How to fight chewing and spitting? It’s been following me since college (I’m 26 now) and I can feel that it really hurts me. I gained some weight, I’m not sure whether to attribute this to my chewing and spitting, but I’m sure those two are connected. My jaws hurt, my teeth are seriously endangered and my dentist is at a loss. But I’m more concerned about mental side of this action, am I addicted to chewing and spitting? Will I ever be able to stop it?
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Chewing and spitting is a disorder which can seriously endanger your health as it is one of eating disorders. It is often neglected, but it needs equally dedicated treatment as bulimia or anorexia. We cannot say that you are addicted to chewing and spitting, but it is for sure related to emotional problems. Your body probably understands this behaviour as stress or anxiety reducing mechanism and this is why you feel addicted. Real physical/biochemical kind of addiction to this behavior is not proven. The good thing is that you are aware of the problem and that you want to quit. You can start by simply trying to distract and calm yourself whenever you feel the urge to repeat the pattern. Chewing and spitting is not different from other eating disorders - they all need treatment and team of experts. Some of them must evaluate physical damage and the others should help you with mental issues, which are probably at the root of all your problems.
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