I have been cracking my fingers now for more than 3 years. I would like to stop but have no idea how to. Can anyone help me by providing suggestions on how to stop this and if you have managed to get over it, how you did it.
Last edited by garionw on Tue Oct 31, 2006 10:26 pm; edited 1 time in total
i stopped by cracking my neck as an alternative. Yea, that doesn't help. 
Normally, it's all in the mind. You got 2 stop the 'itch' to crack them
The more you crack, the bigger the fingers will be. That's too bad, if you're a girl 
| Quote: |
| The more you crack, the bigger the fingers will be. That's too bad, if you're a girl |
hold up, you're telling me that cracking your fingers over time will make your fingers fatter?? Nawwwnot the finger, the joint will become bigger. hard for you to wear ring.
I focused more on how annoying it is to those around you -- and remembered that in order to stop when I'm in public I'd have to stop altogether, because I wasn't even noticing when I did it, it was so natural.
I started stretching or just generally fidgeting instead. Less annoying to others, and it burns calories 
I have an idea, but I am not sure whether it is work or not. You may wrap you finger with some cotton, so that everytime you want to crack it, you will alert by that cotton and you may stop the action.
I have no idea, have been doing it for 2 years and stopped it without noticing it. 
It's the best not to crack them when you have the urge to
I only crack them when my hands are tired and when i am preparing for sports and other stuff
The more you crack it, the bigger your finger joint grows
They can break
My cuz's joint broke and he has a plastic one
He was cracking it too much
Hmm, you know that it is bad for your joints? try to think about that when you starts cracking them. I helped for me I used to crack it a lot but then my parents were always scolding me for doing so. They told me my joints would become bigger and I'd hate it. Eventually, I stopped doing it. Not totally though, I still crack it sometimes. I guess, just stretch your fingers, exercise them whenever the urge to crack them comes.
Like someone might have mentioned before, the cracking of fingers is mostly psychological. Think of yourself as having very mild O.C.D. Everytime you feel a little bit of stress, you relieve yourself by cracking your fingers, or cracking your neck, or playing your something in your hands.
The key to winning the battle is finding an alternative to cracking your fingers, or to eliminate the stress that is causing you to crack your fingers in the first place.
Yup finding an alternative is the way.
I was always told by my mom, who's a doc btw, that cracking your fingers is bad for your joints. she didn't say they'd get bigger, but she said there would be other complications that develop with it. So I never really cracked my fingers much (but because my joints lack lubrication, all I have to do is move to crack some part of me: ankle, wrist, shoulder, neck...and it goes on ><)
Try keeping something in your hands to grip and squeeze to release the tension, there are plenty of those rubber balls or whatnots out there. and just fiddle with them instead of your fingers. And also to regularly massage or "stretch" your hands to work out the stress without cracking them, as with any joint. Although I still do crack my neck >< thats in the rare case in which massage doesn't help >.>;
When someone tells me how i can get rid of the tension any other way, I'll stop cracking my fingers I'd be interested to hear the conclusion of this discussion - whether it really worked, etc. (Autohypnosis, perhaps?) All my joints crack a lot now because I've been cracking them for years. I recently started cracking my back/sternum which feels odd but helps. At least with certain joints (like neck), changing your bed can help!
Hi, why do you want to stop cracking your fingers? Actually it is all right for guys, right? Unless if you are a girl, your knuckles would actually grow bigger (or so i heard). It's actually a stress reliever for me. Haha. It's true! I feel really good after cracking my knuckles (or whatever it is called) after a hard day at work! Especially if the day starts badly. But whatever, it is just my personal view. I suggest that you could tie a piece of wood across all of your fingers (10 strips) and then not only would you not able to crack them, you would not be able to bend them too!! Haha. Man, ignore my suggestion. Felt kinda stupid after suggesting that.
| sbel wrote: |
i stopped by cracking my neck as an alternative. Yea, that doesn't help.
Normally, it's all in the mind. You got 2 stop the 'itch' to crack them
The more you crack, the bigger the fingers will be. That's too bad, if you're a girl |
lol i crack my neck too, but i kinda want to stop with that
erg i dont think i can stop the itch to crack 
Hello,
I switched from crack to heroin...no just kidding
I stopped cracking my neck, and start cracking my back.
I'm such a cracker *Dave Chappelle's voice"
5ani "The more you crack, the bigger the fingers will be"
This is not true. I have talked to a chiropractor
First off Do anything possible to help stop that habit. I know it will be hard, but as you have read (from other people who wrote) the consiquences. Here are some tips to help you stop this bad habit.
1.) Try to wear something (like a rubber band or a bracelet) that you really like. Make sure it will show you to stop cracking your fingers. Also, some people tie a ribbon around your finger (I have heard it works, but I have never tried it before.)
2.) Get support. Tell your family and friends about this habit. Let them know how you feel. They will also help remind you about it. And when you are cracking your fingers, they will tell you to stop.
3.) Do fun activities. Do anything to get your mind off of it. Temptation always is hard to conquer or defeat. So go outside, and get some fresh air. Do any fun activities to make you forget all about it.
Umm... sorry but I can't think of anymore at this point of time. Sorry, I tried my hardest...
I hope I have helped you in any way. I tried at least.
Rachel-Guyon
Every one giving advice but no response from the originator?
I think it is a good way for not cracking to write a response!
U are suffering from ocd, as previously advised. I just suggest U to take some OTC mood elivators like Fluoxetine. If U want to leave something and U can't , it works very well, but than your WISH is the MUST. (and sorry to say, that, I feel, is missing!!!)
Second thing, crcking IS harmfull, remember!! Ok, Thanks for all of your help.
I now no longer crack my fingers as much as before, though I still do it sometimes 
Here are some of the ideas I tried:
Getting other People Around Me To Remind Me
Mucking Around With Other Things
As I had said before, I still do it a little bit but not as much as before.
Anyway, I better post this now, before I crack them again![/list] I used to crack my bones like CRAZYY! A year ago I realized what it has done to me so I decided it was time to stop. I should of stopped a looong time ago but it was better now than later. It made my hands all boney and weird. I really regret doing it. Sometimes I crack my neck due to a weird sleeping way just to get the muscles loose because they are too tense. Anyways, the way I stopped was using my mind. Everytime I wanted to crack, I would remind myself of my hands and it stopped me from doing it. At first it was quite hard because the urge to do it is so strong. But like anything, if you really want to achieve it, you can do it somehow. As I kept this routine going, I slowly stopped the urge to do it. Now I don't even do it. Maybe once of week or something by accident or whatnot. Keep trying and don't give up! I'm telling you, it's REALLY for your own good. Don't wait til you are an old, old person to stop. Best to quit early.
| garionw wrote: |
Ok, Thanks for all of your help.
I now no longer crack my fingers as much as before, though I still do it sometimes
Here are some of the ideas I tried:
Getting other People Around Me To Remind Me
Mucking Around With Other Things
As I had said before, I still do it a little bit but not as much as before.
Anyway, I better post this now, before I crack them again![/list] |
I have gone through one of your another threads, auto suggest in suggestions, and am sure U have ocd, but u are using it in a positive direction. Mind Power will be the only thing which will help U finally, and I correct myself, U have Tremandous WILL 
I've googled a thread like this because it hurt when I tried to crack the middle of my right middle finger. It's as if my veins were gonna blow up because of the squish., 
Try wearing something that would prevent the beast inside you of cracking your fingers, like metallic gloves or tie a handkerchief around them. do this for about a week without having your fingers crack and you'll get used to it. *If you've just encountered an urge of cracking a finger, say your right index finger, pull it gently and swiftly until the urge has gone BUT I'm not sure if it won't make your fingers go longer.
An alternative for finger cracking which doesn't involve craking is by shaking your hands like you just don't care (but you should as it is an alternative for your addiction in finger cracking.) It gives you the same amount of satisfaction of having your hands feel moving freely and it doesn't make your hands grow, or your fingers grow, or your finger's joints grow.
I haven't really thought about what I typed until now so I'm going to try them to myself.
If I crack my knees, would I grow taller?
This is a jamjam122 original. If you're gonna use my words, please do quote me!! I've been cracking every bone in my body for my whole life.
I usually crack the neck, hand/feet fingers and my back in the morning, after I wake up, while doing stretches. I stretch every joint very well, and I don't need to 'crack' anything later. Even if I feel like cracking my fingers, they just make any sound.
It may take time for your joints to adjust though...
I never could seem to get myself to stop cracking my fingers. Oh, well.
Hmm, I know it is so tempting but think of how your fingers aren't able to grow and they'll stay short and stuby forever instead of long beautiful fingers which is what everyone wants. Everytime you crack your fingers just no that you're not getting close to having beautiful hands so eventually you should stop, that's what I did.
| twisthigh wrote: |
| Hmm, I know it is so tempting but think of how your fingers aren't able to grow and they'll stay short and stuby forever instead of long beautiful fingers which is what everyone wants. Everytime you crack your fingers just no that you're not getting close to having beautiful hands so eventually you should stop, that's what I did. |
I think thats false though, you're only popping a bubble of fluid in your joints, so it can't do you any harmHeard the pop sound is the accumulated CO2 gas built up inside the joint. Well, I crack almost every joint I can, but I try to limit those to my fingers and neck. My finger joints are a bit big, everyone notices that detail, but theyve been big since I can remember.
From what I gathered, try buying some sort of shellfish pills that enable you to have much more of that joint lubricant, that could help.
And if you wanna pop them, just dont. I know how its sounds, but that what I did with every habbit I wanted to stop. Just go on living and if you hear your joints pop, it should alert you what you did and you should discontinue. After sometime the urge should pass or you should forsee it and fight it.
Thats just my 2 cents.
If you crack your neck, does it get bigger too? I that thing of the bigger fingers would be true, I should have potatoes intead of fingers, because I do it all the time, but still have always the same fingers.
Cracking fingers cause arthritis
If u get Artherritus, u have to Stick Copper up ur Butt to relieve the pain! If you be positive about yourself, you will achive your goal faster. I used to crack my fingers when I was in my teens.
Sometimes I would hold each finger individually and crack them that way, or I'd put all my fingers together and push them away from myself, cracking them all that way also. I haven't done it for years, (I'm 35 now!), and it would probably hurt if I did it now!
I crack my fingers and my neck - constantly - and I often have bad aching in my neck and fingers because of it.
I never asked my self this question. Actually, I never thought about stopping cracking my fingers. I like that, and it become a sort of a reflex and a stress relief.
thanks a lot guys, i am terribly bad at cracking my fingers and i had heard that its not good but its been difficult to stop. but then just hearing that it makes the joints on the finger grow big, i most definately will make an effort to stop. thanks alot. i guess what u are all saying is right, you can stop by focussing your mind on the fact that its bad for u. thats how i am going to do it. i have a feeling it will work. anybody can do anything. i believe!
