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Johanna2015
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04 May 2015, 1:52 am

When I feel irritable or uncomfortable I soon start rubbing my hands and arms. If I find a raised spot then I scratch at it until I've damaged the skin. I often look like I've been in a battle.



eggheadjr
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04 May 2015, 10:39 am

Sounds like stimming to me...

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fluter
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11 May 2016, 11:14 am

I do this on my head. No one can see the scratches because my hair covers it.



LittleLu
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11 May 2016, 2:33 pm

I do something similar, but with my feet. When I'm content or excited, or even extremely anxious or upset, I rub my feet together something crazy, and most of the time don't even know I'm doing it until my wife says something like "Busy busy feet, honey?" I've read around that that is particularly a sign of stimming. I'd consider any kind of unconscious, repetitive action to bring relief to be some kind of stimming behavior. I've got a lot of them.


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ImeldaJace
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11 May 2016, 2:38 pm

The rubbing sounds like it could be a stim, but I'm not sure about the skin picking. Some people with anxiety disorders also skin pick, which for them is not stimming, so it could just be an anxious habit of sorts.


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EzraS
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12 May 2016, 4:13 am

Yep sounds like stimming along with mild self harm. I often stim and self harm/hurt at the same time. Biting my hands, rubbing slapping my legs, stuff like that. Coping plus release.



ZombieBrideXD
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12 May 2016, 10:18 pm

Stimming behaviours aren't really specific, I believe anyone can stim, regardless if they're autistic or not. Actually pretty much everyone I know stims, my mom twirls her hair, my sister chews on her cheeks.

Non autistics tend to stim in a more socially appropriate way- wringing their hands together, twirling hair, playing with objects.

Which autistic people's tend to be more noticeable for some reason, such as hand flapping, screaming, hitting self, biting and sucking on objects.

I tend to hit my head on walls or with my hands, and I scream but I also listen to music.

If it's soothing to you and helps you get through a anxious or over stimulating moment- it's a stim.


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EzraS
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13 May 2016, 1:19 am

I agree that everyone stims.
I think the difference is why the stimming takes place.
And I think the need for it is more intense for people with autism and that it is more pronounced.
To me that's what makes the difference.
However I think there are types of stims that are more autism specific.



ZombieBrideXD
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13 May 2016, 1:31 am

EzraS wrote:
I agree that everyone stims.
I think the difference is why the stimming takes place.
And I think the need for it is more intense for people with autism and that it is more pronounced.
To me that's what makes the difference.
However I think there are types of stims that are more autism specific.


Yes, absolutely!

As previously noted, hand flapping, spinning, rocking back and forth, are more common in autistic people and tend to be rare or absent in non autistics. However that being said other conditions such as schizophrenia do sometimes have these behaviours.


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