Can we change our stims?

Gidday Mantra, 

I hope we can change our stims.  I pick at my fingers until I bleed - I like the pain as it feels real and makes me be present.  My fingers don't look nice.  I am trying a few other things:

• Firmly squeezing a hard massage ball in each hand - that still causes pain but (hopefully) no damage - but thats only at home.
• I carry a couple of small polished stones and just move them around in my hands and fingers - great when I'm out and about as other people don't notice it
• Shake my hands around when I am alone - proactively (before I feel the need - I read that proactive stimming is a thing!)
• Very firmly grip the edges of the chair if thats all I have when I really need something.

I've only been trying these other things for a few weeks and I'm hopeful at least some of them work.

My other stims are common ones - mainly legs bouncing around to their own song when I'm sitting where nobody can see me.  I only recently realised I do this, but have been doing it for decades - feels great!  I'm doing it right now...

I do the pebble thing. I have one that is just perfect, size shape, density and texture. I tend to squeeze it between the thumb and forefinger of one hand until it shoots out from between them and catch it in the other hand, then repeat. It is very satisfying.

I do the pebble thing. I have one that is just perfect, size shape, density and texture. I tend to squeeze it between the thumb and forefinger of one hand until it shoots out from between them and catch it in the other hand, then repeat. It is very satisfying.