Fidget Rings Help Me With My Anxiety

I wear two rings that I fidget with. One is a spinner ring designed for fidgetting; the other is a ring that's actually three interlocking rings which just happens to be good for fidgeting. I've always enjoyed wearing rings, even to the point that, in high school and early university, I wore rings on nearly every finger. Back then, it was more aesthetic-driven, but I've realized that wearing rings I can fidget with helps my anxiety.

How Do Fidget Rings Help My Anxiety?

When it strikes me, my anxiety symptoms are usually muscle tension, increased heart rate, stomach issues, chaotic thoughts, what I can only describe as a buzz or hum of energy, and sometimes more. Now, it'd be silly to say that fidget rings can solve all those problems, which is why I'm not saying that at all. But they can help.

When I'm feeling that buildup of anxiety, fidgeting with my rings can redirect that energy. The physical activity can take that hum of anxious energy I mentioned and redirect it, so it actually depletes at least some of it instead of letting it build and build. Again, it doesn't completely get rid of it, but it definitely makes a difference.

Another way fidget rings can help relates to stimulus control. As I've gotten older, I've noticed I need to be mindful of the stimuli around me because they can impact my anxiety, in particular excessive noise. For instance, loud areas with many conversations going on at once can trigger my anxiety if I'm not actively engaged in something. When I fidget with my rings in those instances, it can help redirect the anxious energy by giving me something to focus on (although I usually have to combine that with listening to music to truly calm the anxiety in those situations).

Why I Like Fidget Rings

The reason I like fidget rings is they're subtle. No one blinks an eye at my spinner ring or the other ring I wear. If anything, there might be a comment about how they're cool, pretty, or interesting, but they don't draw any negative attention, even when fidgeting with them.

I began exploring the world of fidget items years ago when I started to tackle my skin picking disorder, and purchasing a spinner ring was among the fidgets I chose. Back then, I was still largely concerned about drawing attention to myself and doing anything that might invite mental health stigma. Since rings are such a normal part of Western society, even fidget rings fly under the radar and dodge stigma while still being beneficial to those with disorders like anxiety.

So, if you're dealing with anxiety, or even body-focused repetitive behaviors like skin picking, hair pulling, nail biting, and so on, fidget rings might be useful to consider. Think of them as one of the most discreet tools in your coping toolbox.