AIBU to ask you what you think if a young man has trembling hands

[ConfusedWife1234]

What is the first thing you would think of? Would you give it a second thought at all? This is just a poll cause I wanna know.

I probably wouldn't notice it enough to take on board he had a tremor tbh.

If I did I would just assume they had a tremor. I wouldn't assume anything else into it unless I had other reasons to, I wouldn't think ptsd automatically.

It's just a minor symptom of many things or nothing and I wouldnt really try to work out what was going on or make any assumptions because I think that's a bit rude.

I've never met an alcoholic with a tremor who hasn't got other signs of alcoholism.

Friend had a tremor and took beta blockers which helps. He just had a tremor, slightly anxiety related but also there naturally so I would just think the same.

DS2 has trembling hands. It's benign Essential Tremor. He manages it by avoiding caffeine and alcohol, getting plenty of sleep. It's annoying and he used to be worried what people would think, particularly because most people assume it's alcohol related . Since his dx, he's happier because he understands it and how to minimise it. He accepts that if he's going to have a night on the lash with his mates then he'll be very shaky for a day or two. He also has Reynaud's.
He has some other issue with the muscles in his legs which he's improving with physio. He's a redhead and I'm convinced it's all related to recessive genes I'm not a scientist .

Using inhalers like Salbutamol for asthma can cause trembling like this.

I worked with someone who had shaky hands. It was essential tremor so as said upthread I'd use my own experience and assume that in the absence of any other pointers.

So many possibilities - not possible to determine without asking (which I would not unless I knew him well or he appeared generally extremely unwell ). Nervousness, hunger, caffeine, medication, a medical condition, a hangover.

DP gets trembling hands from anxiety. I noticed quite early on when we met but I just used to hold his hands to calm him.

I have PTSD so I send huge sympathies to your DH. But he will find many many people have conditions they are living with and will understand.

I’ve met people having this for different reasons. I myself have this since childhood. It’s worse when I’m anxious or after intense physical activity. My Mum has it so I presume that it’s hereditary.
Depending on the situation I would think that this is essential tremor, anxious/nervous type of person or something more complicated medically like MS.

Why another thread about your DH? Stop trying to reassure him and sort out his appalling diet. Accept you are not his counsellor and can’t fix him. You are enabling his decision to not seek help for this decision. Can’t you see how harmful this is?

Mine shake all the time. A neurologist told me there is nothing medically wrong, I just have a high level of natural tremor.

One of the hosts of a podcast I listen to was just talking about how he's crap at Jenga because he has a tremor. (but is otherwise fine, it's just a thing)

A while ago, I was the control in an interesting clinical trial about hand/arm tremor. We all did the same motor control tests (individually) alongside various other tasks.

In the briefing about the experiment, it was eye-opening to learn just how many neurological disorders involve tremors.

I wouldn't really think anything - my friend has this, has done since childhood. No particular reason for his, though I think it is exacerbated by tiredness

My DH has had this for the whole 20 years we have been together, he has always had it.

I wouldn't think anything other than that he had a tremor. I'd really hate to feel that anyone who is already suffering would worry about my reaction, especially because I wouldn't really have one.

I've only had a tremor when I've taken too much salbutamol but one or two people did assume I was drunk and that was annoying because I was actually very ill.

Haven't yet read any other replies. I would assume (in order of likelihood)

1. Addict
2. Anxious
3. Other medical condition

and I would be extra nice to him because I would figure he's having a rough time, whichever of the above it might be. Eventually, if he seemed to be otherwise okay, I would forget about it and act normally toward him.

Alcoholic

Essential tremor unless I knew of another cause. It’s not uncommon and ds has it.

In someone so young, I'd think nervous/anxiety reason for it.

Right now? He's bloody freezing cold! But otherwise nerves or maybe too much Red Bull would be my guess.

If it was all the time, I'd probably assume something medical. I wouldn't comment on it.

I don't think illegal drugs would come to mind.

I had this with PTSD. But I've also had it at other times of my life (when anxious, or grieving). It wouldn't be my automatic assumption if I saw it in other people though.

MS possibly, or Parkinsons.

My son has benign essential tremor. People have assumed it's due to anxiety or a drink problem. He's learned not to react in a negative way when people point out that his hands are shaking, just tells them what the condition is.

Loads of people in my family have/had trembling hands, we even call it the "Familyname Tremor". Various family members have been the doctors over the years but nobody knows why and as it's generational nobody worries about it because people with the tremor have lived long lives and died from a variety of things (as opposed to all getting Parkinsons/heat attack/whatever).

HeaRt attack.... not heat attack.

My DH has them and he's fine. He's actually a surgeon but assures me he dosent shake during procedures 🙈