I found these nervous habits in a health-focused news release. I guess we have all participated in these actions at some point in our lives. Judy kicks me under the table when I constantly click my pen open and shut. Sometimes I do it on purpose just to see if she’s paying attention. Experts and doctors comment on the negative effects of the nervous habits below. I’ve added some commentary.
- Cracking your knuckles—If you did it when you were younger you are probably paying for it now. Usually nervous energy brings on knuckle cracking or an effort to annoy your English teacher. Cursive writing may cause knuckle cracking and that may be the reason it is not taught today.
- Cracking your neck—Not sure I’ve seen anyone do this very often. Maybe people who need to have their head on a swivel, like air traffic controllers, are neck crackers. Maybe the term ‘stiff neck’ or even ‘redneck’ evolved from neck crackers.
- Chewing on pens and pencils—Nervous kids in English chew pencil erasers. That is a bad habit when your predicate needs erased. Do they still have predicates or dangling participles to speak of? Readable cursive may cause classroom chewing.
- Chewing gum—Who knew chewing gum was bad for you? I grew up with a mouthful of double bubble and I’ve got the fillings to prove it. It’s also a medical fact that sorbitol found in common gum brands causes gas. And I thought it was beans that done that.
- Biting your nails—If you went to see the ‘Creature From The Black Lagoon’ you came out of the theatre without nails. Bela Lugosi in ‘Dracula’ caused serious nail biting. The movie, ‘Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein’, however, caused stomach cramps from laughing so hard.
- Pulling your hair—Is known as a mental disorder called trichotillomania. I had a teacher once that told me I made her want to pull her hair out. She obviously suffered from trichotillism.
- Twirling your hair—As a male, twirling my flattop haircut was impossible. I think girls twirled their hair on purpose looking at boys with flattops.
- Picking at your skin—Who doesn’t pick their skin especially if something is crawling up their leg. Sometimes you just got to get that pimple popped or scab picked off.
- Scratching your skin—Same thing happens as above especially if you are in the woods or your dog has unloaded a family of fleas in your bed.
- Licking your lips—If you pass the bakery or sit down to a plate full of bread pudding with bourbon sauce, it’s impossible not to lick your lips. Try it.
- Sucking your thumb—I don’t remember if I did that or not. I would be surprised if we don’t have a couple of politicians from both political parties sucking their thumbs this week.
