This is my fourth time of writing this very same letter and so far I have not had a reply, but not to worry!
I am writing to tell you about how alone I feel about my fear of teeth/ work on my teeth / dentists / talking about teeth or dental related things. I feel alone and like the only one who has this fear. I don't have the courage to tell my parents my fear and I have had this fear for a couple of years now but the last 4 months have been terrible. ;'(
Please reply, I'm counting on you
XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX
Sam
Hi there,
Thanks for your letter - I am really good thank you!
Im sorry to hear you've had to write to me so many times before I've been able to answer. I hope you can understand how difficult it can be to choose which letters to reply to each week. I do read every letter that is sent and Im glad to be able to answer you now.
It sounds like your fear of everything about teeth and dentists feels very intense for you and that could be really difficult to cope with. You have told me that the last four months have been terrible and that makes me wonder if you might have had a lot of dental work recently. Although you dont say that in your letter it seems that something has changed around 4 months ago to make this fear even more intense. Often when we have a problem, it can help to look back to when it started and see if we can say what caused it. Sometimes this helps us to find a solution.
I can hear that you feel alone and like you are the only one feeling this way and I want you to know that many young people share your fear or phobia. There are lots of different types of support and treatment available for people who struggle with a phobia. You do not say how you get along with your parents and it is clear you are not ready to tell your parents but it could be a good idea to get some support. You could think about talking to someone in school like a teacher, nurse or counsellor. You could also think about seeing your GP who would know about the support available in your area. Whether you can go alone will depend on your age.
You could also take a look at the phobias thread from our message boards where lots of young people have talked about having a phobia of the dentist.
You can also talk to a ChildLine counsellor about your phobia and ask them to support you in finding ways to cope. You can do that by phoning them free on 0800 1111, by sending them an email from your locker or by logging in for a 1-2-1 chat.
You may also want to take a look at the phobias section on The Site website for more information and advice.
I hope you have found this letter helpful.
Take care,
Sam
Need help straight away?
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
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You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
