nail clutching
I have this nervous habit, which I call “nail clutching.” What it means is that I constantly clean under my fingernails and thumbnails with my shirt tail or a similarly flat edge of a piece of fabric, like a pillow case. I’ve done this since I was a child. I don’t really remember how or why the habit developed, but I’ve always found it mildly pleasant and comforting to gently stimulate the nerves at the edge of the cuticle under my nails in that manner. When I was a small child, I used to suck my right thumb while “nail clutching” my shirt tail or other such fabric with the fingernails and thumbnail on my left hand. Then, when I outgrew sucking my thumb, I started “nail clutching” with the fingernails and thumbnail on my right hand. Since then, I’ve been “nail clutching” my shirt tails, pillow cases, or any other flat edge of a piece of fabric, especially when I feel nervous or restless. That sensation of stimulating the nerves at the edge of the cuticle under my fingernails and thumbnails is mildly pleasant and comforting. I guess you just have to be in my mind to understand it.
x2
x27
omg, I do this too I also sucked my thumb, untill the end of 2nd grade!!!
I thought I was the only one. Thank you for letting me know that I am not alone!!!!!!!
I do that too! It makes my neurotic roommate very anxious. I also compulsively press down on the tops of my nails, which also gives the cuticles a very comforting little jolt—usually, I push once in the middle of the nail, once on each side, and then once between each side and the center.
I used to do that too! and i thought i was the only one. Sadly i don’t feel the same sensations now that i felt as a kid
I do this as well but when I do it for what ever reason I rip my finger way from my shirt as fast as I can while pressing down on the tip. Do you also click your nails? I mean like put two long nails together and move them in the opposite direction to make it click. Everyone I talk to hates that.
I do that with my baby blankey. I never knew how to describe it either.
I do this too! I have ever since I was a baby. I suck my thumb (still) and put my pillowcase or sheet under my nail. I always just called it tickle. I tickle my fingers with it. I can’t sleep with flannel, satin, or T-shirt material sheets, they don’t tickle. It has to be regular sheets
I do that too. I also click my fingernails together. For some reason it just feels good. It’s nice to know other people have the same mannerisms.
I do this, except with corners of papers instead. I agree, in nerve-racking situations it’s VERY comforting.
Wow I had no idea there were peope that did this. I’ve also done this since I sucked my thumb when I was little. I always called it my good feel. I like to try different materials and like the feel when the fabric kind of sticks to my nail and I have to kind of pull it away. Hooray for neurotic people!
holy crap! me too! my mom named this behavior as “pickies” and used to get angry with me for blackening the edges of my pillow cases, sheets, table clothes…whatever was handy. still do it in my forties..glad to know i’m not alone!
i do that to the bottom edge of my shirts or a folded over spot, i always kinda did it just to clean my nails and never payed enough attention to it to realize it really is comforting untill now.
My ex boyfriend did the same thing. we called it “folding”. it would drive me CRAZY! he mostly did it to tags and such but pretty much anything he could get under his nail.
I do that to my ‘lamby’ (a sheepskin rug thing that I grew attached to in lieu of a blanky)…if I think about it a lot it kind of creeps me out that I do that to what used to be the skin on a sheep, but I’ve done it since I can remember…I do it to fall asleep
wanted to add that I sucked my thumb until I was 13– seems like a lot of people that do this used to suck their thumbs!
omg. i cant believe im reading this. we should start a support group!! i do the same thing. im actually doing it in between typing haha. my mom would get mad at me too for making the pillowcase dirty. we also had this little curtain hanging from under the bathroom sink to hide cleaning products and such. when i would brush my teeth i would slide the fabric between my toes. it felt so good!
i constantly clean under my finger nails, just in case i die, and they have to scrape my nails for testing..
Gillian you just made me feel sick. It feels nice with material but with paper? Urgh! That would make me vomit. So very wrong.
I wear undershirts at all times and do this. I’ll unbutton one button and grab the edge of the undershirt fabric and clean under my nails by dragging the fabric. I’m known at work for having ridiculously clean nails. I have clippers in my car, desk, briefcase, keychain… I can’t stand dirt under my nails. I feel like it is indicative of all my hygiene. If a clerk has dirty nails and hands me change I pretend I’m fumbling in my pockets in the hope that they’ll put my change on the counter and i won’t have to touch them at all.
The idea of their dirty nails dragging across my palm is disgusting.
Same goes for people that chew their cuticles. Bloody, ragged, spitty nailbeds are fucking repulsive.
If I get receipts at a restaurant I’ll start doing it. I suppose people think it’s gross but I find dirt under my nail worse.
I do this at LEAST 3 times a day when i’m sitting in class, or on the computer at home. Sometimes while i’m driving i’ll rummage around in my car for a piece of paper to fold and use the corner of.
The only way I can get myself to stop doing this is if I trim my nails back, all the way, down to the quicks. I also do like Daniel said and press down on the tip, once in the middle and once at either end. Now that I’m on this site I’m realizing how many neurotic things I do everyday without realizing it!