This is me to a T. I have ADHD and shake my leg a lot. Inherited it from my father. I also get into what you consider 100% complete and total focus. I can get into this mode for up to 15 hours and nothing will break my concentration. This usually happens when I’m involved in a very stimulating activity such as working on a computer (programming) or playing video games. I also only get about 3.5 hours of sleep each night and function normally. Not sure if that’s typical of someone with ADHD.
Anxiety is right. And so is shaking.
We shake because it’s how mammals cope with tension and trauma. The problem is, shaking is “socially unacceptable” to human beings. (Look at all the comments in this thread mentioning how “annoying” it is). Especially among boys, for whom visible signs of fear (what we socially equate shaking with) are as socially unacceptable as sensitivity, vulnerability, and other “soft” expressions translated by authority figures and peers as signs of weakness (such as crying).
How often were we told as children to “stop it,” “smarten up,” and/or “suck it up”? Or simply: “boys don’t cry,” instead of being given space for the heart/mind/body to process the traumatic event (and related feelings) as nature designed it to. No, instead, we were taught to bring down the gavel of the intellect and “force ourselves” to assume the “socially acceptable behavior.”
So shake away…it will do your mind, body and soul good.
Ha! Three years later and I’m still doing it right now.
Sometimes I am trying to shake a turd out of my pant leg.
For the same reason, it’s annoying in those huge cramped university lecture halls.
Because they’re part gerbil. Can’t sit the hell still. Annoying as freaking hell too. If I can I move away from people like that in seating arrangements etc. It would comfort me to hit them over the head with a baseball bat.
I’m a 95+% student in every single one of my university classes, and I don’t think I have ever caught myself bouncing my leg, so it’s not like this theory of your guys’ explains any of those differences. But I have to agree with all of the non-leg-bouncers who have commented on this; it drives me crazy! It feels like every single person in my classes are bouncing their legs, and I’m just constantly distracted by this sea of pulsating and bouncing people. It’s especially bad when I’m writing a test! I’ve been struggling really hard to keep my marks up despite this issue because I can’t focus during any of my lectures or tests… Thankfully I have an understanding girlfriend that quit her habit for me! 
if you need exercise, go for a run; it’s super stress relieving! Otherwise learn to have some control of yourself and please try to stop!
I do it all the time. No ones ever said anything to me though. I honestly wish I could stop.
“They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can’t kill the beast.”
Looks like about 11.5 months is the longest this thread has stayed dead.
It has proven positive effects for people with anxiety and ADD; I have both, and have been compelled to drum my fingers, twiddle my thumbs, bounce my leg, and rub my feet on eachother, etc, my whole life.
It’s a nervous tic that mainly afflicts young men that is caused by Calcium deficiency. It is caused by the need for Calcium for growth, mainly laying down bones and teeth, which takes priority from other Calcium functions, such as muscular relaxation - Calcium is a catalyst for this - and nerve activity. That’s why the old wives remedy for sleeplessness - drinking warm milk - works.
It can be markedly reduced, if not eliminated, by increased Calcium intake. If dietary Calcium is insufficient, supplementation can be helpful. However, one must use a supplement that also supplies Magnesium and Vitamin D, which are essential in Calcium metabolism. Also, of paramount consideration, is that the Calcium be in an easily assimilated form: Calcium Citrate, for instance. Calcium Carbonate and Phosphate are basically rock. So is “Coral Calcium”.
BTW, adequate Calcium can counteract cramping generally, specially in pregnant women (babies’ bone building takes priority and depletes moms’ Calcium stores by mining bones and teeth) and teenagers’ “growing pains”.
To be honest, I have the Habit. But that’s only when I am thinking , then I would have both legs shaking and everyone in a 20 foot radius would feel the vibrations on the floor and would cause those old vacuum tv’s to flicker. It sometimes annoys the crap out of people, and when I meet a new person while sitting they get confused with what I’m feeling.
My legs are insanely strong probably because of that.
Oh and another thing with that is if I get lost in thought while standing, I wander around like I am lost spirit or something. I can’t really prevent that, it just happens.
Interesting things.
Oh and no, I am almost never nervous when I shake my leg.
This has got to be some kind of record. This thread has been resurrected eight times in five years, each time by someone who just registered.
Meh, I was just seeing how the media portrayed my wierd way of thinking.
It’s easier than not shaking. It takes conscious effort to stay still; the shaking happens by itself with no conscious effort.
Keeps me from getting stiff. No not that one… 