maggiesheridan

I suppose this is one of the symptoms of BP.

I had a dental appt. today at my problematic new dentist and had made the appt.
to deal with the fact that a tooth that had a root c**** in Feb. has still not
been crowned. (long story). The appointment will be next week and this was a
major accomplishment.

However, stuff like this takes so much out of me, and I felt like I was going
to snap. I lost my way home twice. simple things like missing a freeway exit
and then heading for home rather than going where I was going next, getting
into a MC Donald's parking lot and almost being hit by 3 different cars, (it's
a problematic parking lot....bad layout.)

Still, things shouldn't be this difficult and I should have more self
controll.

This snapping thing happens so quickly that I don't really have time to think
about it. It's not really cognative, much more visceral. I just rises up and
I feel like I'm going to just let my anger and frustration rip. I didn't
today. I just told the gal in the frount office that I needed a cigareete and
that I'd be right back. I asked her to sked the appropriate next appt. I told
her that I didn't want to have to discuss more long term plans right now
because I was feeling incredibly stressed out. I'm relatively sure that she
appreciated my frankness.

Coping ****s.

And yet, I can't afford to go back into complete don't leave the house
isolation. Reentry is such a challange.

Any hints?

Maggie

rich

Maybe you're moving from isolation to full functioning too quickly. After my
bout with major depression, it was like I had to learn to live again. Do
everything for the first time again -like learning how to walk; and you have
to crawl before you walk.

geoff

When I was a kid in the early fifties, in the East End of London, we
were really poor. Teatime was bread and sugar sandwiches, and a kind
benefactor used to bring huge slabs of cooking chocolate from a local
factory.
Dental caries were a way of life, and the local public dentist
administered foul smelling gas by means of a balloon, and the drills
were low speed and vibrating on a complicated belt drive system. Even
now, I have more fillings and crowns than teeth.

Not unsurprisingly, I developed an immense fear of, and dislike of the
dentists. But because of the suffering through adulthood I had to find
a way to keep on going.

I did some research on dentists and relaxation techniques. Apparently
a dentist has almost full medical training as well as dentistry. When
you're in that chair, you'll never be closer to a medical person if
something goes wrong! I do warn the dentist that I have a psychiatric
condition, and that I might be a bit jumpy, and generally I reckon he
gives me a bit more lignocaine, and waits a bit longer before jumping
in there. Often now I think that the nurse worries that I may have
expired, because sometimes I feel myself drifting off to sleep!

You could try looking at alt.support.dental-phobia. I have seen some
quite sympathetic threads on there especially considering it's not
moderated. It's not an easy one, but you are only in there for a
matter of minutes, and the alternative of suffering without treatment
could last for…….

Also, remember you are coping with TWO things, firstly getting there
and back, and secondly the treatment itself!

Could some one drive you for next appointment, or could you get a cab.
Might be best with a body full of Pdrugs, and a mouthful of
lignocaine! I hope you find your own way to cope, I do know it's
difficult when there is other stuff going on.

Good luck

Geoff