Sorry... continued.
The reason why it makes you tired is because of the natural instinct connected to it. If you are unknowingly suckling, you may be swallowing large amounts of saliva that may make you nauseous. Everyone has this instinct locked in their brain. Most people outgrow it, but a certain percentage of people never do. It's not something to be alarmed about or embarrassed about. You should relax and simply use it as a tool to help you get to sleep. Curcumin or Turmeric may help the nausea if taken on a daily basis.

Well first there is nothing to be embarrassed about. It soundslike you are suffering from a Clinical Depression and need to have antidepressants or of course what only a doctor can decide. I would not put this off any longer. I suffer from bipolar disorder and I wish that I had not waited so long to seek medical attention. Call your family doctor and please don't be embarressed he/she will be caring and understanding.
Jane

I googled this topic because I have had this this "problem" since I was a small child. I call it a "pilling" addiction. Since I was a toddler I would pull strands of fabric from my baby blankets and roll them between my fingers. It would give me comfort. My family tells me stories that they would look on the floor beside my crib and see all these little "fuzzies" laying on the floor. I have done it my whole life. I am now 51 yrs. Old. It has been a bit embarrassing over the years with my husband, children, and my siblings teasing me a bit. I can stop doing it for lengths (sometimes for many months) of time, but when I am stressed or in need of self-comforting, I revert back to it. Right now I have a few strands of fabric from a cotton throw in my pocket. I bet I spend up to several hours a day rolling this crazy thing. It gives me an undeniable degree of comfort. I am also a compulsive overeater. I no doubt have OCD to a great degree. You are not alone. It's an odd thing, but I can think of worse addictions!

Me too and I'm 51. I love it and still do it! It doesn't hurt anyone or myself and OMG it's my own thing!! Glad there is someone else out there! Keep snapping and enjoy!

P.S. My little brother made me an award once. "the international cloth snappers award" LOVED IT!

I do this too since I was a kid I'm 29 and only my family and girlfriend know I usually use basketball shorts they are the best as a kid my parents called it my woogie I started with my moms silk bath robe but now use basketball shorts I do it all the time even cut small pieces to take with me to work. Wow it's so funny to find other people that do it too lol :) I now refer to this as paying with my shorts.
Oh also if I machine wash my shorts they're not as good I always must hand wash them

Oh and ill never stop rubbing my shorts by the way it's sooo relaxing I can not enjoy watching TV without them

Less nicknames and favorite materials, more reasons and science please? Any medical experts out there that can shed more light on this?

Is it damaging?

Carpal Tunnel
Tranquilizing
Loss of memory
Escapism

So glad I'm not the only one! When I was a child I used to suck my thumb and rub the tag of whatever stuffed animal was my current favorite between my fingers. When I rubbed the tag down to the point of there being nothing left, I'd find a new favorite toy with a new tag. Eventually I stopped sucking my thumb. And for a while stopped with the tag rubbing. Throughout my early teens, however, if I found a piece of fabric small enough to fit in my pocket, I'd rub it between my fingers until it was rubbed down to nothing and could go several months without doing it again. But when I was 21 I was raped and for a few weeks did nothing but lay in bed. While in bed I found a tag on one of my comforters and began my tag rubbing again. Ever since, I can't seem to stop. I'm now almost 24 and I rub my "tag" every day. The one I currently use is a tag off a play pin (I used to work at a daycare). I've had this same tag for over a year. If I misplace it, I find myself becoming very upset. Even throwing things while searching for it. If its not where I thought I left it, my heart starts pulsating and I get tears in my eyes. One time I unknowingly left it at a friends house. I couldn't sleep for days. I bought a spool of ribbon and cut a piece the same size as my "tag" and tried to wear it down so it would feel the same as my tag. Luckily, my friend knows of my strange behavior and love of my "tag". When she found it she returned it to me. Everything I've read about this type of behavior has suggested that it is a mild form of OCD. While my case may be different due to the increase in the need to do it after I was sexually assaulted, the compulsion is the same. I am under the impression that it shouldn't be viewed as a "problem" unless it interferes with your day to day life on an extreme level. Just remember to surround yourself with people who are loving and understanding and won't judge you for your love of tag rubbing!