Stimming is self-stimulatory behavior. Stimming is usually a repetitive sensory action and it's used to help level out the amount of sensory input you're getting, whether it's too much or too little input!
There's so many ways to stim that it's impossible to list them all, but the most basic criteria is that it's a repetition of a sensory activity.
I don't have ADHD and I'm not autistic. Am I allowed to use this term?
Everyone stims! Stimming is not exclusive to just ADHD and autism, and even neurotypical people stim whether they realize it or not! I personally think that it's perfectly okay to use the word "stim" for your experiences regardless of if you're autistic/have ADHD or not.
What Are Some Examples Of Stimming?
Tactile (Touching things)
Running hands over a blanket, petting an animal, tracing your fingers along the seams of something, squishing something, picking at things, touching cold/warm things, patting something, pressing buttons, flipping switches.
Auditory (Listening to things)
Listening to the same song over and over, listening to ASMR/things popular in ASMR (like clay cracking, soap crunching, fingernail tapping, etc), listening to a rhythm, listening to a favorite voice, shaking an object around for the noise.
Verbal (Making noises with your mouth)
Singing, repeating words/phrases, speaking in accents repetitively, whistling, beatboxing, mimicking animals/sounds, toungue clicking, making random noises like beeps or pops.
Visual (Watching/Staring at things)
Watching paint mixing videos, watching repetitive color/shape patterns, staring at ceiling fans, blinking repetitively, watching things spin, watching bubbles/water, watching people mix glitter, watching lights.
Smelling a candle, smelling a favorite item (like a blanket or toy), smelling pets, etc. Pretty much smelling anything repeatedly!
Taste/Oral (Tasting/Chewing things)
Chewing on things, eating specific foods for the texture, eating specific foods for the flavor, eating spicy/minty foods for the sensory effects, licking certain objects.
Body Stims (Moving body parts)
Hand flapping, cracking knuckles, rocking, leg swinging, pacing, tapping fingers, doing little stomps, general fidgeting, jumping/bouncing, moving certain body parts in specific ways, shifting around in your seat.
This does not encompass every single stim! These are just some examples to help provide a better idea of what they are, and there's still tons and tons of unique ways to stim that weren't listed here, like how I tap my fingertips together, or how I clear my throat repetitively!
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