what is your stim?

[I am Matt]

The original 3DS XL has a certain texture to it that feels so smooth to me. I don't own that particular 3DS, but my friend wanted me to try an hour of her game and after I was done, the whole time we were talking afterwards I kept rubbing her 3DS. Anytime she shows me anything on her 3DS she knows I am going to rub it.

If I am standing in a line at the store, etc, or I am doing a presentation I want to keep my hands in my pocket because once they come out of the pocket, I can't stop rubbing my hands together and stretching my fingers.

 

[shinkansen]

Play with my massive beard. All....day...long.

 

[Linika Par]

I can't wait till menopause so I can grow a beard and play with it!
For now I play with my hair and I rock. Then I have a sequence I do with my hands when I am uncomfortable, it is hard to explain,it has to be done a certain way and it has to be equal!
I think the worst one is that I "redo" old conversations in my head or practise ones I know are coming, while I do this I do all the lip movements, facial expressions and gestures to help it along. People look at me very strangely when they catch me doing this

 

[zurb]

Been trying to stop our son flicking (and bending) the corners of books for years, but......
At work I've developed two new hyperfigimeeps.
Firstly, our phones have a super long curly cord which just loves finding its way into my fingers to be squeezed and twisted. Absolutely wonderful feeling.
The other is, after I've written on my postit note pad, I find myself sitting there flicking the sheets..... just like my son!
As for beards, there's a reason I keep it short

 

[Butterfly88]

I have multiple. Flapping my hands, using stress toys, bopping in my chair.

 

[Linika Par]

Wow, I thought I was the only one that does conversations like that. That must definitely be an Aspie thing. I do it at home all the time, but haven't done it at work . . . that I'm aware of. I didn't think about it at first, but that IS a stim. In fact, I do that probably more than rocking or grinding my teeth.

I am so happy that I am not the only one! I work washing clothes in a basement, so I am alone most time with my thoughts and laundry, I end up doing it without thinking, and then suddenly a collegue is at the door :O
It really helps me calm down, sometimes it makes things worse if I over analyze a conversation, but I have a lovely mother who i can relay the conversation to then and she will help decode and reassure me

 

[Astroganga]

I am so happy that I am not the only one! I work washing clothes in a basement, so I am alone most time with my thoughts and laundry, I end up doing it without thinking, and then suddenly a collegue is at the door :O
It really helps me calm down, sometimes it makes things worse if I over analyze a conversation, but I have a lovely mother who i can relay the conversation to then and she will help decode and reassure me

I'm another one who does this. Not as much as I used to. I got seen doing it on the way home from school a few times, cue much mocking from others.

Talking of laundry is it true Danish men have really worn out socks despite otherwise being really smart? I read that on a blog and wondered how true it is.

 

[Linika Par]

Six Flags could have a fantastic roller coaster designed off how our brains work and call it, "The Aspie Mind."

That sounds amazing!

Talking of laundry is it true Danish men have really worn out socks despite otherwise being really smart? I read that on a blog and wondered how true it is.

It is actually not that far from the truth but I must say, I know both women and men with very worn out socks, who otherwise dress really nicely My boyfriend wears suits when he goes out, but underneath his underwear is almost worn out, the elastic won't even hold! I guess he is only fancy on the outside

 

[Astroganga]

Thanks for answering. Sounds like men, and some women from Northern England then maybe it is a trait from viking times? Haha

 

[watersprite]

Still doing the teeth click stim, and glad that I successfully got it away from grinding because that was breaking my teeth. Also play with an excellent little loop of fine chain, actually 2 of them, that I keep in my pocket most of the time. Also pace when I have to be on the phone.

 

[Kopfe]

what is a stim

 

[zurb]

what is a stim

It's short for 'self stimulating', but that seems to be a bit of a misnomer, which is why we have the thread about alternative names for it.
It is generally a sub-conscious repetitive action done in response to either happiness or stress (or other emotions?).
Classic stim for autists is flapping when excited. But there are hundreds of other options. Scroll back and you will see I posted a link to a huge list of them.
Most people aren't aware they stim until they are made aware of it. After that we tend to be a little more conscious of it.

 

[Adora]

I rub my hands and knuckles when I get stressed or over stimulated,I pace up and down, I do play with my hair a lot since its a passed my shoulders and my teeth grinding is mostly at night.

 

[Astroganga]

I rub my hands and knuckles when I get stressed or over stimulated,I pace up and down, I do play with my hair a lot since its a passed my shoulders and my teeth grinding is mostly at night.

I have bad teeth grinding issues at night but dentists here don't seem to take it seriously. In my case it causes no long term damage but does make my teeth slightly loose in the morning, and they stabilise by the evening.

 

[Tom]

Increasingly my favorite, I normally only do when taking a nap or going to bed. Its flexing my hands in various exaggerated motions. Its very relaxing for some reason and gives me something to help drain my mind of thoughts. I also will rock a few times but just like 2 or three. I don't like to disturb the other 1-5 ladies (1 wife & four small dogs) that share the bed, and also the effort required to sustain it is too much and counter to what I am trying to do (nap/sleep)