Dentalproblems

I just came into the restaurant I typically go to when I go out. My car is full of trash (mostly used vinyl gloves) and personal belongings, and of course, people notice. Worse, they laugh, exclaim, comment, judge, and even look in anger, shock, and hate. Often loudly. They don't care that I'm sitting in the car and can hear them. They think I'm lazy.

Earlier this morning, I got a recommendation from Google when I opened the app to do a search. It was for a YouTube video of a news show doing a story about a hoarder. The hoarder was arrested for another charge, and the neighbors were happy the cleanup service cleared all the trash and hoarded belongings away for free (although they'll make some money off the scrap metal they found). They didn't care about the mental health of the hoarder. There was no sympathy shown by anyone on camera.

The comments did have people who showed sympathy, I'm happy to say. There were more who didn't, though. One person (at least) admitted it was a mental issue, but said that hoarders should be thrown in jail, because they can't collect if they're in jail. Gosh, yes, that has always solved the problem, hasn't it?

Another person said mental help is easy to find. I've seen plenty of people (including here) who said otherwise, plus we're always hearing about the "mental health crisis" and how there aren't enough therapists, especially good therapists. There's also the cost, whether or not they take your insurance, if they're taking new patients, and if they're a good fit for you.

Some made jokes. Some defended being able to do what you want with your home because (in this case) it's America. Others disagreed because of the safety issues and unsightliness. Several people wanted more laws and harsher laws to stop this. More laws punishing people with mental illness is the cure, after all!

Someone said people who "want" to live this way should all live in a community together, away from people who don't. I've never heard anyone say they "want" to live in an unclean, unsafe home. Have you?

Oh, by the way, the hoarder didn't have family. They all abandoned him. There may have been reasons besides the hoarding, or in addition to it, and I'm not saying it's easy for them, but being not only alone, but abandoned, is a HARD state of being.

I've asked my boyfriend for help. He procrastinates when it comes to me, even for years, although by then, it just never gets done. He's not patient, anyway. He snaps at me, and I become a nervous wreck. I have no family or friends. My OCD makes it difficult to find someone who can help in the way I need them to.

A lady who was cleaning a table looked at me with a mean frown. Maybe she had something besides me on her mind, but she seemed to glare at me, and didn't smile back when I gave her a smile. I know I look unkempt. I do the best I can with my hair and clothes. My major dental issues give people all kinds of impressions and make me look older. I don't appear to be a person who's a good person. She gave me the glare a second time, even after I smiled the second time after I looked up again.

The stigma of mental illness is alive and well.

#Anxiety
#ocd
#obsessivecompulsivedisorder
#Depression
#anxietyattacks
#panicattacks
#panicdisorder
#hoarder
#hoarding
#trauma
#ptsd
#cptsd
#posttraumaticstressdisorder
#complexposttraumaticstressdisorder
#disability
#abuse
#emotionalabuse
#mentalabuse
#mentalhealth
#anupdate
#mightytogether
#obesity
#invisible
#invisibleillnesses
#dental
#dentist
#dentalissues
#Dentalproblems

How did I get here? I know there was a lot I didn't know when I was young, but damn, I screwed up my life! I'm morbidly obese, I'm out of shape, I have little strength, I'm incontinent, I have bowel/pooping issues, I'm dealing with hot flashes (could be postmenopausal, could be obesity, could be meds, could be more, could be a combo of things) and my boyfriend rarely turns on the air conditioner for me because he's freezing.

We've been together for over 30 years, and the majority of that time, I've been the one who would be freezing, and he'd be hot. He'd tell me to "put on more layers." Now that the situation is reversed, he often refuses to turn the AC on (not for long; I just want to cool off and have it on when I use the bathroom because that takes so much out of me, and it's a lot worse when I'm hot and sweating). I've told him to put on more layers like he always told me, but he says no.

He didn't get me any snacks tonight. I've had one meal today, in the afternoon. I didn't get dessert. If I go to sleep without eating a little something, I wake up weak, shaky, and anxious. He knows this.

If he told me he needed food or drink, I would go get him something. Am I being unreasonable?

I hadn't gone out in over a week until today. The day didn't go well, thanks to a late start, my bathroom and OCD issues, plus things I can't control (like too many people coming in the bathroom, and in another bathroom, trouble getting the toilet paper off the roll and the paper towels running out after I washed my hands--which meant I had to get a worker to replace the paper towels, and she took a long time doing that [why do they always take so long when they see me and know I'm waiting?], and my legs were hurting, my bed sores were leaking, and I was getting hotter and breathing heavy).

Why does my boyfriend not even care about me as a human being? He's let me go hungry, be too cold or hot, shows no respect for my things, stopped helping me with my cats so I lost them (it's something I'll never get over, and I keep breaking down crying), made promises and broke them, gaslight me, lies to me, turns his back to me when he goes through his money (I have never stolen from him!), has gone through my things, puts things where I can't get them, hangs out with his friends at bars (I have no friends or family; I'm always alone) and sends me pictures and videos of dogs he sees and things going on (like karaoke) which gives me mixed feelings; I love animals but the stuff he sends reminds me of my cats and things I can't do (I tried to tell him, but he kept sending them, then got mad when I reminded him), and I can be talking to him but he ignores me and tunes me out: I'll literally stop talking mid-sentence, and he just focuses on his phone and he has no idea I stopped.

I made such stupid mistakes. I'm a fool. And here I am.

#Anxiety
#ocd
#obsessivecompulsivedisorder
#Depression
#anxietyattacks
#panicattacks
#panicdisorder
#hoarder
#hoarding
#ptsd
#cptsd
#disability
#abuse
#emotionalabuse
#mentalabuse
#financialabuse
#money
#finances
#mentalhealth
#anupdate
#mightytogether
#obesity
#incontinence
#bladderincontinence
#urinaryincontinence
#urinaryurgeincontinence
#urgeincontinence
#overactivebladder
#bedwetting
#thyroid
#thyroiddisease
#hypothyroidism
#gastroesophagealrefluxdisease
#dental
#dentist
#dentalissues
#Dentalproblems

For those who have #HypermobileTypeEDS , have y'all experienced any dental issues?
I have an upcoming appointment with my dentist and last time we spoke he said my gumline was receding, which I can't really stop. Just curious as to what to expect down the line, as there ain't much research on it.
#ChronicIllnessEDS #EDSAwareness #Dentalproblems #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #Anxiety

Has anyone else experienced increase dental issues due to their chronic pain and or stress from their chronic illness specifically autoimmune diease? I have lived with Crohns Disease for 28yrs, was dx at age 5yrs and I currently 33yrs old. I have always had dental issues, mostly due to poor nutrition and medications I have been on my entire life but many of my teeth are starting to wear and break under some of my crowns from prior root canals. My dentist always asks me if I grind my teeth at night to which I reply “that’s the only time my jaw is probably relaxed” due to be being asleep and not in pain etc. I have found myself within the past year clenching my jaw out of reaction to pain/stress and never knew how badly it’s as affecting my teeth until PA went into quarantine in March and I have had to visit my dentist x3 times since then for repairs due to tooth breakdown due to clenching my jaw. Has anyone else experienced these issues and what has worked for you? Per the request of my dentist I bought a mouth guard but I can’t really wear it all day long when I am not sleeping. Any other tips would be amazing!
#CrohnsDisease #Dentalproblems #Spoonie #ChronicPain

Hi everyone. This is my first post here. I need to vent. I have #RheumatoidArthritis , #Osteoarthritis , #Psoriasis , #Depression , #Anxiety , #PTSD #Dentalproblems . Basically, I am able to get through the pain of my RA on a daily basis. I just push through. I work in retail, I am on my feet for up to eight hours a day with no break, nowhere to sit down. I have a blown knee....chronically bent and bone on bone. Can’t get a knee replacement as needed because I am a single 50 year old with no insurance, no doctors-and I have to work. I also have dental problems. Maybe from the RA but my teeth are destroyed and the last few days the pain is unreal. This morning I woke up with a swollen jaw which means it’s infected. I wanted to go to the ER.....which I never do. But I don’t have a car, I have a 28 year old roommate who is literally in bed all day everyday with no job and no reason for it. She does help me with rides to work but she doesn’t think this hugely swollen jaw needs the ER because “they aren’t dentists.” So I get dressed anyway and try to get a Lyft or an Uber and no cars are available. I have no friends, no family in the area, I am new to Rhode Island, I have no insurance, I don’t know a soul or a dentist or anyone to help me. I don’t have a car so I have no freedom to go where I need to go. So I am now back I my pjs, back in bed. It’s raining like crazy out. Swollen jaw, pain, been trying ibuprofen, Tylenol, gabbapentin for nerve pain, cold compress and orajel. And not a soul to help me. Not a soul in my life. I manage these diseases on my own every day and I am tired of pushing through and being strong. I’m really tired. I wish I had someone to come home to to care about me to ask how I’m feeling. I’m kind and I am a giver and a listener. But I never get the same in return. It’s really got me down right now. I had to vent. Yeah maybe I’m having a pity party but I really don’t feel good and I am stuck. And I am alone. And sad. Very sad. How do you make friends at 50? I tried recently and turns out she was a huge manipulative mean bully to me. I mean it was bad. That’s a story for another time but basically my trust for anyone is gone. This has been so long and I’m sorry for writing you a novel as my first post. If anyone can relate I’d like to hear from you. Thanks for reading. - Laura