World Autism Awareness Day: Expert Explains the Importance of Stimming

Stimming, short for “self-stimulatory behavior,” is a self-soothing activity often observed in autistic individuals. It includes repetitive movements, sounds, or actions and is typically classified in medical literature under “rigid and repetitive behavior.”

This perspective often portrays stimming negatively, leading health professionals, teachers, and even parents to try to prevent it. However, stimming is a crucial self-regulation tool for autistic individuals, and suppressing it can have serious consequences.

While stimming isn’t exclusive to autism, autistic people tend to engage in it more frequently and sometimes in more noticeable ways. It often involves physical actions like hand-flapping, rocking, spinning, or tiptoeing.

Many autistic individuals also use objects repetitively, such as arranging them in patterns or keeping their hands occupied with everyday items or stim toys.

Stimming Engages Multiple Senses Beyond Movement

However, stimming isn’t limited to movement—it can involve any of the senses. Some people stim through sound, repeating words or phrases because they are satisfying to say or hear. Others engage in “scripting,” following set conversational patterns or rewatching favorite films for comfort. Oral stimming, such as chewing on pens, clothing, or “chewllery,” is also common.

When viewed broadly, many people—autistic or not—engage in some form of stimming.

Yet autistic children are often encouraged to stop, with suggestions like keeping their hands in their pockets. These alternatives fail to provide the same sensory input, making self-regulation harder.

Many autistic adults report having lost their natural stims over time, either by consciously suppressing them or due to childhood conditioning. Some continue to suppress stimming out of fear of negative reactions, despite its benefits. Research also indicates that some autistic individuals face discouragement from stimming in the workplace.

The exact mechanisms behind stimming remain unclear, but it is widely recognized as a soothing sensory input that helps autistic individuals manage overwhelming environments.

Suppressing stimming can be distressing and is a form of “masking“—the conscious or unconscious suppression of natural autistic behaviors to avoid negative social consequences.

The Hidden Costs of Masking in Autism

Masking is especially common among autistic women and has been linked to increased anxiety, burnout, and even suicide. It can also impact education, employment, relationships, and overall well-being.

To foster inclusivity, society—especially parents, teachers, and employers—must become more accepting of stimming. Research suggests that greater understanding leads to greater acceptance.

Intervention is only necessary when stimming becomes self-injurious or poses a risk to others, in which case encouraging a safer alternative is best.

Otherwise, the simplest and most supportive approach is to let people stim freely. Research also indicates that stimming can help autistic individuals connect with one another.

So if you see an autistic child or adult stimming, there’s no need to intervene or comment. As my mother used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all“—a principle that applies here too.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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