Addicted to stimming

Post Reply New Topic

I count steps and such, but I always thought that was more of an OCD thing. But having to look over my shoulders equally (hard to explain), it's a physical sensation...it's hard to tell if that's a sensory or an OCD thing or it's a combination of the two. I know when I'm overwhelmed and stressed the 'tics'/stimming acts up.
Sometimes I shake my foot when my legs are crossed, but sometimes my legs/feet shake on their own.
My poor nails....I quit biting them cold turkey about 4 years ago (Some extreme stress in the past year caused a bit of a relapse_, but since I quit biting them I still pick at them with my other fingers and trim my nail sooo short with nail clippers. When my nails get longer (they're not even to my finger tip), it is this physical sensation that I just don't like.

I have SMD (stereotypic movement disorder,) so my stimming is usually longer, more aggressive, and usually involves the entire body. I do plenty of small stimms but the big ones are...

1: When I was child I would spend hours hitting the ground with sticks while walking around in various patterns. This allowed me to think clearly, have fun, release my energy and be creative.

2: Intense rocking. I can only rock on 2 conditions. 1: It is a rocking chair, and 2: I am listening to music. This one works out for me because when people see me I can just say I'm, "getting into the music," when really the rocking is a Stimm. I rock aggressively and have broken 2 chairs in my life because of it.

3: I will often clasp my hands, point my arms down and jump.

4: I often clasp my hands and hit my thigh as hard as I can

5: Running! This often works for me like a stimm.

My stims are biting my lips, wiggling my legs when I am sitting down. I can't stop wiggling my legs at all, I constantly do it. I also rock back and forth and flap my arms while listening to music, and wobble on my tippy toes too.

Really? I thought I was the only one who did that! I can't go to sleep if I'm still. I have to kind of rock myself to sleep. I usually bend my legs and like move my knees back and forth. I feel very odd when I try to stay still. Hmm, even when I'm embroidering I stim.