AUTISM & STIMS?!⎥How I stim as an autistic woman 🤗

[@daniellechance6409]

As a young teen waiting for her diagnosis, im really happy that I have these videos that help me figure out who I am! And also thank you for mentioning POC and Autism, its very important to me as a black girl to know that this community has my back and that I am safe here 🥰🥰

[@neurodivergentme]

I’m so glad that you’re learning and understanding yourself early on in your life and that I’ve helped in some small way. You are a beautiful human with unique gifts to offer. We’ve got you girl 😘

[@mommaA505]

I wasn’t aware until recently that chewing the inside of your cheek was a stim. When I was going down the rabbit hole researching ASD I was like I do that and I’ve done it since I was little. I have never thought about what I was doing. I just did it. I do twitch my foot back and forth while I’m working. And I also rub my hands. That one I really enjoy. I did finally got my official diagnosis it took 2 1/2 years. I am 40. I am glad there are channels like this that help people realize hey I may be autistic.

[@neurodivergentme]

Congratulations on your diagnosis! Thanks for your comment friend 😊

[@Catlily5]

I shake my foot, bite my lips, and rub my fingers together. My case manager thinks that I have Autism. I thought I was diagnosed but my psychiatrist substitute says I only have traits of Autism. I guess she can't diagnose me.

[@j-ivey]

I read this as I was chewing my cheek, lol.

[@sydneyperson1336]

OMG the swinging stimming is so true for me. i’ll go to the park at nite and put in headphones and just swing w my eyes closed and do some hand movements (like piano hands, finger tapping) and it’s my favourite

[@TheCimbrianBull]

I'm a guy who was diagnosed with autism later in life. I also stim. When I was a child my stimming behavior was frowned upon so I learned to suppress it or replace it with more socially acceptable alternatives. Today I'm still learning how to embrace the need for stimming but it's difficult to unlearn all those years of not doing it. Keep making great videos like this one!

[@neurodivergentme]

I agree! It's really hard to unlearn years of suppressing but it has been worth the work for me. Thanks for your comment!

[@BooStarr888]

I’m realizing I may be on the spectrum at 36. One of my embarrassing stims that didn’t know was a stim is sniffing things. I’ll stiff clothing or even bury my face in animal fur and take a sniff. The smell is comforting. I also lined things up when I was a kid, rocks, cars, my stuffies. Or play music or shows over and over. Whenever we rented movies, it was usually a movie I had already seen. When I was a child I would also stare at people or things. I remember people thought I was weird.

[@heedmydemands]

Welcome to the club

[@lanamaceachern3097]

I'm also a sniffer. When I was a kid I would pick up each brand of soap at the grocery store and sniff it. I regularly sniffed all of my mother's spices and herbs. I would even breathe on my arm then sniff my skin. My favourite now is deeply inhaling the scent of towels and shirts when I take them off the clothesline. 🙂

[@katy9569]

I didn't realize I stim. When I was a kid (and even to this day) I'd lay in the bed and lift my arms above my head. Then I'd just stare at my fingers and make shapes. Never grew out of it and that's when I realized "hm, this is strange".

[@123marchello]

Omg I’m showing this to my husband!! This is me!! I’ve only been diagnosed ADHD, but I know I’m autistic too!

[@Andrea-rw9tf]

I still haven’t been diagnosed, I’ve self diagnosed. Every time I watch a video of someone with ASD I am almost brought to tears, I keep finding people like me. Which is awesome, but I could have gotten help way sooner.

[@jmaessen3531]

Hiya! Ditto to all you shared here! I'm self diagnosed so far. Can't decide if seeking professional diagnosis will be helpful for me or not. TBD! On a multi month bender watching videos of folks like me which is a wild ride. This explains so so much of how I operate and best of all, I'm / We're not alone 🥰

[@JeanieD]

My husband ( who doesn’t understand much about autism) always scolds me if he catches me picking or chewing at my cuticles. I will do it until I draw blood, so I should find a substitute. I know some of my stims can make noises that annoy others, so silent or at least quiet would be better.

[@NikkiRaven]

What helped me was getting fake nails..I usually do them myself and I find that when I am between sets, I bite my cuticles again🙈

[@heedmydemands]

Yeah I have a lot of stims I don't do because they're annoying for others like constantly singing the same couple lines of a song or clicking or tapping and stuff

[@laurasenseman6941]

I had begun to suspect that my almost uncontrollable need to stretch is a stimming behavior and I thank you for this video. It’s helped me accept my behavior without judging myself. Thanks for sharing this!

[@pinkgummybearparty2366]

omg! swinging! yes! swinging was the most important part of recess and literally all the other stims you mentioned are stims I find mysefl doing! I was diagnosed at 25 (almost 2 years ago) and I find my anxiety and depression are through the roof when I am unaware of my need ot stim or consciously suppress my stims because I think even when im alone I should be behaving like my allistic peers/family members. Thank you for sharing on this vulnerable subject (watching autistic content creators has helped me process my diagnosis tremendously and inspires me to work up to getting to a place where I can share one day too).

[@heedmydemands]

The biggest one I do physically is pacing, I pace a lot. When waiting for my daughter at her bus stop I would stand there, trying to seem like a normal person but it felt awful, I felt forced to stand still, so at one point I just realized y am I making myself do this, some people driving by could see me walking back and forth woopdy doo. So I started pacing all the time while I wait for her. No one has ever said anything to me about it. When people have met me I think they often know I'm odd so maybe they wouldn't b surprised lol. Also I sing a lot, I guess that's maybe auditory stimming and I like to make little tapping noises and stuff and clap

[@melissalushington9045]

You know, I write blogs about autism advocacy, independence, and acceptance. People like you are the reason why!

[@katrianem2124]

It’s awesome to hear about different stims to the regularly accepted ones as mine are all more unique - except playing with my hair.

[@hurricanerz]

As a kid, whenever I was excited if people came over I would run around the coffee table endlessly, my hand tracking the table. Some I have done for years and will probably never stop doing: Picking at the skin next to my nails, this can be harmful and I try to avoid it but am often not aware I'm doing it Biting my lip when I'm nervous (softly) Pinching myself with my nails or sort of sharp objects (pencils, pens). At school my fingers would be full of ballpoint dots xD Tapping or pinching whatever I am holding (me and plastic cups do not go well together), I also tap my phone pretty often when I am typing, this is worse when I am overstimulated Flexing my muscles 'until it feels right' Swinging side to side on my feet Gently rocking (I have supressed this one I think, but recently just allowed myself to do it when I feel the desire).

[@angiefalco1028]

Yesss!! I stimm the same ways. Thanks for bribing the awareness! Glad I found your channel!

[@allisfaith]

I chew on my cuticles and crotch them across the outside of my lips. I also chew my cheeks and have since I was a kid.

[@genastuthman255]

I thought I was the only one who did the "air burping". Never realized it was a stim until recently.

[@NikkiRaven]

I recently found out that I am on the spectrum and I have realized that I have a lot of “little” stimms. I also bite the inside of my cheek😅 and I used to ehm..chew? on my cuticles too but ever since I got fake nails I don’t do that anymore.. Oo yes the infinity cube! I love them! I ordered a bunch of different ones and I even found a wooden one on Amazone😍

[@gaylem4333]

If you love swinging (as I do) you might like a swing chair. I was feeling conspicuous at the playground on the kids swing. The swing chair doesn’t go as high as I’d like, but it’s a good substitute. Also I have had rocking chairs since I was three. I never knew they were both stims until just recently!

[@dee0731]

Great explaining of this subject! 🙌🏻☺️🕊

[@neurodivergentme]

Thank you!

[@theautisticpage]

I am 50 and learning to stim again.

[@neurodivergentme]

Yay! Stim on friend 🤗

[@Fractalkoala]

I've recently been researching a lot of things about autism and I honestly thought I was just a weirdo but I realised I just stim a lot. 🤣

[@kathryncollins8708]

I'm always chewing my cheeks. I like the silver block looking stimming toy but if I did it too much, I would get this weird feeling between my fingers - same as when I used to make taffy out of marshmallows, pulling and twisting them with my fingers - it's that weird feeling some glasses can give to the bridge of your nose. I play simple games on my phone to help me relax and also to help me to concentrate on videos.

[@Tickles_The_Oaf]

I am autistic and have bitten the inside of my lip to the point where there was a growth and it needed to be cut off. So I try not to do that but am always catching myself. My antisocial stim is using the tips of my fingers to explore my scalp, looking for little bits to pluck. A very satisfying and more socially appropriate alternative for me is pop its. Of all sizes. They satisfy my need to explore to find things! Now I only explore my scalp before bed while reading. I also love cracking my joints, especially my toes and knees but the toes can get obsessive because they can crack again and again!!

[@KiraAfter_Dark]

I have the same Infinity Cube and its my favourite thing in the world. I'm not looking forward to going back to the office cause I won't be able to use it anymore :(

[@linam.9675]

Love ur collection of stim toys! I still struggle to find ones that fit me 😔

[@starlightrose4087]

When you live in a nuerodivergent family any stim bother people especially w kids. Its a constant reminder to them that we need to do it. My stims are very quiet no one but my mother can im doing it

[@neurodivergentme]

Most of my stims are pretty quiet too but can still be distracting... especially the stretching and body movements.

[@neurodivergentme]

My inner family no longer comment on them though and just accept they help me.

[@starlightrose4087]

My sis still comments especially if my son is doing.

[@SkysetCheryl84]

I put my hands on my hips when feeling unbalanced when hot and dizzy in an environment.. or at a place like Walmart lol.. especially without a cart. I pick at my fingernail cuticles for years and never thought them as a stem.

[@FaradayAcademy]

What is the first stim toy that you showed called?

[@TheINFP_Diary]

My brother and I would always show off our burping skills, today I do it at parties and just mostly in my day to day life. Doing it in front of groups of people will never get old.

[@ht7cs]

Admit it. You reeeeally wanted to finish that block puzzle. LOL. I would have definitely paused filming to do that. 😄

[@stefanmargraf7878]

Fingering nose and ears. Always. I did not know, but its stimming. And i am annoyed by hairs in those cavities.....

[@parrosenqvist6030]

I am 39 years old. Last week I sat with my psychiatrist and she told me I autistic and I said no. She said then that I had stim during the whole meeting 🙂Now I have found out I stim a lot without knowing it. At the gym people have looked strange at me.

[@sunmi2539]

Omgg the toe walking one is me!!!!

[@ravensola]

I do chiropractic regularly. I’m very hypermobile in my joints

[@frlolz]

Is it stimming if I like breathe weirdly? I kinda tighten up my trachea and breathe against the pressure and it makes a noise. I also do more stuff but I’m mostly a verbal/audio kinda gal 😄 I hum and sing and do klicking noises with my tounge against my palate. I also often cross my eyes for some reason and I also do the skin picking to the point of bleeding. Those last two I really want to get rid of but they’re the only ones I can do in public..

[@kristinromaine7333]

Can you post a link to the rings? I need that so badly!!

[@lexiconlover]

I FEEL RLY UNCOMFORTABLE RT. Didn't know I was doing this or that I most likely have autism. Don't know what to feel/say/see/do/think...just jumbled ATM.

[@sillygoose4176]

I stim by chewing my cheeks. I shove my hand into my cheek to push it in and then start biting down. I gnaw on my palm, thru my cheek and I moan or make noises. I'm good at avoiding this when people are around. I hide it. But when I'm alone, I'm stimming and chewing cheeks. Been doing it since I was a little kid. Teachers noticed it. Don't know why but it just happens and it's fulfilling. Ive had other stims thru the years and I don't like to stare people in the eyes while talking. But I don't mind staring at beautiful women in their eyes. Just not men, weird.

[@redpalex]

Omg I've been doing the burping thing since forever and I had no idea it was stimming!

[@kristinichols1721]

helpful thank you!

[@jackilove523]

Thank 💚 You✨🙏✨

[@Catlily5]

I never knew stretching could be a stim. I used to love swinging as a kid but now it can make me dizzy and nauseated.

[@AnnaGoodWolf]

Yea I do the chewing ..fingernails & cuticuls........& my lips

[@AnnaGoodWolf]

I like your collection of toys!!!!

[@tofunny4159]

Please reply 🙏, my son is autistic some videos on his channel, he dose something an I would love your advice please He's will be watching telly or his ipad , then just stops lays down and rolls back and forth his legs lock out one leg jerks and he pushes with both hands on his stomach with his head rolling back and forth with his body and his eyes roll back and forth it sounds so strange when I write it out but I need to know to help him and any advice is good xx

[@neurodivergentme]

Is he verbal or have a way to communicate? If so, could you ask him if he needs or would like support during these times and if so, how he would like for you to support him? It sounds like he is trying to self regulate. Maybe he’s excited from what he’s seeing on the screen and stims in response. Or possibly overstimulated from it? If he isn’t in distress, he probably doesn’t need help and may just feel good moving his body this way. Hope this helps a bit 💕

[@tofunny4159]

@@neurodivergentme thank you 🙏 he is nonverbal we have tired to see if he wants us around when he dose it but he goes in to a world of his own for so long . Not in pain with it but it happens when's watching things on telly or his eye pad he won't respond to us but he's awake . So we have to kind of let him just do it an come back round he dose it at least 20 30 times at least. He's only 3 years old

[@neurodivergentme]

@@tofunny4159 one last thing- there is a connection between autism and epilepsy. I found this video that discusses the connection and the different types of seizures one can have (I’ll link below). It may be worth recording one of these episodes and discussing it with his pediatrician just to make sure it’s nothing more than stimming. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXbQap2seNJ5mLc

[@Genin99]

Have you tried a chewable stim toy?

[@neurodivergentme]

I did try one but I didn't like the texture. I think I need something a little softer.

[@Genin99]

@@neurodivergentme Maybe doing some experimenting could help you find the right one.

[@JeanieD]

Wow, I never thought of this! I love to chew on soft “licorice” (actually, the fruit flavored rope Twizzlers), because of how it feels. It never occurred to me that might be a stim. Now I am going to look into chewable stim toys!

[@beepbopboop3221]

That is yoga! How do you know if I'm just a yogi or if its stimmy? My son flaps his hands and toys. So I make him stimmys while watching TV. Plush octopi and small plushies are his favorite. I took up rock climbing and now I pick my cuticles really bad again. My cuticles look like I'm a 3rd grader again. I take my son to the park and we swing. He's 25. I tend to stand swing. Swings hurt my bottom. You should look up bikram awkward chair. It's on the toes. I lived that one but I have morton's neuroma now so I can't.

[@janrosauer3416]

Stand swing, sounds fun!

[@neurodivergentme]

I'll have to try stand swinging! Love that you stim with your son. 🥰

[@danzacjones]

I am interested not in yoga but meditation and part of me wonders if autism is a monastic / yogi gene hehehehe all the best

[@JRomeMelodico987]

Hand flapping is what some birds do with their wings good one tho

[@anjachan]

Im not sure If it's normal what I do. Probably not.

[@NicolinaDanielle]

3:45 police violence

[@ma77mc]

I shouldn’t have watched this because I do most, if not all the same things and now I’ve started doing them. Argh

[@neurodivergentme]

Lol my bad 😬

[@ma77mc]

@@neurodivergentme it’s all good, I’m new to the Neurodivergent world and am on a research binge. It seems everything is setting me off. Sigh.

[@michaelj8237]

So you are on the spectrum? Yeah, right. Think it all about you.

[@NatAndKaii]

This is a dumb comment.

[@denisf.1744]

I Say Thank You For Bringing This Great Wonderful Video On With Pertient Information About Stimming 🧩🦋🌈

[@peigirl23]

This video encouraged me to start a list of all the stims from my childhood to now.

[@TheINFP_Diary]

That's an amazing idea, I started doing that not only writing about my stims, but all my childhood behavior, it's only been a few months on just jotting down things i randomly remember, and now I have dozens of pages ! Go for it !!!

[@lizad6030]

@@TheINFP_Diary sameee omg I did it BC I'm getting screened for autism I find out this month ahhh