What would happen if you couldn't Stimm?

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When I can't stim, I feel as if I may explode.

My son's stim is to lie on his tummy, hands down his trousers and rock back and forth - you get what I am saying! He is only 6 yrs old. Is there any suggestion how to encourage him to find a new stim?

From reading your threat I obvioulsy wouldn't stop him stimming per se, however he obviously he needs to understand this is inappropriate behaviour. I wish he could choose something else to do.

My stims are automatic, I don't think I could stop them... for long anyway.

I'm always tapping out geometric shapes with my finger tips against my legs, pen, desk or anything handy. Sometimes I tap out numbers with my teeth while counting the taps. The more stressed I am the more I do it.

When I was young (I'd guess around 7) I used to flap my arms up and down when I was stressed. I got teased a lot for it at school - in reply I used to say I was playing at being a bird . One day I discovered I could do this tapping thing instead and count while doing it and hardly anybody noticed that stim. I have a vague recollection of it being a huge relief at the time - something I could retreat into for comfort that few people noticed.

I sometimes notice today (I'm now 49) that I'm tapping away quite feverishly on the side of my leg counting when I'm talking to a stranger or otherwise stressed.