What are your stims/what do you do as stimming?

[autism-and-autotune]

Hmm, that for the interesting insights (as always) - does mumbling/talking to yourself count?

I know in my case, I talk to myself. In times where I cannot, or I'm really too angry or overwhelmed I visualize myself yelling at my parents in my head.

 

[autism-and-autotune]

Pacing,

I cannot sit still when talking on the phone; I have always felt the need to walk and fidget. Nowadays talking on the phone is worse because I stammer and am generally uncomfortable.

 

[cosmicfox]

I do a lot of stimming, it's hard to catch me not stimming!
- hand fidgeting
- lip biting
- playing with or scratching hair
- hand flapping (mostly when im frustrated)
- clenching my fists and shaking them (mostly when I'm excited)
- rocking from side to side
- leg bouncing
- blinking hard
- rubbing my legs together when I lay down (cricket legs )
- bouncing on my toes (this one I rarely do though)
- vocal stimming: repeating words or making noises that feel nice

Probably some more I can't think of at the moment. I also have a few stim toys I carry with me in a bag wherever I go, so I'm usually fidgeting with those too.

 

[tazz]

Snapping fingers. So much so that I have painful joints and it can be painful picking things up. I find it interesting that I didn't connect the two... I went to the doctor about painful joints and had some x-rays and tests but they couldn't find a cause. They never asked me about repetitive behaviour. During the autism diagnosis we identified a few stims including this one. And now it seems obvious that the painful joints have been caused by the repetitive finger snapping.

I also bang my hand on things like the arm of a chair when I'm anxious, it can cause some bruising.

I scratch my hand when I'm very anxious. I have a permanent scar, albeit a faint one.

I tap my teeth together. Not sure why. Perhaps when I'm concentrating.

And I pace backwards and forwards sometimes for hours, while I organise my thoughts or prepare for social interaction.

 

[CrystalStars]

Rocking is my main one. You'll see me rocking at my desk all day long.

I'll do a weird curling thing with my fingers. Mostly when I'm moving from room to room in my office.

Not sure if this is a stim. But sometimes I mouth words. Mostly "Hello". I don't know why I do this.

I bite my lips a lot, sometimes to a point that they blister. Though, I was told people with anxiety do this, too.

If I have a necklace on me with a pendant or something, I like to twirl the pendant around and around.

 

[ヤス三ン]

I just had a full on stimming episode which wasn't bad just interesting, I was singing (La La...) a made up tune repeatedly and then moving/ dancing with my legs kicking, it felt like I was a on a motor or like a wind upt toy that cannot stop. I don't know what caused it, if I am over tired (I was getting ready for bed), I am I feeling content or happy...?

I am self diagnosed about 1 1/2 years ago I don't usually have stimming episodes like that (that I am aware of, expect the other day after when I was singing (Tra la la) what cane to my head (something like a mix of a Totoro and moomins tune) around the house for a while. I don't think that I am an obvious stimmer.

 

[memoryofayellowrose]

I always bounce down the stairs, it has been my habit.

 

[tripleU]

My mouse has an infinite scrolling feature, I turn it on and play with it.

 

[Eric B]

Tapping or flipping a stick or pen to a rhythm (something actually playing or just in my head), or at least just holding it. On my 18th birthday, I decided to adopt that to replace this vigorous fidgeting I did with my fingers, and caught flack for my whole life and had to hide. It seemed like a “baby” thing, so I figured I really needed to stop then, even if alone.