I need a dentist but am severely agoraphobic

[Ahhhgrophobia]

I am in the moray area and I have tried 3 dentists, one wasn’t taking anyone on, the other said they don’t do home visits and the third went to voice mail and they didn’t even respond. I don’t know what I can do. I am severely agoraphobic and also have physical health issues that are starting to be very slowly being investigated which doesn’t help at all. I I have severe anxiety and I can hyperventilate and collapse. I can’t really leave it any longer. In 2 years I have gone 3 minutes away from my house twice.

Are you able to attend if you have someone come with you/drive you so you can have sedation?

is there a Community Dental Service in your area? The waiting list can be long but they can do home visits.

Are you getting any help/medication from GP with the anxiety already? They maybe able to provide some one off extra medication like people used to get diazepam for flying fears.

Gradual exposure isn't going to be a quick solution for this but may help in longer term to getting healthcare needs met. If you can you break the task down so maybe friend/family films their car journey and inside dentist so you can replay the video frequently as the familiarisation and knowing what to expect can ease anxiety.

On your own you maybe able to practice going outside the front door as that threshold can easily become a daunting prospect, some headphones and even sunglasses may help to reduce the overstimulation which can increase anxiety.
If you've a patient, understanding person to support you can gradually try making steps towards a journey. There needs to be no pressure to go anywhere so it doesn't matter if you only sit in the car or they only drove to end of your road and back home again, it's appreciating what may seem minute progress as successes worth celebrating and even when you think it's gone terrible there will still be some positive aspects.
If can repeat this getting out as much as possible so that it starts to feel a bit more normal for you and some days you may feel up for pushing your self a bit more and others if your tired or stressed it maybe too much altogether. Hopefully eventually you can get inside the dentists or wherever you need to go to sit for a while and go home again.

The CBT method advises staying put, riding out the adrenaline that creates the uncomfortable feeling so you learn that you will calm down and nothing terrible will happen, but I've never found that to work for me perhaps as I'm ADHD/autistic. I was also told to ignore that inner monologue/gut feeling that something awful would happen but I found doing this made me feel like I couldn't trust myself at all and everything got worse. Till a wise person told me it was just trying to protect me and had done pretty good job over my lifetime and it seemed the more I ignored it the louder it was shouting for my attention, it's odd but reframing it this way made it easy to go ' ok thanks for warning me, I accept your concerns but we are fine' which reduced the spiralling.

When and why did the agoraphobia start?

If your near elgin area spynie dentists are taking on NHS patients and they do sedation. Might be worth a call and see

Can you get help for the agoraphobia?
That sounds so stressful.

Perhaps if the doctor could provide antidepressants or something (not because you are depressed but because they numb the chaos in our brains) then perhaps you could get out.

What strategies have you tried? Would a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses and headphones playing happy times you like while someone holds on to you help you feel covered up and therefore safer?

Gradual introduction to the scary thing is generally the way forward.

So if you were scared if spiders you would look at pictures in books until you were less scared. Then you might look at a glass box with a dead spider inside it. Then you might look at a real spider in a glass box. Then watch someone hold it. Then you hold it. All over a space of months or even a year. Gradual so you get used to the increased fear symptoms in a slow way until you no longer get them.

So I presume it's the same for you.

Stand at an open window.
When that feels safe after a few days practicing stand at an open door. Even quite far back in the hall. Or sit in a dining chair quite far back. Gradually over a week inch the chair forward until you're in the doorway. Then just outside then 1m outside etc etc until you can walk a few meters outside without discomfort. That's the general gist. You'd need a friend to help.

You know you should be able to do this so with help you can get over it and get to the dentist. Start practicing as soon as possible with help and speak to the gp urgently.

You must be under the care of a GP or other doctor who does home visits and is investigating your other medical issues. You need to speak to that person about the problem with your teeth as it is part of your overall medical condition. They should be able to advise as to how treatment can be arranged. Or what about social services?

I've never heard of dentists doing home visits, surely that's not a thing as they need the dental chair / lights etc?

Hi op not sure where you are in the country but look up the company At Home Dental. They carry out Dental care in people's homes and are a mobile domiciliary Dental service. There should be a similar service in most areas. The equipment is usually kept in the van and most Dental treatments can be completed. Its especially for those who for whatever reason can't attend a practice

Where I am a community dentists that see special needs kids, very phobic people etc, do home visits.

I don’t know how to find a community dentist. I don’t know what it means. I have tried searching and it’s showing dentists all over the place

It’s this I think

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/dental-treatment-for-people-with-special-needs/p

OP is in Scotland.

OP, this link mentions community dentist service.

You could call public health Scotland perhaps. But why not just speak to the medical professionals who currently provide your care, as suggested upthread?

publichealthscotland.scot/our-areas-of-work/primary-care/dental-care/public-dental-service-pds/

The first words of the OP are “I am in the moray area”.
Moray is in North-East Scotland.

Have you tried the Grampian Dental Advice Line?

03454565990

They might be able to help you.

Are you on medication for the agoraphobia?
I had agoraphobia and couldn’t get to the dentist. I lost the tooth unfortunately. I’m now on medication and I gradually got my life back. I highly recommend medication (escitalopram and Pregabalin for me), then gradually starting desensitisation and getting out there again. I was housebound for years, and I know how tough it is.