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I don't stim, but maybe I should start

Nessie

I've read a lot about how stimming is a common—almost universal—autistic behaviour, but it's not something I've ever done (to my knowledge). Depending on the situation, either I get quite OCD about cleaning and tidying everything around me (it has to be absolutely spotless and aligned perfectly parallel), or I self-harm, but I don't stim in the traditional sense (or maybe I'm misunderstanding the term).

Given that my education, career and general life keeps getting interrupted with stress-induced illnesses, I'm wondering if I need to find a suitable stim to help me cope in daily situations rather than holding everything in until I meltdown, shutdown or completely burnout.

  • Can you remember a time when you didn't stim? If so, when did you start and how did you settle on the stim you now use?
  • Or, have your stims changed over time? If so, why did you choose one in preference to another?

Any insights and advice welcome. Thanks.

Parents

  • As someone who has recently been diagnosed and others have identified the different movements/twitched I do then I was unaware that I did (or was on the spectrum).  As to your questions, I cannot answer them as it is not a conscious thing to identify/remember.

    Since the penny dropped then I have noticed things I have done since childhood but everyone is different.  I would ask some people close to you to identify anything however minor that you do.  

    Stimming is not really a coping mechanism but you need to have help/support to identify what overwhelms you into meltdown.  It could be one thing (too much noise) or many things (Sound, smell, touch, taste, sight, space and balance).

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