Nervous habits

[daisyduck]

I'm not sure if this counts as necessarily an addiction.

I have really nervous habits. It's like i always have to be doing something, shaking my leg, picking at bandaids, picking at my fingernails, playing with hair ties, playing with clasps and buttons on things, playing with my hair.... It's like i can't not be moving. It's starting to become a problem (things breaking, nails getting messed up etc). My therapist is even noticing while i'm at appointments and has to tell me to stop.

I was wondering if any of you knew ways to prevent/stop this and if any of you guys have the same problem.

[Le bonheur*]

I do. When I'm at my therapy appointments I play with my fingers, crack my knuckles, run my fingers through my hair, play with my bracelets. That's my number one thing; I twist my bracelet around through my fingers cuz it's like an elastic bracelet. So yeah, I do that. I haven't found a way to stop it though. It's because of anxiety/nerves and until I stop being nervous, I don't think there's a way to stop doing nervous acts :X

[Leah.sings24]

fidgety. i do it too.

[Leah.sings24]

sometimes, i count the number on synonyms on my fingers. like for every one yllable word i do one finger, for two: two fingers, etc.

[L'espoir]

Hey

I do the exact same thing! My counsellor used to bring a ball to our sessions and play catch with me It helped me focus and i didnt feel the need to fidget so much

[PlayingPretend]

I've never understood why therapists interfere unless the person they're seeing has expressed wanting to stop. I used to fidget with my phone a lot, and an old therapist of mine used to tell me to stop/put it away; with my current therapist, I'm allowed to fidget much as I like. Unless you've expressed wanting her to help you stop, I don't think she has any right to tell you to do so, frankly.

That said, I'm also extremely fidgety, so I'm not sure what to suggest. Perhaps you could talk to your therapist about it, and see what your therapist suggests?

[Dark Horse]

I definately do too. I do most of the same things as you do. And I never really realise Im doing it until someone points it out to me.

[volleyballchick751]

In group I get really fidgety, the therapist is okay with it she brings toys, markers and paper for us to play with or draw.