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Drawing as an alternative to Stimming?

SliverOfSand

Well-Known Member
I have drawn all of my life, and I do so constantly. Wherever I go, I always makes sure I have a sketchbook and pens. When I get overwhelmed in crowded public places or by group conversations, I pull out my sketchbook and draw. It takes my mind off of things, and calms me down. I have been told by a few people that it’s rude to draw in front of a group, but the alternative is that I start daydreaming, picking at my lips and nails, and clasping/moving my hands constantly.

So that got me thinking if I actually use drawing as an alternate form of ‘stimming’ which seems more acceptable than hand motions or picking lips.

Does anyone else find they use a more “accepted” activity as a distraction to stimming, like drawing or playing a game?
 
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I've always thought of stimming as a specific form of behavior.

Drawing as such I see as an avocation. A hobby or minor occupation. Similar perhaps to stimming in that such pursuits are likely to relax and/or comfort those who enjoy doing them.

My stim is to sway back and forth, or pace. Though pursuits I enjoy include plastic modeling and digital photography. When I was a child, I too enjoyed drawing very much. My "Etch-A-Sketch" too, until personal computers came along. :cool:
 
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I've always thought of stimming as a specific form of behavior.

Drawing as such I see as an avocation. A hobby or minor occupation. Similar perhaps to stimming in that such pursuits are likely to relax those who enjoy doing them.

That’s a good way of putting it! I know it’s not exactly ‘stimming’, but it sort of distracts me from doing other stims, and I can’t explain it very well... but your response is exactly what I meant.
 
I stim doddles and oodles of circles. I have drawn cartoons during a dark time in my life.
 
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I stim doddles and oodles of circles. I have drawn cartoon during a dark time in my life.

Doodles and circles- yeah, I'd say that's closer to a form of stimming. Where it may be more about the physical sensation of drawing circles than their creation.

Might be interesting to hear if a lot of autistic artists do such things with pens and pencils. Not about what is created, but simply how one uses them as a physical stimulant of sorts. Reminds me of how for years I used to "twirl" a pen between my two fingers, back and forth really fast. Used to annoy people around me. :oops:
 
I have drawn all of my life, and I do so constantly. Wherever I go, I always makes sure I have a sketchbook and pens. When I get overwhelmed in crowded public places or by group conversations, I pull out my sketchbook and draw. It takes my mind off of things, and calms me down. I have been told by a few people that it’s rude to draw in front of a group, but the alternative is that I start daydreaming, picking at my lips and nails, and clasping/moving my hands constantly.

So that got me thinking if I actually use drawing as an alternate form of ‘stimming’ which seems more acceptable than hand motions or picking lips.

Does anyone else find they use a more “accepted” activity as a distraction to stimming, like drawing or playing a game?

Stimming is something everyone does to deal with boredom or anxiety. Those who don't care what other people think often choose socially unacceptable ways to stim such as rocking, flapping their hands, or pacing. Those who care what other people think about them will find socially acceptable ways to stim such as clicking a pen, tapping a foot, or cracking their knuckles. Those who have more anxiety will stim more often. That's true for everyone, regardless of whether or not they are autistic. What Is Stimming and How Can It Be Managed?

Drawing normally isn't considered stimming but in your case it may be. If it's a problem, the best way to avoid it is to reduce your anxiety.
 
When I used to get anxiety in class or study hall because there were too many people in the room being rowdy, I would literally draw to escape it. I could keep my head down, and literally zone out into the drawing. The only time I received compliments was when I was drawing something. Doodling in class was such a problem for me, and I got in trouble a lot for it. If nothing else, it just distracted me from how uncomfortable I was.
 
Doodling in class was such a problem for me, and I got in trouble a lot for it.

Me too. I still remember in the 6th grade when my teacher saw what I was doing and had me have my parents signing it after she wrote on it, "a sample of my work". :oops:

What can I say, I hated math classes all the way through college.
 
When I used to get anxiety in class or study hall because there were too many people in the room being rowdy, I would literally draw to escape it. I could keep my head down, and literally zone out into the drawing. The only time I received compliments was when I was drawing something. Doodling in class was such a problem for me, and I got in trouble a lot for it. If nothing else, it just distracted me from how uncomfortable I was.

I use drawing in the same way. It takes my mind off of my anxiety and even helps a bit if I’m having sensory overload. For the two years I was in public school, the only reason people talked to me was because of my drawings. I only ever got in trouble for it a couple of times, since I could hide it pretty well. ;)
 

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