Can't stop stimming

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I started closed mouth coughing as a way to stimulate the muscles in lower throat but its getting way outta hand I end up coughing incessantly for hours. What makes it a problem is its so loud. Everyone in the house can hear me coughing incessantly, I told them its an autism thing called "stimming" but they don't really know what the hell I'm talking about. When I force myself to stop doing I feel like theres a void and it feels aggitating. I noticed that while I've stopped doing all other stims, I just do this one now. I'm gonna see if I can switch back to my old other stims to replace this one. Any of you had a problematic stim that you decided to get rid of?

I've never heard of stimming before, you've just made me realize I should probably learn more about this syndrome I've been diagnosed with lol. It sounds a bit like tourettes to me though, an overwhelming urge to do something, like a tic type thing.

I used to have a similar 'ticcy' type problem to this during my school years. Except for me it was more of a throaty hum, if that makes sense. I too would say it seems more like a tic than a stim, although I find the boundaries are often blurred. Maybe you might find rubbing your throat externally might help ease the tension or aggitation. Also, perhaps sipping a drink or sucking on a boiled sweet might take your mind off it and give your throat something else to do.

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Well, as I understand it, a tic is involuntary and a stim is not. I think with tics the brain is sending unintended signals for the muscles to move. I had some really bad facial tics after years of Ritalin and Concerta. My face was convulsing. As far as stims go, I spent about two months compulsively cracking the top knuckle of my left pinky. I even did it while driving and continued to do it even though my knuckle got painful and swollen. Then I just stopped. I think thinking about it will ensure that it continues.

stims can be stopped/changed; if you really want to.
you must pay great attention to the initial signal from a stim occuring, and the repressing that actively. doing such will couse quite some stress becouse you cannot releave the pressure that caused the stim at first, but it will stop it from happening; if you keep it up.

do be aware though, that stopping a stim this way always creates a new one, and you never know what the new one will be; it could even be worse...

I'm having this problem too, with blinking. But the stimulus isn't psychological, it's physical. I have some sort of chronic problem with dry eyes. The only way to keep them from burning is to keep them closed or blink a lot. But I find myself sometimes (especially on public transport for some reason) blinking a few times to relieve the dryness, then before I know it I'm blinking almost constantly because of the compulsion to continue the motion. It's worst on buses or in cars, when I'm passing signs and telephone poles and suchlike on the road. Each time I pass one, I feel the need to blink. When I was young I used to worry that I had OCD or something because of this, but the school therapist always told me that such behavior did not qualify as OCD. (Too bad school shrinks back then didn't know anything about AS.) It's the only stimming behavior I've never been able to shake, and I hate that because I'm sure it looks completely ridiculous. (Even as I type this I can feel myself doing it... fortunately I'm home and there's no one else around!)

I can stop it once I realize it's happening, but of course I don't always realize I'm doing it. I'm also interested in methods for correcting this problem, or at least becoming aware of it more quickly so I can stop sooner. Anyone have any ideas?

I heard tics feel sort of like holding your breath. Most people can hold their breath for awhile, but sooner or later the urge to breathe gets too strong to resist.

Stims I'd define as voluntary actions you do because they give you a pleasurable sensation. Unless you're the kind of person who does many things involuntaily which are usually voluntary (like this woman), in which case the line gets confusing.