How much do you stim on an average day?

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How much do you stim in an average day?
Between 0-2 hours 44%  44%  [ 28 ]
Between 2-4 hours 16%  16%  [ 10 ]
Between 4-6 hours 6%  6%  [ 4 ]
More then 6 hours 34%  34%  [ 22 ]
Total votes : 64

Callista
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26 Mar 2009, 9:26 pm

It may be a difference in the definition of stimming. When I said "basically all the time" I meant mostly in the background--finger-tapping, leg-swinging, slight rocking, rubbing fingers against clothing... It's not exclusive activity, not like the times when I'm doing almost nothing but--enchanted by blinking lights, smelling a new book, curled up under my blanket (yep, pressure's a stim)....

If you consider stimming to be only the things you do exclusively, like when I sit there and flap because I'm so excited over something new I just learned, then you're going to count a lot less unless stimming is really a very strong trait for you. If you're a basically fidgety person--people see "fidget" in me but they don't see blatant autism unless they know what they're looking for--then you're probably going to mark "6+" even if you're not very autistic. I bet some of those really energetic people--maybe ADHD, maybe a little hypomanic, maybe just high on life--would put 6+ without being autistic at all.


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hester386
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26 Mar 2009, 9:31 pm

Callista wrote:
It may be a difference in the definition of stimming. When I said "basically all the time" I meant mostly in the background--finger-tapping, leg-swinging, slight rocking, rubbing fingers against clothing... It's not exclusive activity, not like the times when I'm doing almost nothing but--enchanted by blinking lights, smelling a new book, curled up under my blanket (yep, pressure's a stim)....

If you consider stimming to be only the things you do exclusively, like when I sit there and flap because I'm so excited over something new I just learned, then you're going to count a lot less unless stimming is really a very strong trait for you. If you're a basically fidgety person--people see "fidget" in me but they don't see blatant autism unless they know what they're looking for--then you're probably going to mark "6+" even if you're not very autistic. I bet some of those really energetic people--maybe ADHD, maybe a little hypomanic, maybe just high on life--would put 6+ without being autistic at all.


Yeah, that is a good point. The more I think about it, the harder I think it is to have an accurate poll about this subject because of all of the different behaviors or things that could be classified as a stim. Also, people may “stim” in some ways that they are still completely unaware of, including myself, which would further skew the accuracy of these numbers.



elderwanda
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27 Mar 2009, 12:41 am

I never thought I stimmed at all, until recently, having become more aware. No one has ever made a comment about my "stimming" because it's subtle. Well, that and the fact that no one ever comments on anything I do one way or another.

But I'm a hand curler. I noticed a couple of people mentioned that in this thread. I curl my left hand at the wrist, with my pointer finger and little finger extended, and kind of wave it up near my ear. I also do this thing where I wave my fingers around near my face, and move my lips. I do it a lot, but NEVER in front of people. At least not that I'm aware of! It feels like I'm trying to loosen some stuck thoughts or something. I do these things mostly when I'm anxious, but if there are people watching me, I can control it pretty well.

When I'm around people, I'm more likely to pick at the skin on my lip, or at least brush my lip with quick motions of my fingertip.
I've gone that my whole life, since I can remember. I don't know about the other stuff, though.



chrissyrun
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07 Jul 2011, 9:22 pm

I stim by bouncing my leg when I'm on the computer....



littlelily613
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07 Jul 2011, 9:33 pm

I never really kept track before. I chose more than 6 hours because I do stim almost constantly in some form or another.


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pree10shun
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07 Jul 2011, 9:36 pm

my stimming's reduced with age. Now I think I do stop myself when in public but thats when I want to stim the most or maybe when I am at home I don't take a conscious note of it while its happening.



Phonic
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07 Jul 2011, 9:42 pm

I am almost always doing something, even if it's as small as wiggling my toes, wihch I do in bed a lot.


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SammichEater
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07 Jul 2011, 10:10 pm

littlelily613 wrote:
I never really kept track before. I chose more than 6 hours because I do stim almost constantly in some form or another.


Yup. Every time I think about it I'm always stimming in one form or another. It's usually not very obvious though.


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kouzoku
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09 Jul 2011, 5:36 pm

There isn't a time when I'm not stimming. A lot of mine relates to the tips of my fingers, but if I'm not doing that, I will be rocking back and forth at least.



Ettina
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09 Jul 2011, 9:40 pm

Quote:
I didn't know it was autistic. I thought it had something to do with trying to keep my balance.


Probably does. Balance problems are a common part of sensory processing differences, and a big contributor to the clumsiness often seen in autistics.



Verdandi
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09 Jul 2011, 10:28 pm

littlelily613 wrote:
I never really kept track before. I chose more than 6 hours because I do stim almost constantly in some form or another.


This is true for me, although I picked 2-4 hours.

Whenever I think I've stopped stimming I'm either typing or I have some object in my hand (a weird bracelet, a hairbrush, etc) that gives me a stimmy tactile sensation.



LiendaBalla
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09 Jul 2011, 10:32 pm

I don't know, but it's enough to make my right calf muscle spasm and tighten when I stretch in bed in the morning.