What are your stimms?

Hi

Most of your list applies to me too. I also didn't realise this was part of being autistic.

I've realised how much they help me to cope in certain circumstances, so I'm learning to let them flow a little bit.

I am also another grateful new member

My stims when I am anxious/nervous are:

My right leg shakes
I pick my cuticles
Holding my breath for as long as I can
Tapping my fingers on my legs
Clenching fists - normally with my nails digging in my palms
Going silent/stuttering - especially if I am meeting someone new
Or (completely the opposite) talking to much about my special interest (nature, animals - especially cats lol).

Before I realised I was Autistic - I hadn’t taken these things into account.

It was only after reading up on the forum here and the NAS website that I understood what the word ‘stimming’ meant, so I am very grateful for this forum and the NAS for helping me (even though I don’t post on here much).

Mweekie xx

I felt the same

Martin said:

Fingernails always have to be smooth and not catch on anything.

Those are the truest words I have ever read!

Listening to music im jot sure but singing with no music in certainly is like I might just be in town and feel anxious so I’ll just quietly sing “echo’s of reggae coming through my bedroom wall”

If a single fingernail becomes chipped or ragged at the end, it is a sensory nightmare for me. Fingernails always have to be smooth and not catch on anything. I use a glass nail file because it produces the smoothest results.

As a child I would chew my hands, my lips, my toys and my mums ear apparently, (Sorry mum!). As an adult I still chew things, my lips and hands mostly. I've got in to the habit of picking my skin as well.

I also rub my hands, tap my fingers on my hands and clap my hands. There might be more but these are the ones I do the most.

Is listening to music stimming through headphones as I do dat a lot, to calm down 

I blink if im going.into a situation were there are triggers

I pick my nails alot, and make them spikey  then i pressed them on my finger tips, if things get really bad I use the sharp nails to self harm by tearing at my skin till I bleed. The greater the pain the more relief and calmer I get.

As a child I spun around quite a lot, not now though. I mostly fiddle with small objects, especially if they have parts that rotate or click - things like ballpoint pens, Swiss army penknives, folding corkscrews and suchlike. I also like the feel of some pebbles, with the right size, density and surface texture. I jiggle my legs and feet and slide my fingernails though my beard as though combing it. I have a tendency to pick at and bite the skin at the sides of my finger nails when agitated. 

Lol. That is fine, we all have our thing :-)

So I don't know how to explain this but I don't like chews even though I chew. I like the size and shape of hoodie cords and headphone wires. Lanyards are a back up but aren't as good. Something hard and bulkier just isn't satisfying.

Have you tried Chewbuddy, assuming you are in the UK, it is very good.

Rubbing my hands together is probably my main one.

I also will bite nails/fingers and put certain things in my mouth like hoodie cords.

I'm also very fidgety and will mess with whatevers Infront of me and jig my leg but I feel like this might be more ADHD related than a stim.

I mean I’d not say self harm is stimming as it doesn’t as such clam at least nkt for me it just leaves me wirh nasty scars(oops accidental Taylor quote haha) but I have heard hard skin from biting won’t scar but since ive nkt stopped the biting in meltodwns i dotn know yet 

Tensing different parts of my my body, teeth chattering, shaking legs, corressing skin and head, self harm if that counts, blinking, grabbing my skin with my handing, rubbing my head and ears 

Blinking sort of thing mostly but I guess singings is a stim and I get excited flappy hands too