Stims... I need an explanation...

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Before I get booted off as an NT SPY

I really want to understand what Stims are and how they are used by folks.

From the references I've seen, these are items (tangible or not?) that are used to create a focal point for the mind whenever the mind is over stimulated (in a non-preferred way) by external stimuli - sounds, visual scenes, or internal stimuli - emotions.

I have always found myself doing something repetitive whenever I get anxious or need to concentrate on one particular thing.
Sometimes it's something like cutting grooves in my steering wheel with my thumb nails when driving in traffic or being anxious about getting/going somewhere, or racking my thumbnails across the pads of my index finger repetitively, pacing and talking or humming (making noises basically, but usually quietly), bouncing my feet/legs rapidly, or plunging myself into extreme temps (dunking into a very cold pool of water or going out exposed to extremely cold temps -0's, or extremely hot shower/sauna/hot tub).

I suspect that I'm just weird and none of these things are the same as what you call stims.

And, since I don't have AS, could I even have stims?

Thanks for your replies

Someone told me recently that EVERYONE stims in some way whether or not they are autistic. She said that for some people it can be a commonly accepted thing like chewing gum.

And some people chew gum...a lot. I'm a six-pack a week guy, myself. If you don't have a stim, it could be a nervous twitch from being anxious. It burns off excess adrenaline so you don't overreact. "Stim" is short for sensory stimulation. It's the repetition of an action that causes a desired physical feeling. I have a spot on top of my head that I like to tap because it feels good. I also like to tap my temples with a ruler because it makes an interesting "pop". Those are stims. I also chew gum a lot and twitch my foot but that's anxiety.

Are you sure your not damaging yourself from doing that? I mean, its on your temple and making popping sounds.. That cant be healthy lol.. If your ok from it then thats good! I just dont know.

I stim when I need to get comforted. and if I don't have my stim object I get scared. I stim off of a blanket I ahd when I was a baby. it's so old now, but it has lots of knots that feel good. I rub it in between my fingers, and smell it. it seems a lot of aspies stim off of smells. I stim off of my blanket (everyone says it smells nasty, because I never wash it. it makes me sick if it smells clean) I also stim off of old dolls and books. they smell nice. and my cat, especially his pheromone gland areas, and my dog after she's been bathed at the groomers. they use nice shampoo. and garlic. and I also stim by rocking back and forth when i'm very very sad.

I used to stim with a security blanket much as described above. I gave it up when I was about 8 because my family ridiculed me mericilessly about it. My daughter stims similarly by rubbing her toy bear's nose against her chin and smelling him. It's cute. I think my 20 month old so might be starting to stim...he likes to bang his head on things, thankfully not too hard but it still unnerves me.

My stims now are easily hidden. I shake my right leg, I rub between my toes or fingers, I repeatedly suck air through my teeth (I know this annoys people lol). If I am really overstimulated and it is possible for me (location), I like to rock in place. I find that very very very soothing.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I do find body movement soothing. I think I got to a point where I started to hide it as much as possible, but definitely do it when I have to concentrate on something like school work or when I was taking all those assessments for my ADD.

I do appreciate you sharing some of you stims too.

Do many of you find you have stims so personal you wouldn't want anyone to know about them? This could a certain object you don't want family to know you still have or swiped from someone's room, or something you do, whatever.

It's just light tapping, with my hair as a buffer. The pop is not very audible. It's more of a sensation transmitted through the skull. Plastic rulers work best, then wood. Metal ones don't flex enough to work well.

Besides, the voices say it's okay, so it must be harmless.

Lol ok then.

I was stimming when I was reading this topic on the home page. I am stimming now. I like to put one foot with the arch up but the toes flat and shake the thigh. . making the whole leg bounce. I can do it so the rest of my body doesn't shake and can do it under the table or desk and it comforts. I also slide my bare or silk stockinged foot around on soft clean carpets, or between cotton sheets freshly laundered with baby laundry soap and fragrance free fabric softener.

mmmmmmm shivver shivver mmmmmmmmm



Merle

I do that all of the time. It drives my family nuts!

I do this all of the time.... but it turns into picking at it after the grooves are cut in, lol. My steering wheel cover is a mess!

I didn't realise the smell thing was a stim.
I sucked my thumb til I was 18 and I smell my pillow to go to sleep still and have done all my life... a comforting smell of me, I suppose.
My ex used to try and get me to smell his t shirt instead, but not the same.

I also rock sometimes, tap, flap fingers, pick at things, pull out hairs and hand flap

lol, I didn't think about smelling things either. I carry around either a thing of apple cinnamon air freshener or an apple cinnamon glade scented oil candle (not lit of course) and sniff it a lot. My daughter does the same thing with candles, and my son sniffs EVERYTHING before touching it.

I think everybody stims, whether AS or not, in difficult situations.

For example in job interviews I used to move my chair so only the top half of my body could be seen, then fidget with leg movements like crazy. Or wrap my legs around the chair legs to stop it from happening if I could be seen.

I read a book about job interviews, seems many people fidget like crazy in them, not everybody, but the book talked about it quite a bit.

Ive seen people in a very confronational state, fidgeting like mad as they loose it, like trying to stop themselves from punching the other guy. is this stimming too?

it is true that most people will stim,but those with an asd tend to do it more,and there are common classic [but not exclusive] stims to asd-one of the most obvious is rocking.