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Stimming is to create patterns?

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analyser23
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29 Jul 2012, 7:56 pm

To me, it would seem that most stims (though maybe not all) seem to have some sort of pattern-creating involved?
Rocking, swinging, looking at patterns, finger drumming, listening to music, pacing, tracing patterns (I trace a figure of eight on my thumbnail, is strange lol), spinning, etc..
Is it some way of calming down a feeling of being out of control or something like that? Seeking some kind of pattern to latch on to?



Marybird
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29 Jul 2012, 9:47 pm

Maybe, there's a lot of pattern and rhythm in stimming. Try stimming and then not stimming and notice the difference in how you feel.



phyrehawke
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30 Jul 2012, 1:27 am

I think you have something there with latching onto a pattern. I think our brains (or at least some of ours?) are wired to seek patterns. But the pattern seeking bit can get overwhelmed in places full of information to sort through, or anxious/frustrated in places with no patterns at all, or patterns that don't make sense to them for some reason.
We can make easy obvious repetitious patterns of our own to calm that part of our brain down, and maybe reset the pace with a rhythm we impose, rather than whatever rate information was coming in at on it's own. That way we regain some control.



vanhalenkurtz
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30 Jul 2012, 3:09 am

phyrehawke wrote:
We can make easy obvious repetitious patterns of our own to calm that part of our brain down, and maybe reset the pace with a rhythm we impose, rather than whatever rate information was coming in at on it's own. That way we regain some control.


Sounds about right.


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Kenjitsuka
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30 Jul 2012, 11:05 am

http://insideperspectives.wordpress.com ... /stimming/

Read fully, very comprehensive and insightful!


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analyser23
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31 Jul 2012, 8:47 pm

Kenjitsuka wrote:
http://insideperspectives.wordpress.com/compulsions/stimming/

Read fully, very comprehensive and insightful!


That's a great site, thanks!



analyser23
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31 Jul 2012, 8:48 pm

phyrehawke wrote:
I think you have something there with latching onto a pattern. I think our brains (or at least some of ours?) are wired to seek patterns. But the pattern seeking bit can get overwhelmed in places full of information to sort through, or anxious/frustrated in places with no patterns at all, or patterns that don't make sense to them for some reason.
We can make easy obvious repetitious patterns of our own to calm that part of our brain down, and maybe reset the pace with a rhythm we impose, rather than whatever rate information was coming in at on it's own. That way we regain some control.


Yes! This is what I mean, exactly! Thanks for your thoughts



phyrehawke
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31 Jul 2012, 10:57 pm

You're quite welcome. :)