I have dealt with anxiety since I was a teenager, I can have issues even getting ready to go out and meet friends. I know it is completely unfounded the majority of the time but it causes me stress, insomnia and encourages my nervous bad habits.
We have an important event at work today. I was scheduled to attend as a guest of my boss, just enjoy lunch and chat with some clients. I have met the clients before and know two of them very well so while I would probably have some nervousness before hand, but I would be ok. Last week something came up, my boss can’t make it. He arranged for another employee to speak at the event knowing I would hate it – only I just found out they had to leave on a family matter so it is down to me.
Bad Habits: Pulling Your Hair Out
This is not just a euphemism, I will literally pull my hair out when stressed. I start behind the ears because I know it is less noticeable but often pull out eyebrow hairs too. Pulling your hair out is called Trichotillomania – try saying that ten times fast! I have got much better about this using an elastic on my wrist to snap when nervous so my hands are doing something else and partly because I like to tie my hair up and bald spots behind the ears is not attractive. Still I keep finding my hands wandering today so my hair is tied up in a bun so its harder to get a strand to pull. That also means I will have nasty hairpin and elastic marks in my hair when I take it down for the event.
Bad Habits: Nail Biting
Despite loving painting my nails, I am bad for biting them when stressed. Even that nasty tasting stuff that your parents used when you were a kid can’t stop me. Again, snapping an elastic keeps both of my hands busy so I am a bit better about it but I broke a nail on the way to work and bit away to get rid of the edges. I know it is a nasty habit and your hands are a germ bath but I just can’t help it.
Snapping elastics has been amazing for me. I use a hair elastic usually, something covered with fabric so it doesn’t hurt so much while still snapping me out of the anxiety thoughts. I also have some semi-silicone/elastic and bound ones from the doctor but I always have hair elastics and they are less obvious around your wrist.
What bad habits do you fall into when nervous or anxious?
Anyway, off to practice my speech!
How did it end up going? I’m terrible with biting my nails when I’m anxious but nail polish does help me a lot. I end up picking at the skin on my lips instead which also looks pretty awful.
It was ok. I had a glass of wine before I went up haha
that nail stuff never stopped me either lol … if it’s any consolation! 😉
they suggest trying to write with your opposite hand, to keep your hands and especially your brain distracted when anxious.
if i’m getting very anxious about something beforehand i try to blast music i love and force myself to sing and dance and be silly – it gets the worms out 😉