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What are your stims?

Droopy

Droopy

Founder & Former Admin
V.I.P Member
Most people on the Autism spectrum do some sort of stimming. Stimming is a repetitive movement of the body to self-stimulate. Stims can include rocking, flapping of arms/hands, swaying from side to side and more.

Some ways which I would stim include swaying when I'm happy, rocking backwards and forwards when i'm in distress and if i'm bored i'll start druming with my hands.

What are yours?
 
I'm always counting hence my username. I tap out repetitive sequences of numbers and geometrical patterns with my finger tips on surfaces or on the side of my legs. Sometimes I tap out the sequences with my teeth. These stims tend to happen most if my mind isn't occupied or if I'm under some stress - I often tap out and count when talking to people I don't know. Normally this is very discrete so nobody notices.

When I was very young (at infant school) I used to flap my arms up and down a lot. The other kids used to make fun of me and I used to say I was just playing a being a bird and flapping my wings. One day I discovered geometric shapes and counting and subtle tapping and this replaced all the big arm flapping movements.
 
- I do these annoying noises out of nowhere.
- I hand flap out of excitement (which I find most embarrassing).
- I used to rock up and down.
- I spin my computer chair out of boredom.

Yea, that pretty much sums it for me.
 
Calvert said:
I actually used to do that in school during ICT classes.
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Same here, that's what was pretty funny about it, but I would always be the one getting in trouble for not keeping still though, lol xD.

I always enjoyed doing that when I was kid, worst part was getting dizzy though to the point where I would be close to vomitting. (I think that's abit too much detail, but yea).
 
I am the stim master
I do it because 1. it relieves tension like in uncomfortable situations, 2. it keeps me entertained/occupied, 3. it just feels good, 4. it makes conversations flow better if I'm doing summat at the same time.

When I'm on my own I make crazy noises, like "nyaaaa!" or saying stuff in stupid voices, I even do it when I'm on the bus stop.
I break/rip everything that is rip-able. I just tear things to shreds and maybe line them up.
I fiddle with everything and like to feel things, one thing I do is rub my fingers along the keyboard, I'm quite tactile.
I chew on stuff, I'm like a little kid I've always got summat in my mouth in lessons at college, usually my pen. I also bite the skin around my nails.
I like smelling stuff. In candle shops I sniff EVERYTHING that is scented
The usual hair twirling, foot bouncing, nail-biting that most people do anyway.
Sometimes pacing
Sometimes when I'm standing talking or waiting for something I might shuffle foot to foot or move side to side a bit, but not really obviously though (I don't think :wtf:)
 
PanPaniscus said:
I am the stim master
I do it because 1. it relieves tension like in uncomfortable situations, 2. it keeps me entertained/occupied, 3. it just feels good, 4. it makes conversations flow better if I'm doing summat at the same time.

When I'm on my own I make crazy noises, like "nyaaaa!" or saying stuff in stupid voices, I even do it when I'm on the bus stop.
I break/rip everything that is rip-able. I just tear things to shreds and maybe line them up.
I fiddle with everything and like to feel things, one thing I do is rub my fingers along the keyboard, I'm quite tactile.
I chew on stuff, I'm like a little kid I've always got summat in my mouth in lessons at college, usually my pen. I also bite the skin around my nails.
I like smelling stuff. In candle shops I sniff EVERYTHING that is scented
The usual hair twirling, foot bouncing, nail-biting that most people do anyway.
Sometimes pacing
Sometimes when I'm standing talking or waiting for something I might shuffle foot to foot or move side to side a bit, but not really obviously though (I don't think :wtf:)
Click to expand...

- Oh yes, thats what I used to do with candles and alot of scented magazines, which was pretty funny of me.
- I make random noises as I mentioned above.
- Yet I cant keep my mouth to myself at times, anything that looks chewy, I'd probably try chew it (but not eat it of course, its just my main distraction).

Everything else doesn't seem to be much of a problem. :)
 
The noise thing is considered a stim? o_O; I guess I have one then, but it is controllable.

Whatever stims I use to do before, I was forced to stop doing them. Meaning those "habits" were broken.

So I guess the only ones I have left is the noise one, the pen pushing one, pulling my pony tail, smoothing back my hair, and bitting my nails. I think I have more but meh. I don't think bitting my nails is a stim, I think it is a nervous habit. ^_^; Just like the smoothing back my hair and pulling my pony tail. :mask:
 
superboyian said:
- Oh yes, thats what I used to do with candles and alot of scented magazines, which was pretty funny of me.
- I make random noises as I mentioned above.
- Yet I cant keep my mouth to myself at times, anything that looks chewy, I'd probably try chew it (but not eat it of course, its just my main distraction).

Everything else doesn't seem to be much of a problem. :)
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I love them "yankee candles" you get at garden centres and gift shops. There's a shop near where I live with nothing but that brand of candle.
With the smelling, do you ever sniff your hands or other random things? Like continually.
 
PanPaniscus said:
I love them "yankee candles" you get at garden centres and gift shops. There's a shop near where I live with nothing but that brand of candle.
With the smelling, do you ever sniff your hands or other random things? Like continually.
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Normally after I wash my hands, depending on which soap product, then I would continuously for about 5 minutes. ;)
 
PanPaniscus said:
When I'm on my own I make crazy noises, like "nyaaaa!" or saying stuff in stupid voices, I even do it when I'm on the bus stop.
I chew on stuff, I'm like a little kid I've always got summat in my mouth in lessons at college, usually my pen. I also bite the skin around my nails.
The usual hair twirling, foot bouncing, nail-biting that most people do anyway.
Click to expand...

I make lots of crazy noises myself, it's a trend with my NT friends too. I also would chew on a pen or pencil in school. Sometimes i'd tap my feet or twiddle with my hair/pull some of it out.

superboyian said:
Normally after I wash my hands, depending on which soap product, then I would continuously for about 5 minutes. ;)
Click to expand...
lol Smell of soap = win.
 
- pacing back and forth while walking on my tip-toes
- hitting/tapping my shoulder with my left hand
- making random gestures with my hand such as pointing, fists, V for Victory, etc.
- hitting the wall with my hands
- drawing shapes on the surfaces of tables/counters with my finger

Sometimes I do multiple things at once. I do many of them only at night when I'm positive everyone else is asleep, because I feel embarrassed when I get caught.
 
I do a lot of these things:

Tapping
Making stupid noises/voices (never in public, not on purpose anyway!)
Whisling (I do it all the time. I get told off by teachers because I don't notice I'm doing it)
Tapping (also drives people nuts)
Spinning on the computer chair

I also walk or cycle to stimulate myself. If I've got to do some hard thinging, I'll go for a walk.
 
I don't know if these are stims but I have this annoying habit of pacing back and forth in between short periods of sitting, this makes concentration very difficult for me.

I have other habits that include taking a string or toy out and jittering it around for my cats to play, clapping my hands to a certain rhythm of a beat, wiggling my fingers around.....I do a lot of that, tapping or shaking my legs, and I'm sure there are others that I do without thinking. It's like I have to be in constant motion especially when I'm in a position of having to be still.
 
MissConstrue said:
I don't know if these are stims but I have this annoying habit of pacing back and forth in between short periods of sitting, this makes concentration very difficult for me.

I have other habits that include taking a string or toy out and jittering it around for my cats to play, clapping my hands to a certain rhythm of a beat, wiggling my fingers around.....I do a lot of that, tapping or shaking my legs, and I'm sure there are others that I do without thinking. It's like I have to be in constant motion especially when I'm in a position of having to be still.
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It sounds as if you are pretty musical, I might be wrong but are you? :D
 
Apparently, I used to stim a lot when I was younger. I tend to suppress it nowadays. I suppose I'm more self conscious than I was when I was 5.
 
Music and typing are my stims. I'm constantly posting in threads, while my music is playing, in the background.
 
My stims include:
- Air drumming
- Air piano
- Running my hands through the carpet (I do that one when nobody's around)
- Touching or rubbing my face and neck (I do this when stressed)
- Pacing (I pace when stressed or on the phone)
And a couple more that I can't think of right now.
 
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