Stims when happy, no stims under certain conditions

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A lot of people here on WP have talked about that they stim when they're nervous or stressed, but how many of you actually stim when happy or excited?

I am asking that, because I noticed that I do the whole flapping, clapping, pulling mostly when excited or feeling particularly happy.

And did anyone of you notice that in certain situations or circumstances you either do not feel the need to stim or that this need is weaker than at other times?

I noticed that I don't stim or feel much need to when I listen to music or have just listened to music. I really like music and I know the stimulation helps a little with my ADHD, but I didn't notice this effect it has on autism as well before.

On a side note, as an autistic person will the whole 'motor mannerisms' ever just fade? I'd guess not, but I picture it mightily funny and sweet to still be flapping and clapping as a 80-year-old.

Yeah I only stim when happy exstatic because my dyslxia I have a lot of ADHD symptoms so I can personally link to that when I am generally drawing playing video games I don't need to stim because I typing and drawing so my hands are full
I do sometimes stim when nervous e.g. doctor but I never reall go to the doctors and I know my university assistants well advisors very well for example I have been with my opthologist for 12 years nearly 13 so he has watched me grow up so hes like a family friend so it matters at all

I stimmed A LOT as a kid and my AS was very obvious but now as a 21 year old I can hide it incredibly well just because I am an artist and naturally I spend a lot of time alone lol

When seeing friens it is so gratifying because they are like my family I live with them an because I am around them 24 / 7 I am not stimming so from an 19 year old who stimmed a lot because I was in specialist college and even there it was hard to connect bt now being 21 and rarely stimming it feels bizzarre but I think its because I am really content with life and I feel the stimmig for me was sadness based but the stimming today is probably from nervousness, stress or sublime happiness I think its one chapter of my life that I can say is closed it will probs come back in my 30s lol

yeah mostly.

I stim when I'm happy too. It's the same stims, too, minus the skin-picking.

I stim the most when I'm listening to music, then I just stim in rhythm with it.

what exactly is "stimming"? i'm pretty new to the term and i can grasp a vague definition from the context but i'm still not entirely sure what qualifies as it.

Yes. I vocalize, clap, flap and a few other things.



Yes. When my mind and hands are occupied and I'm intent upon a task.

Yes. I get more stimmy when I'm happy, and I flap my hands when I'm excited.




If I'm listening to good music, I'm completely still. If I'm not listening to good music and I'm completely still, I'm either asleep, sick or dead.

Stimming is another word for self-stimulating behaviours. That can be motor mannerisms (flapping hands, jumping up and down, rocking, spinning in circles and other simple and complex body movements) but also things like ripping things apart, spinning things if these are used to stimulate in some way.

They can calm a person down when they're stressed, but an autistic person also can just 'like' the feeling because it's stimulating in a comfortable, good way.

Clinically significant 'repetitive behaviour' is not exclusive to autistic people. People with various others disabilities do it as well.

Even normal people do have stims, though not to clinically significant levels (meaning not to particularly noticeable levels and/or not interfering with normal life, everyday tasks such as in autism). They may tap their feet, drum their fingers on a table, some even rock a little, some pick at their nails.

Their stims serve the same purpose as stims of autistic people: to calm down when they're nervous for example. Or they do them when bored or even when trying to concentrate which are situations in which autistic people may also stim.

Supposedly if you go by the DSM-IV-TR and ICD-10, stims are unusual for those with Asperger's as the special interest (which is also a part of repetitive behaviour in the criteria) is supposedly much more prominent in people with AS, but surprisingly many with AS do stim indeed.

Some autistic people can control their stims and they may only do them when they're alone. Others cannot control when and how they stim. For some, they do not interfere with learning and doing things, for some autistic people some of their stims really interfere with their ability to learn.

Some stim can also be pretty dangerous such as head-banging or biting yourself.

I stim when under stress, but I also stim when I'm excited. But usually then I have different movements, like I need to move around constantly.

I "stim differently" when i am happy.

I only flap (and rock/bounce) when I am happy. And very excitable besides. I have a variety of other stims but as the OP states that is more when stuff aint going great.


I have been told that when I am happy I am like a six year old getting a new bike for christmas.