Stimming
![Hand rubbing faux-fur](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Rubbing_faux-fur%2C_July_2014.jpg/267px-Rubbing_faux-fur%2C_July_2014.jpg)
Self-stimulatory behavior, also known as "stimming"[1] and self-stimulation,[2] is the repetition of physical movements, sounds, words, moving objects, or other behaviors. Such behaviors (also scientifically known as "stereotypies") are found to some degree in all people, especially those with developmental disabilities such as ADHD, as well as autistic people.[2] People diagnosed with sensory processing disorder are also known to potentially exhibit stimming behaviors.[3]
Stimming has been interpreted as a protective response to overstimulation, in which people calm themselves by blocking less predictable environmental stimuli, to which they have a heightened sensitivity.[2][3] A further explanation views stimming as a way to relieve anxiety and other negative or heightened emotions.[4]
Although some stimming behaviors have been shown to be healthy and beneficial—as they help regulate intense feelings—[5][6] stimming is often socially stigmatized and looked down upon. People who are neurodivergent often feel that they need to hide or decrease their self-stimulatory behavior, as it appears to not be socially acceptable, and often elicits an undesirable response from those who do not understand the compulsion behind them. There are also potential mental health and well-being risks in suppressing and masking autistic stimming behaviors that are harmless or adaptive.[7][6][5][8][9]
Stimming behaviors can consist of tactile, visual, auditory, vocal, proprioceptive (which pertains to limb sensing), olfactory, and vestibular stimming (which pertains to balance). Some common examples of stimming (sometimes called stims[10]) include hand flapping, clapping, rocking, blinking, pacing, head banging, repeating noises or words, snapping fingers, occasional toe walking or spinning objects.[11][12] In some cases, stimming may be dangerous and physically harmful to the person doing it; for example, individuals may risk injuring themselves by forcefully banging their body parts against walls.[13]
Stimming and autism
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Stimming behavior is almost always present in autistic people but does not, on its own, necessarily indicate the diagnosis.[5][14] The biggest difference between autistic and non-autistic stimming is the type of stim and the quantity of stimming.[14] In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, stimming behavior is described as "stereotyped or repetitive motor mannerisms" and listed as one of the five key diagnostic criteria of autism spectrum disorder.[15]
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Different perspectives suggest that stimming involves both sensory and motor functions. Underdevelopment of these sensorimotor functions can result in stimming behaviors produced by the person as a controllable response. One study which interviewed thirty-two autistic adults found that unpredictable and overwhelming environments caused stimming.[16]
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Stimming can sometimes be self-injurious, such as when it involves head-banging, hand-biting, excessive self-rubbing, and scratching the skin.[17]
As it serves the purpose of self-regulation and is mostly done subconsciously, stimming is difficult to suppress.[18] Managing the sensory and emotional environment while increasing the amount of daily exercise can increase comfort levels for the person, which may reduce the amount of the need for stimming.[19] Consciously or subconsciously suppressing stimming with the aim to present as neurotypical is one type of autistic masking.[20][21] It typically requires an exceptional effort and can negatively impact mental health and well-being.[20][21][22]
Stimming and ADHD
[edit]Stimming is common among people with ADHD; not all individuals with ADHD stim.[23] There is no single reason to explain why people with ADHD engage in stimming, although experts believe stimming is likely linked to how the brains of people ADHD work due to an imbalance of dopamine.[24] Some of the reasons people with ADHD might stim include to help them focus, to process and deal with their emotions, to help to deal with boredom, to express excitement, to cope with being overwhelmed by their environment, and to help them concentrate when they are uninterested with a topic or task.[25]
The behaviors associated with ADHD stimming are characteristically repetitive and can be either conscious or not.[25] Many “neurotypical” people may exhibit the same stimming behaviors, referred to as fidgeting, as someone with ADHD. However, for people with ADHD, these behaviors are more severe, occur more often, and can affect the person’s daily lives.[24] Some potentially more negative or harmful stimming behaviors include teeth grinding, biting one's fingernails and lips, picking at one’s skin and scabs, overeating, impulsive actions, and chewing the inside of the cheeks.[25]
For people with ADHD, stimming can change over time. Some stims may lessen or disappear over time, while other stims can emerge as the result of other stressors.[23] ADHD symptoms can be aggravated by certain environments, situations, and emotions, which will trigger stimming behavior. Some of these triggers include situations involving certain emotions like conflict and rejection, distractions caused by television and phones, environments that are messy or busy, strong or distracting odors, and intense lighting.[25]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Rosalind Bergemann (2013). An Asperger Leader's Guide to Living and Leading Change. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 978-0-85700-872-5.
- ^ a b c Valerie Foley (2011). The Autism Experience. ReadHowYouWant.com. ISBN 978-1-4587-9728-5.
- ^ a b Gretchen Mertz Cowell (2004). Help for the Child with Asperger's Syndrome: A Parent's Guide to Negotiating the Social Service Maze. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 978-1-84642-042-9.
- ^ Eileen Bailey (15 July 2011). "Autism Spectrum Disorders and Anxiety". Health Central. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ a b c Charlton, Rebecca A.; Entecott, Timothy; Belova, Evelina; Nwaordu, Gabrielle (2021). ""It feels like holding back something you need to say": Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults accounts of sensory experiences and stimming". Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 89: 101864. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2021.101864. S2CID 240532683.
- ^ a b Collis, E.; Gavin, J.; Russell, A.; Brosnan, M. (February 2022). "Autistic adults' experience of restricted repetitive behaviours". Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 90: 101895. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2021.101895. S2CID 244869197.
- ^ Kapp, Steven K; Steward, Robyn; Crane, Laura; Elliott, Daisy; Elphick, Chris; Pellicano, Elizabeth; Russell, Ginny (28 February 2019). "'People should be allowed to do what they like': Autistic adults' views and experiences of stimming". Autism. 23 (7): 1782–1792. doi:10.1177/1362361319829628. ISSN 1362-3613. PMC 6728747. PMID 30818970.
- ^ McCormack, Lynne; Wong, Sze Wing; Campbell, Linda E. (4 July 2022). "'If I don't Do It, I'm Out of Rhythm and I Can't Focus As Well': Positive and Negative Adult Interpretations of Therapies Aimed at 'Fixing' Their Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours in Childhood" (PDF). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 53 (9). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 3435–3448. doi:10.1007/s10803-022-05644-6. ISSN 0162-3257. PMC 10465631. PMID 35781855.
- ^ Waizbard-Bartov, Einat; Ferrer, Emilio; Heath, Brianna; Andrews, Derek S.; Rogers, Sally; Kerns, Connor M.; Wu Nordahl, Christine; Solomon, Marjorie; Amaral, David G. (2023). "Changes in the severity of autism symptom domains are related to mental health challenges during middle childhood". Autism. 28 (5): 1216–1230. doi:10.1177/13623613231195108. PMC 10924781. PMID 37691349. S2CID 261679577.
- ^ Temple Grandin, PhD (November 2011). "Why Do Kids with Autism Stim?". Autism Digest. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ a b Eileen Bailey (27 August 2012). "Stimming". Health Central. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Stimming: What autistic people do to feel calmer". BBC. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ Smith, Lori; Legg, Timothy J. (19 February 2018). "What is stimming?". Medical News Today. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
For some, stimming can include higher-risk behaviors such as banging their hands, head, legs, and objects, which may be potentially physically harmful.
- ^ a b Rudy, Lisa Jo (13 October 2009). "Stimming". About.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-5 (5 ed.). Arlington, VA. ISBN 978-0-89042-554-1. OCLC 830807378.
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Kapp, Steven K. (2019). "'People should be allowed to do what they like': Autistic adults' views and experiences of stimming". Autism. 23 (7): 1782–1792. doi:10.1177/1362361319829628. PMC 6728747. PMID 30818970.
- ^ "ADHD Stimming vs Autism Stimming: What's the Difference?". www.crossrivertherapy.com. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ Devita-Raeburn, Elizabeth (10 August 2016). "The controversy over autism's most common therapy". Spectrum News. Simons Foundation. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
- ^ Cunningham, Allison (2008). "Stereotypy in Autism: The Importance of Function". Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 2 (3): 469–479. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2007.09.006. PMC 2598746. PMID 19122856.
- ^ a b Pearson, Amy; Rose, Kieran (1 March 2021). "A Conceptual Analysis of Autistic Masking: Understanding the Narrative of Stigma and the Illusion of Choice". Autism in Adulthood. 3 (1): 52–60. doi:10.1089/aut.2020.0043. ISSN 2573-9581. PMC 8992880. PMID 36601266.
- ^ a b Hull, Laura; Petrides, K. V.; Allison, Carrie; Smith, Paula; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Mandy, William (August 2017). ""Putting on My Best Normal": Social Camouflaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions". Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 47 (8): 2519–2534. doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3166-5. ISSN 0162-3257. PMC 5509825. PMID 28527095.
- ^ "6A02 Autism spectrum disorder". icd.who.int. ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics. 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
- ^ a b Zauderer, Steven. "ADHD Stimming vs Autism Stimming: What's the Difference?". www.crossrivertherapy.com. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ a b Team, ADDA Editorial (26 April 2023). "ADHD Stimming: Why It Happens and How to Cope". ADDA - Attention Deficit Disorder Association. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d Vevers, Sarah (15 January 2024). "ADHD stimming: Definition, examples, triggers, and more". www.medicalnewstoday.com. Retrieved 25 July 2024.