How do you overcome phobias?

[Poker_Babe]

Does anyone have any success stories??? I could really use some right now. I've got a huge fear of the dentist, and I've got an appointment in a couple of weeks. I broke my front tooth, and I have to get it taken care of or I'll look like a Jack O'Lantern for the rest of my life. But I'm sooooooo afraid of getting the work done. How much it might hurt, and for how long. Someone give me some encouragement pleeeeeeease.

 

[Ann_Sulu]

Hmm I have quite a few phobias, but going to the dentist isn't really one of them. I'm sorry it's so traumatic for you though. For me it's sorta like going to the salon, and getting pampered. I just sorta get to be there, be lazy, and my teeth look all pretty and have that fun slick feeling after. I don't know if that helps at all. I mean yeah there are a few times things hurt and such, but usually it's quick, and if it hurts too much they normally numb it first. Maybe tell the dentist you're very sensitive to pain first? Then if anything could hurt a lot they'll more likely be extra gentle.

 

[AerynShade]

I haven't been to the Dentist for... 5 years? 6? I feel your pain.
My phobias just seem to get worse, so if you come up with a solution I'd be thrilled to hear it!

Good luck!!

 

[Nordling]

Does anyone have any success stories??? I could really use some right now. I've got a huge fear of the dentist, and I've got an appointment in a couple of weeks. I broke my front tooth, and I have to get it taken care of or I'll look like a Jack O'Lantern for the rest of my life. But I'm sooooooo afraid of getting the work done. How much it might hurt, and for how long. Someone give me some encouragement pleeeeeeease.

Get a Japanese-born dentist. Mine is so gentle and so concerned with patient's pain that you actually look forward to going to him. I once joked with him by saying, "Is it safe?" while his hand was in my mouth and I thought he'd give birth to a LOL Cow. lol (See Marathon Man)

 

[emma_skye12]

I wouldn't say I have a phobia, but one time, before I got my crown... They had to push something down into my tooth because the root or something was exposed.

HOLY FUCK WORST PAIN OF MY ENTIRE LIFE.

Soo when I think of dentist that's all I think of... Whenever I got a filling a while back, I was so scared that I would feel that pain again that I burst into tears while they were drilling. :crybaby:

I was super embarrassed .

 

[gonegirl4]

I've had great success with exposure therapy, my arachnophobia used to control my life, the other week I saw a spider on the wall of the shower and my first response was to let it crawl onto my hand and say "hello little guy! what're you doing there? let's get you somewhere dry " and I carried him over to another wall. Just hearing that story back when I was at my worst would have triggered a panic attack, and I honestly never thought I'd see the day where I could touch or hold a spider without fear. The mind is so incredible, and phobias are very much treatable!

edit to add that for the day of the dentist app distraction is likely to be an invaluable tool for you! load up your phone or ipod with music or podcasts (for me podcasts are way more distracting) and bring in headphones.This has the added benefit of drowning out any scary sounds! also try to keep your eyes closed and pretend you're somewhere else (if you practice meditation try to get yourself to a safe and calm space in your mind.) You will get through it!

 

[Ambers Troll]

Does anyone have any success stories??? I could really use some right now. I've got a huge fear of the dentist, and I've got an appointment in a couple of weeks. I broke my front tooth, and I have to get it taken care of or I'll look like a Jack O'Lantern for the rest of my life. But I'm sooooooo afraid of getting the work done. How much it might hurt, and for how long. Someone give me some encouragement pleeeeeeease.

You don't overcome phobias, you must face them sadly.
A few things for fear of the Dentist;
1. It hurts more as a child than as an adult. If your fear comes from early experiences, then you can take some consolation that it will be better.
2. Pick dentists who graduated with honors, especially if in child dentistry.
3. Pick a modern dentist, they tend to focus on a more comfortable setting, use all of the latest equipment/ techniques.
4. Breathe, admit you are afraid, tell the dentist.
5. If at all possible pick a hot dentist, trust me it helps. :lol: (Just no flirting with them)

What you need done wont hurt much (I broke 3 front teeth), the xray and the mold to get a crown/ veneer I found the worst, due to my terrible gag reflex. This is my main dentist fear, not pain (as a child it was pain, but never as an adult).
The new tooth/ repair will be strong and perfect, something to look forward to.

 

[Poker_Babe]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement everyone. I do have to admit, that it will be so awesome to not have to cover my smile anymore.

 

[UniCornX]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement everyone. I do have to admit, that it will be so awesome to not have to cover my smile anymore.

I share your phobia and feel your anxiety. My dentist knows about it and so he spents a lot time with talking to me before he starts his treatment. He cares for me like I am a little boy. It helps me and I feel understood. The treatments itsself aren´t that much painful nowadays. They have good narcotic stuff to survive even the drill. Good luck for you.

 

[lovesheidi]

I've had great success with exposure therapy, my arachnophobia used to control my life, the other week I saw a spider on the wall of the shower and my first response was to let it crawl onto my hand and say "hello little guy! what're you doing there? let's get you somewhere dry " and I carried him over to another wall. Just hearing that story back when I was at my worst would have triggered a panic attack, and I honestly never thought I'd see the day where I could touch or hold a spider without fear. The mind is so incredible, and phobias are very much treatable!

edit to add that for the day of the dentist app distraction is likely to be an invaluable tool for you! load up your phone or ipod with music or podcasts (for me podcasts are way more distracting) and bring in headphones.This has the added benefit of drowning out any scary sounds! also try to keep your eyes closed and pretend you're somewhere else (if you practice meditation try to get yourself to a safe and calm space in your mind.) You will get through it!

exposure therapy is awesome, its basicall CBT isnt it? Thats what i do for my social phobia, CBT, and trying not to take myself too seriously...

 

[AerynShade]

I've had great success with exposure therapy, my arachnophobia used to control my life, the other week I saw a spider on the wall of the shower and my first response was to let it crawl onto my hand and say "hello little guy! what're you doing there? let's get you somewhere dry " and I carried him over to another wall. Just hearing that story back when I was at my worst would have triggered a panic attack, and I honestly never thought I'd see the day where I could touch or hold a spider without fear. The mind is so incredible, and phobias are very much treatable!

edit to add that for the day of the dentist app distraction is likely to be an invaluable tool for you! load up your phone or ipod with music or podcasts (for me podcasts are way more distracting) and bring in headphones.This has the added benefit of drowning out any scary sounds! also try to keep your eyes closed and pretend you're somewhere else (if you practice meditation try to get yourself to a safe and calm space in your mind.) You will get through it!

exposure therapy is awesome, its basicall CBT isnt it? Thats what i do for my social phobia, CBT, and trying not to take myself too seriously...

I've been a camgirl too long. I had to look up what you meant by CBT because to me that just means cock and ball torture. :lol:
(Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

 

[ACFFAN69]

exposure therapy is awesome, its basicall CBT isnt it? Thats what i do for my social phobia, CBT, and trying not to take myself too seriously...

I've been a camgirl too long. I had to look up what you meant by CBT because to me that just means cock and ball torture. :lol:
(Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

For those of us that have a phobia of CBT like myself, her post actually made total complete sense! I'm not sure I'm ready for the exposure therapy in regards to it right yet though. I'd be down with the right woman I suppose though.

All joking aside, I actually totally believe in exposure therapy. A few years ago I had a few triggers that would set me off into panic, anxiety, and even in some cases a state where I was unable to function completely. I forced myself to confront said triggers (initially requiring a lack of sobriety to do so) and now not only do they not bother me, but I almost find comfort in them.

That's one of the reasons I hate "trigger warnings", but I do understand that everyone is different and it doesn't hurt too much to include them just incase.

 

[Poker_Babe]

I've been a camgirl too long. I had to look up what you meant by CBT because to me that just means cock and ball torture. :lol:
(Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

OMG me too :lol:

 

[Sevrin]

Try to have someone go with you for encouragement and maybe even have a drink or a joint first, depending on your preference. Now is the time to start taking really good care of your teeth, because the consequences of neglecting them can be unpleasant and expensive.

 

[Poker_Babe]

Try to have someone go with you for encouragement and maybe even have a drink or a joint first, depending on your preference. Now is the time to start taking really good care of your teeth, because the consequences of neglecting them can be unpleasant and expensive.

Unfortunately, some people are just cursed with having bad teeth, no matter how good your dental hygiene might be. Bad teeth can run in the family. My grandmother, me, and both of my girls have all had our share of dental problems, and it's not do to lack of care. My grandma's father was an oral surgeon, and never let his kids eat candy, but she still always had cavities, and now false teeth. My youngest daughter, the last time she was at the dentist, she had to get fillings, a root canal, a crown, and two teeth pulled, poor baby.

 

[gonegirl4]

exposure therapy is awesome, its basicall CBT isnt it? Thats what i do for my social phobia, CBT, and trying not to take myself too seriously...

It's a technique in behavior therapy, more focused on re-framing the object of fear than questioning the thought processes (often with phobias you are already fully aware that the thinking isn't rational, so CBT alone wasn't all that helpful for me. Luckily the more phobia specific exposure therapy worked!)

 

[WickedTouch]

One of my sister-in-laws has a similar fear of the dentist and she now takes a couple of prescribed valium before she goes for any dental work.

Drugs are not always the answer I know, however I have heard that alternatives like hypnotherapy can work for some people.

:twocents-02cents:

 

[lovesheidi]

I've had great success with exposure therapy, my arachnophobia used to control my life, the other week I saw a spider on the wall of the shower and my first response was to let it crawl onto my hand and say "hello little guy! what're you doing there? let's get you somewhere dry " and I carried him over to another wall. Just hearing that story back when I was at my worst would have triggered a panic attack, and I honestly never thought I'd see the day where I could touch or hold a spider without fear. The mind is so incredible, and phobias are very much treatable!

edit to add that for the day of the dentist app distraction is likely to be an invaluable tool for you! load up your phone or ipod with music or podcasts (for me podcasts are way more distracting) and bring in headphones.This has the added benefit of drowning out any scary sounds! also try to keep your eyes closed and pretend you're somewhere else (if you practice meditation try to get yourself to a safe and calm space in your mind.) You will get through it!

exposure therapy is awesome, its basicall CBT isnt it? Thats what i do for my social phobia, CBT, and trying not to take myself too seriously...

I've been a camgirl too long. I had to look up what you meant by CBT because to me that just means cock and ball torture. :lol:
(Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

bahahahaha :lol:

today i learned

 

[Poker_Babe]

Well today's the big day. I'll be leaving for my appt. in about 30 mins. wish me luck all.

 

[Ambers Troll]

Hope it was not as scary as you thought, and your smile is back.

 

[Poker_Babe]

Ugh... well I have to go back on the 8th to get some teeth pulled. Then I have to come back again after that for a bunch of fillings.

 

[JessieWolfe]

Ugh... well I have to go back on the 8th to get some teeth pulled. Then I have to come back again after that for a bunch of fillings.

I feel like the first step is the hardest.
And you did it!!!!

i've never had a filling so no advice there. But when you get teeth pulled (i didn't naturally lose a lot of my teeth so i had a ton pulled growing up, and i have had my wisdoms out) definitely have music ready for the procedure. Have someone drive you, and ask for all the meds they've got :lol: Laughing gas helped me out a lot.

 

[Ambers Troll]

Ugh... well I have to go back on the 8th to get some teeth pulled. Then I have to come back again after that for a bunch of fillings.

I feel like the first step is the hardest.
And you did it!!!!

i've never had a filling so no advice there. But when you get teeth pulled (i didn't naturally lose a lot of my teeth so i had a ton pulled growing up, and i have had my wisdoms out) definitely have music ready for the procedure. Have someone drive you, and ask for all the meds they've got :lol: Laughing gas helped me out a lot.

I have had a dentist puncture the sinus, and snap the root off during an extraction, but at least got all my wisdom teeth done in hospital later on for minimal cost as a result. I should point out the partial extraction failure didn't cause any excess pain, so hardly the horror story it sounds like.
On the reverse side of things, I have had a similar molar extraction that took about 5 minutes no pain, and I was eating well enough by morning. Obviously I still go to this dental studio.

 

[Poker_Babe]

I have had a dentist puncture the sinus, and snap the root off during an extraction,

Why would you tell me this??? WHY???

but at least got all my wisdom teeth done in hospital later on for minimal cost as a result. I should point out the partial extraction failure didn't cause any excess pain, so hardly the horror story it sounds like.
On the reverse side of things, I have had a similar molar extraction that took about 5 minutes no pain, and I was eating well enough by morning. Obviously I still go to this dental studio.

OK... I guess you cleaned that up well enough. You're forgiven.

 

[KylieJacobs]

Getting teeth filled isn't painful, just a lot of noises.

I had my wisdom teeth pulled while I was awake, they were all completely impacted. I was freaking out ahead of time since I knew I would be awake to the point where my heart rate was 110, and he said he couldn't do the procedure unless I could calm down. :lol: Honestly, the worst part was probably all of the worrying that I did ahead of time. All I really felt was pressure and no pain. If you feel pain, tell your dentist, and have him/her give your more novocaine because it doesn't need to hurt.

I was deathly afraid of the dentist as a kid. It took finding a good dentist for me to feel comfortable.

 

[knottybynature]

Personally I think exposure therapy is a crock of shit, but different strokes for different folks and all. I have a severe phobia of the darkness, particularly being alone in it but mostly just it in general. And I face it every night and of course it hasn't gotten better.

I share your fear of dentists, though, I had a lot of botched dental work done as a kid and it's messed me up pretty badly. I haven't been to a dentist in years and it probably shows on camera but I try to still take care of my teeth and not let what others think get to me. I should probably just go, and get a recommendation for a new dentist, but now I'm more afraid of what they'll say when they see the state of my teeth than I am of actually having dental work done.

 

[Chamaeleon]

First of all, I get out the fluffy handcuffs, then I fasten them to the headboard. Wait. What? Oh, phobias. I thought you said Phoebes.

 

[Sevrin]

First of all, I get out the fluffy handcuffs, then I fasten them to the headboard. Wait. What? Oh, phobias. I thought you said Phoebes.

 

[SaffronBurke]

Getting teeth filled isn't painful, just a lot of noises.

The first time that I got fillings, it actually did hurt, because I guess they assumed that a 13-yr-old wouldn't have as high a tolerance to painkillers as I did, and they didn't give me enough novocaine. I made sure to tell my current dentist this when I had fillings a couple years ago, and they made damn sure I was fully numb before they started.

The worst part was actually my atrocious gag reflex. Having my mouth open for too long triggers it, having just about anything in my mouth triggers it, it's just miserable. I made sure to communicate this ahead of time so that they could work with me, but the experience still sucked. They tried using a device to prop my mouth open at one point, because holding my mouth open for so long was becoming difficult - nope nope no nope, I had them take it out within seconds because it was making me gag so badly.

The fun part is that the only cavities that I get are on the surfaces of my teeth that touch each other, because I can't put my hands in my mouth to floss, which leads to me needing cavities filled, which involves a whole bunch of stuff getting put in my mouth.

 

[LexieBlair]

One of my sister-in-laws has a similar fear of the dentist and she now takes a couple of prescribed valium before she goes for any dental work.

Drugs are not always the answer I know, however I have heard that alternatives like hypnotherapy can work for some people.

:twocents-02cents:

I have to take the same thing before a dentist appointment. The dentist has me come pick it up before every appointment (even a cleaning).