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Hitting Head and Aspergers

HelloDizzy

Bed-Cookie
V.I.P Member
I wasn't totally positive about where to post this.

In my neurological report when I was diagnosed with Aspergers, it says "...stress-induced incidents of head-banging against the wall." First of all, I don't hit my head on the wall very often, I punch myself, but like most doctors, this one heard what he wanted to hear.
It seems common among people with Autism... at least, I've heard of it more in the "stereotyped" Autism (I'm thinking this is where the helmet jokes came from.) But is it common in all Autistic-Spectrum types?

I stopped doing it for a while...several months at least. It happened yesterday and today, unfortunately, due to extreme family stresses which are causing me the worst panic attacks I've ever had (I keep thinking it's a heart attack.) And I really don't want to keep doing this; I'm pretty sure I have brain damage.

Dizzy
 
I don't do it, although at times in my life I have done other self destructive things. Are you on meds? It sounds like you need something for anxiety
 
I would rarely bang my head against a wall or harm myself in any way, unless I am extremely annoyed or depressed which is rare too.
 
Well I don't bang my head but I do slap or hit my head with my hands over and over but only when I have gotten to the point where I am so frustrated and upset that I can't take it anymore. Its not one of my big stims but it does happen. Hey Dizzy is there something else you can do when you get that stressed? Like do you notice the triggers of when you are about to head bang and then do a different less hurtful stim? I know that's what I try to do. I try to notice the triggers for the more worse ones and try to head them off by doing others.
 
Over a year ago in a extremly stressful situation I ended up doing so... in front of my parents... (but I should add, they were the cause as well). but I rarely do so... maybe I'm not stressed out enough, or maybe I'll resort to other means if the situation calls for it most of the time.
 
I have Aspergers and this is a common occurance for me if I become overwhelmed. The fact that I don't want to do it is irrelevant!

Self harm via eating or injury are the only things I truly control...
 
I don't do it often, but it's when I have so much stress built up I'm seriously losing my mind. I end up punching myself in the head and face.
I'm on Klonopin for anxiety.

I can't exactly "avoid triggers." My entire life is a trigger. I can't avoid my home life, can't avoid that my dad is on drugs, can't avoid that I'm about to be cut off from financial security due to my dad being impossible to deal with, can't avoid the people I live with having their own emotional issues. Right now it's all piled up into a big disgusting feeling that's causing significant health problems.
 
In addition to occasionally banging my head on a wall I used to have frequent incidents of severely hitting myself on the head with my fists. It would be a series of punches delivered rapidly to my forehead with both fists. Sometimes to the point where I almost black out. I have been known to hit my hands with hammers and other tools sometimes. Since I discovered Aspergers a few years ago and since I stopped trying to work and keep a job I don't have the frustration triggers I once had.
 
Yep, I hit my head too. Apparently when I was little would throw tantrums where I would get down on the floor and smash my head against the ground over and over. I did this untill I did it on cement which detered me from doing it again.

When I'm really stressed out I will hit myself in the head, sometimes really hard. I try not to and will sometimes have arguments with myself and tell myself to stop. I do a bit of head banging against walls, but the worst of it is with my palms. I try to mitagate my use of force or find something soft to hit myself with, but I don't always have such controll.
 
I wasn't totally positive about where to post this.

In my neurological report when I was diagnosed with Aspergers, it says "...stress-induced incidents of head-banging against the wall." First of all, I don't hit my head on the wall very often, I punch myself, but like most doctors, this one heard what he wanted to hear.
It seems common among people with Autism... at least, I've heard of it more in the "stereotyped" Autism (I'm thinking this is where the helmet jokes came from.) But is it common in all Autistic-Spectrum types?

I stopped doing it for a while...several months at least. It happened yesterday and today, unfortunately, due to extreme family stresses which are causing me the worst panic attacks I've ever had (I keep thinking it's a heart attack.) And I really don't want to keep doing this; I'm pretty sure I have brain damage.

Dizzy

I do it too. Not so much of the banging of my head against the wall (used to bang my head on a hard floor as a child), but now even more-so I will slap the back of my head and then punch it repeatedly. After that, I typically scratch my head due to the nerves and/or dig at my scalp. (Just happened a few minutes ago here while I am still at work. Luckily nobody is around). Aside that, I try so hard not to do it. I'm on anxiety meds but it doesn't help. Even recently, I was told that the medication I was using for anxiety is mainly just used for depression. I can relate to most of your thread and replies. I notice alot of the same similarities in myself. I hate hearing about your dad. My mom was on drugs when she was pregnant with me and my brother. I got the worst end of it, but he himself became an addict and it has been hell to say the least dealing with him. I also hit walls if I get aggravated enough.
 

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