Hi,
Thank you for opening up about what you’re going through. What you’re describing—grinding your teeth, clenching your tongue, shivering during dreams—is more common than you might think, especially in individuals who’ve experienced prolonged emotional stress or trauma.
Yes, your body can absolutely hold onto stress.
This is something known as somatic memory—where unresolved emotional pain, trauma, or anxiety gets “stored” in the body, often showing up as physical symptoms. Teeth grinding (bruxism), muscle tension, and disturbed sleep are frequent ways our nervous system tries to cope or alert us to unresolved emotional tension.
Given your history of job instability, emotional betrayal, and anxiety, your body could still be stuck in a kind of “alert mode,” even during rest. These reactions aren’t weaknesses—they’re signals. Your body’s trying to protect you, but it might be stuck in survival mode longer than needed.
Next Steps
Consult with me for trauma-informed therapy (a psychologist can guide you through this). Techniques like somatic experiencing, EMDR, or even mindfulness-based therapy can help your body and mind process and release what it’s been holding onto.
Health Tips
You’re not imagining it. Your pain is real, and you deserve healing—not just mentally, but physically too. You’ve already taken the first brave step by noticing the patterns and asking for help. The rest of the journey? You don’t have to walk it alone.
Let me know if you’d like help finding the right support. You’ve got this.