Shakey Hands anyone

[Meewah]

Hi All

I suffer from shakey hands when in front of people or a person. It started with shaking when signing a credit card slip. Over the years that came and went. Then after a bad confrontational moment with a friend on a night out I started shaking when holding a drink eg at the pub with friends. This became a problem and I started to withdraw from pub visits. Then in struck while out eating in public, not just with the drinks but holding a knife and fork. If I thought someone was looking at me I could not hold a knife and fork or even a fork only. This became such a problem that I withdrew from eating out. I then had CBT and they said let the shakes happen and they proved that people were not looking at me as I thought and slowly the symptoms of shaking subsided. Its strange It seems to come from making a fool of myself by spilling or dropping something on the floor or me. I still use coping skills or as my Therapist says avoidance techniques these include eating by myself. Keeping people talking so that you dont have quiet moments when eating or drinking. The anxiety then took a turn and turned in to traditional anxiety symptoms and what I would call a mild nervous breakdown. Strangely though my shaking in public took a back seat and disappered for a while.

Now I have mild anxiety symptom all the time and the shakey hand thing even though it was still reduced. I do say I spend a lot of time trying not to show my weekness and so internalise a lot to the point that I cant have a conversation as I am thinking that the people I am with have noticed something about my body language.

Does anyone share my symptoms?

Mee

[sagey]

I get some shakes and think it could be my meds(flupentixol). Sometimes I'll check to think if I've eaten recently as I guess your metabolisim can make you shake if you're low on sugar or something. It can be embarrassing as you might feel people surmise you have the shakes from alchohol withdrawal.

[jo61]

Are you on any medication? I have a tremor in my hands on and off. At times I could hardly hold a cup of coffee. I'm on medication that causes this. Best check with your doctor if you are.

[Meewah]

Hi

No medication. Wont touch the stuff. Completley holistic cures only. Its diffinetly delbt with by upsairs. Its very pychological as when I have had a coupcle of sips of a drink the shake goes. Its only the initial start when I could spill some etc... If nobody watches I am ok.

Mee

[bearcrazy]

Hi Mee,

I get shaky hands its a sign of anxiety and its soooooo embarrassing. I also rock and rub my hands together etc when I am really anxious. I just laugh about it now and when I am rocking my kids say I'm on my horse trigger. LOL

TC xxxxxxxxxx

[Richie]

wish i could laugh about my shaking it is from top to toe when it starts but my head is worse it jerks as well so other people notice. this is the whole root of the problem if i could see some amusement in it then i would be halfway cured , anyone else get these strange shakes and tics ?

[Keep going]

Theres only one way to control these shakes and neck twitches or cramps or jerks. Is by relaxation, distraction techniques, gradual exposure to situations where it happens the most. You have to re-learn to relax, you've all done it before, but you picked up these negative actions, you need to get rid of them by retraining the brain.

CBT is brilliant for this, but you need to be commited and give it a chance. It may take a few CBT courses to get yourself to stop these actions.

Stu

[HazyMind]

Hi Mee,

Yes I have the shakey hands, they come and go and mainly make an appearance at the checkout when I have to hand over money etc or when I'm holding a drink in public but when I'm on my own I'm fine- like you say if nobody is watching I'm ok.

Have you read any Claire Weekes books? She writes about the shakey hands and gives good advice on how to deal with them. Basically you need to stop fighting the shaking and accept them and then you can relax and eventually your shaking will fade (wow much easier said than done at times but if you can follow her advice it will help).

Richie- I also get shaking from head to toe and my head also jerks, I find this hard to accept and deal with as it's as if everyone can see and I don't want everyone to know how nervous and anxious I am, I'm not ashamed of my anxiety and I'm not afraid to admit I'm anxious but I just dont want the whole world and his neighbour to know and judge if you know what I mean.


I do find regular relaxation (muscle relaxation) helps and I'm less shaky if I'm relaxing regularly.

Good Luck

x

[littlemiss_sunshine]

hey mee,
yeh i get shaky hands aswell but not everyday- its so annoying sometimes.
i guess like everything else we suffer from anxiety we need to 'learn how to adapt to it' and it'll just fight off itself.
take it easy hun x

[LucyA]

Hi Meewah,
I have had shaky hands since I was 3 when I developed an intention tremor in my hands and feet. Was nothing to do with anxiety then but a lot of people would notice and would ask what I was scared of. Giving people a quick answer such as 'oh they shake when I get tired, something to do with nerves' usually shuts them up and they forget about it completely. No-one will think badly of you for having shaky hands and if anything, if you feel comfortable enough to tell them why then you have nothing to hide?
My anxiety has since made the shaking worse and I suppose I'm lucky that I can blame it on the intention tremor. You could always lie and say u have it too lol!
On the other side of things; using lavender and bergamot oil (either in an oil burner, with a massage or in a bath) will calm the nervous system, possibly reducing shaking. I certainly feel less jittery when I do this.
Good luck with this, I really hope u and everyone else with the same symptom gets through it. xxxx