Scope out your Cope
Biting your nails, scratching your scalp, picking your scabs. These are harmful ways that people cope with stress. The amount of times that we do it, we don't even realize what or when we're doing it.
I know first-hand because I have a habit of biting my mouth. It's an unconscious habit that I have especially when I'm nervous, frustrated, upset,sad, or just anyway inconvenienced. I know people have told me so many times you should stop doing it. Do I think, ‘It's going to cause you pain later on in life.’ ‘You're only hurting yourself and you're just allowing bad bacteria to get into your open wound.’
No, what I think about is wanting to end the pain that's happening in my mind.
Why do we do it? Is it because it's a level of comfort that we wish to receive? Or is it just a way of inflicting harm on ourselves just to feel something? For us, people who have a history of mental illness, all of these things could be true. And I know its supposed to be relatable. But it's also a serious problem that we are facing.
So many people today are experiencing stress like nothing they've ever experienced before. Especially when it comes to becoming an adult. There are a lot of people who have had stress throughout their life. But just when those thoughts hit, we start to do those things we do to calm the raging feelings of over stimulation.
You've heard the song Bad Habit by Steve Lacy, right? If not, he talks about him biting his tongue,which is a bad habit that he has. I know that's not the point of the song, but I think about how he mentions a habit that he knows is supposed to be a bad one to a girl he likes. Whether it's metaphorical or not, the thought of that reminds me of the many habits I dont even remember i I have or do often.
It doesn't always have to be a physical action. We can maybe lie or stretch the truth to avoid trouble or the feeling of being boring. Maybe some people say a word repeatedly like- the word "like".
We do things involuntarily that other people might see and may or may not choose to say something. But when we get corrected, do we stop? Do we try to look for ways to cope with our stress healthily?
For some, yes. You have the ability to catch up to your behaviors and that is amazing! For alot of people like me, we tend to not even think about it. But it does get better.
I'm reading a book called "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. This book gives advice and strategies on how to be mindful enough to break your bad habits to eventually replace them with better ones. I believe reads like these can help all of us pickers, biters, tappers, and scratchers to finally be free of the shackles of harmful stimulus distraction.
Also, I recommend a fidget cube for those who need the constant feel of tapping or clicking but not actually stealing the office pens for it (I know you have a stash at home... give 'em back)
We all have our habits and quirks, but we need to try and keep them to a safe minimum unless they're constructive and or beneficial. Well, now that that serious part is out of the way, tell me more about your habit realization stories and how you got into some good habits. I would love to hear them!
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