3 ms·

I don't like the obsession with returning to what's natural. It's deceptive and totally glosses over the underlying rational for why things are/were a certain w

I don't like the obsession with returning to what's natural. It's deceptive and totally glosses over the underlying rational for why things are/were a certain way. These "stimming" behaviours are better described as "soothing" behaviours. Yes, some of them stimulate and excite us, but they occur in response to stress (e.g. loud noises or boredom). Of course you're going to become depressed when you actively stop yourself from soothing, the stress is just going to run rampant through you. That doesn't mean you have to embrace them completely though. You can learn different ways to cope, ones that the less aware can tolerate better. That's just my two cents though.

thanatropism 7y ago
In the couple months before my first big hypomanic episode (and my mercifully swift diagnosis), I was experiencing what in retrospect looks like strong anxiety. But I'd been reading autism/neurodiversity literature and found that the self-rocking behavior soothed me, specially in public, and enabled me to be in social situations (even went to a party once). Foolish 25-year old me though "well, autistic stimming helps me, maybe I have a touch autism". Ha. ---- Edit: I have a young nephew who's probably gonna have confirmation on an autism diagnosis in an year or so. Since he spinned so much, I started spinning with him, either independently or raising him from the ground and making him fly. Now I like to spin on my own, late at night, when no one will interrupt me. Caught it from a kid.