15 Sep 2012, 12:09 am
15 Sep 2012, 12:18 am
musicforanna
Veteran
Joined: 30 Jun 2006
Age: 40
Gender: Female
Posts: 798
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
17 Sep 2012, 2:01 am
18 Sep 2012, 6:01 pm
21 Sep 2012, 7:54 am
21 Sep 2012, 1:00 pm
21 Sep 2012, 3:09 pm
21 Sep 2012, 4:33 pm
21 Sep 2012, 5:43 pm
Raziel wrote:
gretchyn wrote:
I wonder if the Tourette's acts as a stim. Tics are paradoxically distressing and stress-relieving for me...
They are still something different and it is very typical for tics to be that, because they are like "sneezing", you don't want to, but you have to and you feel better afterwards.
I understand that they're different.
What I'm wondering is if tics can be a replacement for stims. Do note, though, that in another thread I mentioned that I wish I had stims because I am wound up all the time and would like some relief. 
Are there others with tics and no stims?
22 Sep 2012, 1:56 pm
22 Sep 2012, 3:14 pm
XFilesGeek wrote:
Raziel wrote:
gretchyn wrote:
I wonder if the Tourette's acts as a stim. Tics are paradoxically distressing and stress-relieving for me...
They are still something different and it is very typical for tics to be that, because they are like "sneezing", you don't want to, but you have to and you feel better afterwards.
...which isn't that different from my "stims."
Stimming is by no means "voluntary," it's just more controllable than tics. Tics and stims are different because they are caused by different neural circuitry.
**sigh**
Quote:
The repetitive and rhythmic mannerisms and activities common in autism and some other neurological conditions. Rocking, hand-flapping, etc.
These movements came to be referred to as self-stimulatory because people thought they existed to regulate sensory input or to create pleasant sensations, and were purely voluntary. While this is sometimes true, it leads stims to be confused with stereotyped movements. Stereotyped movements are not voluntary, although they may be suppressible. Nobody knows precisely why either kind of movement happens, and there is much overlap between the two. This kind of movement can also occur in blind or deaf people. When a blind person stims, it might be referred to as a blindism.
Some autistic people, particularly the ones who have so much difficulty controlling their movements that they have trouble engaging in other tasks, have become angered by the implication that they do these things on purpose because they like it. Thus, they will not use the word stim or self-stimulatory behavior to describe such movements. Others will refer to some movements as stims and others as stereotypies depending on the apparent cause and purpose of the movement. Others will refer to any such movement as stimming.
Most autistic people, regardless of whether they like or control these movements, will have problems if they suppress them too long. They may become emotionally or physically tense, and be more prone to sensory or information overload. They may also experience a rebound effect where their bodies rebel and start stimming more violently than they ever did before. One result reported by autistic people and parents alike is an increase in self-injury when stims are forbidden.
Yes, I understand that they are due to different neural circuitry. I am not suggesting that they are the same thing. I think no one is understanding what I mean....story of my life. Forget it.
22 Sep 2012, 9:28 pm
gretchyn wrote:
XFilesGeek wrote:
Raziel wrote:
gretchyn wrote:
I wonder if the Tourette's acts as a stim. Tics are paradoxically distressing and stress-relieving for me...
They are still something different and it is very typical for tics to be that, because they are like "sneezing", you don't want to, but you have to and you feel better afterwards.
...which isn't that different from my "stims."
Stimming is by no means "voluntary," it's just more controllable than tics. Tics and stims are different because they are caused by different neural circuitry.
**sigh**
Quote:
The repetitive and rhythmic mannerisms and activities common in autism and some other neurological conditions. Rocking, hand-flapping, etc.
These movements came to be referred to as self-stimulatory because people thought they existed to regulate sensory input or to create pleasant sensations, and were purely voluntary. While this is sometimes true, it leads stims to be confused with stereotyped movements. Stereotyped movements are not voluntary, although they may be suppressible. Nobody knows precisely why either kind of movement happens, and there is much overlap between the two. This kind of movement can also occur in blind or deaf people. When a blind person stims, it might be referred to as a blindism.
Some autistic people, particularly the ones who have so much difficulty controlling their movements that they have trouble engaging in other tasks, have become angered by the implication that they do these things on purpose because they like it. Thus, they will not use the word stim or self-stimulatory behavior to describe such movements. Others will refer to some movements as stims and others as stereotypies depending on the apparent cause and purpose of the movement. Others will refer to any such movement as stimming.
Most autistic people, regardless of whether they like or control these movements, will have problems if they suppress them too long. They may become emotionally or physically tense, and be more prone to sensory or information overload. They may also experience a rebound effect where their bodies rebel and start stimming more violently than they ever did before. One result reported by autistic people and parents alike is an increase in self-injury when stims are forbidden.
Yes, I understand that they are due to different neural circuitry. I am not suggesting that they are the same thing. I think no one is understanding what I mean....story of my life. Forget it.
Actually, I do.
I wasn't trying to be snarky.
My understanding is that tics are less rhythmic, less controllable, and are rarely if ever "enjoyable."
Even experts sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between tics and complex motor stereotypies. Simon Baron-Cohen's written some stuff on Tourettes that I've found helpful.
23 Sep 2012, 12:06 pm
XFilesGeek wrote:
gretchyn wrote:
XFilesGeek wrote:
Raziel wrote:
gretchyn wrote:
I wonder if the Tourette's acts as a stim. Tics are paradoxically distressing and stress-relieving for me...
They are still something different and it is very typical for tics to be that, because they are like "sneezing", you don't want to, but you have to and you feel better afterwards.
...which isn't that different from my "stims."
Stimming is by no means "voluntary," it's just more controllable than tics. Tics and stims are different because they are caused by different neural circuitry.
**sigh**
Quote:
The repetitive and rhythmic mannerisms and activities common in autism and some other neurological conditions. Rocking, hand-flapping, etc.
These movements came to be referred to as self-stimulatory because people thought they existed to regulate sensory input or to create pleasant sensations, and were purely voluntary. While this is sometimes true, it leads stims to be confused with stereotyped movements. Stereotyped movements are not voluntary, although they may be suppressible. Nobody knows precisely why either kind of movement happens, and there is much overlap between the two. This kind of movement can also occur in blind or deaf people. When a blind person stims, it might be referred to as a blindism.
Some autistic people, particularly the ones who have so much difficulty controlling their movements that they have trouble engaging in other tasks, have become angered by the implication that they do these things on purpose because they like it. Thus, they will not use the word stim or self-stimulatory behavior to describe such movements. Others will refer to some movements as stims and others as stereotypies depending on the apparent cause and purpose of the movement. Others will refer to any such movement as stimming.
Most autistic people, regardless of whether they like or control these movements, will have problems if they suppress them too long. They may become emotionally or physically tense, and be more prone to sensory or information overload. They may also experience a rebound effect where their bodies rebel and start stimming more violently than they ever did before. One result reported by autistic people and parents alike is an increase in self-injury when stims are forbidden.
These movements came to be referred to as self-stimulatory because people thought they existed to regulate sensory input or to create pleasant sensations, and were purely voluntary. While this is sometimes true, it leads stims to be confused with stereotyped movements. Stereotyped movements are not voluntary, although they may be suppressible. Nobody knows precisely why either kind of movement happens, and there is much overlap between the two. This kind of movement can also occur in blind or deaf people. When a blind person stims, it might be referred to as a blindism.
Some autistic people, particularly the ones who have so much difficulty controlling their movements that they have trouble engaging in other tasks, have become angered by the implication that they do these things on purpose because they like it. Thus, they will not use the word stim or self-stimulatory behavior to describe such movements. Others will refer to some movements as stims and others as stereotypies depending on the apparent cause and purpose of the movement. Others will refer to any such movement as stimming.
Most autistic people, regardless of whether they like or control these movements, will have problems if they suppress them too long. They may become emotionally or physically tense, and be more prone to sensory or information overload. They may also experience a rebound effect where their bodies rebel and start stimming more violently than they ever did before. One result reported by autistic people and parents alike is an increase in self-injury when stims are forbidden.
Yes, I understand that they are due to different neural circuitry. I am not suggesting that they are the same thing. I think no one is understanding what I mean....story of my life. Forget it.
Actually, I do.
I wasn't trying to be snarky.
My understanding is that tics are less rhythmic, less controllable, and are rarely if ever "enjoyable."
Even experts sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between tics and complex motor stereotypies. Simon Baron-Cohen's written some stuff on Tourettes that I've found helpful.
Thanks. Your response made me feel a little better. I have Tourette's. I can control my tics (except when I'm really stressed) and sort of save them up for later. Some of mine are (sometimes rhythmic) eye and arm movements, and grimacing. They do provide a release, which makes them somewhat enjoyable (like the earlier comparison to a sneeze), though I do not tic for enjoyment...I DID, as a child/teenager, have some specific tics (a mix of a squeal and a grimace, and double arm movements, whereas they're usually only on the right side) that I did only when I was happy. I'm rarely happy enough to make those tics anymore. Maybe those were stims and I mistook them for tics, since I knew I had Tourette's since I was 10, but didn't discover Asperger's until about 6 months ago.
My point is that although they are completely different mechanisms, stims and tics may serve a similar purpose, and someone with tics might not stim because they have relief/expression of joy/etc. from tics.
Edited to add: I will look up Baron-Cohen's research on Tourette's. I didn't know he studied that as well as Asperger's.
nick007
Veteran
Joined: 4 May 2010
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 27,125
Location: was Louisiana but now Vermont in the police state called USA
23 Sep 2012, 11:10 pm
I'm at least a little confused as to the difference between a tic & stim. Do tics have to be related to tourettes? I know tics can be part of tourettes but can touretts be stimming instead of tics? I think I'm confused as to what tics, stims & touretts are & how they are related & different
25 Sep 2012, 12:29 pm
25 Sep 2012, 12:41 pm
phyrehawke wrote:
Every once in awhile I get tics in my eyelids, mostly only when I'm under a great deal of stress when I've been working. Docs have called them blepharospasms I think? Nobody has ever made a connection between them and tourettes, but they have certainly been called a tic, and I've been told all sorts of things make them worse (stress, too much caffiene, too much chocolate, need of a vacation, lack of sleep, etc).
Those aren't tics, it's a spasm of the muscle of the eye. I have it too, it's a pretty rare desease, just one in 20.000 people in the US have it, most of them caucation and especially older women.
They are also highly genetic.
And I have it too!
Spasms also get worse be stress and so on, nearly everything does.
edit:
Sorry, made a mistake in this posting and changed it.
Last edited by Raziel on 26 Sep 2012, 2:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
