X
xilent
Junior member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2023
- Messages
- 3
- Location
- Denver
Hello!
I’m a 27m and I have put off getting my wisdom teeth out for over a decade based solely on my fear of everything medical.
I have OCD and ADHD, as well as a strong tendency to get caught up in hypochondriac situations. This led me to a life of avoiding the dentist but time (and tooth decay) will eventually catch up with you and you will be forced to go in to have this problem fixed.
I had gone to the dentist for the first time in a very long time 2 years ago and they obviously asked me to get all my wisdom teeth pulled. This was terrifying, but what was more terrifying was the fact that I was told that I would need to be referred to an Oral Surgeon for the bottom 2 wisdom teeth. Just the title of “Surgeon” sent me into a panic.
I did end up getting my top 2 teeth out with the dentist, and then I waited for 1 more year before getting my bottom ones removed. I’m now on day 4 of my surgery recovery and I thought I could share some of the things that made me feel safer throughout the process. It took so much to feel okay just going to the dentist, that I truly believed I would never be able to go into oral surgery.
The most important thing I learned is that I have control, and I can make decisions one step at a time. For example, I had an inclination that a surgeon would require deep sedation for my surgery and that was a huge panic stressor for me, however I told myself that I will go and ask the doctor, and if they say no then I’ll will decide what to do next. And that’s exactly what I did, guess what? I didn’t need sedation despite how strongly I felt convinced that I would have needed it.
Similarly, at that appointment I was told that I would need a blood draw (for PRF) and an IV running the enter time (never had an IV before and terrified of needles). Again this sent me into a panic and I spent days before the surgery unable to sleep and eat. But then again, the only thing that helped me was to tell myself: go through that clinic door, sit down, and the second I get terrified I HAVE the ability to walk out of the door and protect myself first and foremost. I told myself that if the blood draw hurt too much, that I would leave. (Guess what, it didn’t nearly as much as the anticipation). I said the same thing about the IV, if after the blood draw I’m too terrified to do the IV, then I will leave. And if they put the IV in and it continues to hurt, then I will leave. (It didn’t hurt at all, and in fact it was just one poke for both the blood and the IV)
Little by little you can face the fears, but give yourself an out! You have to right to choose what is best for you, push yourself and I know exactly how overwhelming it might feel, but the anticipation of fear hurts a lot more than the actual procedure. I spent months and years picturing the scalpel slice through my gums, needles going into my mouth, drilling into my jawbone, etc.. but then I realized that all I am doing is putting myself through a terrifying surgery for months at a time, when all it really takes is 45 mins of courage, to be done with the whole thing.
This strategy got me into the surgeons office, gave me the strength to undergo the procedure, and most importantly, face my fears.
Unfortunately with health issues, a lot of times we don’t have the time to prepare or delay. It’s unfair and it’s out of our control, which is what I feel exacerbates the fear in the moment, but chances are it’s going to happen, so I hope that taking things one at a time is something that might help you the way it did me.
Believe me when I say I was I was terrified, unable to eat and having panic attacks, but here I am on day 4 of my recovery and I’ll never have to think about my wisdom teeth ever again.
Good luck everyone! It will be okay!
I’m a 27m and I have put off getting my wisdom teeth out for over a decade based solely on my fear of everything medical.
I have OCD and ADHD, as well as a strong tendency to get caught up in hypochondriac situations. This led me to a life of avoiding the dentist but time (and tooth decay) will eventually catch up with you and you will be forced to go in to have this problem fixed.
I had gone to the dentist for the first time in a very long time 2 years ago and they obviously asked me to get all my wisdom teeth pulled. This was terrifying, but what was more terrifying was the fact that I was told that I would need to be referred to an Oral Surgeon for the bottom 2 wisdom teeth. Just the title of “Surgeon” sent me into a panic.
I did end up getting my top 2 teeth out with the dentist, and then I waited for 1 more year before getting my bottom ones removed. I’m now on day 4 of my surgery recovery and I thought I could share some of the things that made me feel safer throughout the process. It took so much to feel okay just going to the dentist, that I truly believed I would never be able to go into oral surgery.
The most important thing I learned is that I have control, and I can make decisions one step at a time. For example, I had an inclination that a surgeon would require deep sedation for my surgery and that was a huge panic stressor for me, however I told myself that I will go and ask the doctor, and if they say no then I’ll will decide what to do next. And that’s exactly what I did, guess what? I didn’t need sedation despite how strongly I felt convinced that I would have needed it.
Similarly, at that appointment I was told that I would need a blood draw (for PRF) and an IV running the enter time (never had an IV before and terrified of needles). Again this sent me into a panic and I spent days before the surgery unable to sleep and eat. But then again, the only thing that helped me was to tell myself: go through that clinic door, sit down, and the second I get terrified I HAVE the ability to walk out of the door and protect myself first and foremost. I told myself that if the blood draw hurt too much, that I would leave. (Guess what, it didn’t nearly as much as the anticipation). I said the same thing about the IV, if after the blood draw I’m too terrified to do the IV, then I will leave. And if they put the IV in and it continues to hurt, then I will leave. (It didn’t hurt at all, and in fact it was just one poke for both the blood and the IV)
Little by little you can face the fears, but give yourself an out! You have to right to choose what is best for you, push yourself and I know exactly how overwhelming it might feel, but the anticipation of fear hurts a lot more than the actual procedure. I spent months and years picturing the scalpel slice through my gums, needles going into my mouth, drilling into my jawbone, etc.. but then I realized that all I am doing is putting myself through a terrifying surgery for months at a time, when all it really takes is 45 mins of courage, to be done with the whole thing.
This strategy got me into the surgeons office, gave me the strength to undergo the procedure, and most importantly, face my fears.
Unfortunately with health issues, a lot of times we don’t have the time to prepare or delay. It’s unfair and it’s out of our control, which is what I feel exacerbates the fear in the moment, but chances are it’s going to happen, so I hope that taking things one at a time is something that might help you the way it did me.
Believe me when I say I was I was terrified, unable to eat and having panic attacks, but here I am on day 4 of my recovery and I’ll never have to think about my wisdom teeth ever again.
Good luck everyone! It will be okay!
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