I've stimmed to the point that I'm semi crippled.

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Stoek
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15 Nov 2012, 8:46 pm

Anyone else been through this I have tendinitis, carpal tunnel, as well as a few other problems from compulsive stimming.

I'm 25 and all I can say is I've battle with stimming all my life, as a shameful addiction.

Of course at this point I see it as something that isn't unhealthy on it's own however I'm half crippled, and now after recently deciding to drop out of school, will need the remaining function in my left arm to work.


Anyone else been throuhg this?



Logicalmom
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15 Nov 2012, 9:25 pm

Well, I got into quilting as a special interest and got so carried away I ended up sleeping sitting up for 3 months because I wrecked my upper back and I had to have physio for tennis elbow in both arms.



Stoek
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15 Nov 2012, 9:39 pm

Logicalmom wrote:
Well, I got into quilting as a special interest and got so carried away I ended up sleeping sitting up for 3 months because I wrecked my upper back and I had to have physio for tennis elbow in both arms.


How do you work?



Logicalmom
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15 Nov 2012, 9:48 pm

Hi, Stoek:

I'm not sure if you mean how I ended up in that mess or how I continued to do my job - but I was hunched over making raggy quilts and you have to cut the edges to fringe them - 8x8 squares. I did hundreds of squares through two layers of flannel and I think the motion of opening and closing the scissors gave me the tennis elbow . I just kept going and going. To do my janitorial job and regular house work in the meantime, I worked in pain. I'm really not good at sitting still, so I did my stretches and exercises and just kept moving.



Logicalmom
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15 Nov 2012, 9:52 pm

* It doesn't mean I think it is a good idea to keep moving with that stuff. Some exercises from physio can help. I am a restless person and it is not smart to push injuries. If you can't afford physio, there are probably some recommendations for exercises and stretches online. Hope something helps.



muff
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15 Nov 2012, 10:12 pm

your post got me thinking about how fascinated i was with fluorescent lights on polished floors and how the timing was off in regards to how they appeared to move as i walked under each of them. of course, it probably did not help that i avoided all eye contact. as a result, in junior high and into high school, my neck actually did form downward so there was a physical change.

i went to a chiropractor for half a year and got on some psych meds. my neck is straight these days. that said, im not sure you should consider your physical condition as a result of stimming to be irreversible.



loner1984
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15 Nov 2012, 10:18 pm

On my phone atm so can't post link. But I will post it tomorrow.

First thing you need to do is give arms and hands rest. How bad is it?.

I found a good video from this dude with some excercise with hand weight. It took me like a year. And now mine is like 90% gone. I have problems every now and then. But no more sharp pains or burning feelings.

It will never be as.good as before. But strenght training. Fish oil. Stretches and not using arms for hours with breaks. Has helped me. I used like 1000$ on physio didn help one bit. Even had needles in my arms to try and help.



Stoek
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15 Nov 2012, 10:23 pm

Logicalmom wrote:
* It doesn't mean I think it is a good idea to keep moving with that stuff. Some exercises from physio can help. I am a restless person and it is not smart to push injuries. If you can't afford physio, there are probably some recommendations for exercises and stretches online. Hope something helps.


I done a bunch of physio, however it just leads to more stimming. I can't break out of the cycle.



cjthemadscientist
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15 Nov 2012, 10:40 pm

I've experienced something similar! I don't know if what I do is a form of stimming but I walk around aimlessly for hours on end at times. I'll pace, walk in circles, go through every room of the house over and over again. I've done this my whole life and get upset if something interrupts my walking time. I did this so much my I got stress fractures in my foot a few years ago. I'm not crippled but I need to take it easy. I still do it until my feet get sore sometimes.



Stoek
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15 Nov 2012, 11:17 pm

cjthemadscientist wrote:
I've experienced something similar! I don't know if what I do is a form of stimming but I walk around aimlessly for hours on end at times. I'll pace, walk in circles, go through every room of the house over and over again. I've done this my whole life and get upset if something interrupts my walking time. I did this so much my I got stress fractures in my foot a few years ago. I'm not crippled but I need to take it easy. I still do it until my feet get sore sometimes.


Yeah that's how it started for me. Now I'm at the point where I have to be highly selective of what device I use to still with. It use to be easy just a pen and a piece of rope, nowadays the deals matter because I have reduced sensation, and have to sit at certain angles. It's actually quite horrific how I've mutilated myself to be honest.



IdahoRose
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16 Nov 2012, 12:13 am

cjthemadscientist wrote:
I've experienced something similar! I don't know if what I do is a form of stimming but I walk around aimlessly for hours on end at times. I'll pace, walk in circles, go through every room of the house over and over again. I've done this my whole life and get upset if something interrupts my walking time. I did this so much my I got stress fractures in my foot a few years ago. I'm not crippled but I need to take it easy. I still do it until my feet get sore sometimes.

I also pace around the house and get upset if I'm interrupted. But I walk on my toes, and my Achilles' tendons get stiff and sore if I do it too much. I actually have bruises on the skin where my tendons are because of this. Sometimes I also feel a (non-painful) tearing and burning sensation in my tendons. But I can't stop walking on my toes. It feels so much better than walking flat-footed.

Stoek - when you say that you are "crippled", do you mean permanently? How did stimming cripple you, exactly? I'm curious because if it's from walking on toes, then I've got to quit while I'm ahead.



JRR
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16 Nov 2012, 9:12 am

I'm pretty confident my hearing is damaged from stimming using loud music for decades. Oh well.



loner1984
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16 Nov 2012, 12:48 pm

These exercises have helped me.

But its very important to give hands and arms rest, to not make it worse. But after that, you just start slowly with as little weight as possible.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXwfabQdcck[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHC7PkA-L7E[/youtube]