Help me save my pinky from constant crochet pains…

So first off: I’m left handed. I’ll be saying my “non dominant” hand, but for reference that is my right hand.

So I’ve been known to hold things too tightly, I’ve done that all my life. Somehow, when I crochet, I’ve developed the habit of locking my yarn in with my pinky to keep tension. As in, my non dominant pinky is completely curled up with the yarn inside. That’s how I get the tension I need.

The problem: this hurts SO BAD after a while. I keep having to stop crocheting after a couple hours because my pinky is DYING. Like the joints get so stupidly sore that it hurts for hours and hours.

Does anyone have advice for other ways to keep tension? If I make all sorts of fancy loops with my yarn I get way too much friction, and I worry a tension ring won’t work since it’s all backwards (and honestly I don’t want to have to buy more stuff…).

Thank you!