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I can't stop chewing on stuff, it's so gross!
I always have to be chewing on something: pieces of paper, plastic, my pen or pencil, the strings on my jacket.... It's really gross and I want to quit. It starts subconsciously, so I don't know how to control it! I've tried chewing gum, but my jaw gets tired way faster. I’m scared I will end up injuring my jaw or teeth some day. How can I stop this terrible habit?
Hey girl! Sorry to hear about your hard-to-get-rid-of habit. I have a really bad habit of arching my back when I stand. It’s gotten to the point that I’m having back probs and even seeing a physical therapist. As much as I want to stop, it’s WAY tough to break something you’re so used to. But no worries, chica, with a li’l work, you can do it!
Before you do anything, try to figure out if anything could be causing your habit. Every time you catch yourself chomping away, take note of what else is going on. Seriously stressed? Anxious about anything? Feelin’ just plain ol’ bored? Keep a journal to record how you’re feeling and if anything else is out of the norm. After a while, look through your entries and see if you can spot any patterns. If you figure out you tend to chew on things when you’re stressed or bored, try to find a diff way to deal, like squeezing a stress ball or writing about it.
If your habit doesn’t seem to have a trigger (something that causes you to do it), it could be something you’re just used to doing. You mentioned you already tried gum, but it makes your jaw tired. Maybe, that’s a good thing. If your jaw’s a li’l tired (but not too much!), you might not feel the need to chew on something else. You can also try putting your tongue over your teeth to keep yourself from chewing too much or too hard. It’s all about what works best for Y-O-U. If you can’t find something that works, try brainstorming with mom and pops, or even your doc.
From my own experience, stopping a habit, especially one you don’t even realize you’re doing at least 90% of the time, is not easy. It takes a lot of work and a ton of determination on your part. If you wanna stop, you’ve gotta pay attention to what you’re doing, keep checking yourself and resist temptation almost 24/7. But, there’s good news, girly! It’ll be hardest at first, but after a while, it WILL get easier, I promise. So just stay strong and keep workin’ at it. I know you can do it!
Good luck!
Hey girl! Sorry to hear about your hard-to-get-rid-of habit. I have a really bad habit of arching my back when I stand. It’s gotten to the point that I’m having back probs and even seeing a physical therapist. As much as I want to stop, it’s WAY tough to break something you’re so used to. But no worries, chica, with a li’l work, you can do it!
Stress Test
Before you do anything, try to figure out if anything could be causing your habit. Every time you catch yourself chomping away, take note of what else is going on. Seriously stressed? Anxious about anything? Feelin’ just plain ol’ bored? Keep a journal to record how you’re feeling and if anything else is out of the norm. After a while, look through your entries and see if you can spot any patterns. If you figure out you tend to chew on things when you’re stressed or bored, try to find a diff way to deal, like squeezing a stress ball or writing about it.
Steady Habit
If your habit doesn’t seem to have a trigger (something that causes you to do it), it could be something you’re just used to doing. You mentioned you already tried gum, but it makes your jaw tired. Maybe, that’s a good thing. If your jaw’s a li’l tired (but not too much!), you might not feel the need to chew on something else. You can also try putting your tongue over your teeth to keep yourself from chewing too much or too hard. It’s all about what works best for Y-O-U. If you can’t find something that works, try brainstorming with mom and pops, or even your doc.
Not-so Easy
From my own experience, stopping a habit, especially one you don’t even realize you’re doing at least 90% of the time, is not easy. It takes a lot of work and a ton of determination on your part. If you wanna stop, you’ve gotta pay attention to what you’re doing, keep checking yourself and resist temptation almost 24/7. But, there’s good news, girly! It’ll be hardest at first, but after a while, it WILL get easier, I promise. So just stay strong and keep workin’ at it. I know you can do it!
Good luck!
Kristen Y. <3
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