Does Anyone Else Have Problems Sitting Still?

[linasmom]

Hi,

I was wondering if there was a common theme amongst PTSD sufferers with regards to sitting still.

I'm constantly moving around - at home, I'll pace around the house for no good reason, I'll get up to simply move something from one spot to another and justify it by stating that I'm "organizing" or "cleaning up". My old therapist said I do this because I feel like I have to "justify my existence". Does anyone else do this or something like it?

Best,
Rachel

 

[Deleted member 541]

I used to do this too. I couldn't even sit down to watch a T.V. program. I would have to be up doing something all the time. Took me a long time, therapy and hard work to be able to sit still. Now I only have the problem of being able to move again......Lack of motivation. I come home, and hit the couch.....

 

[Kathy]

It seems a few here do. There is a poll about it as well, started by another member, which you might be interested to read:

[DLMURL]http://www.ptsdforum.org/thread6709.html[/DLMURL]

 

[adrian_newbridge]

I bet if we all videoed ourselves for a day we would be suprised how much we move about and fidget when we think we are sitting or lying still. My wife often says to me, why are you rubbing your leg, why cant you stop tapping your fingers and just sit still. I get out of the chair to make a cup of tea even if I dont want one just so it looks like I'm moving about for a reason. I think this is due to a couple of things, anxiety and the over alertness we suffer, our minds are constantly on the lookout for danger so we find it hard to just sit quietly and wind down

 

[Lisa]

I am a fidgeter... ! i can sit in my seat, but my hands are always doing something (hence chain smoking) and I am constantly shifting, moving my legs etc. Also do the pacing, organising, etc.

The amount i fidget I should be underweight... !

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

As I read this and the other posts my foot is moving back and forth at a very fast pace. Yes, I can't be still and the more stressed I am the worse it gets.

Peace
Tammy

 

[pandora]

This is me too...mostly about half the time now, I think but if I am having a really bad day it is very hard to sit still at all. When I do sit my body jumps...like little mini spasms all over.

 

[upstream]

I have a hard time with 'doing nothing' or 'just being'

If I'm not doing something productive I have a tendency to feel like I'm rotting.

 

[batgirl]

Doug, why did you post about religion in this thread? Did you make a mistake and mean to post somewhere else? I don't get it?

Anyways, I wanted to say that I am a very bad fidgeter as well, I am constantly moving!

 

[2Peanut]

Doug, why did you post about religion in this thread? Did you make a mistake and mean to post somewhere else? I don't get it?

Anyways, I wanted to say that I am a very bad fidgeter as well, I am constantly moving!

I was wondering about that too! The religion thing seemed out of place in this thread.

But anyway, I have a hard time sitting still and just being me. I always have to be doing something. My boss has noticed that too when I'm at work. When it's slow I'm always pacing around looking for something to do and I have a hard time sitting still anywhere really. I just notice it a lot at work because people always point it out to me. The good part of it is at work they know that I am not going to sit around and do nothing, my boss knows I hate not having anything to to. :smile:

 

[anthony]

Agreed, his post has been removed as it served no purpose in topic to this thread. Post on topic of be deleted.

 

[nic]

I get especially "jumpy" when the beg. of a PTSD flashback is about to hit, or if I'm confronted with any situation that may make me think about it. In fact, if I'm at the therapist's office, I can't sit and tend to move toward the door. I was told this is a "flight or fight" response...and I guess that since I'm only 4'11'', my body has chosen "flight."

I have found certain things useful, though, especially if I'm in a situation where I wish to have the semblance of being normal. Sometimes hoding something works...it could just be a pen, if that's all I have. Chewing gum also has helped. Pretty much anything that allows me to fidget without seeming "odd" tends to work.

nic