Let's Talk about Stimming

[Rasputin]

Rocking in a chair at work and pacing are sort of “normal” stims (as in, they’re not uncommon among people who aren’t autistic), so I can definitely see how you wouldn’t really notice them. Do you rock or pace to self-soothe when you’re anxious, stressed, sad, or even happy or excited? That’s the biggest thing that differentiates autistic stims from non-autistic stims.

I was standing when I was rocking back and forth, and had anxiety issues.

 

[Michael Balog]

I never realized that I was stimming before joining this forum My favorite thing to do when I was younger was play with the bottom of my T-shirt, I had so many shirts that were destroyed because of me playing with them.

 

[Streetwise]

I had never heard of the term stimming before joining these forums, and initially I did not think I did this. Then recently I became aware of myself staring at a wall and rocking back and forth during a meeting with my boss at work. When this happened there was a 20 minute or so dialogue of idle chit chat between my boss and a co-worker. During this time I said nothing, did not make eye contact, and just spaced off rocking back and forth against a wall.

Then a few days earlier while deep in thought I found myself pacing back and forth, which I sometimes do when planning.

When I was rocking back and forth, I was not consciously aware at first. Is that unusual to not be aware when one is stimming?

It may be in the part of the brain where epilepsy also stems from so if an epileptic goes into a catatonic state they wouldn't feel it it probably comes from the primal brain which doesn't have many functions

 

[Aspychata]

It may be in the part of the brain where epilepsy also stems from so if an epileptic goes into a catatonic state they wouldn't feel it it probably comes from the primal brain which doesn't have many functions

Very interesting.

 

[Pats]

Same here - wasn't aware of all the different ways of stemming. In a stressful situation I wouldn't realize I was stemming, unless I caught it myself or someone pointed it out. Also, in a meeting once with co-worker and boss. We all noticed a constant, regular beep and finally figured out it was coming from me. I wasn't aware of my rocking, but was leaning forward against my phone every time I rocked forward, which beeped. My boss asked why I was rocking and I said I didn't realize I was but I guess it was because I was nervous. (Was unaware of the autism at the time). I remember my mom asking me why I was rocking, too. Other stems have been noticed by others before I would realize it, too - pressing my fingertips together is one I do a lot, or rubbing my hand repeatedly over something, or rubbing a fingernail (speed and pressure varies on amount of stress). Now when I go out I keep a fidget and will use it, which I am aware of.

 

[Rasputin]

Same here - wasn't aware of all the different ways of stemming. In a stressful situation I wouldn't realize I was stemming, unless I caught it myself or someone pointed it out. Also, in a meeting once with co-worker and boss. We all noticed a constant, regular beep and finally figured out it was coming from me. I wasn't aware of my rocking, but was leaning forward against my phone every time I rocked forward, which beeped. My boss asked why I was rocking and I said I didn't realize I was but I guess it was because I was nervous. (Was unaware of the autism at the time). I remember my mom asking me why I was rocking, too. Other stems have been noticed by others before I would realize it, too - pressing my fingertips together is one I do a lot, or rubbing my hand repeatedly over something, or rubbing a fingernail (speed and pressure varies on amount of stress). Now when I go out I keep a fidget and will use it, which I am aware of.

This is all new to me, but it explains why someone at work asked me to sit on an autism panel. I explained I wasn't autistic, but that I had close family who was. I went ahead and agreed to sit on the panel, and could relate to the experiences of others on the panel. That started.me to questioning my own status.

 

[Varzar]

I essentially do this to myself all the time..

I also had no idea what stims were before I came here. Even when I learned about stims, I thought I didn't have any, because it's a little different that the more common ones, like rocking, or twitching fingers..
Was only a couple weeks ago that I suddenly realized I do that to comfort myself..
When people have asked me before why I do it, I just said, "I dunno. It feels nice".

And incidentally, I also picked up the behaviour originally from watching that movie when I was a teenager.. So I guess it's also an example of mimicking for me..

 

[Rasputin]

I pick the skin around my nails, often to the point of drawing blood.

Rub my face

Rub and scratch my scalp

Gentle rocking from side to side when standing, back to front when sitting

Hum

Low groaning from back of throat

Talk out loud to myself - I have been pulled up about the volume

Pace

At home when I can really let loose, I wave my arms around, flap my hands and sing loudly

The things with your nails and scalp and rocking side to side I do. Until now I just thought these were bad habits.

 

[Kalinychta]

It may be in the part of the brain where epilepsy also stems from so if an epileptic goes into a catatonic state they wouldn't feel it it probably comes from the primal brain which doesn't have many functions

Epilepsy stems from different areas of the brain, and seizure experiences vary depending on the area they originate from. I have temporal lobe epilepsy, for example, and I was always fully conscious during a seizure. Stimming is actually a symptom of executive dysfunction.

 

[Aspie_With_Attitude]

This is an old video from more than 12 months ago when I discussed "Stimming" on my Autistic YouTube channel "Aspie With Attitude".

For those who don't like my video content, what I discuss is why is it so important that people who are on the autism spectrum needs to stim. Since in my YouTube channel that the fidget spinner had became like my trademark for my videos, I explain why using the fidget spinner is so important for the video contents I upload.

 

[JayK74]

I rub the little thread balls on my pillow case and in my jacket.

 

[dragonfire42]

I don't bite my nails (hate that feeling), but recently I've noticed I've started putting my fingernails in my mouth and scraping my teeth against them. I guess that's not enough pressure to cause the feeling I don't like that I get from biting. While it means I should be washing my hands a lot more and maybe carrying a little bottle of hand sanitizer with me (both so I don't spread germs and so I don't pick them up), sitting at the computer and finding my fingernail in my mouth that I hadn't realized I'd put there is better than doing the same thing with the cord for my headphones, which I've done before (and I had been lightly chewing on it, too).

Other stims... I'm rocking most of the time that I'm sitting and some of the time I'm standing. I don't usually pick at scabs or wounds, but I'll keep running a finger over any that I may have. I also do a thing with my tongue where I touch the back of each tooth or each space between teeth. And I do a thing where I'll sort of flick my wrist. I also do a fair bit of leg bouncing. When I'm excited, I flap my left hand (for some reason, most of my hand stims except the fingernail one are left hand only) and may jump a bit, and when I'm trying to communicate but am getting frustrated because I'm having trouble being understood, I make a fist with my left hand and pound the air with it. If I'm lying down or reclining, I will sometimes stick the upper part of my left arm up, tense my hand, and repeatedly lower and raise it. If I'm in a good mood and have an extra bit of energy (and nobody else is around, if they are I get too nervous to do it even if I feel like I want to), I hum a short, repetitive tune like "Up on the Housetop" or "Campton Races," or I'll repetitively "sing" something in my head. And any small object in my vicinity is apt to get fiddled with in some way. That's all I can think of right now, but there are probably others I'm forgetting and/or am not aware of. I'm almost constantly stimming in at least one way. I used to use a clothing pin to scratch myself until I'd bleed (exclusively in private, though) because I liked to watch the blood flow, but I think I've finally broken myself of that one.