Pacing - a rare form of stimming?

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I've been a chronic "pacer" since I was 5. Often as a child I would spend several hours pacing in a distinct pattern while listening to the same 15 seconds of a piece of music (usually classical) over and over again. Oddly enough, I never thought this was unusual; I still do it as an adult, especially when I am upset or excited about something.

When I was very young, I also liked to pace on table tops.

I haven't heard a lot of reports about pacing, so I was wondering if this is a rarer form of stimming?

-Mat

I don't know if it's rare or not and I never thought of it as stimming but I do this often especially when stressed or talking on the phone. I have always paced and as a child in protective custody mildly hit the wall with my fist as I walked along. A lot of it was the stress of not being able to talk. Now it's the stress of having to listen.

Pacing is a form of stimming and is mentioned fairly often in autism technical literature. I do it a fair amount, especially if I am anxious or talking on the phone.

I pace when I'm anxious but that's a pretty common nervous habit. What you describe sounds like stimming though.

I pace whenever I can't go outside to run my excess energy out, such as late at night or during bad weather. I put my music on and daydream while I pace. I always have to touch the wall on the opposite side of my room and lean into it. I'm always scared that I'm going to accidentally hit my face, but that hasn't happened yet.

Pacing, like fllipping my hands, was an aspie trait I got bullied for when I was young. So I tried to stop both behaviors. Now I mostly pace when I'm home alone, especially if I'm stressed or thinking.

I pace a lot, mainly when I'm unsettled or stressed

I don't think it's particularly rare; I do it quite often but especially when I have to wait for something.

Apparently it's socially acceptable to pace backwards and forwards, but when you pace in a circle you've crossed a line.

Psh. My 2nd favourite, and always anti-clockwise.
So I suppose there's no chance for figures-of-eight...

My son used to pace a lot at school. Some teachers had no problem with it, others ... well ... I considered it their problem. LOL! As his anxiety subsided, he paced less, and as far as I know, he no longer does (in school). He's a senior, and at a school that understands him. He still paces when excited. It's part of how he expresses himself!

Not so rare.

It's half the reason I got diagnosed with AS in the first place.

Yeah, I pace all the time.

I pace when im extremely frustrated but i also do a lot of my otehr stims while i am pacing.
If i am really worried about something important i pace quickly covering the same ground flapping my hands or using verbal sounds (cant give an example).

In a wat this sound similar to your listing to music as you pace.

My usual form of stimming is I pace back and fourth whilst rubbing my hand in a circle on the top of my head with a sort grimace look on my face. I do it when I'm alone but have been unknowingly observed doing it which has shocked people as I must look like a madman lol

Like others, it doesn't come across to me as rare. It even appeared on an online Aspie test I saw. I do, especially when I'm over-stimulated and need to think.