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Why do severe autistics hit themselves?

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wigglyspider
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03 Jan 2010, 7:57 pm

pigeon309 wrote:
Actually, I only have AS and I've hit myself quite a few times. I've bit myself too. I think it's a bit like stimming. I feel overwhelmed and the physical sensation helps somehow. I mean the physical sensation of letting frustration out, not of pain. Actually, it doesn't usually hurt, which might also have something to do with it. I, like some other people on the spectrum, have a reduced sense of pain; maybe some of us don't feel the pain very much so all we feel when we do it is the sensation of releasing frustration.
Yeah, I bite myself too, (and pinch, etc) and it helps distract from overwhelming feelings. The biting does hurt. That's why it works for me. It's the only thing distracting enough sometimes. I don't hit myself though. Wouldn't you have to hit pretty hard for it to actually hurt? Biting is easier for that. (I stop before it does damage though.)


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Last edited by wigglyspider on 03 Jan 2010, 8:03 pm, edited 4 times in total.

gramirez
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03 Jan 2010, 7:59 pm

When I was little, like 4-6 years old, I used to bang my head against the wall a lot. My mother still jokes to this day: "Yeah, we used to think you were autistic". Dumb b***h. I still hit myself during meltdowns and periods of intense frustration. I also hit my head when I have a flashback (PTSD) from a horrific social experience.


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03 Jan 2010, 8:33 pm

I'm not severe, and I hit myself. It's because of stress, frustration, and overload.


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04 Jan 2010, 1:29 am

I'm another one who's not severely autistic and hits themself. At times i've banged my head on things, bit my hands, and when i was little i would pull my hair. It's hard to describe exactly why i do it.. I think it's kind of a mix of physically letting out frustration from being in a situation that there seems to be no way out of and sometimes of trying to communicate that unexplainable feeling to those around me.



VincentVanJones
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04 Jan 2010, 1:32 am

I really shouldn't but...

bdhkhsfgk wrote:
I've encountered a few severe ones, and I find it ridiculous that they hit themselves, can you explain this?


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04 Jan 2010, 1:37 am

I do it during severe meltdowns.


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04 Jan 2010, 2:09 am

I do it to rid of overstimulation from anxiety. I don't intend to do it but it always comes across when my head is swarming with anxiety. Then there is my tics because I have Tourette's and I just hit my head for no reason whatsoever.


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BoringAaron
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04 Jan 2010, 2:21 am

Some autistic people have reduced sensations, so they don't feel anything unless it's extreme, like hitting, heat, or cold. I don't like hitting, but being hit seems to hurt me less than it does other people. I do like it, but I don't want to cause any damage.


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04 Jan 2010, 4:00 am

I would say it's to do with hyposensitivity or unable to control frustration. When I have a meltdown and during my womanly cycle I do hit my head against things.


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pigeon309
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04 Jan 2010, 6:57 am

wigglyspider wrote:
pigeon309 wrote:
Actually, I only have AS and I've hit myself quite a few times. I've bit myself too. I think it's a bit like stimming. I feel overwhelmed and the physical sensation helps somehow. I mean the physical sensation of letting frustration out, not of pain. Actually, it doesn't usually hurt, which might also have something to do with it. I, like some other people on the spectrum, have a reduced sense of pain; maybe some of us don't feel the pain very much so all we feel when we do it is the sensation of releasing frustration.
Yeah, I bite myself too, (and pinch, etc) and it helps distract from overwhelming feelings. The biting does hurt. That's why it works for me. It's the only thing distracting enough sometimes. I don't hit myself though. Wouldn't you have to hit pretty hard for it to actually hurt? Biting is easier for that. (I stop before it does damage though.)
You know, it's funny that you say that, 'cause the hitting is the only thing that has ever hurt me. The biting never hurts. 8O But, hey, I'm really weird when it comes to pain.



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04 Jan 2010, 10:15 am

I'm not sure I have ASD, if I do it's quite mild, probably too mild to be diagnosed. I used to hit / scratch and bite myself when I was little and extremely frustrated / in a range. I don't do it anymore. I have with bipolar tendencies though. So it was an instinctive way of dealing with my extreme emotions for me.