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What Do You Think About Phobias?

From the lens Fear of the Dentist.

Do you have a phobia or have you overcome one? Or do you just want to comment on what I've written - you are very welcome to do so here.

  • TransplantedSoul Oct 24, 2011 @ 6:09 pm | delete
    My daughter had a phobia about injections. last year before the big swine flu scare, we took her to a hypnotist, and she had a program that included self hypnotism. Strangley enough, she's always been great at the dentist - its like she goes into a trance and totally relaxes. Our dentist has a sign outside that says "We Cater to Cowards" !!
  • susannaduffy Oct 12, 2010 @ 4:30 pm | delete
    I do a fair bit of self-hypnotism on the trip there and when I lay in the chair, turn to my old incantation used in labour - conjugating irregular Latin verbs
  • annmackiemiller Jun 26, 2010 @ 5:36 pm | delete
    I can relate to so much of that...
  • OhMe Jun 13, 2010 @ 9:04 pm | delete
    Oh Me! Maybe I should not have read this before my Dental Appt on Tues to have a crown and I don't know what else. Yes, I do fear going to the dentist but it is because I have a medical condition that makes one side of my face and head extremely sensitive. I don't like anyone messing around my head but I will get through yet another visit to the Dentist. Fortunately, I really like my dentist so that makes it easier.
  • Stazjia Jun 14, 2010 @ 3:54 am | delete
    I can understand that with a medical condition like yours it must make dental visits a bad experience. At least you see a dentist you like which I guess means he understands how bad treatment can be for you. Good luck with the appt.
  • oztoo Jun 12, 2010 @ 2:41 am | delete
    I had experiences with dentists as a child, a lot like your experiences. Glad to say I finally overcame those fears but it took an awful long time.
  • LindaJM Jun 10, 2010 @ 11:13 pm | delete
    So glad to hear you overcame your fear of dentistry! Hard to believe that dentist who frightened you could be so insensitive. I wonder how many kids he used that line on! My childhood dentist was a good one, so I wasn't afraid of that, but I did develop fear of heights. I'm blessing your lens...
  • Stazjia Jun 14, 2010 @ 3:52 am | delete
    I've often wondered how many children that dentist frightened. Thanks very much for the blessing.
  • ulla_hennig Jun 10, 2010 @ 12:38 pm | delete
    I had those bad experiences as well when I was a child and they made me really phobic. Then I had a lot of appointmens with the dentist. I was there so often that I stopped trembling before the treatment. I tried some methods of relaxation (try to relax with your mouth open, that's not easy!), and now I have no severe problems with going to the dentist. I imagine myself lying on a sandy beach or on a meadow with flowers, and the more relaxed I am the less stressful it is for the dentist.
  • mbgphoto Jun 10, 2010 @ 8:39 am | delete
    Dentistry has sure come a long way over the years. Interesting lens that I'm sure many of us can relate to!!
  • JaguarJulie Jun 9, 2010 @ 3:57 pm | delete
    Ah, gas at the dentist's office! Those were the good old days, eh? I do recall that gas incident at the oral surgeon who was lancing the inside of my mouth after my right side of my face swelled up whilst on vacation all the way in Maine ... we thought I might have the mumps. I kept moaning and moaning ... people in the waiting room were looking around nervously, so said mom. Ha! Oh ... what I said on your squidcast: "I am sure glad that you were able to overcome your fear of the dentist! Yeah. I've usually been pretty comfortable at the dentist's office ... possibly because, as a child, our father would take us down the basement of our Cleveland, Ohio home and pull out this tool ... I think it was an official dentist tool. Whatever, he would pull out our teeth!!! Oh, and I was thankful that he never got the wrong tooth ... he was known to have a few drinks every once in a while." Glad you overcame those fears.
  • KathyMcGraw Jun 9, 2010 @ 11:51 am | delete
    Oh how right you are about choosing the right Dentist. Although they all have about equal education..they certainly have different ways of doing this work. I have been to several over the years....and one of them was such a greedy crook he messed up my teeth. If I hadn't moved to Europe right after a ton of expensive work I would have sued him for sure. I don't like going to the Dentist, but learned it was one of those necessities :)
  • kimmanleyort Jun 9, 2010 @ 11:04 am | delete
    What a horrible thing for your dentist to say! No wonder you were phobic. I don't remember going without anesthesia but my husband does. Can't even imagine it today. Very well written as always and a subject that I'm sure many can relate to.
  • Sylvestermouse Jun 9, 2010 @ 10:03 am | delete
    I don't believe I have any irrational phobias, but I definitely have several things I fear. Like your childhood dentist experience, most of my fears are based on some individual experience. I am claustrophobic. I attribute that fear to several real life experiences. I am terrorized of sharks, snakes, spiders: basically things with teeth hidden or in the dark. It is not wise to corner me in the dark. I will come out fighting even if I know who is there.

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Stazjia

I am English and I've written freelance for UK magazines, a couple of books and online. My Google Profile more »

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