Re: Clocks

ZB and the Moondogs wrote:
I haven't had any dental treatment in a long time. My mouth is overcrowded and my teeth are bent at crazy angles, fighting for space. I'm so self-conscious about it that I consciously avoid laughing because then people can see my teeth. Worse still, my gums are a mess. I'm not sure if it's nearly too late or it's already too late, but I'm running out of time.

Why don't I go to the dentists? Well, it's like this. My particular anxiety fixation is about being sick in public. So when I'm in a situation I find difficult to handle - crowds, social interactions etc. - I get nausea and I cope with it using a number of behaviours I've refined over the years. My main coping mechanism is simply keeping my mouth closed and breathing through my nose. And this is the reason I can't face going to the dentists. I will be in this anxiety situation without my crucial coping mechanism. What happens then? I don't want to find out. In fact all my teeth can fall out before I'll willingly put myself in that situation.

I've talked to my psychologist about this. She has encouraged me to start off by just talking to a dentist to see how they can help me deal with the anxiety but I can't even do that. I don't want to tell somebody what I've just written in this post. It sounds so absurd...

I knew someone with ocd who had exactly the same fear. Most ocd sufferers keep quiet about their fears as they feel very ashamed/embarrased. I fear that i will lash out/ hurt someone in some way so leaving the house is a struggle at times. That said after some therapy which involved facing up to the fears things dont seem so stressful and my life is more of my own again.


Loz
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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Clocks
    ... overcrowded and my teeth are bent at crazy angles, ... Why don't I go to the dentists? ... anxiety fixation is about being sick in public. ... today if you like - I don't even have to look in your mouth. ...
    (uk.people.support.depression)
  • Re: Clocks
    ... overcrowded and my teeth are bent at crazy angles, ... Why don't I go to the dentists? ... anxiety fixation is about being sick in public. ... My main coping mechanism is simply keeping my ...
    (uk.people.support.depression)
  • Re: Clocks
    ... I'm so self-conscious about it that I consciously avoid laughing because then people can see my teeth. ... I will be in this anxiety situation without my crucial coping mechanism. ... Most ocd sufferers keep quiet about their fears as they feel very ashamed/embarrased. ... I fear that i will lash out/ hurt someone in some way so leaving the house is a struggle at times. ...
    (uk.people.support.depression)
  • Fear of Dentists
    ... I was browsing to see if there were any posts about fear of dentists. ... I've had some very bad experiences with dentists who do not understand my fears. ... I went to one who I was just beginning to trust a little bit when he screamed at me because I came in after having a tooth extracted and complained of pain that was lasting way too long. ... but I have also agreed to having all my teeth X-rayed and having a full exam -- after which he says we'll draw up a plan for the many little cavities I have. ...
    (sci.med.dentistry)
  • Re: Clocks
    ... overcrowded and my teeth are bent at crazy angles, ... Why don't I go to the dentists? ... anxiety fixation is about being sick in public. ... has been well worth it. ...
    (uk.people.support.depression)