6 Christmas Phobias Worse Than Your Dental Anxiety
Feeling nervous about going to the dentist is common. You don’t have to let dental anxiety keep you from going to cleanings and other dental appointments. Many people struggle with anxiety, so take heart that you’re not alone. In fact, some people have fears about Christmas or the holiday season in general. Anxiety can be tough in any situation. Be glad you don’t face some of these holiday phobias.
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Fear of Christmas
Phobias refer to extreme fears about a certain object or situation. People with phobias will do everything they can to avoid these objects or situations. For some people, Christmas itself triggers severe fear. This phobia, called Christougenniatikophobia, is a fear of Christmas that usually comes from early childhood experiences. People with this fear might be anxious about holiday gatherings or other traditions and rituals that revolve around Christmas. In some cases, people with this fear are afraid of Santa Claus.
Fear of Flashing Lights
Christmas lights add cheer inside and outside homes, but some people have a hard time dealing with the kind that flash. A fear of flashing lights, known as selaphobia, can happen when people have a negative experience with these specific lights. For example, some people might have seizures or migraine headaches when they see flashing lights. Others might have had a bad experience with flashing lights at some point in their lives, causing them to want to avoid it.
Fear of Family
The holidays are typically a time for families to gather together. However, those who have syngenesophobia, a fear of relatives, might avoid these gatherings at all costs. This phobia refers to those who have severe anxiety about being around relatives or family members. They may have been mistreated or bullied by certain relatives in the past. This causes these individuals to skip any kind of gathering where those family members will be, including Christmas dinners or other holiday festivities.
Fear of Getting Gifts
While many people love giving and receiving presents during the holidays, some feel extremely anxious about it. These people have a phobia known as ghabhphobia, which is a fear of receiving gifts, especially in front of other people. For these individuals, having to open presents in front of others can trigger social anxiety, since they’re being stared at. Instead of feeling happy about having gifts, they typically feel self-conscious about being expected to open them with other people watching.
Fear of Swallowing
During the holiday season, many people have at least one big meal with family and friends. While this is meant to be a time of enjoyment at being with loved ones, those with a fear of swallowing, known as phagophobia, feel otherwise. For these people, eating and swallowing food can be a fearful experience. When these individuals also have social anxiety, attending holiday meals can be even worse. They are likely to feel extreme self-consciousness about eating in front of others.
Fear of Turkeys
Turkey is a common part of Christmas dinners. However, those who have meleagrisphobia, a fear of turkeys, might not be as quite as excited about digging into this kind of meal. While this phobia usually refers to being around living turkeys, some people might not want to have anything to do with roasted turkeys either.
Conclusion
When you suffer from dental anxiety, keep in mind that there are ways to ease this fear so you can go to your appointments. Dental sedation, which includes oral sedation, IV sedation, and nitrous oxide, provides a way to reduce anxiety and help you feel calmer about dental visits. With sedation, you can make sure you have your teeth cleaned or treated as needed in order to maintain good oral health.
If you’re due for a dental cleaning and exam or if you’ve been having problems with your teeth or gums, please contact Dental Brothers to set up an appointment. We offer dental sedation in Mesa and Phoenix to help those who struggle with dental anxiety, so that you don’t miss or delay any dental appointments.
