hidden stress
By asyria51
@asyria51 (2861)
United States
October 10, 2012 9:23pm CST
I did not realize how my stress was effecting me. I was going around acting like everything was fine, and I was managing. I was working out regularly, talking through problems with my husband, but was apparently internalizing a bunch of my stress and taking it out on my teeth at night.
Last week, I went to the dentist with "tooth" pain. This tooth pain ended up being inflamed nerves in the jaw from grinding and clenching my teeth at night. I now have a mouth guard to protect my teeth and to minimize the pain on the one side of my mouth.
How do you handle your stress, especially when you think you are doing the right things.
2 people like this
10 responses
@Magz1989 (271)
• Philippines
12 Oct 12
You must take a break from your normal routine....go to a far away vacation where you can relax and reflect your self( Alone) .....you need a peaceful place to reflect your inner self..then slowly think deeply what is the unconscious problem you have. That the best time to know your inner self better...to conquer that unknown stress you have
@Paper_Doll (2373)
• Philippines
12 Oct 12
Hi asyria, thanks for posting this discussion because I just realized that I am actually at the same situation at the moment. I didn't realized that I've been grinding my teeth as I was seething with anger lately but really do not want to voice it out. I do hit the wall or our bed whenever I have so much inside and will cry. That is how I usually release it but there are times that I can no longer cry. Do you think I need to consult a doctor about this? I've been feeling pain on my chest lately.
@Paper_Doll (2373)
• Philippines
12 Oct 12
Forgot to say this, I am actually having skin itchiness lately. My skin gets reddish and it is like allergies. I am being like this whenever I am too much stressed.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
11 Oct 12
I honestly don't think that I really do deal with stress and that is the reason that I am having the kind of jaw pain and headaches that I am experiencing right now. I do believe that I need to go to the dentist so that I can be fitted with another bite guard (I have TMJ and was prescribed to wear a bite guard when I was a teenager, but I've since lost the bite guard).
What I do admit has helped me though is the short massages that I've been getting as a part of my therapy for my back after my car accident.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
12 Oct 12
I live in a small town that has one place that offers massage, but not at a convenient time. It is all scheduled during my normal workday. Being a teacher, I cannot just take a long lunch and make up the time later. I would have to drive 25 miles to get to the next closest massuse and I just do not have that time, or willingness to drive.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
11 Oct 12
I'm a worrier, so I have a lot of internalized stress. I get overwhelmed with stress to the point that I can't talk. I can't speak because I sort of forgot how, there are not any words in my head to express. It's expressive aphasia and it is all due to stress. I also have a stammering problem that usually precedes me not being able to speak. It leaves me and I'm okay again..
I've been on medication for depression.. I'm still on it, but it doesn't do any good. It's just something I have to live with.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
11 Oct 12
I have never been a worrier so that is what I am not understanding. I have a great boss who is supportive and honest. When she says I am doing a good job, my evaluations say the same thing.
I think that I just have a very interesting group of students this year and wrapping my head around how I am going to accommodate the different learning styles, keep the outlandish behaviors in line and keep my sanity was more in my mind than I was owning up to.
@roshigo58 (4859)
• Pune, India
11 Oct 12
Hi,
Everyone has stress and problems in life. Stress causes bad effect on our mental and physical health. When I have stress I used to listen some motivating songs or think of good things in life which makes me happy. It is not easy always to handle stress but we have to overcome the stress by keeping hope in mind.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
14 Oct 12
I am looking at different ways to handle the stresses in my life. Money is no longer a major stressor, as it was a few years ago, but I am still living my life like it is. I need to know that I do not have to watch every single penny, and I do not have to earn every day online to make ends meet.
@Raine38 (12250)
• United States
11 Oct 12
This has happened to me as well. My husband always wakes up whenever he hears me grinding my teeth. Good thing he also went through this and we went to have a dental appointment and our dentist fashioned me a mouth guard. There are nights that I don't use my mouth guard and my jaw feels fine. But still, I am not sure if the mouth guard helped or I just stopped being so stressed. Good thing it hasn't reached the point where my teeth begins to hurt.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
12 Oct 12
My dentist said that not wearing it occassionally is okay, but to wear it regularly. My stress is not going away anytime soon, so I am just trying to increase my exercise, talk through issues I am going through, and try to not procrastinate about my upcoming projects.
@GemmaR (8517)
•
12 Oct 12
One of the things that is the most dangerous is stress, and this is very much because of the fact that a lot of the symptoms of it are hidden or can appear as other things. One of the things that happens to me when I am stressed is that I often lose my temper so the people who are around me get hurt. I don't realise that I am doing it at the time so I cannot put it right again until the damage has already been done. I think that everybody should be taught how to deal with their stress, as it is something that is very important to be able to do.
@Dominique25 (9464)
• United States
13 Oct 12
I'm sorry to hear that you have been grinding your teeth at night. You should ask your doctor for suggestions of what you can do to better manage your stress. It would be hard to know what to do when you think that everything is being handled alright. Perhaps you should take time each day to do the things that you enjoy. Women are encouraged to spend at least 30 mins a day doing something they enjoy.
@avinash2506 (22)
• India
12 Oct 12
The best way to overcome stress is to indulge in your hobbies.
For me music is the biggest stressbuster as listening to music is my hobby.
You can also do some meditations that will keep you calm and reduce your stress level.
@khhhaaaat (112)
• Philippines
12 Oct 12
I have the similar problem.
I kind of wake up at night and realized I was grinding my teeth while I was sleeping. I can feel it after I wake up. Like my teeth are sore or something. I kind of have internalized stress too. I listen to music, relaxing music to booth.
It's a good thing I've checked this discussion out and I also wanna know somebody's solution to this kind of thing.
Thanks.
