I have a minor habit that I am concerned will become more serious as I grow older. So, I’d like to quit doing it before it becomes a problem.
So, here’s the habit. I can slip my jaw (TMJ) and make a clicking sound. The problem that vexes me is that I do this without thinking. I’ll do it while I am driving (and I drive A LOT – I’m a charter bus driver), reading, browsing the SDMB, watching TV, or any other time I am quiet. So, quitting this is difficult because I don’t think about it until I’m already doing it. If I wanted, for example, to stop smoking (I don’t smoke), I would have opportunities to head off the behavior when I reach for the pack, flick the lighter, etc. In the case of clicking my jaw, I don’t know to fight the urge until I’ve already done it.
Does any of this make sense? How can I eliminate a habit that I don’t consciously notice until I’ve already done it?
I’ve mentioned this to my dentist and she is concerned that I may develop pain in my jaw later in life (I’m 54 years old right now). It would be in my best interest to quit doing this before it becomes painful. The dentist suggested a mouth guard while I am sleeping, but that isn’t really the problem. I’m not doing this while I am asleep. I am fully awake and engaged in some activity. Wearing a mouth guard while I drive the bus would be problematic – it’s hard to talk to people while spitting the thing out into my lap because my hands are on the wheel. Ewww.
Anyone out there among the Teeming Millions who have something similar going on?
The approach that @elbows mentioned is an interesting one: you need to break the pattern. Since the pattern is unconscious, you will have to make it more conscious. It might work to do it deliberately and then interrrupt it. This could be that you do the jaw clicking very slowly and then don’t finish it and then notice what the first thing was that you did and start doing it, then interrupt it.
It might also be interesting to ask yourself that if you knew what triggered this behaviour, what the trigger would be.
I’m 60 and I’ve done this off and on my entire life. So far no pain, though I heard the same warning from my dentists.
It actually used to happen a fair bit without my doing it on purpose (when yawning, chewing gum, even opening my mouth to speak) but that’s lessened over the years. I guess I’ve worn the edges down? It’s less satisfying – in a knuckle cracking way – without that little resistance and then solid click. I still do it on occasion, usually either doing something repetitive and boring or stressful.
I guess my suggestion would be find a different movement that satisfies your need to DO something, that you can do while sitting in a bus seat and interacting with strangers. My husband has a ring on his thumb that he can manipulate and twist with the forefinger on that hand. It relieves his fidget-need, and when he’s trying to control anxiety or temper it’s a useful outlet for him.
I’ve actually started doing tense-and-release exercises in my feet and legs. I started it when I was having some foot pain and was walking unevenly, and that set off a chain of aches. Sitting at my desk or while driving I’ll just curl or spread my toes, hold, release. Then if I can I’ll point or extend my feet to work my calf muscle, and rotate my feet a bit in flexion or extension. It’s become a habit like the jaw snap thing, and while it doesn’t have the ‘snap’ satisfaction it does actually feel better.
I have trichotillomania (hair pulling) with my beard and it’s barely controllable for me, to the extent that most wouldn’t notice the results (thin patches in specific places in my beard) unless they knew that it was a problem for me.
Drum_God’s description of it happening without thinking about it is a significant component for me as well, and I obviously get something out of it.
Unfortunately I have no successful solutions but I sure sympathize and understand.
I have a similar problem, which I’ve posted about before: I shred my lips and inner cheeks with my teeth. No solution yet. I did read an interesting article about such habits, which I will post if I can find it again.
These behaviors all fall into OCD patterns and may be treatable using psychiatric and psychological interventions. If possible, I would recommend talking to a psychiatrist and/or psychologist and getting their assessment.
Note: IANAP. IANYP. I do have some of the behaviors mentioned and psychiatric intervention has really helped.
Even mentioning it to your physician would be a good start. There are new strategies all the time, and basic low-dose anti-depressants that can do wonders if it’s OCD.
Not to mention micro-dosing acid (no, I do NOT know if that would help).
If there is a dental college near you, it might be worth asking for a consult there. One dentist in private practice might not have ever dealt with it but a teaching facility and the associated faculty might have some ideas. Not all mouth guards are like football guards-they might be able to create a movable appliance that you can fiddle with with your tongue instead, a bait and switch of habits. Botox injections into the jaw joints might also work.
I used to have TMJ and would click my jaw a lot. Sometimes it actually hurt to do it, and I always woke up with pain along the side of my face. Fortunately, after a few years, I found something that cured it for good.
I had some TMJ trouble a while back, and a physical therapist taught me to slowly open and close my jaw in front of a mirror (so I could see what was happening) while gently pressing up on the back corners of my jaw to make sure it was staying engaged. After a while, I became more aware of what it felt like to keep it in the joint groove. Once I learned how to do that with the muscles around my jaw, things got better.
I still have to remember to keep from disjointing when the dentist has me open wide for long periods.
I’ve had TMJD for 25 years now. I’ve never done what you’re describing, I don’t think I can. I’ve had extensive dental work and stuff. Doesn’t seem like you need dental work or a mouth guard - you’re right you just need to stop this habit.
I’ve read a lot about TMJD. One thing I’ve read that always helps me if I’m in pain is to balance a pencil between my front teeth, from the eraser end (so not across your lips but pointed long-ways out). Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth. It keeps your jaw open the right amount but not clenched.
If you can’t do that, put your tongue on the roof of your mouth and keep your teeth open a quarter inch. Same thing, without the pencil (or pen).
My night guard has a big lump in the front to keep my teeth apart while I sleep.
Don’t chew gum. That’s the worst thing for TMJD.
Have you ever watched a video or an animation of the TM joint at work? And what you are doing when you pop it to the point of getting stuck? There’s a little bursa sac in there that you’re fucking with. Maybe you just need to get a grasp of the horrible thing you’re doing, and the idea that you can very well get it STUCK stuck, to make you stop doing it. Here’s an example. You can find a lot more.
DO create a different habit that avoids loading or irritating the jaw joint. Resting your tongue on the roof of your mouth is the right position but may not satisfy the urge you are unthinkingly satisfying when you mindlessly click. Rubbing the backs of your front incisors with your tongue may satisfy the feedback urge better as a habit substitution. Whenever you catch yourself clicking message to yourself the what to do message: do rub teeth - and do it.
It sounds silly but there is a big difference between telling ourselves “don’t do X” and saying “DO [alternate Y]”
The habit substitution doesn’t even need to be mouth based (although the beauty of @ZipperJJ’s approach is that it forces a non loading jaw joint neutral position). Maybe starting some other habit in the circumstances that you currently jaw click can work? Like training yourself during those mindless quiet times to tap your thumb to each finger and back as quickly as you can (a WAG that that might work well for a drum god).
Good luck. Altering these mindless but potentially harmful habits is a challenge.