Displacement Activities Release Excess Energy

We all cope differently with emotions, problems or daily routine, and we all seek all sorts of ways to escape them, even for a second. When we're experiencing conflicting emotions, we may engage in gestures without any relation to immediate goals, designed simply for displacing some energy. These behaviors are mostly self-directed, and help you release excess energy and gain a feeling of comfort, even if only momentary.

All people have displacement activities, a conduit for excess energy that's looking for a place to go. If you pay attention, you're most likely to notice such behavior almost everywhere you turn: flicking feet, drumming fingers, repetitive gestures, all sorts of things that you can easily see they're done absent-mindedly.

Everyone has their own displacement gestures, whether they realize it or not. Sometimes, you stop your train of thoughts for a while and realize you're doing something repetitive and automatic, and you don't even know why you're doing it: going for a glass of water when you're not even thirsty, fiddling with objects, rubbing your earlobe, straightening your clothes, smoking, or eating even if you're not hungry. All these activities we think we're doing out of plain boredom are, in fact, a solution to an excess energy or unsatisfactory situation. Displacement activities are the behaviors of someone who is looking to burn some pent up energy, or at least refocus it.

If you're a smoker, you've probably at least once lit up a cigarette, take a puff or two, and then put it out or just leave it in the ashtray while your mind is wandering somewhere else. In such moments, you might not actually want a cigarette, but you need a displacement gesture to take your mind off something else, even for a little while.

While words convey information, gestures reveal attitude, thoughts, states of mind. Many people engaging in displacement activities reveal their emotion without stating their feelings verbally. If someone is feeling anxious or nervous, you can see it by their body language and their displacement gestures. Remember that the body always gives clues about the state of mind, and if you pay attention and notice these gestures, you may understand much more than is verbalized.

By: Alexandra Burlacu

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Alexandra is the editor of this article, but she also writes about how to use a clicker garage door opener. This is a website where you can also find more info about garage door accessories.