Whats your unique quirk or way you do things? (Ie. Tick or stim or routine)

[scleod]

I am new to this, so sorry if my wordage is incorrect (please help me adjust my words if needed), diagnosed only 3 weeks ago...
I have a pretty severe hiccup tick that is manifested from my ASD, it is uncontrollable and I am constantly stimming to self sooth during the day. I recently had a coworker tell me that her client (I am a hairdressor) was gagging because of my hiccups and she referred to it as "embarrassing". She just kept repeating all day how "embarrassing it is". Does anyone else have ticks or stims they would like to share?

I also have tons of ritual routines to many to list... lol

I sway, whistle, hum, sing, tap my feet pace, slap my legs bounce my knees and basically never stop moving. On top of the hiccups I clear my throat allot

 

[UFO]

I don't have many. I actually doubt if I am even ASD instead just some social (pragmatic) communication disorder -case. But I do have stims and one very obvious ritual (in addition on less eye caching and less inflexible ones).

Stims and ticks: Not much anything of my own (thought, I do talk myself usually when doing something physical, mostly grunts like the usual cursing words but also random things like "two", "eight", "caterpillar"), I more like mimic other people's behavior. For example, I used to have a nervous twitch at my face, which was exactly same that my co-worker had years ago. Then I switched that to tapping of my ear. I don't know where that behavior came from. I have also realized lately that I have also "T-Rex arm" (when I have done something with my left hand, and released a grip from some object, my arm is lifted against my chest for a moment and the hand itself hangs relaxed downwards) - that I consider again as mimicking behavior, as my home building's janitor has that same arm because of nerve damage he received when he was child.

My rituals are few and less obvious, only eccentric: Every evening I just have to have a movie night with popcorn and Pepsi Cola. It is more like relaxing procedure after a long day rather than something I *must* do in compulsive obsession manner. Goes pretty close to obsession thought, as I have skipped a hard question in an university exam because I wanted to go home and have my movie moment instead thinking a question that I might not be able to answer. I also want to gain certain amount of steps to my step calculator every day, so I pace around my home to gain last steps before going to bed.

But then there is that very strict and obsessive kind of ritual... I do it only when I have had a stressful and bad day or week (my need for safe routine and stability goes overdrive): I flush bad experiences out from my brain with alcohol. This one has several rules:
1) I drink only two brands of mild liquor.
2) I drink them same time: one glass from one bottle, then one glass from other bottle.
3) Levels of liquor must remain same in both bottles. If after drinks one and two the levels differ, my evening is just starting to get less satisfying.
4) I hold the glass in certain position in my hand, so I can always drink from the same side of the glass.
5) I take only even number of drinks, preferably 4 drinks total (enough to relax, not enough to get hangover), odd number only if I need to satisfy requirement number 3 before I finish my drinking ritual.

 

[scleod]

I very much enjoyed reading your response. What happens if you dont follow the rituals?

I have pretty severe echolalia. So bad I will random shout out a word, phrase, sound, or noise hours after it was heard. People oftwn think I am being funny. I am very glad I dont get embarrassed easily.

I am a pretty big ritual person too. I brush my teeth the same way every day. I have to brush them beforw bed if I dont it feels like they have sprouted and my teeth are covered in fur (and I know its not true). Take my pills the same way. Get in my car, buckling up etc all the same along with parking the same each time. And i pull in and out of a parking spot 3 times. The other weird thing is socks. Textures of socks, sometimes I bring extras with me because halfway through the day my socks will bother me. I have masked for so long people never saw any of this they always thought I was being silly or funny or annoying.

 

[UFO]

What happens if you dont follow the rituals?

Not much, thank god.

I don't get meltdowns. But when I was child I either had normal childhood tantrums, or mild meltdowns. I don't know which one because that was decades ago before child psychiatry even knew about autism. But I was sent twice to child psychiatric evaluation because of my problem behavior, so there might have been early signs of something.

Now I get only shutdowns, and even they are relatively rare (mostly because of me not leaving situations in time).

If I can't get my moment of peace or ritual, I can postpone them to an another day. Effects of not doing them, is that things feel "wrong", like my life has gone on some kind of side track. I remain stressed, agitated and tired, but I will be able to recover if I get at least something to compensate, or (at minimum) if things stop piling up.

I am neurotypical in that sense. Which is one of many reasons why I avoid self-diagnosing myself as an autistic: There are still so many alternative diagnosis available, and everything outside issues with social interaction, and situational awareness with people, are mild symptoms when I compare my experiences to other people's experiences in this forum or Quora. But I am pretty sure that I do have something to diagnose

Those ticks or stims I mentioned above, are mostly voluntary. I can choose not to do them, and I wouldn't call it uncomfortable to not do them (doing them is not particularly comforting either, but I'd still rather do them - so go figure, I don't know why I do them). They sometimes come up without me noticing them (including that tapping of my ear when I get nervous). But when I do notice them, I can control them. Also, I have never blurted random words loud when I have known that someone has been hearing , which would have been more embarrassing than tapping my ears with a finger while explaining something to someone.

I have pretty severe echolalia. So bad I will random shout out a word, phrase, sound, or noise hours after it was heard. People oftwn think I am being funny. I am very glad I dont get embarrassed easily.

thought I was being silly or funny or annoying.

That is a good attitude. I mean that you don't get embarrassed, and that people only consider you as silly or funny. Annyoying is something that NTs have to cope with other people anyways, so even that is not too bad as long as they are civil people in general.

 

[scleod]

Not much, thank god.

I don't get meltdowns. But when I was child I either had normal childhood tantrums, or mild meltdowns. I don't know which one because that was decades ago before child psychiatry even knew about autism. But I was sent twice to child psychiatric evaluation because of my problem behavior, so there might have been early signs of something.

Now I get only shutdowns, and even they are rare. If I can't get my moment of peace or ritual, I can postpone them to an another day. Effects of not doing them, is that things feel "wrong", like my life has gone on some kind of side track. I remain stressed, agitated and tired, but I will be able to recover if I get at least something to compensate, or (at minimum) if things stop piling up.

I am neurotypical in that sense. Which is one of many reasons why I avoid self-diagnosing myself as an autistic: There are still so many alternative diagnosis available, and everything outside issues with social interaction, and situational awareness with people, are mild symptoms when I compare my experiences to other people's experiences in this forum or Quora. But I am pretty sure that I do have something to diagnose

Those ticks or stims I mentioned above, are mostly voluntary. I can choose not to do them, and I wouldn't call it uncomfortable to not do them (not comforting either, and I'd rather do them - so go figure, I don't know why I do them). They sometimes come up without me noticing them (including that tapping of my ear when I get nervous). But when I do notice them, I can control them. Also, I have never blurted random words loud when I have known that someone has been hearing , which would have been more embarrassing than tapping my ears with a finger while explaining something to someone.




That is a good attitude. I mean that you don't get embarrassed, and that people only consider you as silly or funny. Annyoying is something that NTs have to cope with other people anyways, so even that is not too bad as long as they are civil people in general.

Hrmm, that is all very interesting. I love the share!

Usually when we do something that is not an uncontrollable thing (as in a tick) it comes from more of a biological stand point. Lots of people I know who tuck their hair behind their ears all the time will say "I dont know why I do it, it doesnt really comfort me but I mimic others and I just do it all the time" and I always ask "did your mom or dad tuck your hair?" They generally say yes. I actually have never had someone say no when I ask. Same with ears. I have a weird thing with ears (so does my whole family) but my dad growing up used to squeeze our ears when he walked by. And I didnt know that I rub my ear till my dad passed away and it was brought up at his funeral. My point is, things are learned unless they are involuntary. They are learned out of a need to feel safe and comforted with out even realizing.


Yes I always look at myself in a light way. I am confident in who I am and dont get embarrassed. If i did. I probably wouldn't leave the house cause of all the things that happen to me. If I can make someone laugh or put a smile on someones face from one of my little silly ecolalia noises then thats a good day

 

[scleod]

I used to be really bad when I was a kid and bang my head against the wall. As an adult I still struggle with that when my routine is thrown off.

I am amazed I wasnt diagnosed sooner. Bit maybe its because I was a star athlete in all sports, straight A student, seemed like I had tons of close friendships, was very gifted in art and music etc.

My mom would be 60 seconds late to pick me up from Hockey practice when I was 8 and I would think she was never going to come get me and I would die at the rink. Or be so upset because my routine was thrown off that my stomache would be in knots and I would be sick the next day. And that was normal in my family.

 

[Chailatte_]

First of all, I'd like to say that people should have more tact and avoid making others feel strange; there are ways to point out things without diminishing someone else's being.

Secondly, my stims are more internal than external (maybe because when I was little my mother kept telling me I was weird, so I internalized many of them).

At home in the evening, I sing (badly, very badly), I dance (badly, very badly), but I don't care, I do it because I love music and the sensations it transmits inside me, as if I could release my burdens and become part of the melody; I feel it within every fiber of my body and it's wonderful.

Sometimes I make strange noises (randomly) while cooking or doing something else, in the middle of silence; my partner usually does them too, and I find it a nice moment; he has never allowed himself to humiliate or denigrate me for this.

In the car, I often sing terribly with my best friend and her brother (both ADHD); usually, we listen to "TU MI RUBI L’ANIMA" by Collage; I think we all feel the music deeply, which brings us together a bit; it's a nice moment because nobody judges anyone.

Oh, and then I listen to the same playlist when I leave home, in the same order; I re-listen to the songs.

As for the rest, my thought is like a "matrioska" (do I think inside the thought? I don't know how to explain it) (schematic), and I imagine it with various lines/arrows starting from an initial point and then forming various connections; that's why I'm slow to respond/make decisions because I like to ponder and analyze every option at my own pace.

 

[scleod]

Wow. This was my exact hope by starting this question by getting all these responses. Love it!

Music is truly one this that everyone can actially feel whether you are deaf, blind, NT, ND, ADHD, etc everyone can feel music in their own way.

I am thankful for my Husband/partner. He does not judge me or me odd ticks and noises. He accepts me just as I am. And if I think he isnt, i am miss reading something (because I dont understand tones).

I will get a song stuck in my head and play it on repeat the whole way to work and often for weeks. It goes as far as having to play it on my piano and sing. Then play it on my guitar and sing. And each of my 5 different guitars one after another. It can be wuite taxing to the point that I hate the song in the end.sometimes.