NicoleG
Phoenix
Joined: Dec 26, 2011
Age: 36
Posts: 661
Location: Dallas-Fort Worth
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 Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 10:05 am Post subject: |
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| There's also mental, visual, auditory, and other sensory stims. Mental is where you think about things over and over again and get a little mental "high" off it, like I have a habit of re-reading emails and forum posts over and over again trying to "feel" them in different ways, and a parent posted how her son likes to constantly repeat mathematical calculations out loud. Visual stims are where you are looking at things and finding patterns in things, but more in an obsessive-compulsive way versus consciously trying to focus attention in order to find a pattern. This is why puzzles and games of all sorts are a form of stimming for me. I still remember being on a train with a boyfriend, and this was about 10-11 years ago now, and we were quiet at the moment when I started staring at the ceiling fans and realized that one of them was a different type because it had 4 fan blades instead of 5. (If they weren't different, I would have picked one to focus on and watched the spinning blades.) I commented about it out loud, which my boyfriend didn't care, but the guy one seat up heard me, checked for himself, and then turned around and told me that I was really observant. I thanked him for them compliment, but noticing patterns (or inconsistency in patterns, as the case may be) was something I do all the time, so I didn't think of it as being "really observant," something which actually always confused me growing up that other people didn't notice these kinds of things. I know now that it wasn't a matter of being really observant as much as it was a matter of me visually stimming, because our conversation had died and I was bored and I needed something to stimulate me. At work I tend to chew on paperclips or the ends of pens and pencils or I'll twirl a rubber band around my fingers constantly. I can't twirl a rubber band when I'm typing or writing, so when I'm doing those things (i.e. work-related things), then they keep me and my mind occupied enough that I don't need to stim, but there are times when I need to take a moment, look out the window and just not work, and that's typically when I realize my leg or foot has started up bouncing or I've grabbed a rubber band again without thinking. I just have to watch myself and make sure I get back to work or else I might do that for a couple hours straight and not get any work done. |
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Senath
Deinonychus
Joined: May 17, 2012
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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| NicoleG wrote: | | There's also mental, visual, auditory, and other sensory stims. Mental is where you think about things over and over again and get a little mental "high" off it, like I have a habit of re-reading emails and forum posts over and over again trying to "feel" them in different ways, and a parent posted how her son likes to constantly repeat mathematical calculations out loud. Visual stims are where you are looking at things and finding patterns in things, but more in an obsessive-compulsive way versus consciously trying to focus attention in order to find a pattern. This is why puzzles and games of all sorts are a form of stimming for me. I still remember being on a train with a boyfriend, and this was about 10-11 years ago now, and we were quiet at the moment when I started staring at the ceiling fans and realized that one of them was a different type because it had 4 fan blades instead of 5. (If they weren't different, I would have picked one to focus on and watched the spinning blades.) I commented about it out loud, which my boyfriend didn't care, but the guy one seat up heard me, checked for himself, and then turned around and told me that I was really observant. I thanked him for them compliment, but noticing patterns (or inconsistency in patterns, as the case may be) was something I do all the time, so I didn't think of it as being "really observant," something which actually always confused me growing up that other people didn't notice these kinds of things. I know now that it wasn't a matter of being really observant as much as it was a matter of me visually stimming, because our conversation had died and I was bored and I needed something to stimulate me. At work I tend to chew on paperclips or the ends of pens and pencils or I'll twirl a rubber band around my fingers constantly. I can't twirl a rubber band when I'm typing or writing, so when I'm doing those things (i.e. work-related things), then they keep me and my mind occupied enough that I don't need to stim, but there are times when I need to take a moment, look out the window and just not work, and that's typically when I realize my leg or foot has started up bouncing or I've grabbed a rubber band again without thinking. I just have to watch myself and make sure I get back to work or else I might do that for a couple hours straight and not get any work done. |
I like word puzzles and even more, actual piece puzzles. I got bored of sudoku. 
Stimming helps me get to sleep at night when I usually either rock on my side or flap my feet or my head back and forth on the bed while I'm on my back. |
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NicoleG
Phoenix
Joined: Dec 26, 2011
Age: 36
Posts: 661
Location: Dallas-Fort Worth
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| Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 12:06 am Post subject: |
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| Senath wrote: | | I like word puzzles and even more, actual piece puzzles. I got bored of sudoku. |
Try these:
Kakuro
Tri-Doku
Paint-Doku |
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chessimprov
Toucan
Joined: Jun 12, 2010
Posts: 291
Location: Philly
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| Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 12:45 am Post subject: |
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| If it doesn't hurt anyone else and you can find a way to survive life whether it's in front of people or not, then why not? |
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Senath
Deinonychus
Joined: May 17, 2012
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 10:25 am Post subject: |
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| Tri-Doku? Sounds interesting... |
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FLBear
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Jan 10, 2009
Age: 55
Posts: 43
Location: NW Florida USA
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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Senath, thanks for the bit of conformation. That foot wiggle thing while trying to go to sleep is an actual valid stim and not just some odd thing that my adopted mother hated.
Boy, I learn more from this forum each day.
_________________
Great Spirits Have Always Encountered Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds - Albert Einstein
Never Try To Teach A Pig To Sing, It Wastes Your Time and Annoys The Pig - unknown
Aspie Score: 170 of 200
NT Score 42 of 200
Very Likely an Aspie |
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outofplace
Geometrophile
Joined: Jun 11, 2012
Age: 39
Posts: 1771
Location: In A State of Quantum Flux
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| Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 4:03 am Post subject: |
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I'd say it depends on the stim. You don't want it to be too obvious in public, but by yourself, go for it. I have actually added stims on purpose since I started trying to figure out if I have AS and found them quite relaxing. The whole rocking thing is new to me but it is honestly one of the most relaxing things I have ever tried. I do it almost like a form of meditation and find that it helps relax me after a long, stressful day.
_________________
Uncertain of diagnosis, either ADHD or Aspergers.
Aspie quiz: 143/200 AS, 81/200 NT; AQ 43; "eyes" 17/39, EQ/SQ 21/51 BAPQ: Autistic/BAP- You scored 92 aloof, 111 rigid and 103 pragmatic
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thewhitrbbit
Phoenix
Joined: May 31, 2012
Age: 27
Posts: 2130
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| Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Not in public; in the privacy of your own home no problem there. |
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sally7171
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: Jun 20, 2012
Age: 41
Posts: 59
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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| I do the knee-bouncing thing and sometimes I rock back and forth but I'd be horrified if someone caught me doing it in public. I think it's fine to do it at home. It helps me think better and it feels soothing. Probably burns calories too. |
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btbnnyr
Rabbit In Cat's Clothing
Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 3091
Location: Lost Angleles Carmen Santiago
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| Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't suppress stimming. I do it in private and in public, nearly constantly. I stim during meetings while conversing with people on serious topics. I stim at my office while working on the computer. I stim, stim, stim, stim, stim, stim, stim. My stims are obvious autistic stims. I rock back and forth and do things with my hands. I stare at things, touch things to my face, and smell things. I continue to have serious conversations with people while stimming. They can think what they want, and what they will quickly realize is that obvious autistic behavior and intelligent back and forth conversation can coexist in harmony. |
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Monkeybuttorama
Sea Gull
Joined: Jun 20, 2012
Age: 26
Posts: 214
Location: Somewhere beyond this pathetic "reality"
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| Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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I had never really considered the "quirky behaviors" I have to be "stimming" (I had no idea until recently that I could even have Asperger's) and as such, I have never suppressed them, I just figured "screw everyone else, I'm going to do what I like, and if they can't handle it, shame on them."
I like to move. A lot. I cannot sit still for long -I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was young, but I never felt that fit, because I can focus, I just prefer to do so while moving.- I bounce my legs, shake my hands, tap my feet, if I hear something high-pitch, I shake my head violently (that's a reaction to mosquitoes and flies, as I have long hair which I use like a horse-tail  but I do it year-round)
I constantly look at everything, other then people, not so much for patterns, but for color stimulation (I prefer "hectic" decorating, the more stuff I can look at, the better) and I am drawn to light, although it's very painful, as I'm excessively sensitive to light.
I have verbal tics, and make odd noises when stressed, and I LOVE to mimic things, especially animals or cartoons (I have an awesome pig, chicken, and duck going, and yesterday I got my BF and his dad laughing because I was mimicking a bird, and it kept responding in kind for about 5 min)
I touch myself a lot (non-sexually) and even hit myself occasionally when I'm stressed (slap on the thighs or something, nothing particularly harmful) I have 24 piercings, most of which I got spontaneously when I felt like hurting, and afterwords, I enjoy touching them to make them hurt (lasts anywhere from 3 mths to a year before they no longer hurt) I like to play with my hair, almost compulsively, and as a result, I haven't had it cut in years, and refer to it as my "security blanket".
I am addicted to strategy and puzzle games, and love figuring out how to make things out of what I already have, and reading interesting, educational articles, all of which really gets in the way of productivity.
If your stims aren't really "concerning" to most people (self-harm, for example, would be concerning) I'd say do what makes you feel good, anyone worth anything will understand that's just who you are. In work environments, it might be beneficial to let your employer know that you have some quirks (not necessarily telling that you have any diagnosis or anything) in case anyone else brings it up to them as a concern, but that would be purely related to what you find comfortable with them knowing. |
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VisInsita
Raven
Joined: Mar 01, 2012
Posts: 107
Location: Finland
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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I am an adult and I do heavily stim. 
I am mostly able and very willing to suppress it in public. But already as I am walking home from work, I start to get a huge urge to stim. This might have something to do with the environment causing me to be overstimulated and anxious or just with the fact that my stimming free zone is already shimmering in the horizon. You just gotta keep it  until you're there... And if in emergency at work, use the toilet.
I see stimming mostly as a harmless activity that does good, but to be honest some of my stimming is actually interfering, despite the fact that I might myself still very much enjoy it. This type of excessive stimming differs in its nature from most of my stimming, like hand flapping out of excitement. An example of my excessive stimming is to listen to music with the headphones on for several hours every day while just swaying my body and flapping my hands. This is of course prohibiting me from being productive and getting my daily things done. I know that the problem doesn’t lie in the stims itself, but is probably something in the nature of autism that makes you stim excessively and gravitate towards those inner realms that excessive stimming creates.
I have also noticed something about my stimming in relation to creativity. Stimming helps me to get into the “state”, but also while in the flow, like while playing music, painting, drawing or writing I get this irresistible urge to stim. And of course if you start to stim while playing or painting, you are not anymore playing or painting. So stimming enhances creativity in a way, but at the same time blocks it. The same way it helps me every day to cope with my life and overwhelming surroundings, but at the same time digs an even deeper moat around me and the surroundings. |
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teamnoir
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: Jul 01, 2012
Posts: 56
Location: Menlo Park, CA 94025
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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| The only danger I see from most stimming is social. I'd be careful and conscious about when you stim in public, but otherwise, do whatever works for you. That might mean stimming in public sometimes. It might not. In private, well, I don't think it's anyone else's business any more than, (other topics we're not allowed to discuss). |
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Kenjitsuka
Snowy Owl
Joined: Apr 01, 2009
Age: 30
Posts: 171
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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Had to read a little before I knew what stimming was.
Maybe the OP can add a short definition?
Anyway, I bought three d20 dice (Dungeons and Dragons accessory), which are basically little plastic stones that roll really well.
I'll roll them in my hand in two different patterns. I can suggest them, as of course they have numbers on them, which can be distracting/interesting as well (making patterns with them).
When I was at social skill training at the autism centre I was *so* surprised that the others there didn't know that tapping my foot and rolling the dice can be a relief.
They all quit after a few meetings, so I guess they had no actuall problems with their autism
I had to stop tapping my foot, because my mom got really angry about it.
But now that I live alone I'm going to be doing it again, and it feels GREAT
Auditory stims: I listen to music of my choice every second possible.
EDIT: Now that I've thought about it some more, I always twirl stuff I hold in my hands, I can't not do that
_________________
Empathy quotient: 14
Your Aspie score: 185 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 14 of 200
The Broad Autism Phenotype Test: You scored 132 aloof, 126 rigid and 132 pragmatic. IQ: 139. AQ: 45/50 |
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DoctorYikes
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Jul 18, 2012
Age: 39
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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I've only recently begun to take inventory and it's a bit startling just how many twitches I have... As far as doing it in public versus private, I'd say I'm MORE prone to them in public. Burning off nervous energy, maybe.
* Knee bouncing. Rapidly. Often.
* Sort-of Tooth Grinding. (My canines, I grind them together, usually on the left side. Not audible.)
* Finger drumming. Rhythms. If there's nothing to drum on, I'll snap/clap/drum on my legs. Side weirdness -- Do kind of a one-hand clapping thing with this.
* Cold water on the forehead/back of neck. Pretty much every hand washing/trip to the bathroom.
Now there's a ton of things I restrain from to avoid weirding people out, nowadays. Smelling things, putting my cheek on cold surfaces, used to gnaw through pen caps regularly... Don't really talk to myself, anymore, though I do catch myself getting caught in a thought and starting to mouth/whisper to myself. Whispering to yourself is probably creepier than talking to yourself, huh? |
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