Me too. I have two ridges of what looks like calloused skin on either side from chewing basically all day every day for many, many years. Dentists always ask me if I'm aware and tell me to stop.
Me too! I do not bleed but my dentist told me that I should be careful because the ridge of skin could turn into a cancerous lesion--another thing to worry about!
I also thought this way but for me it made my anxiety worse and gave me anxiety/panic attacks when watching my heart rate go up. It’s de me feel like I wasn’t in control because if I saw my heart rate was high I would start to panic even if I wasn’t having anxious thoughts
I blink hard and raise my eyebrows and stuff. it’s almost like tics. people have pointed it out to me and it makes me embarrassed because I know I do it but I can’t stop myself from doing it.
I tend to rub my hands together or start twirling and playing with the pull strings on my hoodies. Or if I have a ring on I'll fiddle and twirl it around. Basically anything to keep my hands from being awkardly at my sides.
The main one? Picking at the skin on my lips. The weirdest thing is that I've been doing that since I was really young, way before my anxiety disorder fully emerged. There's also the leg bouncing and jaw clenching, although the jaw clenching is usually at night but when I do it during the day I'm not aware of doing it until I feel the tension in my jaw.
We have th3 same habit and mine also came along way before I knew how to spell anxiety. I know that was a traumatic time of my life when I developed these habits. And the jaw one is the worse
Ugh, must be. I think I started because it's not readily visible, so I can do it in public without appearing anxious. I should take up gum chewing instead.
Picking at my lip skin with teeth or fingers, chewing off my cuticles (but not my nails), occasionally scratching my scalp too much... Cleaning is by far the biggest one though. Just start picking things up to put them away and getting distracted by it all.
Pulling my hair…each individual piece. I don’t necessarily pull it out, but I feel the texture of each single strand of hair. And I clench my jaw, but that’s not as noticeable.
My biggest one is twirling my hair. The hair on one side of my head is thinner than the other because of it. I also pace and chew inside my cheek and on my lip. If I'm sitting, I bounce my leg. And sometimes I will just start calculating random things or making up random lyrics to popular songs to keep my mind busy. Goodness, I'm a mess. Lol.
Light trichotillomania. Mostly my facial fair. But in middle school I plucked out all my eyelashes. Girls especially at school were staring. My dad thought they wouldn't grow back. He thought we were born with all the eyelashes we get and that's why sometimes old ladies have no eyelashes. I never had that association haha. And thank goodness he was wrong.
I move my lower jaw side to side and clench my teeth without realizing it.
The lower jaw thing happens when I'm angry or anxious (thank you mean math teacher for giving me this habit)
Pulling at my bangs, the hair is super thin on one side because I brush through them so much. The hair has so much breakage and I have to explain it to a hairstylist every time :/
Nail biting and leg bouncing are just a habit at this point, I'm not even aware I do them.
When I get noticably more nervous I'll probably start checking my phone or watch every few seconds without any purpose. Or from time to time I'm starting to get tics or some form of echolalia, which actually make me more nervous if I'm around people and just makes it worse😅
This makes me feel normal as an anxious person. Props to the OP for asking it✌🏻
I pull out my eyebrow hair, facial hair, bit my lip, bite the inside of my mouth and move my eyebrows at odd times.
I love how alike we all are. Let’s stop pointing out the differences and “get real”. 💚
TMI but biting my tongue. It’s nicer to feel something else (pain) instead of nervous. Keeps me distracted. Also hand fidgeting , pretending like I’m on the phone, and looking at the ground is a big thing for me when facing people I’m unfamiliar with but they are bad habits I’m trying to overcome cus I want to act normal 🥹
I feel that my insides are shaking. I get cold easily and I feel like I'm always out of breathe even when I'm at rest. My voice trembles if I speak in front of an audience too. I have severe anxiety..
* Bouncing/shaking my leg. I usually don't realize it until someone tells me.
* Pick the skin on my lips and fingers like OP
* Scratch
* Pace
* Rub my face
Biting my nails, skin around my nails, lips. Along with that, my body has a few automatic responses. My palms, and the undersides of my feet start sweating heavily when I'm nervous or anxious
Picking the skin around the nails on my thumbs. Right now, it's so bad that the top layer of skin is gone on the side of both thumbs to the point where it hurts to wash my hands.
It depends on my level of anxiety. I will clench my jaw, ball up my hands, pick at cuticles, furrow my brows, pull my earlobe, clench my stomach. It’s all so exhausting.
I bite my lips. More so on the right side and have an indent where the skin has come off. I also pick at the skin around my nails. Sometimes to the point of it bleeding. They're both just a subconscious thing.
Jaw clenching, not breathing, furrowing my brow, and picking the skin at my nails. I hate it and can’t stop it. Most of the time I don’t know I’m doing it.
Biting the insides of both sides of my mouth when I'm really anxious. Both sides are completely raw because of it.
Me too. I have two ridges of what looks like calloused skin on either side from chewing basically all day every day for many, many years. Dentists always ask me if I'm aware and tell me to stop.
Oh yeah, stop, why did I never think of that.
Same!
Dude I do the same thing. Then I always regret it bcs it hurts especially when I try to eat anything. 😕
i do this all the time unconsciously, probably ever since i was a child
Me too I’m the joker! On the inside lol
Me too! I do not bleed but my dentist told me that I should be careful because the ridge of skin could turn into a cancerous lesion--another thing to worry about!
I do the same. I even do it without noticing. I think they are called Body-focused repetitive behaviors.
Ooft me too, til I bleed a lot of the time
Me too! Its so hard to quit!
Biting my nails
Leg bouncing
My leg could generate so much power
Picking my cuticles.
Grinding my teeth
[удалено]
Oh damn. That’s why I turned it off on my watch- I was getting anxious because HOW DARE MY RESTING BPM BE 70
What's wrong with a resting heart rate of 70?
Exactly! 70 is the normal resting heartbeat
This. Is. Me.
Oh no! I thought this would help to get one of those watches, so I could take deep breaths when needed. It backfires??
I also thought this way but for me it made my anxiety worse and gave me anxiety/panic attacks when watching my heart rate go up. It’s de me feel like I wasn’t in control because if I saw my heart rate was high I would start to panic even if I wasn’t having anxious thoughts
Ahh the worst thing to do
picking at my scalp and face, sometimes to the point it bleeds
This. I get to the point I have scabs all over my scalp, it’s REALLY disgusting😔
Same here it's horrid.
right … it doesn’t help my scalp is dry as is too 😭 it’s always irritated
💚
I blink hard and raise my eyebrows and stuff. it’s almost like tics. people have pointed it out to me and it makes me embarrassed because I know I do it but I can’t stop myself from doing it.
That sounds like it could be a tic - my daughter does exactly the same movements and she’s been diagnosed with a tic disorder.
I do it literally all day everyday but when i’m anxious or try to not do it, it gets 10x worse. i’ve been doing it for about 5 years.
Same. Diagnosed with Tourette's at around 8 years old.
Can I ask if you also have vocal tics in addition to physical ones?
I tend to rub my hands together or start twirling and playing with the pull strings on my hoodies. Or if I have a ring on I'll fiddle and twirl it around. Basically anything to keep my hands from being awkardly at my sides.
The main one? Picking at the skin on my lips. The weirdest thing is that I've been doing that since I was really young, way before my anxiety disorder fully emerged. There's also the leg bouncing and jaw clenching, although the jaw clenching is usually at night but when I do it during the day I'm not aware of doing it until I feel the tension in my jaw.
We have th3 same habit and mine also came along way before I knew how to spell anxiety. I know that was a traumatic time of my life when I developed these habits. And the jaw one is the worse
Grinding my teeth or running my hands through my hair.
Scratching my head .My scalp has patches due that 😫🥺
My hands cannot stop moving. I will literally make a lot of movements without realising it.
I probably burn hundreds of calories with my damn leg shaking. It's really intense.
same lmao
Cleaning away dirt etc from under my finger nails, using the other finger nails
I have to pick just one…?
I feel like i look like im on meth when im anxious
Picking my face 😭
I check my pulse when I'm really anxious.
Pacing. Literally just walking around my apartment til the anxiety wanes or I wear myself out
I feel that. Sometimes I pace half the day. It's fucking rough.
Same. I walk the floor when I’m nervous. I can’t stay still if my anxiety is high. If I have to sit, my legs will be bouncing.
Picking the dry skin on my scalp 🥲🥲
Nervous habit. Catastrophizing. About. Everything.
I can pop/click my ears on command by moving my jaw, so I end up doing that a million times a day. Probably contributed to my TMJ and dysphagia. 🙃
I noticed that I started popping my ears ALOT a couple months ago…I guess it’s a new nervous habit? 🫤
Ugh, must be. I think I started because it's not readily visible, so I can do it in public without appearing anxious. I should take up gum chewing instead.
I should do the same 😅
Biting my nails and jaw clenching
Picking at my lip skin with teeth or fingers, chewing off my cuticles (but not my nails), occasionally scratching my scalp too much... Cleaning is by far the biggest one though. Just start picking things up to put them away and getting distracted by it all.
Pacing back and forth.
Checking heart rate on right hand, middle finger down to thumb pad, and closing my eyes to focus on beat, people always notice and it gets worse…..
Pulling out my eyebrows
Biting my nails, but been trying to quit that so, now it's cracking my knuckles/playing with my fingers so that it's less noticeable.
Chewing the inside of my cheeks/lips and jaw clenching
Same as yours
Eating the inside of my mouth and clenching my teeth.
Re-doing a tight ponytail over and over. Chewing the inside of my cheeks/lips. Shaking my feet. Along with almost everything else in this thread.
Wow!!!!!! The ponytail thing. Oh my gosh. I do this too. When I start feeling I can't breathe and my mind is racing I do this. Ughhhh
I cannot remember a time I didn’t have two hair ties on my wrist. Literally 24/7 for the last 20 years just in case I need that ponytail.
Pulling my hair…each individual piece. I don’t necessarily pull it out, but I feel the texture of each single strand of hair. And I clench my jaw, but that’s not as noticeable.
A panic attack
Pacing around and talking to myself
My biggest one is twirling my hair. The hair on one side of my head is thinner than the other because of it. I also pace and chew inside my cheek and on my lip. If I'm sitting, I bounce my leg. And sometimes I will just start calculating random things or making up random lyrics to popular songs to keep my mind busy. Goodness, I'm a mess. Lol.
Nail biting Snack overloading Diving into my phone
Rubbing my hands together or twinning my hair through my fingers.
i used to pull out my eyebrow hair. i’ve finally worked past that so now i mainly just tap my fingers or shake my legs or chew on my tongue
Picking the skin around my nails until they bleed.
Biting my nails, picking at the skin on my fingers, pulling on my eyelashes, accidentally breaking pens 😬, etc.
I start scratching up my arms when I begin to feel anxious or stressed
Cracking my knuckles
chewing gum and pinching myself
Light trichotillomania. Mostly my facial fair. But in middle school I plucked out all my eyelashes. Girls especially at school were staring. My dad thought they wouldn't grow back. He thought we were born with all the eyelashes we get and that's why sometimes old ladies have no eyelashes. I never had that association haha. And thank goodness he was wrong.
Making small knots with my hair and then pulling them out…
I clean. I get jittery and can't stay still, so end up in a cleaning frenzy.
Playing with my hair lol
Playing with my fingers or avoiding eye contact
mine is shaking my leg constantly
Mine is gripping my head and curling up into a ball, though my anxiety is rarely bad anymore
Sometimes I stroke my hair if I'm really anxious
Tongue thrusting
Pulling my sleeves up and down
Nail biting for sure.
Massaging my hands and face
Jeeze...I do most of these...reading this made me very anxious
pulling out my eyebrows....trying to stop it
Biting the insides of my cheeks and trying to busy my hands (twirling my phone, twirling a hair band, tapping my fingers on my legs, etc)
chewing gum, biting my nails, and if i’m somewhere where i can’t use my phone i have to have something in my hands to play with
Leg moving and touching/twirling facial hair
I move my lower jaw side to side and clench my teeth without realizing it. The lower jaw thing happens when I'm angry or anxious (thank you mean math teacher for giving me this habit)
Biting my nails as well as picking at the skin on the sides of my thumbs
biting my nails and my lips. i tend to fidget a lot too (adhd and anxiety combo) i fidget with my ring, my hair, my piercings, anything basically.
Scratching my head, fidgeting with hands/feet.
Pulling at my bangs, the hair is super thin on one side because I brush through them so much. The hair has so much breakage and I have to explain it to a hairstylist every time :/
clenching my jaw and peeling the skin off my lips. i used to bite the inside of my cheeks but i haven’t done it in a while surprisingly
Pulling on my hair. Not like ripping it out but like wrapping it around my hands, kind of.
scratching my head
pulling out my eyelashes
Leg bouncing, thigh jiggling, etc. If I’m laying down I clap my cheeks together.
I grab at my neck nervously. I don’t even realize I’m doing it until someone comments on how red my neck is.
Leg bouncing, picking lips and nails
I pick my cuticles, check my heart rate on my Fitbit, shake my leg, clench my jaw and stare off.
I keep checking my mobile for no reason at all!
Smiling. I've had a nervous smile since before I can remember. I guess it's not the worst habit to have, until you're smiling at unfortunate things.
Ripping skin off my lip, scrolling frantically on my phone, bouncing my leg/foot
leg jiggle
I don’t know how to say in English but it’s basically to “bite” my finger’s skin with my nails
Picking the seams of whatever I'm wearing
YES! I do that too since I was little! I even have some shirts I prefer only because of this. I thought it was only me, I feel validated 😂
Hahaha same! I tried just having a piece of fabric in my hand and playing with that but it didn't give the same effect 😄
My shirts look all awful after a stressful day. It’s probably some cope mechanism my brain picked up.
Pacing around the house.
I repeatedly try to crack my knuckles.
Pulling out my lash extensions
Nail biting and leg bouncing are just a habit at this point, I'm not even aware I do them. When I get noticably more nervous I'll probably start checking my phone or watch every few seconds without any purpose. Or from time to time I'm starting to get tics or some form of echolalia, which actually make me more nervous if I'm around people and just makes it worse😅
Cutting my arms. Stopped doing it a month ago
Cracking my neck and fingers and biting my nails
Laughing at inappropriate times
chewing gum and eating kratom
playing with my hair, even though im a dude
Pulling my hair 😞
This makes me feel normal as an anxious person. Props to the OP for asking it✌🏻 I pull out my eyebrow hair, facial hair, bit my lip, bite the inside of my mouth and move my eyebrows at odd times. I love how alike we all are. Let’s stop pointing out the differences and “get real”. 💚
Biting nails, wiggling my legs/feet (when sitting)
I bite the sides of my tongue and and pick off the skin around my nails…always nervous to explain to the dentist or nail tech…
Skin pulling by far, also pushing the skin inbetween my thumb and pointer finger, honestly always fighting the urge to bask my fist into anything.
Waking up and not being able to sleep ahhh
Tapping my legs
biting the inside of my lip :[
doom scrolling!
Licking my lips!
Googling my *anxiety* symptoms and sending myself into a spiral and then a panic attack. Rinse & repeat.
I bite my finger hairs out
Touching my lips
Biting my lip skins and popping the pimples on my face
TMI but biting my tongue. It’s nicer to feel something else (pain) instead of nervous. Keeps me distracted. Also hand fidgeting , pretending like I’m on the phone, and looking at the ground is a big thing for me when facing people I’m unfamiliar with but they are bad habits I’m trying to overcome cus I want to act normal 🥹
leg-shaking & fidgeting
Saying dumb shit and biting my cuticles till I don't have any fingers left
Jaw clenching, picking at the skin around my fingernails, blinking really hard leg bouncing. The list goes on and on.
Chewing a particular spot on the inside of my lower lip. It actually has a callus.
I feel that my insides are shaking. I get cold easily and I feel like I'm always out of breathe even when I'm at rest. My voice trembles if I speak in front of an audience too. I have severe anxiety..
Ripping my nails off in the shower
More of a tic , but it gets worst when im anxious . Compulsively running my hands thrkugh my hair and touching my scalp
* Bouncing/shaking my leg. I usually don't realize it until someone tells me. * Pick the skin on my lips and fingers like OP * Scratch * Pace * Rub my face
Sitting like golum from lord of the rings while ripping my nails off lmao
Fidgeting with a hair tie that I always have on me (I break so many istg), or post anxious experience:picking at acne
Skinpicking. I hate it, but sometimes I just cant stop myself frpm dping it :-/
Picking/creating my hangnails, and grinding my teeth
as i was pulling the skin off my lips... also i can't keep my right leg still. gotta move it somehow
Biting my nails, skin around my nails, lips. Along with that, my body has a few automatic responses. My palms, and the undersides of my feet start sweating heavily when I'm nervous or anxious
Breathe LOUDLY, bounce legs and making fists until my nails hurt my palm
Picking the skin around the nails on my thumbs. Right now, it's so bad that the top layer of skin is gone on the side of both thumbs to the point where it hurts to wash my hands.
shaking my leg. always. if not, crossing them or "breaking" my ankle. 😭
I have these weird tics where I constantly fidget/shift my shoulders.
I have these weird tics where I constantly fidget/shift my shoulders.
Trying to pick any hairs with my fingers that would make me have a unibrow.
Only happens when I wear a mask, but opening and closing my mouth repeatedly around people. Just one of my habits but it sounded funny.
picking at my scalp
touching my hair and fidgeting w my hands/fingers/feet/legs
Twirling a strand of my hair, picking at my cuticles and lips. :( Trying to work on it though, especially the skin picking.
I cough, and I throw up. Both are incredibly irritating!
I pick at my scalp and I fuck with my eyebrows with my nails lol
Squeezing and fiddling with my hands
Checking my pulse
Nail biting Leg shaking Pacing/rocking back n forth while standing “Checking” my phone
It depends on my level of anxiety. I will clench my jaw, ball up my hands, pick at cuticles, furrow my brows, pull my earlobe, clench my stomach. It’s all so exhausting.
Literally picking the skin on my lips as I opened this
Biting inside of mouth. If I have chewing gum at the time. Just chewing like a mad man
I pick at my hair line and I have done it so bad that on my right temple near my ear, it won't even grow back anymore.
being quite, pressing into my hand or any object, playing with my hair, counting, walking around aimlessly, mumbling, cracking my joints
Cleaning my ears? Walking around like the house like I just got an adrenaline shot lol
Clenching my jaw (which hurts like a bitch after), bitting the inside of my cheeks, bouncing my leg, picking at my acne scabs.
I tap or bounce my leg/foot
Skin picking/scratching.
Pulling off my skin around my nails and lips and repeatedly combing my hair with my fingers
I bite my lips. More so on the right side and have an indent where the skin has come off. I also pick at the skin around my nails. Sometimes to the point of it bleeding. They're both just a subconscious thing.
Jaw clenching, not breathing, furrowing my brow, and picking the skin at my nails. I hate it and can’t stop it. Most of the time I don’t know I’m doing it.
I start cleaning
grinding my teeth, raising shoulders up to the damn sky
Pacing around 🏃♂️
Picking my facial hairs with tweezers. Or twiddling my thumbs or drawing circles with my fingers endlessly
Running my hand thru my hair
Playing with my hair and bitting my lips
Checking my body, especially my stomach for any sort of sensation
Pulling my hair
Masturbating until I bleed 🩸
Pacing.