How to stop particular kinds of stimming

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When I was a child I would rip strings and paper into a particular shape that I could twist around with my fingers in front of my face. The string or paper had to be of a particular kind and have a particular feel. I did this almost constantly....it was very addictive in terms of sensory feedback. I got very negative feedback from my family and teachers for doing this and by the age of 11 had stopped. When I am depressed or really stressed out I sometimes still did this as an adult/teenager. A couple years ago when I returned to uni (after dropping out and being away for a few years) I started doing this while studying. I rip computer paper...and only the edges of the paper have the right feel (when molded into the proper shape...kind of hard to explain). Anyway...it is so addictive...I find it hard to inhibit the urge to do it now. It is destructive because for one thing I am killing a lot of trees! When I have scrap paper of the right type…… I use it....but this doesn't happen to often...so I use fresh computer paper! It is also expensive to buy so much paper. I also get tension headaches sometimes because I scrunch up my face to look at the paper dangling in front of my face.....my hands start to be sore/tingly after doing this for too long.

I also have a bad habit (that has gotten worse) of picking at my skin (acne and my scalp). Again, I just like the way this feels. I have big scabs on my scalp from doing this (which I am treating with a cream) but I continue to this (although I have reduced the frequency of my picking). I am afraid of getting an infection.

The problem is that I do these things almost automatically (i.e without thinking about them) while daydreaming or studying. I only become aware that I am stimming or picking (not sure if this is a stim) after I have already been doing it for a long time.

I was going to put this in the other stimming thread but I really want to know if anyone else has (has ever had) a problems like this (as an adult). Also, any suggestions on what to do about this? I have tried replacing it with other kinds of stimming (which I also do anyways ) but it doesn't stop me from wanting to do the other...it doesn't work.

I scrunch up my face and I feel like my eyes want to cross sometimes during handflapping. I get headaches sometimes and the joints in my hands and fingers hurt occasionally. I am worried about arthritis actually. I mentioned this on the other thread but unlike your paper, I always liked small pieces of string for some reason.