fuckyeahstimming:

dearneurotypicals:

dearnonacepeople:

I have ADD and am interested in something to fidget with

not at all, in my opinion. people belonging to many different categories of neurodivergence stim, so any neurodivergent person who wishes may use stim toys.

if anyone feels that i have erred, your contributions are welcome

Stim toys are for anyone who stims.

What I don’t think a lot of people realise is that EVERYBODY STIMS. Everyone. And all in their own way. You swing on your chair? Twirl your hair? Crack your knuckles? Jiggle your foot? Click your pen? Sing or hum to yourself? Wrap yourself in your favourite fluffy garment just because it feels nice? All of these things are stimmy.

Do you know what they call stimming in neurotypical people, particularly babies and toddlers? They call it self-soothing, and it is considered a POSITIVE THING, an important developmental milestone. It is when the child starts to comfort themselves and be less prone to separation anxiety when alone or when their parents leave the room or put them down. Neurotypical kids tend to stim in less and less obvious ways, but lots of people suck their thumbs, well into late childhood or even adulthood. And that’s fine.

What parents, educators and therapists who try to stamp out all stimming behaviour seem to fail to recognise is that stimming performs a very important function in ALL PEOPLE to help them self-regulate. Slinkies? Koosh balls? Stress balls? Rubik’s Cubes? Those little desk sculptures with the swinging balls? All developed for and bought by a largely neurotypical population, and no one would shame an adult for owning or enjoying one of them, even though they’re stim toys, plain and simple.

So do whatever feels right for you and feels best. And fuck anyone who shames you for it, because stimming is a trait that’s common to everyone, even if some forms are more socially acceptable than others.