What is stimming?

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What exactly is "stimming"?

What situations provoke it?

Self-stimulators behaviour, or "stimming" is when an Autistic person either engages in repetitive movement, makes repetitive noises, or repeats certain words. Stimming can be very subtle or extremely noticeable. It can be done to help Autistics cope with stress or overstimulation and as a natural habit.

^^^^ nice quote in that sig. new to me

Stimming is new to me. i think its like the rocking movements that come from profound and deep emotional turmoil.

Its supposed to mean self-stimulating activity - its basically a last resort to change and emotional state. I think anyway.

To be honest I've never rocked but it happens to PTSD suffers as well as people with Autism. As an Aspie - who know if you think that exists or not - I've never done it directly and obviously anyway.

Last edited by answeraspergers on 14 Feb 2013, 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Funnilly enough, I'm stimming right now. I've never not done this. I have a piece of paper, which is a torn off corner from something, which I roll up and roll systematically on the fingers of each hand, it follows a sequence usually. I roll it between fingers, (including thumb) then on the back of fingers, swap to the other hand then often will progress to rolling it over closed mouth. Then I end up licking it (which makes it even more rollable and it stays in form too) and rolling it more until often it will fall apart. I can also use rolled up blu-tak or even bits of bread (it goes to a doughy consistency once squashed!) to do this same action. It's an essential part of my life, as a child until I found out otherwise I thought everyone did this. Until I realised it was part of my autistic behaviour I used to feel a bit embarrassed that I did something that others didn't seem to do. I ruin magazine pages constantly rolling the corners of the pages. I do it just because I like it, and I can also do it at a faster speed if I am stressed. I haven't seen anyone else do my type of stim, they are individual things. I also have to put my fingers against curved shapes, one of which is some indentations in our TV remote control, it's something I have to do, it's not random, it's just necessary for me. If I have been very stressed I will probably stim a lot.