I can't stop rubbing myself!

Yup, that title was to catch your attention..... Yet, still highly on topic

This is an emergency meeting, I just realised I need help!

I have this crazy thing where I cant stop my left hand from fidgetting, it started about a year ago, it wasn't so bad to begin with, now I've realised it needs to stop, its iterupting my life.

I constantly rub my 4 fingers over my thumb and palm, this is every time my left hand is empty (like always), its causing me wrist strain and join pain, but I just can't stop, I've stopped just to write this and my arm and hand are spasming like mad

Every now and then I make a mental note not to do it, but I end up doing it anyway

Iforgot not to do within 3 seconds, then I realise I'm doing it again,

Please help! What is this?

it's a bad habit, happens to many, ..some people just dont let go though. like you said, when you stop doing it for a few seconds, your brain REMINDS you to do it because you have made it a habit. You have to train yourself to just not do it as often and eventually you will do it less and less. its all in your head.

No matter what, I always bite my nails.
Don't care what situation I'm in.
I could be falling off of a building
and I still will be biting my nails.

I don't know why...It started in like seventh grade
or something like that. Now 5 years later, I'm still
doing it.

You probably just have one of those "unstoppable bad habits"
like I do.

How about trying a glove on that hand. It may take away some of the sensory effect that you are getting from the nervous action that you are doing.

Freud would have come up with a reason for why you are doing it, like you hated your mother subconsciously or something.

just a nervous habit. You could always amputate...

Sometimes I do similar things. Look up fidget toys or stress balls. Might help. Some of the cooler things I've tried are neodymium magnets (Bucky balls) and therapy putty. Like you said about your mind. It's all in your head and it'll just take some time to retrain yourself. Most likely pick up another habbit. Don't let it get the best of you.

You need a fidget. We use them in school with students who have similar habits.

Try silly putty or a squeeze ball that you can use with that hand. There's also a wonderful product called a Tangle you can buy online or at educational stores. Basically it's a bracelet type of device where the individual links move in different directions, allowing you to twist it into multiple shapes. I'd recommend the textured Tangle, they are more soothing to someone who needs the tactile stimulation.

classic thread title. thought i dont think you should be worried. its just a bad habbit like biting your nails etc.
i have a similar habit, but strangely i only do it when the weather is warm.
anyway, sit on your hand or something.

reply to post by Sinny


Just talking about this a couple of days ago. I picked up some new native american stone "artifacts" (i.e. knives, arrowheads, a nice ax, etc.) recently and two of them had very smooth surfaces on one side and were just the size for holding in your hand and rubbing them. Someone saw them and said "those are worry stones". Lots of people in some nationalities carried stones with them and kept rubbing one section when they were in the rubbing mood. Eventually the stones get very smooth. I don't know if my native artifacts are worry stones, but they have the same final appearance.

reply to post by lacrimosa


Nice to know I'm not the only one with a bad habit (phew!) I feel sorry for the nail biters, don't it hurt?

I do have to physically sit on my hand to stop, that tangle sounds awesome, ill have to order one. In the mean time ill try the ball of putey idea

I just can't believe how I do this involuntry, I feel I might have to resort to tyying me hand with rope, a glove wouldn't cut it lol... I could with some one to slap me each time I do it, I've had to use that one before to get out the habit of saying "do you know what I mean?" At the end of every comment, that one annoyed the life out people.

reply to post by Aleister


Ohh I like the idea of those stones, thank you

Originally posted by lobotomizemecapin
just a nervous habit. You could always amputate...

reply to post by smyleegrl


Love the avatar by the way.

Originally posted by Sinny
Please help! What is this?

As to what it is, a bad habit.
As to how I can help you...
Every time you notice this action, slap the offending wrist, or back of the hand.
Not too hard to cause more pain, but hard enough to give yourself a good sting.

Over time it will become a more conscious effort to watch for this habit.
Then with a little more time, your subconscious will realize that there is a punishment for this action.
Then one day... You will realize that you haven't done it for several days.
Days will turn to weeks, then you will be cured.

I did this to myself whenever I forgot to put on my watch.
When I went to look at the time and noticed no watch, slap.
After about a week or two, I stopped forgetting to put my watch on.

reply to post by Sinny


I wore a worry-ring for a while. Its a ring that has a groove in it with a small chain or betal band over the top that spins freely (around the ring). Great stuff, helped me move a nervous tick from my nect to my hand. Much more socially acceptable and was a confidence boost since ppl seem to think your missing a chromosome if your neck twitches due to a little anxiety.

reply to post by Sinny


We all have strange habits, Me since I let my hair grow out I have a habit of shaking the hair out of my face. I even do it when the hair is not in my face and I'm like ahhh stop doing that. Just try to not do it I cant really explain how to stop it because I don't know. Just try to remind yourself like you said you've been trying. You will break the habit after a while.

I will tell you what they tell me.
Go exercise,go for a run or go for a walk.
I like my solution better.
Put a beer in that hand.

reply to post by TheQuantumAnomaly


Like the idea of that ring too, right up my street

@ Evans, I had that habit too, only stopped because I wear it up so much now,

And Kdog, I'm with you there!

Hey Sinny. You might have OCD. I can say with honesty you can stop this but it takes a lot of effort. It could also be a Brain or Nervous system injury. Have you seen a Doc?

Superglue your hand shut. By the time it wears off you should have kicked the habit.

Seriously though it's probably just a tic. We all have one and you should be able to over come it by really wanting to. You just developed it over a year so it will take time to stop doing it all together.

Edit: Looking into it further it says:

Tics may increase as a result of stress, fatigue, boredom, or high-energy emotions, which can include negative emotions, such as anxiety, but positive emotions as well, such as excitement or anticipation. Relaxation may result in a tic increase (for instance, watching television or using a computer), while concentration on an absorbing activity often leads to a decrease in tics.

Source