How much do you stim on an average day?
It's pretty constant, but it can be pretty subtle. I tap my fingers against my palm a lot, in different rhythms or in patterns that represent musical notes. I twitch various muscles in my body in a similar way, a stim that's nearly undetectable, which I learned in the sixth grade to replace the more obvious, hyperactive-looking ones. A position can be a form of stim. Right now I'm pressing the sole of my foot against the hard, cool iron of my desk. The more classical ones, rocking, flapping, staring at lights or spinning objects... hmm, no more than about twenty minutes. Rocking happens when I'm thinking hard; flapping is an expression of either happiness or confusion; lights and spinny things do capture my attention but they don't do so for hours, only minutes... well, okay, I have been known to stare at a load of laundry in a front-load washer... but yeah, usually the stims are a background thing that fade into ADHD fidgetiness and let me think a little more easily. I have no idea why movement helps me think. It just does.
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Last edited by Callista on 24 Mar 2009, 11:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It all depends on the day and circumstances, really. I don't stim that much except at certain times.
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I would have said just a couple times a day when I was in the car or at home. But now I think I stim when I don't even know it. Like when I was working several months ago I got called down at work for repeatedly twittling my finger while reading the newspaper as it apparently bothered someone. I had no idea I was stimming. It really embarrassed me.
im always stimming, constnatly, flapping, rocking, fingering flickering, headshaking, swaying, biting my hand or something, spiinning, and so much more, wherever i go, huge stimmer, i wonder what would happen if i didnt stim i honestly think ppl would be like what is wrong with her hahaha
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Something probably would be wrong with you, too. The only time I don't stim, really, is when I'm either so completely tired I'm about to go to sleep, or else in near-complete shutdown. Kind of interesting--I think my stims take some sort of minimal mental resources; but they give back more than they take; so when I don't have even that minimal level, I can't stim either.
I wonder if that's why many meltdowns seem so sudden. If you lose the resources to carry on coping behaviors like stims or mental defenses, you don't just lose that, but whatever extra ability those behaviors generated--making a sudden drop in your ability to process things, so you yell or curl up or cry or freeze... and people think it's "out of the blue" even though you've felt it building for quite a while.
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I'm more of a ritual and obsessive type of person rather than someone who does frequent motor mannerisms. For example, listening to the same part of a song over and over again on my MP3 player helps me more than flapping my hands does.
Sure, I'll sway when I stand up, I'll tap/wriggle/twiddle my fingers all day, do repetitive motions (going through with the motions of various forms of reloading a 1911 pistol is something I do often, come to think of it), curl my left hand up when I walk (I notice that a certain subset of people with Autism do this with a hand...), rock when I sit, etcetera.
A lot, but the repetitive thoughts in my head are far more frequent and noticeable to me.
Oh I do that. I hold my right arm back behind me and curl my wrist when I walk. I didn't know it was autistic. I thought it had something to do with trying to keep my balance.
Yeah, I really like movement as well. I still catch myself staring up at my ceiling fan sometimes. Trying to focus on one individual blade and just stare at it. I also like to tap my feet while I'm at home too.
On an average day, I don't stim. I only stim when I'm upset, bored, or tired. Like, yesterday, I was really tired in one of my classes, so I rocked the whole time. But I won't rock on a normal day. Just if I'm having a breakdown or if I'm really tired.
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I wonder if that's why many meltdowns seem so sudden. If you lose the resources to carry on coping behaviors like stims or mental defenses, you don't just lose that, but whatever extra ability those behaviors generated--making a sudden drop in your ability to process things, so you yell or curl up or cry or freeze... and people think it's "out of the blue" even though you've felt it building for quite a while.
Yea defintely! im more prone to melting down or attacking myself if i dont stim...
Sure, I'll sway when I stand up, I'll tap/wriggle/twiddle my fingers all day, do repetitive motions (going through with the motions of various forms of reloading a 1911 pistol is something I do often, come to think of it), curl my left hand up when I walk (I notice that a certain subset of people with Autism do this with a hand...), rock when I sit, etcetera.
A lot, but the repetitive thoughts in my head are far more frequent and noticeable to me.
omgosh i thought i was the only one in the world who listens to the same song over and over, i have my ipod on constant repeat haha, I also didn't realize that was a stim? wow, so weird that u mentioned that hehe, glad to know i'm not alone doing that hehe.
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melissa17b
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Another vote from the 24/7 Stimmers and Repetitive Music Players wing of the autistic world. Repetition in all of its glorious forms is essential to my regulation of feelings and maintenance of sanity. Even two consecutive minutes absent the comforts of the dozen or so stims I do at least a few of throughout the day, not to mention verbal tics and other outlets, can be a most uncomfortable experience. Not only does it feel unconfortable physically, it also promotes anxiety and seriously interferes with what paltry sensory regulation I do have.
Music is essential for me to connect to emotions. Ordinarily, I have an ever-changing playlist, occasionally with only one or two songs; other times up to 100, that I play at every opportunity where I can listen more or less undisturbed. Nighttime, on the train and while doing housework alone are my main listening times. In between these, music still plays constantly in my mind, with exact reproduction. My "jukebox" never stops.
I do not, however, repeatedly play parts of songs. It's kind of an obsessional thing - I don't like to "walk in" on a song in progress, and it is plain disturbing to stop a song from playing before it is complete. The jukebox of the mind, however, does not respect the house rules - it replays individual songs, tiny song snippets, album sides, playlists from years ago - pretty much whatever it wants.
I do this, too. I thought it had some reference to the neurotoxin/brain damage, like a stroke victim.
I also rock a lot during the day.
I also have this weird one where I pick at the top of a thumbnail with the first finger and thumb of the other hand. I do it really fast and then reverse. Never noticed it till I had PTSD on top of AUT. Not a very nicce mix.