into a good place despite still having to have treatment, I'd love to hear your experience.
I do try to be positive but deep down I'm not. I'm never going to feel great about my teeth. Maybe that's where my shift lies, lower expectations and acknowledging I feel angry about it. Beyond my control. Perhaps then I can be at peace and focus on other things. I still hold the belief that having issues is 'bad' and dentists and others want positive, healthy teeth and not a mountain of issues.
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