Hi

I don't exactly knoow in what field of medicine my problem lies but I think it is an addiction
I have a stupid habbit of rubbing a piece of cloth between my fingers. I know anyone reading this will think of me as stupid but I have no other option left but to ask for help in this manner cause no one believes me here.
I'm in lot of stress and it is blowing my career. I will try to explain my problem
I just rub any soft piece of cloth b/w my fingers. I have this habit for as long as I can remember. It causes me very strong drowsiness and sometimes I feel neausia. I have lost my confidence, and my focus. I used to understand each word of a para I read only once but now I have to read anything 3 or 4 times to understand what it says. I'm always very sleepy any I get a hard time to focus and remember things sometimes. I hardly have any friends because I feel as if I'm too much immature to make friends my age.
I'm married but my husband doesn't think it is any problem and I have failed to make him understand that I need help.
The worse is that I can't get rid of this habbit. I've tried every thing I could but I can't stop my fingers
Please help me. I'm really tired and fed up of it.

Ophilia

It sounds like you have a compulsive need to continue this behavior. Have you been to a therapist who might specialize in compulsions? An intense need to do something over and over is not as rare as one might think. You are not alone in this. Seek professional help, and ask for support groups in your area.

Also, although I am not a doctor, I am concerned that maybe the drowziness is not caused by your finger rubbing. A trip to your GP might be in order as well.

Maybe a variation of obsessive compulsive disorder? I'm not qualified to diagnose, but if YOU think it's a problem, it's a problem. If YOU think you need help, you need help. And I know you're not stupid, because you have the courage to ask for help when you need it. That's smart and wise, not stupid.

My younger brother use to do this when he was 3. He stopped though. It was actually quite cute that he lugged his worn out pillow around while rubbing the pillow cover between his fingers. You definitely have OCD! It sounds like a problem only because it makes you sleepy and unfocused. Your husband is your best friend, you've got your family, and how about co-workers? Take the time to get to know one person from your job. Things will turn around for you!

Unless you happen to be allergic to the actual material you are rubbing, the getting tired or even passing out may well be a mental reaction, not physcial, I believe that therapy and counseling would be needed to over come this, Most likely it is a shut down protection so you don't have to deal in certain situations that you see tiggered by a nervous habit.

But this is only a unprofessional opinion, you need to first of course have a complete physcial to be sure there is no health issue, too low or too high blood pressure, a sugar imbalance or something else like that.

What is the main feeling that makes you want to rub the piece of fabric?

Deep within you there is something you are trying to avoid being/feeling which triggers your desire to seek "comfort" in the fabric.
You must take a moment to yourself and integrate with that feeling. You must stop resisting it and accepting yourself that way, no matter how "bad" it seems. The label of "bad" is something that you put yourself on it, and it is you who suffers the consequences. Nobody wants to be "bad" so we try our hardest to deny this.

Let me know if you are able to identify where these feelings come from.

You might find something like"

I'm worthless.
Nobody loves me.
I can't do it.
I'm stupid.

Or even a combination of these.

Peace.

We might be able to correctly identiying what this is guessing here but only seeking the help of a professional will change or solve it. So is this about knowing about it or is this about doing something about it? If it's the latter, a visit to a regular MD is in order, as Tuscany suggested, who can refer you from there. This really isn't very strange, from all that I have seen (I know some people suffering from OCD that would make you look tame) and there really is just all kinds of help in the world for stuff like this. Avail yourself of it and you can experience how great it is freeing yourself from this. I once was an avid thumb sucker and hair twirler well past my baby years. I can still remember how it would produce an almost narcotic effect on me. I would still be twirling my hair today if it wasn't cut shorter. LOL

I have had this same compulsion since I can remember. It started with the lining on my baby blanket then as I got older moved onto sleeping bag exteriors and jacket linings. Usually any sort of satin-like nylon and acetate mixtures would satisfy, yet it still seems to me 100% acetate gives the best fix. As far as getting drowsy and nauseous I have never experienced that. Just the compulsion and some kind of satisfaction somehow felt from the layers of fabric moving across each other between the fingers. Can't explain it , don't know quite how to word it either, just a baffling compulsion really. I'm 22 now and all throughout my life friends and girlfriends would ask about it and I would have no answer.. "I dont know man, feels good between my fingers..." Although in the past 3-5 years maybe I have almost entirely forced myself to stop it, just with will. Something else interesting I found out not long ago, my grandmother (my mothers mother) does it too! She does it with the edge of her pillow cases at night when she's falling asleep.

Funny, lots of people do different things to help them switch between the sharp and responsive part of their consciousness, to the deep thinking, drowsy, paranoid mind..
Only by repeating the actions that keep you is the forefront of your mind will you block out the controlling paranoid side.

You should embrace this practice of meditation and use it to overcome some other things
Recognize that you are smart and you only hurt yourself by feeling bad about yourself.
I'd like to talk to anybody on this earth that shared the feeling of your mind controlling you, rather you controlling your mind. Just keep in mind that you are like everybody else and the people you believe to be less mature than, probably have way worse problems...

I hope you deal with this and feel better.xxx

:eek: Wow! I Hope you respond, because I have the same issue. I do it to anything that's soft, and it seems that when I am doing it I am in a daze or something. I also rub my hands arms with the point made from the cloth. I have been doing this everysince I can remember. My mom used to tell me to stop all the time. It not even something I try to do, sometimes. But sometimes it is. I think I have rubbed holes (overtime) in some of my clothing.hmmm, well I was reading on this site about kids Sesame Workshop - Nice Kids, Bad Habits (http://www.sesameworkshop.org/parents/advice/print.php?contentId=1068&categoryId=), I saw before I came here that said children start doing it as a way to cope with developmental stress/ change and overtime can just become pure habit, and doing it unkowingly. I want to stop doing it as much, but I have to admit it does relax you.

I've been doing this as long as I can remember. When I was really little, I remember very faintly that when I did it, I was "earnging," I would sort of hum along with it, "eeerrrrrrrrrrrng." I know, I know... that's not a word... but, hey, I was little. My big sister thought I was obsessed with my blanket, so she said I had a woobie... so that's how I think of it now.

I long ago gave up the need to scavange for scraps. I bought a few yards of the perfect jacket liner material at a fabric store, which I just cut for new pieces once they get nasty and wear out. Wouldn't you know it... as I was carrying the material to the counter a friend from work walked in. She asked me what I was going to make, and I told her I was lining a purse for my daughter. I keep it to myself, but I also don't beat myself up over it.

Maybe I do this because my mom left when I was a baby and that caused me to comfort myself and that carried into my whole life. Maybe when I was little, I was remembering something from before I was born... the "earng" could have been a meditation chant or hum. It is very calming to me. Maybe I'm just a freakin freak who is going to have horrible arthritis in a few years. Who knows. And no, I don't say "earng," I think the last time I did that I was 4 years old.

I don't care if people wonder why I have my hand in my pocket more often than not. Or why I don't wear gloves in the winter. If someone were to change their opinion of me because of this silly habit that does no harm, then I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to rid my life of their negativity.

I suspect Ophilia has put way too much emphasis on this being strange, wrong, or bad and should take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy. :) It's like biting your nails or twirling your hair. That's all. I do not feel I have any sort of Disorder (as in ocD). If you do this and you don't want to anymore, then treat it like any other habit. Heck, I quit smoking, and if I can do that, I can definitely put down the woob... but I don't need to, don't want to, and probably never will.

It's pretty cool to have found other people who do this! I Google it from time to time, but always had a hard time knowing what to put into the search. Tonight, I put in "strange habits" and found this posting. :)

You say that your family are not bothered, but you obviously are, which means you'd like to do something about it, as you say it's ruining your career and you don't make friends, it also embarasses you which is why you try to hide it.

In my opinion it is a habit that you have lost control of, in fact it seems to control your life to some degree.

I would say that was.. OCD, the only way you can stop it is to break the cycle.

visit... the UK official website for OCD, or the website... stuckinadoorway... they will give you all the info' you need.

Alternatively visit your doctor who can refer you to the appropriate clinic.

Don't worry too much this is very common.

I have had this compulsion forever and I am 58 years old. I love rubbing certain fabrics especially cotton fabric like pillow cases. It calms me. If I wear a cotton skirt I find myself doing this a lot. I have no idea why it calms me but it does and I don't ever want to give it up. I use to say it "tastes good" but don't really know where that comes from.

Seeing a doctor or a therapist may be a way of further exploring this issue. Could be OCD, a way to find comfort for stress and other negative feeling or just a bad habit. I think though that since you say you get drowsy and nauseous this is more than just a bad habit and should receive professional evaluation. Hope you find your answers.

WOW! I thought I was the only person besides my dad that did this. Ever since I was a baby I have done the same thing; feel silk or satin between my fingers. I have absolutely no clue as to why I do this, but it makes me feel good in a weird way.. lol. I stopped for a while, but have been doing it a lot since I had a baby 3 years ago. I also tend to space out when I do it and sometimes have to tell myself in my head to stop over and over before I will let go and continue on with what I was doing before I started feeling it. My dad does the same thing but with knots on towels and jeans and stuff. He will carry around a small hand towel or something when he finds something with good knots on it.. lol. My close family and friends know I do it and they just laugh and tease me in a friendly way and when I do it they say, "you're doing it again...lol" I have always been curious as to why I do it and what is making me do it. It is almost like a relaxation technique. I always have to have a blanket with it on it when I sleep because it helps me sleep. I was bored and decided to do a search online to see if there was anyone out there who had the same weird compulsion; needless to say when I typed in silk fetish a lot of porn sites popped up and I got irritated.. lol. I am so glad that I found this and that I know I am not the only one. Maybe some Dr. or scientist should do some study on us to see what it is that we all have in common that could make us do this... and by the way, I don't think you are weird... we are unique.. lol.

Crazy, I also do this! I though I was weird for it, and have done it as far back as I could remember. My mother said when I was young, around my toddler stages. She said I used to sleep in bed with her, and my way to fall asleep was to rub her nylon night gown.

Im 19 now, and I still have the same "addiction". Most people think its weird, but it's not to uncommon. I rub nylon or other material that feel "silky" to relieve stress, or just to do when I fall asleep. It's probably possible I've done it to feel comfortable.

As far as it making my drowsy, I have no relation to it. But I sure am glad I'm not the only one with this 'addiction'! :)

I am a little worried about writing my idea because you are trying to get rid of this rubbing: why don't you try to enjoy it? I agree with your husband, that rubbing is not a problem. My 6 yrs daughter does it since she could use her hands. She does it when she tells me stories in the evening or when she is falling asleep. I let her do it because it relaxes her and if I ever tell her that she is doing something strange, she will try to get rid of this habit and that will turn into a problem.
Who ever told you that this rubbing is a problem? Not everybody does it but that doesn't mean that it is a problem. Enjoy rubbing, try to like it. It is yours. Your LOGICAL YOU is trying to take it from your EMOTIONAL YOU.

One more thing. I think you may have become depressed and that's why you are rubbing more now. That's why you are not making new friends and you feel more pressure at work too. That could also be a cause of your nausea.
I got depressed too and guess what? My doctor prescribed me pills in seconds, of course, which I put in the garbage. Don't take any pills, even if you see a doctor and he says: YES! You have this OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE disorder, you need antidepressants to take.
I force myself to exercise 30 minutes every day with my kids. I also call my friends more often and order myself to watch a comedy once a week. This helps.

A few min. ago I was laying in bed thinking to myself (while I was rubbing my sweatshirt) I can't possibly be the only person who does this. So I got up and typed "rubbing fabric" into Google. I am not sure why I haven't tried looking up something before. I guess sometimes I try to pretend I don't do it at all. I am truly amazed of the people who happened to see this post and have the same problem. Some of the answers sound so much like myself it is scary. I am 25 married with 3 children and have been doing this since I was a toddler. It started with the lining of my baby blanket. I carried it every where and eventually my mother had to throw it out. When I was in elm school I replaced my "comfort item" as my mom would call it with a sweater. When I left the sweater behind at a friends house and couldn't get it back I again replaced it with a sweatshirt. When that one started to get holes in it I again replaced it with another sweatshirt. When that one got accidentally thrown away I stopped for a few years. But I always seemed to find myself rubbing different things I might have been wearing or a blanket or a pillowcase and so fourth but for years I didn't have anything that I carried around. Then a few months ago I bought myself a new sweat shirt and it was just the right material that made me start again. I feel no different then I did when I was younger. I carry it to bed at night, when Im relaxing with my coffee. I put it away during the day so I am able to fully take care of my kids and do house work with no interruptions but as soon as I get a chance to sit and relax I pull it out. My parents and sisters knew I always did it and would just tease me. Over the years friends and boyfriends would also notice the constant presence of my "comfort item". But now at 25 a grown adult with children of my own I seem so foolish for still doing it. I have never come right out and told my husband or oldest daughter but they know my brown gap sweatshirt is always close by. Which in Fl during the summer does seem a little strange lol. I guess one day I will come out with it. But until now I could not explain my behavior without sounding like a weirdo. Thanks to everyone who told their similar stories. It is going to help so much!

I am so glad I found this post! I am almost 56 years old and have done this all my life. I keep it hidden and if my husband knows he has never let on. It was satin blanket binding when I was very small. My mother took it away from me when she decided I should not do it anymore. I just started rubbing a flannel sheet instead and hid it from her. Now I buy a yard of flannel from time to time, cut it into squares and sleep with one, and keep the other one in my pocket or purse. I love the way it feels and I use it to go to sleep. When I wake up I like hold it against my cheek or lips for a while and kind of space out. I like to weave it between my fingers so that it touches the sensitive webbing between the fingers. I try not to rub it between the fingers anymore because it was causing my finger joints to ache and I have some carpal tunnel syndrome that I think was caused by the repetitive motion. You'd think that would be enough to make me stop because I am an artisan who works with my hands, and can't take time off for surgery!
I have an added issue, though. When I do this I tongue-thrust. This is a combination of a misaligned jaw, large tongue and the fact that my mother took me off a bottle when I was still a baby. I was never allowed to thumb suck or have a pacifier. This is my adoptive mother. My birth mother was forced to give me up by her family when I was 3 months old.
I know I should try to stop, but I can't imagine stopping a 55 year habit. I have some OCD issues and take meds for it. I wonder if I will be an old woman in a nursing home holding a blanket like a baby. I have NEVER told anyone about this, so it felt really good to find out other people do it.

This is so funny.. I've searched a couple of times to see if anyone else did this and came up with nothing.. I was even wondering if it could be associated with the character from Of Mice and Men..
But yea I have this sweater sitting on my lap at work and I rub the sleeves of it.. lol.. Something to do I suppose while working. I keep this habit from everyone, except my husband.. I told him about it when we first started dating and he doesn't mind. But what's funny is I was just talking to a co-worker and I guess I was doing it and she looked down and glanced at my "action" which I of course immediately stopped. But I feel much better now knowing I am not the only one that does it.. lol.
And there are people out there that do weirder stuff.. so no worries! LOL

I had a satin "blanket" as a child. I have always had pieces of satin or silk to rub between my fingers. Never having found anyone else or connections to others I have come to think I was about the only person in the world who did this. I am 58. What is this all about? It is comforting and it does take me away from whatever else is going on...

I am pretty relieved to know others have this trait as well... Thank you.

Wow, I am so glad to hear others share this passion. I also tongue thrust and kind of go to a trance... at times.

Lol. Boston914, I do the same thing! I still have my baby blanket and I am 23. It is now basically useless but I have found a replacement :) I will even rub on the inside of jackets and other clothing if they have the silky material. It is comforting and helps me relieve stress. My boyfriend thinks I'm a weirdo so I came on here to try and prove him wrong! Lol

Doing the same thing. I was looking for answers and if other people are doing this, and why... and so they do :) Why? I guess... because... It's just a thing we do, and we're not the only ones doing it :) :)

I'm 56 years old and have always tried to hide my cloth rubbing from others. It's something I've done since I was a small child If anyone else has noticed, it has never been mentioned. I just thought I was weird. Now that I know know I'm not the only one, that's one less thing to worry about. I've been doing it a lot more lately. My mother has a brain tumor and my father has Alzheimer's and I'm their primary caregiver. The rubbing helps to ease the stress. I would never stop it. My preference seems to be for jersey knit or soft cotton fabric. I even have jersey sheets on my bed.

So happy to hear that there are more people out there like me. I am almost 24 years old and have been rubbing fabrics ever since I was an infant. This is the only "compulsive" disorder I have; however, it is starting to take a toll on my hands. Sometimes the rubbing causes the sides of my hands to dry and even split open to the point of bleeding... the pain of this is not enough to make me quit.

The habit is incredibly embarrassing, but luckily the only people who usually notice are those who are closest to me, like my best friend and boyfriend. I only rub fabric if it is soft and cold (strangely enough, it MUST be cold to the touch) and typically I will only do it when I'm tired or nervous. I'm not sure if it is the drowsiness that makes me rub, or the rubbing that makes me drowsy. My boyfriend says I even do it in my sleep... so I don't think that it is a conscience action.

I enjoy it so much, I doubt I will ever be able to stop!

Something that struck my curiousity was the member who said they were adopted... I too was adopted... perhaps this is a clue? Or maybe just a coincidence...

P.S. My mother coined the term, "twickling" for this action. :)

I'M A 56 year old male , I'm , I think , going through Mid life crisis , or male menopause ! I'm doing as much therapy as I can stand ! You see , I've always been successful and totally Independent , I'm also trying to deal with ( MULTIPLE ) childhood abuse Issues! and I suspect that your finger rubbing , IF IT ACTUALLY BUGS YOU , you may want to come to terms with It !If It only bugs others,and not you , THEM ! After all , If your not dissatisfied with It , and It bugs other people , THEM ! PERHAPS this little thing Is a good thing ! REMINISCENCE , GOOD FEELINGS , MEMORIES!! Are you actually fed up with It ? Or Is everyone else ? If It's bugging you , get rid of It !If It's something comforting ? WELL " everyone else Is going to have to come to terms with It , aren't they !

I can't believe there are other people like me! I, too, have been rubbing thin silky like fabrics since I can remember. It started with a corner of my blanket, then handkerchiefs and so on.. This rubbing relaxes me a great deal! I enjoy it a lot and would never think of getting rid of the habit. I am 35 and now rub only occasionally, but always feel happy when I do so

I am a twiddler too! Been doing it since I was a baby and am actually currently twiddling right now and I'm 23! It is pretty impossible for me to imagine it gives you drowsiness or nausea though cause.. well.. It's just moving your fingers.. All it does is make my fingers and hands cramped after awhile. I cut a little piece of my sleeping bag material so I can twiddle wherever I go.. LOL! I'm so sad yes I know. But I love the feeling!! So don't lose confidence or feel immature because a lot of people do it. I do it in public! Your not the only one and there will always be more twiddlers. P.S.- I will be twiddling on my death bed... If I last.

OMG I do the same thing as Arsanova's Grandmother! Except I almost always am doing it while sucking my tongue which I've done even before I was born. I do it anytime of day. Sometimes I walk around with my pillow or just the pillow case. So glad I'm not alone!

Four posts. That averages one a year from when the first post written.
To the day it has been four years.

Old posts do not get much attention... so

If you would like your questions about this habit addressed put it in the ASK YOUR QUESTION BOX and a thread will be started to deal with your issues.

I subscribe to this thread in email, so when there's a new post, I'm notified. It's comforting to be to be able to come back here and not feel so alone.

You are far from alone.. there are plenty of others including myself who do this
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/fingers_and_fabric/join

Hey ophilia please contact me at [email protected]. Maybe we can help each other. Please

I am 29, and have been hiding this habit for my entire life. My husband "pretends" not to notice. The odd thing is I have stopped before, but I typically will find another satiny thing to hoard and rub. I feel exactly the same way about the sensitive web between the fingers and also it being COLD to the touch. Anything satiny on an edge does it for me. SO embarrassing but THANK GOD I am not the only one. Thanks for sharing. This is the first time I have googled it. We need a name for this.

I'm 26 and also do the same thing, it started with my blanket when I was a child and has progressed from there. I try to keep it under control and actually quit for a few years in college. I always use the same handkerchief and it will actually start to disintegrate from the friction and bleach the color out on the tips where I rub. I would guess that over the course of a few years (if I managed to keep the same one) it would completely disintegrate. As others have suggested the "cold to the touch" aspect is key for me, and I will even flip the ends around to cool them between short intervals of rubbing. I Didn't know anyone else did this besides me until right now, and have often felt guilty about the behavior. I also have severe anxiety and do a few other OCD things related cleaning and bodily fluids. One thing I have been thinking about lately, is the harm the repetitive motion might cause us in later life i.e.. Carpal tunnel. I have noticed that sometimes my wrist gets very fatigued after a long or aggressive session.

And I should mention my sister also has a fabric rubbing addiction. She picks fuzzballs from a fuzzy blanket or sweater and rub them between her fingers, they used to cover the carpet of her room when she was younger and even did it in the car for a while with one of those furry steering wheel covers.

Hello, my name is Lisa. I'm live in Ontario, Canada. I have the same problem. For as long as I can remember I've been rubbing cloth like material between my fingers. It's a real big problem. I will do anything I can to rub. I'll find anything I can to rub.. It all started when I was a baby and slept over at my best friends house and her mom gave me silk.. now I'm 28 with 3 of my own girls. They don't do it themselves, but it drives them crazy when I do it..

Wow! I too picked at fuzzy blankets and left little balls of rolled up fuzz every where! Then the car seat cover, and hair bands before that it was silky pillowcases , and it morphed into a certain kind of scarf or knitted hat, I pull the *yarn* out and basically twiddle it in my fingers, there are small pieces of blue acrylic yarn everywhere ! I bought 3 of the same scarfs 2 summers ago just to tear up! In the car, on the couch and in bed... and in my pockets! I'm 42 and I don't have a problem with this addiction... I do have a touch of arthritis in the first joint of my pointer finger due to the constant rubbing. Other wise it calms me down, makes me feel good, and as long as I can keep finding the soft yarn scarves , I'll be fine. I'm not even embarrassed about it... my kids and boyfriend accept me, other people either don't notice or think its just a piece of yarn that I'm just messing around with. We all call it *mommies woobie* or *my blue thing* :-) I never knew anyone else did this! How cool !

Ou should apply for My Strange Addiction. They will provide help and they are casting right now. Email [email protected]!

http://isitnormal.com/story/label-rubbing-750/

I just thought I would search this "problem" and this forum came up... I didn't realize that others did this too. I am shocked.

Mine started when I was a child and had a blankie with silky/satiny edges and I would run it between my fingers and toes and on my lips and under my nose. I felt so comforted and it continued all these years (I am now 30).

I have found that lately I will be up all night rubbing the cotton sateen sheets in between my toes, constantly. I will find the edges under the blanket and spread my toes to get the edges through as many as possible and rub them. My husband is always asleep when I do this. I am finding it almost getting worse with time and age.

When I was a bit younger (teens/20s) I wouldn't have any blankets that would have a silky edge to avoid this complusion. If I went to a friend or siblings' house, I would see a blanket that did and wrap myself in it to rub it between my fingers and on my lips when people weren't looking. I felt like such a weirdo.

I have tried socks when I sleep to avoid it, but it gets too hot and I take them off and then compulsively rub again. For hours and hours and hours... choosing rubbing over sleep.

What is wrong with me? I know I have a mild case of OCD. I have to arrange things certain ways at home, work and at restaurants and have other quirks. I am also an itchy scratcher all the time.. finding scabs, imperfections, scalp scratching and picking at myself and others.

I am in awe that so many others have this same problem and this is probably 1% of the actual number of people that deal with this.

Been doing this since I was in middle school I think... take a soft piece of fabric, create a bubble and then rub it btwn my fingers for endless amounts of time (it seems)... I may be nervous but I genuinely enjoy soft things and I only do this with soft cotton and cashmere scarves

I have done this for 22 years and its like it's a drug it relaxes me the more I do it the better I feel. Ppl wonder why I do it.I don't know it started on my baby blanket they to my windbreaker jackes and I still today can not stop. Can any one tell me what it is?

Hello,
I have this same habit. I like to touch or rub soft fabrics like cotton or hemp. For the last couple of years I have had a favorite scarf that I touch a lot. Right now I have a scarf made of hemp. I go to sleep with it by my side and sometimes use it to cover my eyes like an eye mask to keep the light out but also because it feels soft on my face. It has many practical uses! Keeping warm, eye mask and softness.

I remember that I used to use a pashmina/cotton scarf when I was in uni. I wore it all the time. People used to say they never saw me without a scarf, even in summer I would still take one around in my bag. I had different colours in the same fabric.

I think I stopped for a while when I was living overseas.

I also like soft sheets like organic cotton. I usually wrap my legs around them and find a soft section for my feet to touch.

I don't think its such a bad habit. At worse it can mean that I don't get out of bed early in the morning because I find it so comfortable to feel the sheets on my legs and feet.

I will also find myself placing my scarf against my lips/chin/cheeks on my face because it feels soft. I have even sometimes found myself wanting to touch my boyfriend's neck over and over - the skin is so soft.

Yes I also touch the inside lining of jackets and/or the side of t-shirts.

I do this usually at the end of the day when I get home from work. Its relaxing to have a rest or sit on the couch and read and touch my scarf.

Sometimes I would wear my scarf to work or when studying but I found it distracting because I would always start touching it and kind of mellow out/chill out so much that I would stop concentrating on my work. Also its hard to type when you are touching a scarfe.

I try not to do this when I need to work.

I do know when it gets too much, or when I have been doing it too long. So I try to tear myself away from it. The feeling just changes from being contented to frustration and annoyance and I know that I need to break away from it.

But yeah I will sometimes be walking down the street just touching my scarf.

That is OCD. You can get help from a doctor or psychiatrist. Medication and counseling combined is often helpful.Hang in there, knowing you need help is the first step in getting better. Best wishes

Wow! I can't believe how many other people do this! I feel a little more normal about it. I've done it for as long as I can remember. I used to actually suck my thumb and rub the fabric between my top lip and index finger... I'm 31 and quit sucking my thumb LONG ago, but now I still have the strange need to rub fabric between my thumb and index. Thin cotton, rayon, silk, nylon, Acetate... I think thin cotton is my favorite. If I am shopping or browsing and find clothing made of the right fabric, I will buy it. Most of my wardrobe consists of "finger rubbing suitable material". I love long skirts from India. Anyway, I consider myself relatively "normal". XD HA! I'm sure it is mostly a sensory thing. It has never posed a problem in my life and most people don't realize I even do it. I've never gotten sleepy from it, but as a child I couldn't fall asleep unless I was doing it. If it is causing problems in your life, then maybe you should ask your GP to refer you to a therapist. Don't feel bad... we could all use a little therapy for something! :)

I have never heard of anyone else soothing him or herself with a pillow corner rubbing between fingers. I have been doing it all my life (32 now). I do not use the top of my fingers but he base of the finger, the sweet place where the two fingers meet. :) It produces instant endorphins rush in my brain. I've never thought of it as something bad, on contrary. My mother and my husband always found it to be sweet. I never bothered me, really, and I do it at home before sleep and in winter with a handkerchief folded in my pocket while walking. I turned up pretty fine, finished medical school, and I live with no other compulsion or addiction. I enjoy it and it helps me release tension and soothe myself before sleep.

Hi my name is mel I'm 31yo and like all off you, I have been doing the rubbing thing between my fingers since I was born!(says my mum and dad) My dad says its nervous tension, and I do find I do it a lot more when I'm nervouse. Sometimes I wouldn't even know I was nervous until I realized I was rubbing. I find I also feel relaxed when I do it, even though I do it so hard and so much that I create little splits on the sides of my fingers.(only when I'm stressed)they hurt sort of, but it's a nice kind of pain, (only when I'm rubbing) but if they get to bad, I resort to rubbing with the other hand or the other side of my fingers. I'm not worried about it, it feels good, and I find it helps me get to sleep too. I find also it makes me Tune Out, like meditation, my mind seems to slow down and centre, my breathing become relaxed and slow and it's so relaxing that I tend to find a strange kind if peace! Now that to me can not be a disorder, well not for me, and it's nice to know there are others who have this similar little habit:) I admit the knuckles on my pointer and middle fingers are slightly calloused from 31 years of material rubbing ha ha but other then that it has caused no harm, only good! So I say enjoy this little uneque gift, many people have other little strange nervous habits that are far worse then you could imagine.
Oh and I just have to say, that thin cotton material is my favorite, I twist it into a little triangula shape and rub the little point a lot of the time. Satin was my favorite when I was little:) sometimes I even rub the little point I make across my face, over the tops of my fingers and even on the inside of my legs. My parents and friends think nothing of it. And really if it's not hurting anyone or damaging you in any horrible way, if it makes you feel good... It must be good for a good reason!!

Dear Mel, my rubbing friend :)

I am glad you think positive about our little habit as well. I think it is rather cute, especially when I imagine myself as a child rubbing my little fingers onto a little point. I also make triangular shapes... they are the sweetest :)

Many kisses from Croatia!

I have it tooo

I have it tooooo

I have done this since infancy. My mom says it started when I got hold of a pair of her silky panties while she was doing laundry one day. As a kid, I carried around a "silky," which was a square cut from my mom's old satin nightgowns. I'm now 31 years old, and still happily rubbing away. If I wear a skirt with a satin lining, it is hard to keep my hands off it, ha ha.

I have an old satin bathrobe that I never wear... I just keep it around to rub. I usually only do it at home, while watching TV, surfing the net, or going to sleep. I do usually pack it surreptitiously in my carry-on bag any time I fly, though. Flying stresses me out a lot, and having my "silky" to rub is so calming.

My boyfriend knows about it and doesn't mind. I don't think it's weird. I don't do it in public (usually... ) and don't HAVE to do it. It is not a compulsion. It doesn't interfere negatively with my life. I don't drag the bathrobe around with me when I'm out of the house.

I used to suck my fingers as well, when I was a kid, but stopped long ago. So now it's just the rubbing thing. I find that if I don't have something suitable to rub, I like to keep my hands busy with sewingm or fiddling with something like my keys or a pen.

Just hope it doesn't give me carpel tunnel, ha ha. It is nice to know I'm not the only one out there who does this!

This is so cool. I started doing this when I was a kid, don't remember when. I sort of like paper too if it is folded in half and not creased. I like the feel of the folded side between my fingers. Sometimes if I am reading I like the pages of the book too if they r sort of cool. My fav are the silky edges on the old blankets from when I was a kid. I am 56 now. Sort of loose tract of time. With the book thing I will have a hard time concentrating and reading the book because of it which really bothers me. When I was in 4th grade I thought it was so cool I told this friend to do it and it would feel good. She did it and looked at me like I was from Mars. I thought then maybe I better keep this to myself. No one else has ever seemed to notice me doing it.

Luv you all!!
Denise

Ok, so I'll be brave... While 'doing this thing that I do' and wondering if I'm the only one in the world that does it, I decided to 'google' it, and I came to discover that there are actually hundreds of other people with my same 'habit', though each of us has our own unique 'style' shall we say. It was a wonderful enlightenment for me, and it struck me that there are probably thousands of peopl... e with little ideosyncracies that they may be hiding or feeling shameful about. I say we should all EMBRACE our UNIQUENESS! So, here we go... As a very small child, I had a soft green blanket with satin ribbon around all sides. I found comfort in rubbing the satin against it's own grain, as it made a 'zipping' feeling and sound. For as long as I remember, I have sought out certain pieces of satin fabrics to 'rub'; award ribbons are my greatest preference, and I would fold and rub them until they were nothing but thread (which is why I do not have any left from my childhood acheivements). I do not do this in public, and have not shared it with anyone other than significant others. None of them have thought me 'weird' for it, rather they found it endearing, thankfully for me. I even had a close friend that would bring me samples of silky fabrics, but my preference is for a particular thread count, (as I have learned is very common, some people prefer cottons or flannels, which would do absolutely nothing for me.) I have several small pieces of my "softie", (cut from various nightgowns) and always have one under my pillow, and usually one near the sofa for movie watching time, lol. It is very soothing to me when I am nervous or upset. I am not ashamed of it, as it is part of who I am, and it does not interfere with my life or anyone else's. I am curious about other people with my specific 'habit' and wonder what they call their own "softie" or the action of rubbing or twiddling it... (?)

Ever since I was a baby, I have done this with the satin edge of my baby blanket. Almost 23 years old, I still have my blanket and always use it to "twiddle" when I need to relax, unwind, and most importantly, get drowsy so I can fall asleep.

It's a mixture of feeling the sharp point of the folded fabric as well as the cool feeling of the material. If the part I'm rubbing on my fingers gets too warm or "dulls down," I move to a cooler section of the lining and fold it for a new, sharp point. Sometimes I feel the need to rub it over the outline of my lips as well.

In school I would also fold up paper and run my fingers over the most folded corner. The sharp feeling of the corner on the underside of my knuckles was the best!

It's so great to know that I'm not the only one in the world that "suffers" from this, but really, it's a behavior that isn't hurting me. If anything it helps with my anxiety and makes me fall asleep faster than I would if I didn't sleep with my blanket still. My mother, father, and sister are the only ones that really know that I continue to do it. For some reason I was always ashamed of having my friends or roommates in college see me with my blanket in general, much less rubbing my fingers all over it.

It's a habit that I'm 99.9% sure I will never kick even if I get married and have my own family down the road. Seeing the comments from older "twiddlers" gives me comfort knowing that it's okay and not detrimental if I continue to do so for as long as I live. We are all very truly unique! :)

Alas I'm in the same boat - can't honestly remember when I started but all I know is it doesn't have to necessarily be labels - corners of my bed quilt and pillow cases(generally where there's stitching) also seem to give me the sensation of comfort. I definitely agree it compulsive, hell just sat here reading this page I was mauling the crud out the silk label on my shirt xD. Mostly Ive been lead to believe it's a comfort thing but also I think it may have something to do with boredom, it seems to be a way for me to engage my mind through sensations. That's just my opinion however.

OMG!! I have the same addiction something with a child. I have researched the on the Internet. It's a brain connection that some people never lose. When ado baby suckles his hands reach out to feel human hair. It calms us down and releases certain happy hormones. Certain people never lose this connection. Their brain simply does not outgrow it. Brain surgeons can simply touch a certain part of the brain with a metal instrument a person will begin to suckle and their hands will search for something soft

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!