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Can we change our stims?

Mantra

Hi, I've noticed that when I'm trying to focus hard on work or when I'm stressed... I scratch my skin. I've done this since I was a child. When either the work or stress (or both) get really intense, the scratching can intensify until I'm bleeding. I'd really like to scratch something other than myself to stop hurting myself, but I think the scratching sensation really helps drown out other background senses.

Is it possible to channel this destructive scratching into something, anything, else? Has anyone ever managed that?

Or.... what stims help you focus AND drown out background distractions?

(Tempted to wear gloves haha!! It's not that bad yet, though!)

Thank you in advance :-) 

Parents

  • I've done exactly this, I've had an issue where I pick at my skin when I try to relax and it often causes injury and bleeding and have a reasonably substantial scaring from it. Since finding out I'm Autistic other options to stop it were offered and I tried a few and the one that stuck was one of those pop it sensory toys, specifically a round one with an uneven number of dots and I find popping the pattern in that satisfies whatever it is my body wants in the picking.

    I also did something I think was similar years ago, I grew a beard to stop me picking at my face which was becoming an issue and now I pull and roll my beard hair instead. 

    So, short story long, I think its totally possible to move to a different stim, you might just have to try a few to find something that satisfies in the right way.

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  • I've done exactly this, I've had an issue where I pick at my skin when I try to relax and it often causes injury and bleeding and have a reasonably substantial scaring from it. Since finding out I'm Autistic other options to stop it were offered and I tried a few and the one that stuck was one of those pop it sensory toys, specifically a round one with an uneven number of dots and I find popping the pattern in that satisfies whatever it is my body wants in the picking.

    I also did something I think was similar years ago, I grew a beard to stop me picking at my face which was becoming an issue and now I pull and roll my beard hair instead. 

    So, short story long, I think its totally possible to move to a different stim, you might just have to try a few to find something that satisfies in the right way.

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