How Folding Your Arms Can Help You Power Through Peripheral Staring

In previous blogs, I’ve discussed staring at people’s private regions. This is related to Visual Tourettic OCD. But let me talk about peripheral staring and a technique to help suppress the tic for a few seconds when you need it most.

Peripheral staring is often misunderstood as purposefully gazing at people but is actually an involuntary reaction. A simple example of this is when you are sitting on a bus, and you’re aware of someone nearby. You feel an internal motion to turn and look. However, looking at the person mistakenly gives the impression that you are being rude.

Similarly, there are times when your eyes may dart to the side when you sense the presence of people nearby. Although it is difficult to determine exactly what you are looking at, it is more of a reflexive and harmless check. It feels like an automatic activity that the brain needs to discharge rather than a deliberate act of intrigue. The main focus is trying not to look and hoping to regain control over these spontaneous reactions.

Misophonia

I might liken the feeling of peripheral staring to my Misophonia. It is a hatred of sounds that makes you react emotionally. Usually, the emotion is anger, but it can come with other emotions, such as anguish. Triggering noises are when people eat, swallow, sniff, cough and rattle packets. The point is that there is an automatic response. For example, automatically covering your ears to drown out the noise. In staring OCD it is to “stare” automatically when people are in your periphery.

As a further example of peripheral staring, imagine you’re in a quiet library, surrounded by people minding their own business. Suddenly, a person next to you triggers something within you. This unleashes a heightened state of awareness in your peripheral vision, overwhelming your nervous system. You can’t help but jolt and release a staring tic that you desperately try to hold back. It’s akin to the sensation of automatically letting out a scream when someone with Misophonia hears a revolting noise.

3-Step Competing Technique

You can use different techniques to suppress the urge to “stare”. One is a competing response where a specific discomfort must overpower the premonitory urge to stare, like clenching your fists. This technique addresses the tic, not the obsession and compulsion related to it. It’s a skill you can use in legitimate situations where you want to avoid unnecessary drama where people can be offended when you continually “look” at them. 

Competing Response: Imagine I’m sitting, minding my own business, then suddenly I get the pulling urge to turn and look when I sense people around me:

1. I will fold my arms and push my hands into my biceps. It tenses the head, neck and shoulders, so turning to look is restricted, which is what you want.
2. I concentrate on the discomfort of squeezing my hands into my biceps and pushing harder, which competes more intensely with the premonitory tension to release the tic and look.
3. I then relax my arms but keep them folded loosely and use the competing response when I need it to help suppress a tic for a few seconds more. 

I like this competing response because no one seems to notice you’re doing it. So, whether you’re travelling by public transport, sat in the library or socialising, try it and see if it works for you. But remember, it restricts movement, so if you have muscular or skeletal problems, check with your doctor first before doing it.