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Sweetleaf
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19 Mar 2012, 7:40 pm

Ok so I was trying to figure something out earlier....I was thinking about hyperactivity vs. stimming. So anyways when you're stimming are you aware of it when you're doing it? usually the behaviors I consider stims are things I can't control and sometimes am not aware of. For instance when I'm reading a book I tend to ruffle the pages for instance but I am not aware of it when I'm doing it....unless I get distracted or something and become conscious of it. Or I have a tendency to pick up random objects and such without being consciously aware of it.

So I guess I am wondering if that sounds like stimming or not.


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Krychek
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19 Mar 2012, 7:57 pm

I've often wondered too if I become aware of it, if it is still "stimming"..

I used to think NOT, because I'd notice that I was doing it, and maybe get embarrassed, and stop.. But then I started to realize that I need these things for comfort, and started to let myself.. not so much do them on purpose, but rather allow myself to.


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Jory
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19 Mar 2012, 7:57 pm

I catch myself doing it and wonder how long it's been going on.



btbnnyr
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19 Mar 2012, 8:21 pm

I am always stimming, so I shift in and out of awareness of it. When I am thinking or doing something and somewhat focused, I am not aware of stimming when it is still there. When I stop thinking about or doing one thing and transition to another is when I become aware of stimming. Then, engage in next thing and lose awareness again. When hyperfocused, I don't stim at all. I don't have surveillance video to prove this, but I feel eggstremely stiff afterwards, like I had sat in one position and not moved at all for hours, which I probably have.



Koi
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19 Mar 2012, 9:22 pm

I don't always notice it at first. Like the rocking back and forth.

I'll of course notice when I play with my lip and my ears, but I don't really think of it as stimming while it's happening.

And as for my blinking compulsion, of course I notice it, it's annoying, but I don't control it.



nebrets
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19 Mar 2012, 9:23 pm

I am most always stimming by tapping or moving my leg. Other stimming activity I do is rocking back and forth as I study or concentrate or am VERY stressed. I am not always aware I am doing these actions, my awareness of them will come and go.
I may also do a half twirling motion (my torso twirls and my arms move out, while my feet stay still) while I am standing and waiting (in line or at a fast food restaurant for my food to come etc) and I am not always aware when I do this. I should say I start these activities unconsciously.

If I am super stressed and anxious and feeling like I should run and hide, I will purposely take silly putty out of my purse and tear off a small part and play with it, pulling back and squishing it together again at a fast pace. I am always aware of starting this activity (as it is done purposely to relieve stress) but once initiated I do not maintain a constant awareness of it.



Sweetleaf
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19 Mar 2012, 11:05 pm

btbnnyr wrote:
I am always stimming, so I shift in and out of awareness of it. When I am thinking or doing something and somewhat focused, I am not aware of stimming when it is still there. When I stop thinking about or doing one thing and transition to another is when I become aware of stimming. Then, engage in next thing and lose awareness again. When hyperfocused, I don't stim at all. I don't have surveillance video to prove this, but I feel eggstremely stiff afterwards, like I had sat in one position and not moved at all for hours, which I probably have.


I seem to stim when I am hyper focused.


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Verdandi
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19 Mar 2012, 11:10 pm

I stim frequently - practically all the time - but I am not always aware of it. I become aware of it in a pattern similar to what btbnnyr describes, and if I catch myself I allow myself to continue unless it interferes with something else (like if I want to type, I have to stop moving my hands around).

I think that only a few stims were ever targeted by adults to make me stop, and it kind of amazes me the things people don't admit to noticing.



Boxman108
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19 Mar 2012, 11:12 pm

I'm really not sure. I guess I could be and I just would not know, especially since nobody ever tells me to stop or that I'm doing something annoying or whatever. But being so self conscious, I think I might be too aware of what I'm doing or anxious around a lot of people(more often strangers than family or friends), so I should know if I'm doing anything odd or repetitive or etc.


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marshall
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19 Mar 2012, 11:20 pm

I'm not sure if I stim or not.



Pandora_Box
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19 Mar 2012, 11:28 pm

Does biting my lip count as a stim?

It makes me feel comfortable when I bite my lip. I have this particular spot that I bite my lip. It's like....a lump, by the way it isn't a tumor or anything. Back when I was a kid I was walking and fell down the stairs. I bit my lip falling down I guess cause I was bracing for impact. I ended up with a keloid in my lip and I bite the keloid all the time. It comforting.



Ecl713
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19 Mar 2012, 11:37 pm

There are some stims that I'm not aware of when I start it but like others said I'll catch myself after I started.
There are other stims I'll do just because I enjoy them.

And there are a few more stims I can feel coming but I can suppress if I want to, such as jumping when happy.

Stimming sometimes is the greatest thing in the world!



Ecl713
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19 Mar 2012, 11:42 pm

Pandora_Box wrote:
Does biting my lip count as a stim?


I say yes it is a stim. I bit my bottom lip all the time when I was little it helped me from going into a total meltdown... sometimes.



Atomsk
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20 Mar 2012, 12:59 am

When I stim I'm unaware of it happening until after it finishes, if I notice at all.



Shatbat
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20 Mar 2012, 11:28 am

Ugh, I stim all the time, and I hate it. My mother always notices and hassles me about it, but it's painful to think in all the times I do it in front of someone else, and nobody says anything...



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20 Mar 2012, 11:51 am

I'm not often aware of stimming. Luckily my stims are mostly inconspicuous so I don't get into any trouble with it.