Anxiety- weird thing

[periperimeno]

I've never spoken to anyone IRL about this. I doubt anyone else is going to come along and say they have the same issue but for a very long time every now and then I have this weird thing that makes me anxious.

I haven't had a flare up like this in years but basically my tongue feels weird in my mouth. Just moving my tongue around in my mouth either to touch a tooth or the roof of my mouth triggers this anxiety/panic response. I have an overwhelming fear of swallowing it. I've honestly had this from being a teen, maybe younger and for years it hasn't been an issue. The last few days it's flared up again.
I know if I try to ignore it, eventually it'll go away and not bother me.

I feel absolutely ridiculous admitting to this. I don't know why this has reared its head again at the moment.

Oh my god I have this too!! I have no actual advice for you other than to try to distract yourself from it (that's what I try to do).

I get worried that it feels too big for my mouth and that I'll definitely swallow it and it makes me panicky! I've never told anyone either because I feel like a weirdo! 😂

I suppose I'm just letting you know you're not alone in it. Distraction and chewing gum definitely helps me.

I can't believe there is someone else who has this. I daren't tell anyone because it really does make me feel like a total weirdo.

Yes, I get the feeling that my tongue is too big in my mouth. I've made inside my mouth sore by rubbing my tongue on the roof of my mouth. My mouth is dry at the minute so that doesn't help either. Sometimes just moving my tongue gives me this overwhelming feeling of panic and fear.

Maybe when you were a child there was some incident where you got something stuck in your mouth, or there was a unpleasant dental checkup, or maybe someone joked about swallowing your tongue and this innocuous statement was lodged in your mind. Even if you can't consciously remember what it was it's there, niggling, and will come back at times when you're unwell or under pressure.

As you say, it will go away and is nothing to worry about. It's just part of being human.

Just seen your update - you can fix this with a short course of hypnotherapy/remedial hypnosis.

I can't believe it either, I honestly thought I was the only one! I'm weirdly relieved although at the same time it's obviously not nice to hear someone else has anxiety about something.

I do the same thing, one day I'll suddenly become hyper aware of my tongue for no apparent reason, and i'll move it around my mouth and convince myself it has no space to go other than down my throat if I'm not careful! It's so weird! I think chewing gum/mints helps because it gives my mouth something else to do and I suppose the minty harshness on my airway proves to me that it's perfectly open and not blocked by my tongue. I feel daft just typing this! 😂

It is bizarre but we really just need to keep reminding ourselves how unlikely it is for our tongue to ever become a real problem for us!

I had some traumatic dental experiences as a child so it is quite possible that this is where this irrational thing has come from.

I have never considered seeking hypnosis for it. I'm willing to give it a try though. It's been many, many years since this reared its head like it has.

I'm actually glad I posted this now, like you knowing I'm not alone with this weird thing is actually reassuring.

I can't chew gum it makes me gag 😅 but I'll try getting some mints or something as an aid of distraction.

I feel this sometimes, I am very orally fixated I always find myself chewing on pens etc and also have a lot of anxiety so I think it’s linked to those two things. I use chewing gum, sucky sweets, chewellery etc to try and distract from it when it’s bad and give my mouth something else to do.

Anxiety can make the tongue swell up.

I used to have a similar sensation - tongue and teeth too big in the mouth. Not particularly anxiety-inducing, but definitely a peculiar feeling.

Well this thread has made me feel much better.
Thankyou for the replies.

Don't worry about this.I am not a doctor however it does sound like a form of anxiety.Is there a particular trigger which sets this off.Sometimes we home in on a symptom and can not shake it off which again is quite normal .With you you are homing in on this and your mind starts imagining all sorts of irrational thoughts like swallowing your tongue.If it is becoming too much then see a doctor for reassurance or Google up some deep breathing meditation exercises which will help you to relax.
Good luck and please do not worry 👌

And me too! Suddenly hyper aware of my tongue, it's too big for my mouth, its going to slip back and choke me.

And now I've got it again because I'm thinking about my tongue!

Ridiculous, but I have to open my mouth and let my tongue hang out for a while to ease the panic. Thank goodness I live alone!

I sometimes get the sensation that my tongue is too big for my mouth. I quite often bite my tongue so suspect it's quite big. I normally mention it to the dentist so that he can carefully check it when I have a check up. There are some conditions that can cause tongue issues, so best to get medically checked in case.

@periperimeno happy to DM you a list of practitioners who could help you if you like.

Yes please that would be great

@periperimeno & others

that sounds scary & I feel for you all.

Peri peri. It's unsurprising with your childhood dental trauma.

when it's not happening, can you rationalise it? If you can I'd just create a narrative that you can repeat 'in the moment'. Given how infrequently it happens, I personally wouldn't bother with hypnosis or anything. I'd just remember the narrative & repeat it to myself when you feel it starting up.

i did the same with panic attacks.& it's worked fine for years now. For me I read/heard something 'panic attacks just feel awful, they can't actually DO anything' I stopped being scared of them & can stop them by repeating that and if at all possible going outside, standing by an open window.

*I appreciate mine were only minor & this might not help people with intense panic attacks. No offence intended.

Well, the last few days I've really struggled with this. I can only assume it's hormone related anxiety as I'm of that age, as the username suggests.

The roof of my mouth is sore from rubbing my tongue on it. My mouth is really dry and now im struggling to eat. I can't understand why I've become fixated on this after so many years of not giving it a seconds thought!

Well this time this anxiety isn't shifting. In the last two weeks I have had a couple of days where it's hasn't crossed my mind, but I'm just hyper aware all the time that my mouth is dry or my teeth feel like they're rubbing against my tongue. Which in turn means I become aware of my tongue in my mouth. I've made the roof of my mouth sore from constantly rubbing it against it with my tongue.
I find when I become aware of my dry mouth or I just absent mindedly move my tongue about in my mouth that my stomach lurches and I instantly feel anxious.

I'm struggling at times to eat, my partner knows I'm anxious at the minute and I can usually talk to him but I feel so ridiculous saying this out loud to him.

I can't understand why I've become fixated on this after so many years of not giving it a seconds thought

Because your brain thinks it's important at the moment and is therefore telling you to focus on it. There's a part of your brain called the Recticular Activating System. It's job is to filter out all the stuff you can safely ignore and alert you to the things that you believe to be important. It's why people can live (and sleep) next to a railway line and not hear the trains but will be instantly awake if their baby cried (or cat vomits!). Your RAS is fixated on your tongue/mouth so you're overly aware of it and thinking about it constantly; in the same way people will poke an empty tooth socket or pick at a hangnail.

That makes sense to me. I'm guessing it's the anxiety that is fuelling this thought process and why I cannot switch off from it. It's exactly like being unable to stop prodding a hole in my tooth!

I'm the meantime I feel like I'm losing the plot. If I could just figure out how to switch it off it would be great.

Talk to someone on that list I sent you!

I am going to I thought it would pass as usual but it seems to be lingering around.

I'm so glad I've found this thread. I think it's called anxiety tongue? Never heard of it until I googled it! It's been a while since I've had a flare up too!

Really so it's a 'thing'
I've honestly spent years thinking I'm a bit crazy and have never dared to tell anyone about it!