Today I was reminded of my number one phobia the dentist … (I’m also off the charts claustrophobic)
I have to be sedated just to get through the door and G forbid that they want me to sit no lay in the chair, with a mask, I wish I wasn’t but I can’t help it (or can I) it’s something I have no power over (I know there are those who will argue that point) but for the purpose of this story, humor me please. When my daughter was 8 she needed to go to have some teeth out, normally I would be the last one to take her but unfortunately I was IT.
We are in the dentist surgery (a friend fortunately) Nicole was having to have some teeth extracted, the anesthesiologist came into the surgery and I was told I could leave, I do not remember another thing except a voice saying … “Nicole you can take Mummy home now”
I had passed out and came to horizontal in a treatment chair being fed sugar water while this poor little girl, cloth over her mouth was trying to help me up …
My ’s a born n bred kiwi bloke but an arachnaphobe. How he survived living in WA, NSW & Brunei etc without a beloved person who’d spray a whole can of fly spray or get the 5 iron out on a huntsman or something for him one does not know….
I have many phobias (heights, closed spaces, water, spiders) but since we started travelling in 2015 I’ve been working at getting way out of my comfort zone. I realized that while on vacation in a different country I’m much more relaxed and open to new experiences. In 2015 we started with a cruise so we spent 1 week on and in water. I even went as far as stand in the lagoon in Bora Bora quite a ways from the shore with water to my shoulders on a “swimming with the sharks” experience. While in St-Lucia in 2016 we went ziplining and on the bus ride our guide had his pet tarantula that I took on my arm for a minute or two. In Jamaica in 2017 we spent a lot of time in and on water and we went parasailing. In Mexico in 2018 we spent 90 minutes in caves in an underground river. And finally in 2018 while in New-Zealand I decided to go big and tandem-jumped from 16 500 feet. I realized that I was less afraid with my legs hanging out of the plane before jumping than I was standing on the roof of my house. All this didn’t cure any of my phobias but I’m glad to have overcome them even for a short time.
I too hate going to the dentist. I am a bit better now but as a child they had to give me full anaesthetic. Hypnotism had no effect. So I can totally sympathize Angela. Now, if there was a snake loose in the dentist’s office…I would be off the charts!
Those are some pretty great experiences—yay for conquering so many of your past fears.
I’m one of those odd folks that doesn’t have any fears. Although I’m not a daredevil, as a young child I always found a way to go on some of the scarier rides at our local amusement park…now unfortunately, some of those just make me nauseous. I make a concerted effort everyday to stay positive about life and all the circumstances I find myself in…and the result is to simply keep fear out of my life.
I worked for a periodontist many, many years ago, and know how important those appointments can be for the health of our teeth and gums. Glad to hear the day is now behind you!
I know exactly how you feel. They had to give me phenobarbatone to get me into the surgery when I was 10. I passed out and the next thing I knew I was in hospital. I’m extremely allergic to it. What a way to find out.
I don’t know if it’s a phobia but I hate flying. I am a nervous wreck 24 hours before the flight. Once we are on the plane and taken off I’m ok till we land. I have to do it to get where I want to go but it is traumatic.
The funny thing is hubby is a retired helicopter pilot, held a light plane licence till about 2012 and has competed for the UK in aerobatic gliding competitions all over Europe. Otherwise we have very similar tastes.
SNAKES!!! I had a terrible experience 30 years ago visiting my parents’ farm in central Queensland, Australia. I was watching TV one night downstairs while everyone else was upstairs watching the football. I was laying on the lounge for a couple of hours & got up to arrange the cushion my head was on and here was a one metre red belly black coiled up nice and cosy having a l9vely snooze. I screamed and screamed! The 2 blue heelers (cattle dogs) came in and did what they do to sort out snakes. Snake blood and guts everywhere up the walls. 30 years later I can’t even look at a picture of a snake without hyperventilating!
OMG! That would have to be my worst nightmare. I am trying to get over my phobia-a grandchild has had a snake for many years - but it’s not easy. A friend had the same experience with a cushion. Laughed and thought their partner had put a rubber snake under his cushion until it hissed at him!
Haha also i love how some snakes look etc but looking after one would be taking it just a tad too far. one of my friends and also sits here in the Netherlands asked if I’d be interested in looking after her brothers pet, FLUFFY that just happens to be a couple of meters long white python + his other snakes. Sorry but the only Fluffy i do are fluffed up pussycats.
Also share someone else’s phobia here flying. Am always convinced it’s going to be the end of my days with every flight I take. Had a couple of really hair raising flights that could easily have made me say Right I am never getting in a plane agin. But, will look after pets must travel
Spiders start to feel faint blame it on my brother who chased me with different creepy insects.don’t mind snakes though.then I know someone who hates cats.how could you hate cats they are amazing beautiful creatures.
Sometimes it comes down to how much you want to overcome the phobia. When I was about 7 years old, my brother and I went to the doctor’s office. For whatever reason, we had to get penicillin shots. I went first, got it in my buttocks, and as I was turning around, adjusting my shirt, the nurse had just pulled the needle out of my brother’s butt, and I saw the medicine ooze out of the hole. For some reason, it struck me as the scariest thing I ever saw. From then on, whenever I had to get an inoculation, I’d sweat profusely, then after the shot, I had to lay down because I’d feel faint. Moving forward, at about 18 years old, I decided that was not how a man got a shot. After reading a book on visualization, I one day sat myself down in a quiet room and visualized the whole procedure. I visualized the smell of the alcohol, the needle punching my skin, slicing the veins, capillaries, and the medicine being forced into my bloodstream. I was sweating at the realism of my “dream”. But afterward, I saw myself in my mind’s eye, getting up, smiling, and walking out without any after effects. From that point on, it’s never bothered me.
I can’t handle spiders. PERIOD. Time stops until it’s removed.
I can’t handle bugs of any kind! Scary ones like bees wasps and hornets naturally, I run screaming. The gross ones like stink bugs, ants, rolly-pollies, centipedes, etc. I will certainly avoid… but I also can’t be a normal human around junebugs, ladybugs, butterflies, dragonflies… and I know they’re harmless but during cicada season I don’t leave the house.
I had a friend who had pet walking sticks, and she gave me several. I cared for them but I never handled them. I thought it would be a phobia-fixing situation…
Totally get the dentist fear. I am extremely hard to numb and usually feel everything and 2 hrs after the visit go numb.
My biggest fear is of mice and snakes. For some reason I seem to see more snakes than my fair share. Have even sat for a lovely family that had an unknown to them Adders den in a tight spot where we had to walk the dogs past every day. They are supposed to be shy and move away, but these did not. The owner had them legally relocated as they had small children.
Travelling around the world, I have encountered rattlesnakes, sidewinders (which way to run?), And cotton mouths as well as many I could not identify, or stay around long enough to do so. It is a fear I cannot just get over, and I would never be able to sit for someone with even a harmless one, or a mouse. I have my own mouse scream, just ask my grown children! Lol.
I believe as an Irish lass, I have a right to both these fears and am not ashamed of them. I own them and know my limitations!
We have seen wolves, bears, including grizzly and mountain lions, the respect and fear are there, but not the terrifying, I cannot move fear!
As for dentists, there are sedation dentists that put you asleep hopefully before you faint! Good luck!
but it’s very real, as real as my daughter in laws fear of spiders which she got cured by attending a course at London Zoo A London Zoo Wants to Hypnotize Away Your Fear of Spiders | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine
’s a born n bred kiwi bloke but an arachnaphobe. How he survived living in WA, NSW & Brunei etc without a beloved person who’d spray a whole can of fly spray or get the 5 iron out on a huntsman or something for him one does not know…
) never looked after an Iguana either but slightly less intimidated by this than a large coily snake 