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Touching and rubbing my face at almost all times?

Athelstan

Athelstan

Active Member
I stim by rubbing my feet together, rubbing my thumb across my fingers in a snapping motion without the snap (usually), by twitching my body muscles to an in-sync rhythm, and by moving my eyebrows and ears.

I'm wondering if it's also a stim to constantly touch and rub your (my) face at all times of the day, constantly; or if it has anything to do with my Aspergers at all. Do any of you do this? Literally, I can't stop touching and rubbing my face at almost all times.
 
I touch my face a lot when I'm trying to figure something out or I'm nervous. Generally, I find myself touching (I don't know what it is called) the little knob on my shoulder, this little bone that's there. I'm almost always rubbing it and don't notice that I'm doing it until I'm startled or until I need to use that hand for something. This is the movement I can't really stop myself from doing at the moment.

I can't really speak on what makes a stim a stim. Hopefully, someone more informed will respond.
 
Based on what I know of stimming, I'd say it probably is, or at least can be. I touch my face a lot, but it's generally part of some repetitive movement that falls clearly under stimming. I rub my lips a lot. It's almost impossible for me to leave them alone, though getting them healed (they're always super dry) helps reduce it.
 
I do that all. the. time. If i'm just at my laptop busying myself with whatever, not actually working on something, you can guarentee i'll either be picking at the skin on my lip or rubbing my face in some manner. Or i'll fidget repetitively with my hands and fingers, not so much fidgeting as a repetitive motion.
 
Athelstan said:
I can't stop touching and rubbing my face at almost all times.
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I have several facial stims, twitching my ears and eyebrows included, but I also suffer with Social Anxiety and reason that much of the touching of my face - usually I cover my mouth with my hand or hold my chin - is one of the symptoms; a subconcious act of hiding when in public.
Unfortunately NT's interpret face touching, especially in men, as insecurity or deceit.
Do you suffer with Social Anxiety? If so, can you distinguish between the separate feelings of Social and Aspie anxiety?
 
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I would say that I have social anxiety, but being an Aspie I don't like being social to begin with. I spend most of my time at home, and even then I touch and rub my face at all times.
 
Athelstan said:
I spend most of my time at home, and even then I touch and rub my face at all times.
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Hmm, I'd say you've got a stim there.. does it bother you? do you ever try not to do it, as if giving up a bad habit? How would that make you feel?
 
It makes me feel very comfortable and peaceful when I'm touching and rubbing my face. If I don't want to do it - of rather, if I try not to - it takes a lot of thinking and effort and is very uncomfortable. It doesn't personally bother me, but my my wife and mother always nag me about touching my face like I'm just a little child, and so sometimes I try not to. I also often here from people at work that I touch my face a lot. I mean, so what if I do?
 
Athelstan said:
I mean, so what if I do?
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Exactly, so what? It's a common theme with Aspies, do you try to look 'normal' despite the discomfort, or accept the comments and stares and just be yourself?
I've spent a lot of years trying to learn how to fit in and act like others, which has entailed lots of people-watching and reading up on body language and, I think, exacerbated my Social Anxiety issues.
Others here on AC seem more able to accept their differences and are less, if at all, bothered by others' opinions.
I do think though, that our families and friends should make an effort to understand our Aspieness and make allowances; after all, would they appreciate constant criticism just for being themselves?
 
Sometimes I try to fit in and worry about what others thinks, and then other times I just don't care. It all depends on the day. Very good point about taking criticism for being yourself!
 
Oh yes. I do rub my face and pick that micro hair on my cheeks not always, but pretty often. Now I am more careful with it in public. After it was pointed out to me several times with questions like if I have something wrong with my skin, now I am paying extra attention not to do so because I really don't like this kind of questions and comments (why people just don't mind their own business?). Still doing it when I'm alone though. :tonguewink:
 
I touch my face more often than most, and I also stim by twitching facial muscles on the right side, around my eye and mouth. I have a hard time separating stims from tics, sometimes, as I also have Tourette's, but I'm certain the facial touching is from my AS. It helps me think, and relaxes me.

Anybody else here perform self-tapping or -patting? I was taught this as a method to reduce fear, patting the space between my breast and shoulder. It's very comforting when I'm anxious, and has become a favourite stim. I've heard tapping is taught to children who have trouble getting injections or having blood taken at the doctor's.
 
Nadador said:
Anybody else here perform self-tapping or -patting?
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Sometimes I do some patting on my leg, usually when I am nervous or excited. I never really thought about it, but I agree, it does have calming effect. It's interesting that it is also taught to children. Maybe it makes sense to try to substitute some more disturbing stims like face touching and skin picking with this one... The hardest part would be to remember about it when the time comes, hehe.
 
I was trying to think of a time I did, then realized I was also sitting with my chin propped on my hand. So I guess I do it when I'm bored or thinking! Or at least at the computer and not typing or working.
 
Ellylldan said:
Sometimes I do some patting on my leg, usually when I am nervous or excited. I never really thought about it, but I agree, it does have calming effect. It's interesting that it is also taught to children. Maybe it makes sense to try to substitute some more disturbing stims like face touching and skin picking with this one... The hardest part would be to remember about it when the time comes, hehe.
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I am told tapping/patting works best if it's done on accupressure points, but I chose my spot based solely on how comforting it felt to me, personally. I wish I could advise on how to replace another, harmful stim with it. In my case, it was only an addition to my repertoire. It might be a similar process to replacing bad habits like smoking. Perhaps you could get some ideas for making a switch from articles on that?
 
I tap my sternum when stressed. It's an acupuncture point for stress and grief but works well enough. Also tap my forehead for no particular reason.
 
Yes, I just found these two acupressure points for stress relief. One is the sternum point that Harrison mentioned, another one is near the wrist. I believe it can be very useful.

Thank you for the idea, guys, I am definitely going to try it out! :) This kind of movement is way more discreet than face touching. My only concern is that usually I don't realise right away that I'm doing it, but I will try to pay more attention now.

If anyone interested, I will leave here the link where these two points are described, maybe someone else will find it useful as well.
Calming Stress Relief Acupressure Points | Acupressure Points
 
Remember that old Tom Hanks movie, Turner and Hooch? I think that's the one where the main character was told to rub the dog's ears to calm him down. Maybe it was a different movie, not sure, but same theme: big, crazy dog that liked having his ears rubbed to calm down. So I actually picked that up to help me calm down sometimes! I thought it might just be power of suggestion...but it works on my 3-year-old, too, lol.
 
DogwoodTree said:
Remember that old Tom Hanks movie, Turner and Hooch? I think that's the one where the main character was told to rub the dog's ears to calm him down. Maybe it was a different movie, not sure, but same theme: big, crazy dog that liked having his ears rubbed to calm down. So I actually picked that up to help me calm down sometimes! I thought it might just be power of suggestion...but it works on my 3-year-old, too, lol.
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I rub the top of my ear with thumb and forefinger to calm me when I'm stressed.:)
I also used to tap my fingers on my legs, the table top, anything handy really, but had to stop as it seemed to annoy everyone:(
 
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