Keeping your hands busy with small toys reduces anxiety. A metal Slinky, wind-up doll, or foam stress ball all work, but the Dammit Doll is different: you throw it, slam it, whack it to release intense anger. The speaker gave one to their elderly mother and it actually helped.
Chapters
Giving your hands something to do during an anxious situation can help alleviate some of the tension. On my desk, I have several toys, including a metal Slinky— not a plastic one because those don't work too well. I have a wind-up doll that looks like Chubby Checker doing the twist, and I also have dice that help me contemplate what I need to do for my next course of action. If you attend trade shows and conferences, there's usually a vendor giving away stress balls made out of foam. These work great to squeeze in your hand. If you do a search on Amazon, there will be over 20,000 items that match the search term stress toy. Now, technically, a Dammit Doll Could be considered another stress toy, but the usage makes it quite different. Whereas the stress toys I mentioned previously are more benign, a Dammit Doll is designed to let you release your excessive negative energy. As the manufacturer describes on Amazon, when life gives you that crazy urge to scream and destroy, Dammit Doll is here to support you. Go ahead, throw it, slam, whack it. The ultimate stress relief tool. The classic Dammit Doll is engineered to absorb all that negative energy so you can let go and get your happy on. I actually gave one of these to my elderly mom for Christmas one year, and she whacks it against furniture and walls every time she hears something on the news that she doesn't like. It's pretty funny to watch. The bottom line is that you have a large assortment to choose from. Pick something you like that puts a smile on your face and/or helps you relax.
