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I’ve been tapping my foot ferociously since I was a kid and the most I’ve been “on” is caffeine. Lots of it, though, but the taping helps me even when I’m not d

I’ve been tapping my foot ferociously since I was a kid and the most I’ve been “on” is caffeine. Lots of it, though, but the taping helps me even when I’m not drinking coffee.

Obscurity4340 3y ago
Not that its representative necessarily but have you been screened for AD(H)D, the leg and foot tapping/shaking was always a big thing for me. And its not parkinsons lol, otherwise I've had it my whole life ;)
- tambourine_man 3y ago
  I haven't, but who knows, we're all a bit neurodivergent here. I can get completely dispersed but also deeply focused to the point of jumping on my seat whenever the phone or door rings.
  - Obscurity4340 3y ago
    None of that is dispositive on the ADHD side lol
djbusby 3y ago
Tapping or that thing where you keep the ball of the foot on the floor and then shake the leg like trying to double-bass hit a-la John Bonham? That's the one I do. Annoys the heck out of everyone around cause it shakes things. So they say Stop! Then get frustrated with my too-loud typing or humming or... whatever, gotta let that excess energy out somehow. Interrupting my focus state with "why are you doing that?" - doing what?
- tambourine_man 3y ago
  That's the perfect description :) And yes, it does annoy everyone. I had a stranger ask me to stop in a movie theater once, the seats were connected and it would shake the whole line. My wife just lays her hand on my leg and not a word needs to be spoken. As I'm getting older, the tip of the foot can start to get a little numb if I'm too excited.
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    This was me! Complete with annoyning everybody and my wife putting her hand on my leg to make me notice I'm doing it. I did eventually "break the habit"[1] by paying undue attention to my leg for years and intentionally stopping when it started. What I don't know is if it would have gone away on its own, or if my effort fixed things. [1] It comes back when I'm unusually tired or stressed, though.
TurkishPoptart 3y ago
Andrew Huberman notes this is an effective weight loss technique due to calories spend bouncing one's heel/tapping due. Apparently, the calf muscle is unique in that the repetitive action translates into calories burnt.
- tambourine_man 3y ago
  Well, that's the excuse I was wating for. “I'm exercising!”
someplaceguy 3y ago
> I’ve been tapping my foot ferociously since I was a kid and the most I’ve been “on” is caffeine. Lots of it, though So you're kind of proving the parent poster's point, no? Or are you suggesting caffeine is not stimulant or a psychoactive drug?
- tambourine_man 3y ago
  Not a strong one and I do it when “sober” too. Also when sleepy.
  - someplaceguy 3y ago
    It's strong enough to measurably increase your metabolic rest rate and consequent calorie consumption even without obsessive foot tapping. Also, the foot tapping behavior can be related to caffeine consumption even if you also do it when not taking caffeine. Some people (like me) metabolize caffeine a lot slower than average, so its effects last a lot longer (twice longer or so, I think). Also, caffeine notably causes sleep disruption. And caffeine withdrawal can also cause irritability. Caffeine can also increase anxiety or anxiety-related behaviors, and even if anxiety or these behaviors are not exclusively experienced while taking caffeine, it can still increase the likelihood and magnitude of its effects. These behaviors can also persist in the absence of substance intake for a variety of (psychological) reasons.
    - tambourine_man 3y ago
      It is psychoactive, but not remotely as strong as amphetamine. I don’t think that’s controversial.
      - someplaceguy 3y ago
        Well, then let me challenge your "not remotely as strong" claim. A typical cup of coffee contains about the same proportion of caffeine compared to a lethal caffeine dose than the proportion of one Aderall dosage compared to a lethal amphetamine dose. How about that?

I’ve been tapping my foot ferociously since I was a kid and the most I’ve been “on” is caffeine. Lots of it, though, but the taping helps me even when I’m not drinking coffee.

Obscurity4340 3y ago

Not that its representative necessarily but have you been screened for AD(H)D, the leg and foot tapping/shaking was always a big thing for me. And its not parkinsons lol, otherwise I've had it my whole life ;)

tambourine_man 3y ago
I haven't, but who knows, we're all a bit neurodivergent here. I can get completely dispersed but also deeply focused to the point of jumping on my seat whenever the phone or door rings.
- Obscurity4340 3y ago
  None of that is dispositive on the ADHD side lol

djbusby 3y ago

Tapping or that thing where you keep the ball of the foot on the floor and then shake the leg like trying to double-bass hit a-la John Bonham? That's the one I do. Annoys the heck out of everyone around cause it shakes things. So they say Stop! Then get frustrated with my too-loud typing or humming or... whatever, gotta let that excess energy out somehow. Interrupting my focus state with "why are you doing that?" - doing what?

tambourine_man 3y ago
That's the perfect description :) And yes, it does annoy everyone. I had a stranger ask me to stop in a movie theater once, the seats were connected and it would shake the whole line. My wife just lays her hand on my leg and not a word needs to be spoken. As I'm getting older, the tip of the foot can start to get a little numb if I'm too excited.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  This was me! Complete with annoyning everybody and my wife putting her hand on my leg to make me notice I'm doing it. I did eventually "break the habit"[1] by paying undue attention to my leg for years and intentionally stopping when it started. What I don't know is if it would have gone away on its own, or if my effort fixed things. [1] It comes back when I'm unusually tired or stressed, though.

TurkishPoptart 3y ago

Andrew Huberman notes this is an effective weight loss technique due to calories spend bouncing one's heel/tapping due. Apparently, the calf muscle is unique in that the repetitive action translates into calories burnt.

tambourine_man 3y ago
Well, that's the excuse I was wating for. “I'm exercising!”

someplaceguy 3y ago

> I’ve been tapping my foot ferociously since I was a kid and the most I’ve been “on” is caffeine. Lots of it, though So you're kind of proving the parent poster's point, no? Or are you suggesting caffeine is not stimulant or a psychoactive drug?

tambourine_man 3y ago
Not a strong one and I do it when “sober” too. Also when sleepy.
- someplaceguy 3y ago
  It's strong enough to measurably increase your metabolic rest rate and consequent calorie consumption even without obsessive foot tapping. Also, the foot tapping behavior can be related to caffeine consumption even if you also do it when not taking caffeine. Some people (like me) metabolize caffeine a lot slower than average, so its effects last a lot longer (twice longer or so, I think). Also, caffeine notably causes sleep disruption. And caffeine withdrawal can also cause irritability. Caffeine can also increase anxiety or anxiety-related behaviors, and even if anxiety or these behaviors are not exclusively experienced while taking caffeine, it can still increase the likelihood and magnitude of its effects. These behaviors can also persist in the absence of substance intake for a variety of (psychological) reasons.
  - tambourine_man 3y ago
    It is psychoactive, but not remotely as strong as amphetamine. I don’t think that’s controversial.
    - someplaceguy 3y ago
      Well, then let me challenge your "not remotely as strong" claim. A typical cup of coffee contains about the same proportion of caffeine compared to a lethal caffeine dose than the proportion of one Aderall dosage compared to a lethal amphetamine dose. How about that?