what is stim

Stimming is short for self-stimulating behaviors, which are repetitive body movements or repetitive movements of objects. Stimming is often associated with autism, and it is characterized as repetitive motions that people use to help them cope with emotions. Examples of stimming include hand flapping, clapping, rocking, blinking, pacing, head banging, repeating noises or words, snapping fingers, and spinning objects. Stimming seems to help some autistic people manage emotions like anxiety, anger, fear, and excitement. Many autistic people feel they should be allowed to stim because stimming helps them to manage emotions and overwhelming situations. However, if stimming is hurting someone or affecting their learning, social life, and so on, it might be best for them to stim less often. There are more effective strategies to reduce stim behavior, such as teaching socially appropriate replacement behavior, using the stim behavior as a natural motivational reward, and teaching self-management skills.