What an open ended question to ask.
One that's answer is going to be viscerally different and deeply personal to anyone that hears it.
And who the heck am I to go around asking you some personal stuff like why you do something?
Well I'm Feaston. The guy who asks too many questions and wrote this article.
I quite like fidgets and the benefits they've provided me so if you'd like - you can read about my take on the subject. Not going to make any bold scientific claims here without evidence, but I widely believe this space attracts a massive variety of people and has the potential to assist with many different facets of life - so here we go.
We should probably define the word. As a verb, the Oxford Dictionary tells us it means "to make small movements especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience". Now, if that definition made you feel attacked in any way, you're probably in the right place and I'm sorry for delivering that message, but the fidget edc world is bred from those that couldn't sit still in class. Those that were told they talked too much. Those that were told they talked too little... and those that only sat still in class and everything in between.
To be perfectly clear - there is no barrier to entry for this space. There is no defining factor of what a physical "fidget" is and absolutely all are welcome here.
Subconscious fidgeting is something many, if not most people do every day. Whether that be rubbing our fingers on something soft to sooth anxiety, playing some imaginary drum set on your lap while you drive "in the zone", making your legs jump up and down at speeds rivaling Usain Bolt just to get through that email, or sitting in class looking around the room desperately trying to keep your brain awake enough to at least appear that you're paying attention. Our brain and body work together in these moments to achieve some sort of outcome or goal (usually) to our benefit.
Some of these tendencies can be quite destructive, however.
Trichotillomania or hair pulling, for instance, is one such example. Or Bruxism - the involuntary clenching of the jaw which can lead to serious problems such as lock jaw. These are not things we necessarily want to do, but they're things our brain has decided are necessary to function for one reason or another.
The 3 most commonly associated conditions that can cause fidgeting:
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is accompanied with repeated patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity usually from a young age and sometimes into adulthood.
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental health condition that is characterized by cycles of recurring thoughts, stimulation seeking and repetitive behaviors.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting how people perceive, interact and communicate with the world. ASD has a broad range of conditions that can include repetitive behaviors and stimulation seeking.
The human brain has the great and terrible power to be able to concoct many more problems for us than just these 3, so don't feel left out if your name wasn't called. We all read the Oxford Dictionary excerpt - we all get to experience the wonder of nervousness as demonstrated by the fact we all fidget. *That will be Feaston's bold claim backed with no science for the article*
So why are we talking about all this on the Fidget Vault?
Besides the obvious relevance in the name, I (and many many others) have found specific fidgeting outlets to be quite effective at toning down some of the negative behaviors that lead to fidgeting in the first place - or at least giving a much safer outlet than pulling hair or biting nails.
Take care and be safe,
Feaston
Source:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/do-fidget-toys-help-with-adhd
