Trembling fingers? Is it normal?

[Spook]

Hey folks. I'm in my twenties and for a long time now, my fingers have been trembling, and my brain keeps screaming neurodegenerative disorder or essential tremor. This seems to happen almost every time my hands are held open all the way and when I'm applying pressure to something (e.g. pressing a key, holding something tight e.t.c.) or when I'm weak/just woken up. Obviously, I'm not here for a medical diagnosis, and I know I may be a little bit more freaked out than I should, but could any of you guys tell me if it happens to you or if it's common?

[MOchp]

Hello, yes this is common with anxiety. Of course a lot of peoples hands probably shake even without anxiety but with no anxiety nagging at their brain and causing them to over analyze things they probably just don't notice. :-)

[Spook]

Thank you so much MOchp, I'm glad that anxiety seems to be the most probable cause. The only thing making me paranoid, however, is that sometimes becomes slightly more difficult/annoying to perform the previously mentioned tasks. (Also, I failed to mention that it usually happens in the ring and pinky fingers.)

[vincy]

Totally normal mate. Let me tell you something.

When you're anxious and looking for something to be wrong, its almost like you're CALIBRATING yourself to show weird reactions.

Say you're sitting there looking at your hand. You're a bit anxious for whatever reason and you think to yourself "What if something is wrong with my hand?"

Maybe there was even a trigger for it. Maybe your hand had a little tremor, and you paid more attention to it than you/other people normally would have.

You start looking at your hand. You start moving it in all sorts of ways, flexing it however you can. You're observing it while moving it and tensing it in every possible combination that you can, until you find JUST the right position where you see something that makes you uncomfortable.

For example, when your hands are all the way open and you're applying pressure to something. As you're sitting there doing it, you're telling yourself "this is totally a normal position for my hand to be in. It shouldn't be shaking like this"

and THAT is where you're wrong

You have your hand PERFECTLY positioned, perfectly flexed, and perfectly tensed up to get the reaction that deep down, you're LOOKING for.

I was afraid of having ALS for the longest time. I tested ALL my muscles like that.

I was smiling in the mirror one time, and noticed the corners of my mouth would twitch. I told myself "This is a normal smile! But my muscles are messing up when I do it!"

I made my girlfriend and my parents all observe it, and when I put on that fake smile for all to see, it was clear my mouth would twitch a bit. But guess what. I have NEVER twitched like that when I have a real smile.

I've asked them to pay close, hard attention to it and let me know if they see it. Shoot, I can easily feel it when it happens anyways

Intentionally or not, when you're observing yourself like that, and consciously thinking about it as you do it, you aren't going to be moving your muscles in the same way as normal. They aren't going to be tensed up in the same way. They aren't going to be in the same position. Everything is different.

Never ever go out of your way to TRY observing something thats wrong. You'll find the perfect way to make it seem like something is wrong.

Also, if you made it this far, shaking hands is SUPER common. Even if you aren't falling victim to what I described. Don't worry about it unless its quite severe, getting worse, interrupts you in your daily life, etc

good luck

[Spook]

Super informative post vincy! Most of these things I hadn't thought of so far. So far this board seems to have been a substantial aid.