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.

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.