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Hitting

NAS73951

I was diagnosed with aspergers last year. I’m very high functioning. Basically a normal person.

im writing this to seek advice on an issue that I have had my whole life but has become more frequent in the recent months.

Occasionally, I have a strange episode where I repeatedly hit myself in the head and bang my head against whatever I can find near me. I can simply be lying on my bed or even walking down the street sometimes and it will start. Fortunately, my girlfriend can help but I’m the recent months this has gotten more frequent and more intense.

Normally, it is brought on my stress. Possibly even when there is too much on my mind.

As a 19 year old, in an apprenticeship. This has become an increasing concern. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what I should do, who I should talk to and what things could prevent this from happening. God forbid I’m driving one day and this occur.

Thanks!

  • in reply to Blue

    Thanks for that. That seems more so like what’s going on. I’ll have a think of what could be causing it. 

  • in reply to NAS73951

    What you have described is short dissociative episode. it occurs quite a lot in individuals with autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactive disorder. it doesn't matter your level of intellect. I do this quite a lot too.

    First of all you need to figure out if the trigger is caused by you being over stimulation & being overwhelmed or a lack of stimulation. In some individuals it occurs more often when switching between tasks or episodes of activity where you regularly switch between over and under stimulating tasks too rapidly. To reduce them I have found giving myself small breaks between tasks helps.

    Like Plastic and Caelus suggested you need to recognise the when you are over stimulation or under stimulated and re direct the behaviour into stimming which can be hard if you've been conditioned not to do it.         

  • in reply to Caelus

     is right - I've found I can modify or change my stims to something less destructive or inconvenient.

  • in reply to Caelus

    It’s difficult. Normally, with other things, I can tell when I’m stressed so will try to do something to calm myself down. I’m these cases, there won’t be any sort of urge. It’ll just happen. It’s like I black out. One minute I’m fine. The next, I’m on the floor, heavily breathing. Sitting there like “what just happened”

  • can you not substitute that with something else?
    id say it was a stim perhaps, and with stims you can usually substitute. perhaps try, instead of hitting your head or banging head against something, when you feel that urge perhaps try something else like clicking your fingers and see if that stops it?