You know, stimming isn’t always visual or auditorial. Some people physically stim and it fucking sucks because we can’t do that without bringing attention to ourselves.
I stim through singing. Am I a good singer? Yes. Does that make my experience all throughout elementary school any less humiliating? No.
Throughout all of elementary school I was constantly singing. (Keep in mind I only very vaguely knew I had ADHD and didn’t even know what stimming was so it’s not like I could even really stop myself.) The teachers tried everything they could to get me to stop but I just???? Couldn’t???? I didn’t understand why and I hated the glares people gave me when I just couldn’t fucking stop. How was I supposed to handle myself if I didn’t even know what was going on in my head in the first place? I was so confused and then of course there where adults in my life trying to get me to do things The Neurotypical Way™️ (IE. making me say every day before school “my name is Ducky and I will not sing in class today.”)
It was torture. I felt so fucking awful that I couldn’t do what I was told. I felt embarrassed that the teachers would have to stop their lessons to try to get me to stop when I desperately wanted to, but I just couldn’t.
It wasn’t until freshman year of highschool when I stared to learn more about my ADHD. something finally clicked and I realized “OH MY FUCKING GOD I STIM THROUGH SINGING”
Now I’m able to control it better but like... people should know that this isn’t just my experience. This is a universal experience with a lot of kids with ADHD/autism. I feel like we should bring more awareness to this and start to educate kids (AND THEIR PARENTS) on their disabilities more because if I had known all that sooner I would have been able to tell my teachers. My classmates. I would have been able to help choose what would be best for me because I would have actually known what was happening in my head.
So I guess. Teach kids with ADHD and autism about their own disorders. Don’t keep them in the dark. Ignorance leads to judgement and humiliation.












