Monday, January 30, 2012

Thing #29: Visit the Dentist (and a bit about phobias)

So, I’ve managed to overcome my dentophobia.  It’s a word.  If I’m honest, I haven’t really been afraid of the dentist for a long time.  My childhood dentist was a sadist and my 8-year-old brain rationalised that every dentist must be the same (why would anyone voluntarily become a dentist?).  I was so happy to be proved wrong 11 years later when I found Dr. Bernard.

There’s not much to say about my check-up, except that writing this post got me thinking about all the other things I’m afraid of.  Those phobias I haven’t yet managed to overcome.  I know I like to act tough, but the truth is… well, here it is: a complete list of my phobias, in order of the terror they inflict on my life (high to low):

 

Hemaphobia:  a fear of blood.  Well,not really.  This was the closest phobia I could find to what I really fear, which I would sum up as thinking about or confronting any internal workings of the human body.  I can’t talk about, listen to or especially see anything to do with blood, veins, arteries, cells, tissues… even typing these words makes me weak.  I will invariably faint when getting injections or giving blood samples.  I once fainted at the Optician (They put dye in my eye!  In my eye!) and at the aforementioned Dentist’s surgery, where I was scolded for ‘making a fuss’ - Sorry, I’ll try to better control my involuntary bodily reflexes in future!

Felinophobia:  a fear of cats.  If there was a specific phobia for the fear of the skinny, mangy alley cats around here, this would be at the top of my list.  This is not one that many people can relate to; they assume I’m exaggerating it or being dramatic.  There is a difference between ‘being more of a dog person’ and feeling repeatedly terrorised by these disgusting creatures. 

Musophobia:  a fear of mice and/or rats.  Or in my case, both and anything that resembles them.  Gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs.  Shiver.

Ornithophobia:  a fear of birds (specifically, pigeons).  I know where this one comes from.  Maybe my Mam will remember that on our first trip to Paris, we sat down on a bench somewhere near Notre Dame for a few minutes.  Two nearby men were feeding pigeons from their hands and the wing-flapping commotion made me a little jumpy.  They must have noticed and been amused by my reaction because they began not-so-discreetly throwing seed over in our direction, causing a flurry of pigeons around us.  It was so traumatic.

Finally, a fear of horror films, which I’ve discovered there is no medical term for.  This is still a legit phobia.  It may seem like an obvious one (you’re supposed to be afraid, duh), but I’m so afraid. Unnaturally afraid.  The last one I watched was The Strangers and I almost cried during it (almost) and couldn’t sleep properly for nights afterwards.

What are you afraid of?

€5 has been donated to UNICEF Ireland for the completion of this ‘thing’.  Click here if you too would like to donate online.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Congrats on overcoming your dentophobia! And thanks for educating me on the word. I don't like the dentist, but that is because I have very soft teeth that inevitably need a lot of work and cost me a lot of money. I don't think there is much I'm afraid of, really, other than losing the people I love. xo

letiziabarcelona said...

Well I have arachnophobia, it's terrible to live with phobia, gotta work on it!!

http://www.letiziabarcelona.com

Sarah said...

I hear you on number one. Eww eww. Somehow I've ended up in healthcare though and years ago worked in a hospital where they insisted watch an angiogram. Needless to say I went funny watching it and I'm scarred for life I think!

I'm terrified of cotton wool. I know its really stupid and I can't explain it but I can't hold it and I struggle to look at it. Ugh!!

Anonymous said...

Oh mine is general anaesthetic. When I was younger in ye olden days - they used to use it at the dentist to take teeth out, when they tried to mask me up, I kicked the dentist and ran out. My mum walloped me all the way home!
But even know, God forbid I ever need an operation, it just terrifies me.

Barbara von Enger said...

Good on you for overcoming your phobia. Do I have a phobia? Yes, but too detailed to share here;-)

The Dainty Dolls House said...

Don't like the dentist either, at all. The weird smell of the sterilised stuff creeps me out. The noises. I don't like cats either, I cannot sit still if someone has one, people think it's silly to not like them and I tell them take their cat away or I'll go and I'm not joking. I detest them seriously. And I am afraid of birds, happened after a science class in highschool where they brought endangered species and there was a big hawk like one and the man let it fly across the room, but someone made a noise and it freaked the bird out and it went crazy and flew over my head way too close and since then I have been afraid of them, hahaha! People like to tease me on that one too, but its serious!! I am with you on these!! But, I am tryingmy best to overcome them and they have gotten loads better :) I hope you overcome yours completely too!! xx

Style Servings said...

Well done on overcoming this! My dentist is my uncle, which means that I can;'t avoid it, and it is also really awkward as he always tries to make small talk whilst rummaging around in my mouth with scary looking tongs!

http://styleservings.blogspot.com/

Nanne said...

I've recently overcome my dentophobia as well, and I'm so happy about that! I had to do a root canal and I didn't sleep for 14 days, and then it turned out it didn't hurt at all. Other than that I'm afraid of heights, which can be quite limiting.

Sveva said...

Strangely I'm not afraid of the dentist, but I hate spiders and insects!

http://rueoh.blogspot.com/

Thelma Frayne said...

Sarah, I've actually heard of this. A guy I went to college with was afraid of cotton wool. The thought of it gave him the shivers. I found it so weird at the time!

Tabitha, love that story! Your poor Mother!

Dainty Doll- oh my God, why would somebody do that? A hawk inside? Why?

thecalichemist said...

COngrats on conquering your fears!

XOXOJOANNIE
ANURBAN-EXPLORER.BLOGSPOT.COM

Emmy Summers said...

Great job! It seems like a silly thing for some, being afraid of the dentist when you're still young. However, many adults face the same dilemma, right? It takes a lot of effort to get past that fear and face the dentist.

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