Thanks for this. Undiagnosed until 60-ish and until rather recently I didn’t think I stimmed either until I realized all the stealth stims I had developed to avoid getting in trouble for “unacceptable” or “unladylike” behavior (or just because children were supposed to be well behaved and be unnoticed except to gain approval/compliments for their parents). Looking back, though, I remember the glorious feelings I got from the secret twirling and spinning and even the dreamlike floating/flowing/ice skating visualizations I create, often to music (so lucid I can feel the heavenly sensations).
For what it's worth, stimming for some people can mean *that*. It can be a real problem for some people (and the people around them) when they can't control it in public and don't understand it's an inappropriate thing to do. I had similar thoughts to you about whether stimming applied to me. Typically I sit very still and rigid, and movement might actually irritate me. During one of my autism assessment sessions it became apparent that keeping my body tense like that was one of the ways that I stim! Who could've known? Motionless stimming. "Secretly wanting to be Jackie Chan when I grow up." That's such a great sentence and, as a thirty-one year old, I align completely with the sentiment that I'm really only ten. Thank you for the video, as always.
I've been thinking a lot about stimming and that kind of self-soothing in my life recently. Noticing the places that it calms my anxiety and helps me focus. I have been unsure whether to use the word stimming because I think I'm more neurotypical and don't want to take a word that isn't meant for me. But I know that it's something I do but I tend to just say I'm fidgeting. Hearing you say that it's something for everyone is helpful to me to know that I can use that language for myself. If everyone thinks that's language I shouldn't be using please let me know!
It's nice that you chose forms of stimming that are good for you and to some extend marketable. Or lucky I should say. When I started kindergarten as a three year old, I immideately began biting my nails... All of them, fingers and toes. The only stimming I've added in adult life is nervous cigarette smoking. I wish I'd started juggling og doing martial arts. It just seems a bit more productive and healthy. I like your uploads. They are comforting in a world that seems to misunderstand og disregard the types minds we have been given.
YESS, some things are so natural to us that we don't even know that it's part of being autistic. I remember when I watched a video of Samdy Sam about her diagnosis I thought, "why does everything have to have a fancy name these days? What she says is totally normal, I have that too. Only when she mentioned that she can't remember faces, I thought, "yeah, me neither, and that is probably not normal." A bit later I was diagnosed with autism at the age of 71.
I commented in another thread about "superpowers". I would say that Proprioception is a superpower given your martial arts/weaponry, juggling etc. Many asd lack proprioceptive awareness, but yours is extremely high. That's the nature of asd, being a spectrum. My THEORY OF MIND is extremely high, so I read people like a book, including microexpressions, and can manipulate them because of it. It has always served me well but is exhausting. Reading and steering people is one of my superpowers. Get it? Reach out anytime, Mat.
Its interesting - my proprioception is really good for some things, but often, when I'm not on stage or martial arting - I'm soooo super clumsy. Thanks for the messages! Hope you're doing good
Really appreciate these types of videos even not being able to apply it to my own life per se I really value being able to hear your perspective of just life really.
So many traits are so well masked or we have been doing them for so many years that it's easy to say, that's not me or surely everybody does that. Thanks for sharing your journey Mat
As a teenager with Aspergers (still in the process of getting diagnosed but a professional told me I most likely have it) I love doing kung fu and think that the effort, both physical and mental required to get better at it helps a lot with releasing bottled up emotions in an healthy way. I am also greatful for having found competent shifus who most importantly are great people.
Mat, you have just answered so much that I didn't understand, this is an incredibly helpful video, thank you. These videos have all been helpful, thank you for taking the time and care to create and share what you are learning, top bloke! Seriously impressed by your martial arts skills too ;)
Thank you for this video! I love your videos and it is so interesting to see the journey you are on and all the ways in which it is similar and different to my experiences.🙂
![Autism Stimming: 5 Types Of Autism Stimming [#AD - Gifted]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/x5M2DzK7kaw/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for this. Undiagnosed until 60-ish and until rather recently I didn’t think I stimmed either until I realized all the stealth stims I had developed to avoid getting in trouble for “unacceptable” or “unladylike” behavior (or just because children were supposed to be well behaved and be unnoticed except to gain approval/compliments for their parents). Looking back, though, I remember the glorious feelings I got from the secret twirling and spinning and even the dreamlike floating/flowing/ice skating visualizations I create, often to music (so lucid I can feel the heavenly sensations).
I found this a fascinating explanation of stimming.
For what it's worth, stimming for some people can mean *that*. It can be a real problem for some people (and the people around them) when they can't control it in public and don't understand it's an inappropriate thing to do.
I had similar thoughts to you about whether stimming applied to me. Typically I sit very still and rigid, and movement might actually irritate me. During one of my autism assessment sessions it became apparent that keeping my body tense like that was one of the ways that I stim! Who could've known? Motionless stimming.
"Secretly wanting to be Jackie Chan when I grow up." That's such a great sentence and, as a thirty-one year old, I align completely with the sentiment that I'm really only ten.
Thank you for the video, as always.
I've been thinking a lot about stimming and that kind of self-soothing in my life recently. Noticing the places that it calms my anxiety and helps me focus. I have been unsure whether to use the word stimming because I think I'm more neurotypical and don't want to take a word that isn't meant for me. But I know that it's something I do but I tend to just say I'm fidgeting. Hearing you say that it's something for everyone is helpful to me to know that I can use that language for myself.
If everyone thinks that's language I shouldn't be using please let me know!
It's nice that you chose forms of stimming that are good for you and to some extend marketable. Or lucky I should say.
When I started kindergarten as a three year old, I immideately began biting my nails... All of them, fingers and toes. The only stimming I've added in adult life is nervous cigarette smoking.
I wish I'd started juggling og doing martial arts. It just seems a bit more productive and healthy.
I like your uploads. They are comforting in a world that seems to misunderstand og disregard the types minds we have been given.
YESS, some things are so natural to us that we don't even know that it's part of being autistic. I remember when I watched a video of Samdy Sam about her diagnosis I thought, "why does everything have to have a fancy name these days? What she says is totally normal, I have that too. Only when she mentioned that she can't remember faces, I thought, "yeah, me neither, and that is probably not normal." A bit later I was diagnosed with autism at the age of 71.
I commented in another thread about "superpowers". I would say that Proprioception is a superpower given your martial arts/weaponry, juggling etc. Many asd lack proprioceptive awareness, but yours is extremely high. That's the nature of asd, being a spectrum. My THEORY OF MIND is extremely high, so I read people like a book, including microexpressions, and can manipulate them because of it. It has always served me well but is exhausting. Reading and steering people is one of my superpowers. Get it? Reach out anytime, Mat.
Its interesting - my proprioception is really good for some things, but often, when I'm not on stage or martial arting - I'm soooo super clumsy. Thanks for the messages! Hope you're doing good
I find your work inspiring. Should I ever have the chance to hop the pond again, I hope I am able to catch one of your shows!
Even though you’re wearing a suit, your kicks are pretty good😅. Nice video, keep it up.
Nicely done, my friend.
Really appreciate these types of videos even not being able to apply it to my own life per se I really value being able to hear your perspective of just life really.
You're such a kind person, Mat.
So many traits are so well masked or we have been doing them for so many years that it's easy to say, that's not me or surely everybody does that. Thanks for sharing your journey Mat
nice video :) i felt the similar way when I realized some of the things I do
As a teenager with Aspergers (still in the process of getting diagnosed but a professional told me I most likely have it) I love doing kung fu and think that the effort, both physical and mental required to get better at it helps a lot with releasing bottled up emotions in an healthy way. I am also greatful for having found competent shifus who most importantly are great people.
Mat, you have just answered so much that I didn't understand, this is an incredibly helpful video, thank you.
These videos have all been helpful, thank you for taking the time and care to create and share what you are learning, top bloke!
Seriously impressed by your martial arts skills too ;)
Thank you for this video! I love your videos and it is so interesting to see the journey you are on and all the ways in which it is similar and different to my experiences.🙂
❤😊
Among other things, I stroke one or both of my eyebrows.
Holy shit you're a badass
haha thanks