Adults- how much hand flapping do you do?

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I just noticed a couple of months ago, I flap too, when excited or upset. I also flick my fingers, alot and I've found I don't even realize that I'm doing it. And I start rocking when intently watching t.v. or if I've zoned out.

Part of me knows that rocking is weird, but honestly, it makes me feel so good that I really don't understand how it can be considered different or whatever. I posted before that I freaked out someone at work (I told the same day to that person that I have AS). I think that people confuse rocking with mental problems...it is not like that at all. I did watch a video with Bill Gates rocking and I saw the look of disbelief on the person that was sitting on his right...it did seem a little strange the way he was rocking, so I can imagine it's hard to stomach for a person that doesn't do it...but still, how can people NOT do something something so relaxing?

Handflapping can be the result of a number of issues.

My bother and sister, who have Tourette's to some degree (my brother more so) have done some handflapping. I have an alcoholic neighbour who has been handflapping for years, possibly as the result of brain damage associated with his addiction. My sister and I did a sort of stationary handflap as children where we held our hands beneath our noses for comfort. (My sister and brother do not live on the Autistic spectrum.) I still engage in this form of stationary handflapping behaviour; I also do a form of finger snap with my right tall finger on my right thumb nail. Hair twirling is also relaxing. If these and other hand movements are categorized as handflapping on the HF spectrum then I still engage as such, and I am 53 years of age.

I dont think I do it very much. I know I do it when I get stressed because my mother has showed me that I do it when I asked her how did she know I got scared or how she knew how I was feeling and she would tell me "Because you were doing this." and flap her hand. Funny I am not aware of it. I also do it when I'm excited and I also tap my shoulder. But have I done it my whole life? I'm not sure. I'd have to ask my mother if I have the guts.

I've never handflapped or rocked, that I know of. I did like twirlking a lot as a kid.

My mother does something sort of like handflapping when she's agitated, but she's not autistic. She's a not normal, but she's not autistic either.

Three minutes per week?

I'm not sure; it's pretty much involuntary.

Question?

Do you feel a big rush of nervous energy before you feel the need to handflap?

Usually happens when I'm in a busy place like a grocery store.

Not really. I'm just frustrated. Or excited. And I usually don't notice that I've started for at least ten seconds.

I flap my hands all the time, just like when I was a toddler. My mother tried to train me out of it, but that never happened. I'm often not aware I'm doing it, and I don't have to be excited or upset to do it (I handflap when I'm focusing hard, among other times). It was hard to try and watch myself enough so I didn't start doing it in class, which always resulted in teasing.

I found a video with my daughter where she's doing "extreme" hand flapping, on a stage, because she was happy and excited.

That must have been really cute cerasela
I think hand-flapping is good for people with AS/Autism.

Thank you for the comment. Yes, she was. I watched it with her and her Dad very recently. In the video, I could hear myself saying: "What is she doing?"...I didn't have a clue then. Thank G-d, because this way I avoided all the special education nightmare...yes, she was very cute and so happy!! ! She would "kill" me if I would post it, maybe later, when she will agree...
Thank you again for your kind comment!

When I am "in my head" I twist my hands back and forth very quickly while I have my eyes fixed on something. But I'm really not looking at the thing. I can't look on something when I flap,because then I automaticly stop

I also think hand-flapping is good for auties/aspies I would like to see that video. I'm sure she is very cute

My stereotypic movements include rocking, hand wringing, finger pulling, and foot shaking, among others, but not really hand flapping. It usually seem to occur when I'm deep in thought about something, when people would say I'm in my own world. I don't know what's going on outside of my head or what my body is doing. It just feels natural. As soon as someone calls attention to it, I'll suddenly and involuntarily stop.

Also, I'm enjoying reading this thread and mentally substituting "fap" for "flap".

I am totally ret*d about editing videos. If I can learn how to shadow(hide?) her face, I will post it or send it to you. I think that parents that post their kid's videos are grossly disrespecting them, it does not matter if it's a child (actually it's more imperative if it is a child's rights that are being violated), they(the kids) should give permission to have their faces/bodies posted for the whole world to see. I am saying this because I saw a bunch of videos on youtube where parents post their autistic children's behaviour and all kinds of as*holes are posting nasty comments and probably a lot of those guys are jerking off looking at those children...I am sorry, I am not a very positive person when it comes to anything, because I was raped when I was 5 and I just don't think that people are all good...I think that this world is more and more like a big mental hospital than a normal place (at least USA is a big one...)...normal, yeah, what is normal. Anyway, it is a beautiful video I have of my daughter...sorry I can't share it with strangers...I just think that anybody can be a sicko...sorry...I got so scared this past year of things that happened that all I wanted for this past Christmas was a shotgun...I am starting to have a hillbillie mentality...I hope you understand my humor, you say you are in Sweden, so...maybe you don't...