Relentless Flashback

[ShodokanJenn]

I'm not gonna make up some bogus dental story to try and make you feel better...but I can still r...

Thank you. Your T came to your scan? I'd give anything to have my T come with me to the dentist. I've always had a hard time opening my mouth and it physically will not go beyond a certain point. Every dentist I have ever seen has tried to force it. I end up sobbing, stuck in a flashback, and they end up frustrated.

Dental fear/anxiety is really common in abuse survivors. More dentists are aware of this in recent years,...

Thanks for the reply. I literally only have one dentist where I live. Technically, he does a great job keeping teeth healthy. But compassion and understanding are not his strong points.

I hate dentists...not only was I abused, I saw one of those "old school" dentists as a child...as in, a...

I never had a filling as a child. Actually, not as an adult either.

 

[Sideways]

Make sure you let us know when you've got your beautiful smile back:)

 

[ShodokanJenn]

I'm terrified of the dentist. I haven't been to one, except to get a wisdom tooth pulled (when it wa...

If I could be knocked out for it, I would go. I can't handle the numbing injections or the feeling of being trapped on my back with someone leaning over me.

 

[ShodokanJenn]

Your story made me cringe. Sorry you had to go through that. I hate going to the dentist. I'm ok w...

Thank you for replying. I sob, yell, shake uncontrollably, and dissociate.

ME TOO! :hug:

I 'wasnt allowed' to brush my teeth and due to 'my job' i am terrified of most...

I'm sorry LFS. To not be allowed to brush your teeth... that's cruel. My mom has had full dentures since she was 45. I don't think the ever brushed. She has a massive phobia about anything going in her mouth. (Gee, I wonder why?)

"Liking" this just as a show of support. I completely understand the fear of dental work. I too have an uns...

I'm sorry you can understand, but thanks for sharing.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

To not be allowed to brush your teeth... that's cruel.

Thats my mom & was my step dad, cruel! They loved to play mind games with me...and loved to see my heart broken. Like when they had the bonfire to burn 'evidence', they also burned ALL OF my art which had NOTHING to do w/ any of it! It was mine, it was my heart, my hurts, my pain...my everything growing up and it was gone in a matter of seconds.

Assholes!

 

[katz]

I've always been scared to death of going to the dentist. I start crying as soon as I walk in the door. The smells make me sick to my stomach. I actually sent an article to my dentist. It explained how much a dentist scares people with PTSD from childhood. I always ask for a female to clean my teeth. I always keep my eyes closed and try to think of other things.

 

[desiderata310]

I had a check up scheduled for today. Didn't sleep last night worrying about it. This morning they cancelled on me because of a hiccup with my insurance.
So incredibly relieved.

 

[ShodokanJenn]

Thanks everybody for your replies. It really helps to be heard and understood. I just wanted to say, I talked to my therapist about this yesterday. He said that when I am ready, we will work on this dental phobia of mine. He said the process is a bit different than the exposure therapy we've been doing for the PTSD, and that if I need it, he'll even go with me to the dentist. I didn't know he did any out-of-office stuff, but apparently, he does. So now he knows, and the ball is totally in my court as to when we work on this. I am thinking that since I can see a second cavity starting in a different front tooth, it should be soon. I just wish that opening my mouth didn't hurt so much and that it wasn't such a massive trigger.

 

[SeekingAfrica]

I don't even want to post this. But if even one other person can say "Me too, I'm terrified of the dentist," then it's worth sharing.

Scary story! I have my own trauma that isn't directly related to dentists...but I had fear of dentists from before what happened to me. Going to dentists was always hard and I would always plan it months in advance to mentally prepared...and now..,
Going to dentists and gyno is scary for me. It feels...intrusive and the idea of it makes me half sick. And the idea that they might want to know why I haven't went for so long makes it worse. And I have social anxiety. I really haven't yet figured out how to get myself to the dentist next time. It's been couple of years and I think I'm lucky I haven't had obvious issue...but still, this isn't healthy:/ It's on my list of things to re-learn how to do, and I think it will be one of the hardest. I feel weird just admitting it. On a forum. Ugh. I hope this year is the year.

I hate dentists...not only was I abused, I saw one of those "old school" dentists as a child...as in, all my fillings were done without novocaine. I was just told " oh, that doesn't hurt so bad! " while I was clawing the chair arms in agony.

Here all dentists are old-school. No painkillers unless it's something more serious than fillings, or if you really can't do it any other way...I was fine with that though. My fear is mostly the sound of the instruments and people I don't know getting so close...It makes me nauseous. Once I was lucky(if that can be said) to need dentist in USA(8 years ago or more..) and they used some numbing cream before actual painkiller...I was happy because I thought it would be easier. It was at first, but the sound was still there, so it was still hard. Also, afterwards I was in more pain. I feel when there are no painkillers for simpler procedures like fillings, you have to brace yourself for a moment, but then after you are better faster...as I said, my issue was never with the pain. And now I think I actually have a full blown phobia. Not. Good.

 

[Deleted member 29920]

"Me too, I'm terrified of the dentist,"

Me too. It's a different reason though - I choked on a sweet when I was eight. I will need dentures in the near future because of grinding :cry: I'm 33.

 

[SeekingAfrica]

Me too. It's a different reason though - I choked on a sweet when I was eight. I will need dentures in the...

It is what it is. I discovered lately that my mental issues have left me so drained at times, that I just don't have the energy for certain things. Like getting over phobias and changing my life in one swoop. This year is not the year.

But I finally started going to the doctor for other things when I need to- and for a while there, 2-3 years even that was terrifying. My plan with the dentist is to find one that will know I have anxiety issues and go at my speed and with my craziness(even if I have to pay extra), and I will go slowly. Like now, I just got info for potential place to do it and talked to the nurse. She gave me the cards for the doctors working there so I can make appointment for a check up when I'm ready. Also she told me where to go to have full 3d x-ray before that. I've been avoiding this issue for quite a while, so I feel there might be few issues to fix...so easier to get full look. So now I will schedule one of those things in the future, in few months, then whatever needs to get done, I will do each with few weeks in between.

It might sound childish, but I decided I'm done trying to pretend I'm okay. I'm not okay right now, and almost anything in my life requires a lot of energy and careful planning. So the harder things might take me some baby steps, or even smaller steps that that. Just as long as I eventually get through them.

 

[katz]

I was seven. L had just finished raping me. I was bleeding profusely, and I begged him to stop....

(( hugs)) to you for what you endured.