biting things?

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I am not low-functioning. I am married (though we struggle since my wife can not understand me), I have been at the same job for nearly 10 years now, I drive, I do for myself mostly. My AS and ADHD do affect me in my daily life, however, because of the amount of mistakes I make on the job and because of my social difficulties.

I just wanted to get that out of the way first because I wonder if any other high-functioning individuals do this as well, but I am always biting things. If it's not my fingernails, it's a pen or pen top. I always have something in my mouth for my teeth to bite on. At home in my office, if I look out the window there is a 1/2 circle window above with nothing covering it. Below that is a normal window with blinds in it. The top plastic bar that holds the window blind set together is right at my mouth level and I will stand there and bite it as long as I can, but if I happen to see someone outside or driving down the street I will stop. While watching TV in the evenings, I bite on the remote control. Sometimes I will sit there and smack myself in the forehead with it as well because there is a sensitive spot in the center of my forehead that I like to inflict minor pain on ... it's such a good feeling.

Anyone? Or am I just a total freak?

I have this too but I never connected it to AS, more to an oral fixation. I smoke too.

The reason I try to lump it with AS is my psychologist told me it would classify as a stereotypy. She didn't seem as bothered by it because she sees autistic people all day every day, but my wife thinks I'm so weird, especially when I pick up the TV remote and chew on it or smack myself repeatedly on the forehead with it.

yes. it can be quite common for people with an ASD - the need to chew, bite - like a stimming action connected with the fact our anxiety levels are often a fair bit higher than other peoples.' So we can chew more consistently and intensely than others.

I have always liked to bite and chew things. At school the ends of my pencils were chewed down to the lead - always - even if they had those little silver casings with the eraser in them. That would be systematically chewed.

When I paint i put the brushes in my mouth all the time. I love the feel of just biting into the wood - a very particularly immersion into - it - just a tad- before the wood reaches a density and won't "give" anymore.

Chewing also extends to the skin membrane in my inner mouth. also to the skin on my lips, etc.
bottle tops, bits of this and that......

Chew? Bite?
heaven.

I guess it must be my version of stimming, then. But so many NTs have the chewing and sucking thing that I'm not sure.

Yes, that's basically what I was wondering. My psychologist said it would be considered a streotypy, but I wondered how common it was. I would love to know how common it is in people with ASDs vs people without. Because I know 'normal' people who bite on things as well, but taking it to extremes where I bite on the hard top piece on window blinds, remote control, etc. And I have REALLY bad teeth ... from my obsession with sugar and not taking care of my teeth as a child. But I floss heavily now. Every evening I spend 15-20 minutes flossing and cleaning my teeth. But now they are just so sensitive, I have to be careful how I bite onto things. But as Millie said ... HEAVEN!!

Millie, I used to do that with my pencils as well. I could always tell my pencils from those of others because I would chew right through them like a beaver through a tree trunk!

all human beings "stim" to rid themselves of excess energy. I mean - take smoking for example - what is that? It is very comforting because it occupies the hands and mouth and it certainly isn't specific to people with an ASD.

I think what can be decisive for us is the intensity and duration of it. And often it is related to these high anxiety levels. Start addressing the anxiety levels and one can reduce the agitation and anxieties that lead to the AMOUNT of chewing. (God forbid, we never stop chewing on those pencils altogether. life would not be worth living.)
For example, I can still beaver my way through pencils at 46years of age, - and sbcmetroguy - i love that analogy , or chew through a pen at times and get all the ink in my mouth. Many other women of 46 years of age are adjusting their high heel straps or their makeup as i continue to chew. (perennial kid and i like it that way. )

My dental surgeon told me that many people chew their inner cheek, especially while driving, but he was worried about the amount I chew it. I don't know if Aspies chew more because of stimming needs, or because we're less concerned with being seen as "normal". I mean, if any of my NT acquaintances felt like chewing their window, they'd refrain if only out of a sense of duty of being "like everyone else".

Same happens with bubblewrap. I seem to refrain from popping it less than others, but is it because of a heavy stimming need or because I care less what others will say about me?

Which reminds me, when millie mentioned her works of art being bubblewrapped in her interview thread, first thing that came to my mind was chasing the truck to pop my painting's bubblewrap,

Here I am again, commenting on a biting thread I totally do everything you mentioned sbcmetroguy (except the window thing cuz I don't have one) including the remote on the forehead! I don't think I ever really realized that that was abnormal or anything until reading this post

I don't bite my fingernails off but I nibble them constantly. Either that or I am wiggling my tongue around in my mouth or chewing it lightly or any other number of things that can be done with the mouth.

When I was younger I used to chew plastic things and pencils to shreds and I still love to eat ice and hard things that give dentists nightmares. I even used to chew the tab from an aluminum soda can into a tiny compact little ball. Etc and ect.....


The remote thing actually makes me laugh lol its so funny that I do this too and that it's not actually something a normal person would do. I never realized that hahahaha

I can see it now - Greentea making off down the street behind the truck, with my son in tow...... He is also partial to a bit of bubble-wrap popping. IN my virtual world, you are welcome to pop bubble wrap at my home anytime, Greentea. (so long as we don;t have to bother talking or doing niceties or any of that crap. )

I'm glad I'll have your son's company for that! I used to pop bubble-wrap with my nephews.

i find myself doing similar things, including tapping myself w objects, nibbling on stuff i got nearby, especially if they got a nice inviting consistency. see my thread about "mars plastic" staedtler erasers

I'm pretty orally fixated myself. I too enjoy chewing on T.V. remotes. And other remotes. Pens. Headphone cords, other cords. I think I used to chew on the plastic thingie on the pully strings on window blinds when I younger. Used to chew my nails all the time. (I don't chew them now, but I have a habit of chewing them and sometimes eatting them when I clip them off.).
I like to chew and bite my hands, my arms. Often have urges to randomly bite people (I don't act on it; except sometimes to my dad, heh.). Love gum like crazy. Like to chew erasers. Eat too much sometimes because of it all...

Edit:
Also like to tap/hit myself with things, and like bubble wrap.

It would be interesting to know if they ever used mercury, lead, arsenic or cadmium paint to paint pencils? Mainly because of the link between metal poisoning and Autism.

omgosh yes, huge biter here, always have been, always will, my hands are deformed due to literally opening my hands from biting so much, my sheets and pillows have holes in them, i put everything in my mouth, looove to bite, bite people haven bitten animals lol not anymore, also chew on controllers, telephones, computer stuff, anything basically, have special biting toys because i always have to have something in my mouth or between my teeth. have u ever looked into an oral therapy toys? stuff like this---> http://www.theraproducts.com/index.php? ... d760ca007a

i also am a headbanger, in the middle of my forehead has a huge big bump that is permanent i guess look likes im growing a horn there lol from banging my head so much hehe i also smack my head with my hand then whine then get happy again tis weird hehe. ur def not a freak, its apart of the autism spectrum

Had do answer this one as reading was biting down on one of my fingers, have always fidgeted, tap, picked, chewed on things.. its like a nervous energy and do realize tend to do more when over exposure to society, gives me to much to over think, worry, stress on.. over process, shutdown.... people overdosed at present, feeling stressed and in need of hiding away from none autistic individuals that is, its hard pretending and not being understood, allowed at times