Examples of "stimming" behavior in HFA/Asperger's?

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I've had many different stims throughout my lifetime, my current ones include rocking, flapping (which I'm trying to stop), picking at my eyebrows (also trying to stop; had it since seventh grade and half of each eyebrow is missing), and squishing my rubber "splat" ball. I've always been addicted to squishy liquid-filled toys, and it wasn't until a year or so after I learned about autism that I finally understood why I was the only one in my family who kept breaking them. I manipulated my rubber toys far more than my sisters ever did, so mine never lasted as long. My mother always threatened to "ban" me from them, but never actually carried it out, I guess she knew how much I needed them. When I was about two I went through a phase where I stopped walking and bounced everywhere because I loved the high-impact compression on my joints, but my parents eventually had to force me to stop because I was damaging the tendons in my ankles.

Rocking and hand flapping are my most common. I also make my fingers flutter in front of me or tap my feet.

A few of my autistic friends have hand fluttering, arm twisting, and clinching their arms towards their body. I had the arm clinching before and it feels really good

I'm a finger flutterer. I'm really good at finger fluttering, along with twisting and swinging my arms and rocking too. I'm not sure why because it's constant no matter what my mood or emotional state. My fingers are fluttering when I wake up in the morning and they might even flutter in my sleep, I don't know.

I tend to rock when I'm really focused on something at work. I also toss a rubber ball back and forth between my hands, move my fingers around a lot (not sure of a better way to describe that), pick at my skin, pop joints,and press the ball of my foot into the floor as hard as I can (to the point where I have split the soles of multiple pairs of shoes). Also, if I have a pen or other object in my hand I am almost certainly twirling it or running my fingers along it.

Here are the ones I can remember doing either in the past or now or both:

Rocking (even in a kitchen chair with those small round metal feet at the ends of the legs) and only fell once.
Repeating phrases or words in my head, both forwards and backwards.
The T-Rex arm.
Hair pulling and twirling.
Foot tapping (I'm doing it right now).
Clicking my teeth together in a certain pattern, always ending on the same tooth--lol.

Here are the ones I can remember doing either in the past or now or both:

Rocking (even in a kitchen chair with those small round metal feet at the ends of the legs) and only fell once.
Repeating phrases or words in my head, both forwards and backwards.
The T-Rex arm.
Hair pulling and twirling.
Foot tapping (I'm doing it right now).
Clicking my teeth together in a certain pattern, always ending on the same tooth--lol.

Hand in pocket while walking so phone bounces up and down along index finger?

yeah that all looked familiar.
now when it comes to rocking - i rock like nobodys business
I have heard "ret*d" or "is he ret*d?" all my life

I pace compulsively, but otherwise have tried to develop 'invisible' stims: constantly rubbing my tongue against my teeth, subtly pressing my fingers against things, clenching various muscles in a way that can't be seen, etc. (Also I pick at my skin and wish I could stop, but it's so hard!)

I don't think any of these behaviors prevent me from being able to function (in a job, etc.) But as I understand it, 'repetitive motor movements' are technically not required for an ASD diagnosis, since you only need two out of four traits under Section B (and I have the other three very strongly!)

My forms of stimming are:

Swaying

Rocking

Stretching

Pacing

Picking at my fingernails/cuticles

Bouncing back and forth when I'm happy

Rocking back and forth on my feet while standing

Flipping the pink bunny ears on my new Iphone case up and down

Handling stuffed animals /rubbing them against my skin/face

Rubbing a Calico Critters cat

Wrapping up in soft blankets

Looking at pictures of my favorite movie/animated characters

Watching the same movies/cartoons/scenes from said movies/cartoons over and over

Listening to the same song over and over

I also had stimming behaviors when I was little...my mom says I was fascinated by unfurling rolls of paper towels and toilet paper, and my dad says that when we would go to a place like the supermarket or the airport, I would run back and forth repetitively up and down the corridors. Because I was only a toddler at the time, people mostly put up with it, but my dad says that once I got into it, it was difficult to get me to stop.

Oh and lets not forget are little 8 year old who has a Ph.D in stimming.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oukupxRUA84[/youtube]

I don't know how may times I posted this video on WP but I can't seem to find any better ones.

Handflapping, finger and wrist flicking are my main two which I do regularly -does not matter to me in public or alone.

Sometimes I am sitting how I like while having my fingers on my lips, turning back and forth and making a low moan...all at the same time.

Clicking my tongue or turning from the waist with my arms bent at the elbow, rocking

here's some of the stims that I know that I do:

nail biting
grinding teeth
I don't really rock, but I pump my knees up and down very quickly
chin rubbing
hair twiddling
tapping/drumming
pacing

run my fingers across something with a texture I like. Sometimes until my fingers are raw. I found myself slipping my fingers between the teeth of a gear for so long and so intensely, I managed to peel the skin off the sides of three of my fingers.

Hey, I didn't know other people did it too! When I hear an annoying sound my body trembles and my neck goes to one side. I hate it that in college people move their chairs all the time and that noise KILLS me! I asked them not to do it but they don't care. They probably have no idea how it's like for me.

Those are the ones I do most:
-hand flapping
-moving my fingers
-rubbing my face
-pacing
-making noises with my throat, not sure if this one counts.

The lawyer who wrote my brief for my SSI appeal made certain to mention my rocking, flapping, finger flicking, and other stims multiple times per page out of 14 pages. It is odd to me that these would be considered evidence of severe impairment, but if it works, it works.

Being on Zoloft for the past year and a half has actually reduced my stimming considerably. It sometimes bothers me.

Also: I'm definitely down with the T-Rex arms.