🐚 " When people face stressful, difficult, or anxiety-inducing situations, they often engage in small, self-comforting actions — similar to how a child might suck their thumb. These behaviors trigger the release of endorphins in the brain, helping to regulate emotional tension. We call these actions pacifying behaviors, which are typically related to “keeping the hands busy.”
They can be roughly categorized into three types:
1. Covering vulnerable areas: touching or covering the neck, rubbing the forehead, or placing a hand over the suprasternal notch (the dip above the chest bone).
2. Distinct self-soothing actions: touching the face or arm, puffing the cheeks.
3. Grooming-related behaviors: adjusting clothes, jewelry, or hair, and straightening a tie."
＊Learning can be its own reward — no need to put it to use.
