Tag: stim toys

Stimming!

theunpuzzledproject:

fabulousfidgets:

homojabi:

What is stimming?

In it’s most simple form, stimming is a repetitive body movement that self-stimulates one or more senses in a regulated manner.

What types of stims are there?

  • Visual Stims
    • Flapping hands, blinking and/or moving fingers in front of eyes, staring repetitively at a light, pressing on closed eyes to create visual effect [pressure phosphene], …
  • Auditory Stims
    • Snapping fingers, tapping on objects, listening to the same song on a loop, rolling Rs, “cat noises”, repeating words, putting hands over ears, singing, clicking tongue, humming…
  • Tactile Stims
    • Scratching, rubbing the skin with one’s hands or with an external object, pinching the skin, putting thumb inside fist, sucking thumb, rubbing hands/feet together, petting preferred textures, tying knots/twirling string, twirling/stroking hair…
  • Vestibular Stims
    • Moving body in rhythmic motion, rocking front and back or side-to-side, spinning, pacing, walking in circles, walking on tip-toes, jumping up and down…
  • Taste Stims
    • Licking body parts, licking an object…
  • Smell Stims
    • Smelling objects or hands, smelling other people…
  • Rhythmic Stims
    • Tapping on surfaces/objects/self, clicking fingers, making repetitive vocal sounds, bouncing legs, foot tapping, hand flapping, clicking pens, …

There are a lot of other stims as well that don’t necessarily fall under the category of “repetitive” such as pressure stimming, which are still just as valid. Basically if what you do serves the purpose of the stim, you can call it a stim.

Why do people stim?

People stim for all different kinds of reasons. They may stim when they are happy or excited, when they are stressed, as a part of their normal body language, as a way of communication, as a punishment, as a response to something internal or external, as a compulsion, to focus, to self soothe, etc. Stimming can be a coping mechanism, but it can also be so much more! No matter what reason someone has for stimming though, it’s important to remember that all stims are natural and normal.

Who stims?

Anyone that finds stimming useful, whether consciously or subconsciously, can stim. This includes neurotypicals, but mainly stimming is seen as something that neurodivergent people do and it occurs most frequently in:

  • the autism spectrum
  • sensory processing disorder (SPD)
  • Tourette’s
  • schizophrenia
  • OCD
  • people that experience mania/hypomania
  • people with ADHD/ADD
  • people with anxiety
  • etc

Where can I find stim toys/jewelry?

Also my shop, FabulousFidgets.etsy.com

They are designed and made by me, an autistic.

Thanks, @fabulousfidgets, we are reblogging again to add you to the post! 🙂

How To Get Yourself Through Autistic Burnout Whilst Poor

I went to the dollar store and Target today, and for SEVEN DOLLARS I kitted myself out with a stim kit.

From Target, I got two puzzles ($1 each), a squishy rubbery ball in a cloth cover to squeeze ($1), and scored a freebie – a rattle/chew that had been dropped by a customer that suited me. (Disclaimer – I looked for a customer with a baby, didn’t find them, the store DID NOT STOCK the item in question, and, having worked for Target, I knew handing it in would land it straight in the bin.)

From the dollar store, I got a pumpkin/witch thing that was leftover from Halloween and the closest I could find to a Koosh in texture ($2), and six tiny eggs of synthetic stone (3 for $1).

The bag at the back was a gift from my mother that she bought in the Pacific Islands whilst on a cruise, so it cost me nothing, PLUS it is a stim toy in itself – the entire thing unzips to a long strand of zip and rezips up to bag shape.

A stim kit that’s gonna save my life, and it cost me $7.

Question about Tangles

Thinking about buying a Tangle for my nephew for his birthday later this year after he showed interest in my Tangle Therapy. I’m leaning towards a Tangle Original Textured, because he’s got little siblings and I think that’s safer than buying a Jr which has tiny pieces that could be picked up by baby sis.

However, I’ve never owned an Original, so, if anyone out there has, could you advise me if this is a good choice, or just let me know what you think of the Original?