I'm scared of going to the dentist because of a bad memory.

My dad used to take me to the dentist every year when I was a kid, and it was always an unpleasant experience.<br><br>One of my first memories of going to the dentist was when I was maybe 4-5. I remember the dentist looking at my teeth and finding some decay. She had to use this device with a drill attached to the end, which she put into my mouth and drilled at my tooth. It was painful, and I was scared.<br><br>I remember asking her if she could just pull my tooth out. She said no, because it was too small and it would hurt her more than it would me. I still don’t know what she meant by that. I don’t know if she was joking or if it was a serious concern. But I do know that she ended up using some sort of drill or tool to drill out the decay, and it hurt.<br><br>After that, I started having flashbacks and nightmares about the dentist. I would wake up in the middle of the night, sweating, and my heart racing. I would have flashbacks where I was back in the dentist’s office, and I could hear the sound of the drill.<br><br>My parents tried to reassure me that it was just a bad memory, that it was just a drill, and that I wouldn’t feel any pain. But I was still scared.<br><br>I remember going to the dentist when I was maybe 6, and I was so scared that I wouldn’t go. I would cry and scream, and my dad would have to carry me out of the office. I remember one time, I was so scared that I ran away from the dentist’s office. I didn’t want to go back, and I didn’t want anyone to touch my teeth.<br><br>After that, my parents stopped taking me to the dentist. I don’t remember why, but I think they just didn’t want to make me feel uncomfortable. They didn’t want me to be scared.<br><br>But now that I’m an adult, I know I need to go to the dentist. I don’t want to have cavities or gum disease. I want to keep my teeth healthy. So I made an appointment with a dentist, but I’m scared. I don’t want to go.<br><br>I’m scared of the drill. I’m scared of the dentist touching my teeth. I’m scared of the chair. I’m scared of the whole experience. I don’t want to go through it again, because I know it will hurt. I know it will be painful.<br><br>I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to be scared, but I don’t know how to overcome my fear. I’m scared of the dentist, and I don’t want to go.