This is a great read, Lewis. You make me wonder what my stim might be; probably singing. I have a song in my head permanently, and like you, I will listen to (or sing) the same song over and over and over, to the point that I’m almost sick of it. I will even wake up with the same tune playing in my head that was there when I went to bed. Fucking radio Delaney… it’s actually exhausting sometimes. I wonder what other people’s heads sound like.
My brother stayed with me a while ago, and he sings around the house too, though his stim involves making up dirty lyrics to songs, and laughing at them 😆🤷🏼♀️
It is completely exhausting, yes. did you know that some people have nothing going in their heads at all. No inner monologue, nothing. Like, who do they talk to?
Ha, yes I’ve heard about this. That must be blissful. Or maybe boring? And yes they must have to talk to *other people*, I mean what’s that all about. I have full on imaginary conversations in my head, almost theatrical performances. Headflix. Or maybe I’ll go a bit French: esoteric but also assonant - Têteflix. Ha. Just made myself laugh
Do you mean the music/radio in your head? How do you cope with yours?! Mine is currently playing The Locomotion and I’m not especially happy about it 😂
I had Amazing ADHD all through my teens and twenties. We didn't have a diagnosis in those days so I was just naughty and got caned a lot. My hyperness took me around the world though!
I wasn't diagnosed until I was 40 but none of the patches or pills made any difference except one that did major harm to my man bits. It's all fixed now though (*). I miss it a bit (+).
(*) The ADHD. Not the harm to my man bits (†).
(+) I still stim and I am a bit tippy-tappy but I'll send your essay to my wife and maybe she will forgive me.
(†) That got better as soon as I stopped the pills.
Diagnosed at 44 and so much now makes sense. I’m medicated and don’t know what I’d do without it. Maybe it’s different for men but I’ve found the meds have done wonders for my lady bits.
My son was diagnosed when he was eight and he wore a patch that turned him into a different person. Every now and again, we’d forget to put the patch on and it would be like having the Tasmanian Devil in the house. He certainly would not have made it through school without it. I don’t know if I was quite like that but I was always, always in trouble.
What a brilliant piece Lewis. I’ve never heard of stimming before but it must be so nice to be able to put a name to something you’ve not known what to do with until now. Im sure it’ll be great for others too. Especially because you’ve written this so skilfully. (Love the Charlie Watts and Violet Beuregarde refs!). It’s also great that your employer is so understanding. I hope this means last December won’t repeat itself again 🤞🏼
Great post Lewis as a family of stimmers, I know how exhausting it is !! I also repeat numbers over and over in my head , but I think that is mainly to shut up the internal dialogue. The kids have stimmed since babies , our house is full of fidget spinners , ring spinners, my feet are bad , I rub them together and twirl my hair 🤦🏻♀️ and rub my hands a lot ! At work even music will distract me, I wear the loop ear buds 😀
It's funny, when fidget spinners were all the rage I was very sniffy about them. Like I was too cool for them or something. If I'd known then, what I know now, I would've had a long hard word with myself.
Fantastic read Lewis thank you for sharing !! My little boy has ASD his stim is running in straight lines back and forth he has done this since he could walk!
In his own words he says it’s makes him feel free. Now he has his diagnosis I’m working with the school to implement brain breaks for him during class time so he can get a quick stim to help him concentrate. Suppressing it for 6 hours is stressful for him
Stimming, wow, that's a new term for me. Very interesting and I suppose I'm somewhat of a stimmer too in many ways, with noises and repetition. When a jingle comes on in our local supermarket, I cannot help singing along to it and in a dramatic, borderline aggressive manner, which embarrasses my 6 year old daughter to no end when people look at us.
But I'm also a massive foot tapper/fidgeter - actually, it's less about the feet tapping and more about my legs shaking and wobbling (as they are now). People often ask me if I'm nervous because my legs shake uncontrollably. No, I tell them. It's a habit - I've often thought it was restless leg syndrome.
But let me share something I recently read that is some of the best health news I've ever read - sadly, we all have too sedentary a lifestyle and mine is only getting worse the more I write. Sitting, as we all know, is so bad for us. But I might be typing away for an hour-plus and before I realise how much time has passed, my neck's in knots, I feel chest tightness and I'm paranoid I'm going to have a heart attack from all the sitting. Apparently, fidgeting and shaking your legs in particular counteracts a lot of sitting and actually keeps your blood flowing - I forget the exact terminology, but since reading that, my legs are even more out of control and I don't even try to stop them. Stim away, I say!
This is where I wish I was more of an expert, as opposed to some schmuck with a Mac brain in a PC World. I wish I knew what was ADHD brain and what was restless leg syndrome. But as you say, if it helps even slightly with a sedentary lifestyle, is it a bad thing? I don't think so. I'm gonna carry on stimming (Sid James would've loved that one).
This is a great piece, Lewis - informative and reassuring.
I have BPD and it comes with a delightful and extensive range of relentless self-soothing behaviours - from repetitive self-injurious to relatively benign. I can definitely relate to the music thing. Mine goes in phases, depending on the source of stress. Currently, I have a degree-study essay due, for example, so I have Hold On, I'm Comin' by Sam & Dave on continuous loop. Something about that particular rhythm and progression just calms my essay-writing nerves.
All that is to say, thanks for sharing this story.
Tapping! I do it all of the time. High speed and very annoying, I am sure. In my head, tearing it up like Napalm Death but in the outside world, I must sound like the morse code operator on the Titanic trying to tell his mum that he's about to live with the fish and "Please, DON'T LOOK IN THE TOP DRAWER OF MY BEDSIDE CABINET. "
Chewing gum scratches a lot of itches and it is trés socially acceptable. Until it gets to cracking. People tend not to like that. Once at the office I whistled (I'm very good) and someone went off because their dad used to whistle before belting her. Whoops.
This is a great piece, Lewis - informative and reassuring.
I have BPD and it comes with a delightful and extensive range of relentless self-soothing behaviours - from repetitive self-injurious to relatively benign. I can definitely relate to the music thing. Mine goes in phases, depending on the source of stress. Currently, I have a degree-study essay due, for example, so I have Hold On, I'm Comin' by Sam & Dave on continuous loop. Something about that particular rhythm and progression just calms my essay-writing nerves.
All that is to say, thanks for sharing this story.
This is a great piece, Lewis - informative and reassuring.
I have BPD and it comes with a delightful and extensive range of relentless self-soothing behaviours - from repetitive self-injurious to relatively benign. I can definitely relate to the music thing. Mine goes in phases, depending on the source of stress. Currently, I have a degree-study essay due, for example, so I have Hold On, I'm Comin' by Sam & Dave on continuous loop. Something about that particular rhythm and progression just calms my essay-writing nerves.
All that is to say, thanks for sharing this story.
Maybe you are Violet Beauregard?
This is a great read, Lewis. You make me wonder what my stim might be; probably singing. I have a song in my head permanently, and like you, I will listen to (or sing) the same song over and over and over, to the point that I’m almost sick of it. I will even wake up with the same tune playing in my head that was there when I went to bed. Fucking radio Delaney… it’s actually exhausting sometimes. I wonder what other people’s heads sound like.
My brother stayed with me a while ago, and he sings around the house too, though his stim involves making up dirty lyrics to songs, and laughing at them 😆🤷🏼♀️
It is completely exhausting, yes. did you know that some people have nothing going in their heads at all. No inner monologue, nothing. Like, who do they talk to?
Ha, yes I’ve heard about this. That must be blissful. Or maybe boring? And yes they must have to talk to *other people*, I mean what’s that all about. I have full on imaginary conversations in my head, almost theatrical performances. Headflix. Or maybe I’ll go a bit French: esoteric but also assonant - Têteflix. Ha. Just made myself laugh
Têteflix is excellent!
20 years of marketing copywriting has come to this lol
This is me too!
Do you mean the music/radio in your head? How do you cope with yours?! Mine is currently playing The Locomotion and I’m not especially happy about it 😂
I had Amazing ADHD all through my teens and twenties. We didn't have a diagnosis in those days so I was just naughty and got caned a lot. My hyperness took me around the world though!
I wasn't diagnosed until I was 40 but none of the patches or pills made any difference except one that did major harm to my man bits. It's all fixed now though (*). I miss it a bit (+).
(*) The ADHD. Not the harm to my man bits (†).
(+) I still stim and I am a bit tippy-tappy but I'll send your essay to my wife and maybe she will forgive me.
(†) That got better as soon as I stopped the pills.
Late diagnosis is a real eye opener. Explains so much. I’ve yet to try any patches or pills. Probably won’t after your cautionary tale…!
Diagnosed at 44 and so much now makes sense. I’m medicated and don’t know what I’d do without it. Maybe it’s different for men but I’ve found the meds have done wonders for my lady bits.
My son was diagnosed when he was eight and he wore a patch that turned him into a different person. Every now and again, we’d forget to put the patch on and it would be like having the Tasmanian Devil in the house. He certainly would not have made it through school without it. I don’t know if I was quite like that but I was always, always in trouble.
What a brilliant piece Lewis. I’ve never heard of stimming before but it must be so nice to be able to put a name to something you’ve not known what to do with until now. Im sure it’ll be great for others too. Especially because you’ve written this so skilfully. (Love the Charlie Watts and Violet Beuregarde refs!). It’s also great that your employer is so understanding. I hope this means last December won’t repeat itself again 🤞🏼
Thank you Faith. I can’t see me reaching those depths again, therapy and diagnosis sorted me out. I know the triggers now.
Great to hear 👊🏼
Great post Lewis as a family of stimmers, I know how exhausting it is !! I also repeat numbers over and over in my head , but I think that is mainly to shut up the internal dialogue. The kids have stimmed since babies , our house is full of fidget spinners , ring spinners, my feet are bad , I rub them together and twirl my hair 🤦🏻♀️ and rub my hands a lot ! At work even music will distract me, I wear the loop ear buds 😀
It's funny, when fidget spinners were all the rage I was very sniffy about them. Like I was too cool for them or something. If I'd known then, what I know now, I would've had a long hard word with myself.
Blue Tak does the job too ! My daughter takes that into school rather than the more obvious spiny things
Holy shit, I love blue tak!
Nicely written brother. Keep on stimming! Much respect for keeping it real.
Thank you man, glad you liked it.
Fantastic read Lewis thank you for sharing !! My little boy has ASD his stim is running in straight lines back and forth he has done this since he could walk!
In his own words he says it’s makes him feel free. Now he has his diagnosis I’m working with the school to implement brain breaks for him during class time so he can get a quick stim to help him concentrate. Suppressing it for 6 hours is stressful for him
Yeah, suppressing instinctive behaviour is very stressful. I hope the school come through for you and him.
"In his own words he says it’s makes him feel free." Never a truer world spoken. Give him a high five from me.
Awwww I will thank you Lewis
Finished with a video from the almighty Clutch. Top stuff Lewis
I have known some stimmers in my time, but didn’t have a term for it, other than ‘being fidgety’. But yes, recognise this!
Stimming, wow, that's a new term for me. Very interesting and I suppose I'm somewhat of a stimmer too in many ways, with noises and repetition. When a jingle comes on in our local supermarket, I cannot help singing along to it and in a dramatic, borderline aggressive manner, which embarrasses my 6 year old daughter to no end when people look at us.
But I'm also a massive foot tapper/fidgeter - actually, it's less about the feet tapping and more about my legs shaking and wobbling (as they are now). People often ask me if I'm nervous because my legs shake uncontrollably. No, I tell them. It's a habit - I've often thought it was restless leg syndrome.
But let me share something I recently read that is some of the best health news I've ever read - sadly, we all have too sedentary a lifestyle and mine is only getting worse the more I write. Sitting, as we all know, is so bad for us. But I might be typing away for an hour-plus and before I realise how much time has passed, my neck's in knots, I feel chest tightness and I'm paranoid I'm going to have a heart attack from all the sitting. Apparently, fidgeting and shaking your legs in particular counteracts a lot of sitting and actually keeps your blood flowing - I forget the exact terminology, but since reading that, my legs are even more out of control and I don't even try to stop them. Stim away, I say!
This is where I wish I was more of an expert, as opposed to some schmuck with a Mac brain in a PC World. I wish I knew what was ADHD brain and what was restless leg syndrome. But as you say, if it helps even slightly with a sedentary lifestyle, is it a bad thing? I don't think so. I'm gonna carry on stimming (Sid James would've loved that one).
This is a great piece, Lewis - informative and reassuring.
I have BPD and it comes with a delightful and extensive range of relentless self-soothing behaviours - from repetitive self-injurious to relatively benign. I can definitely relate to the music thing. Mine goes in phases, depending on the source of stress. Currently, I have a degree-study essay due, for example, so I have Hold On, I'm Comin' by Sam & Dave on continuous loop. Something about that particular rhythm and progression just calms my essay-writing nerves.
All that is to say, thanks for sharing this story.
Thank you for restacking it! I try to be as careful as possible to only write about my own behaviours, but it's still nice when it cuts through.
There is definitely something about certain progressions with me too. I haven't sussed out exactly what it is - it'll be a great day when/if I do.
Happy to restack. I'm sure lots of people will find it as helpful as I did. 👍
Tapping! I do it all of the time. High speed and very annoying, I am sure. In my head, tearing it up like Napalm Death but in the outside world, I must sound like the morse code operator on the Titanic trying to tell his mum that he's about to live with the fish and "Please, DON'T LOOK IN THE TOP DRAWER OF MY BEDSIDE CABINET. "
That's the sequel Cameron's movie has been crying out for!
Chewing gum scratches a lot of itches and it is trés socially acceptable. Until it gets to cracking. People tend not to like that. Once at the office I whistled (I'm very good) and someone went off because their dad used to whistle before belting her. Whoops.
This is a great piece, Lewis - informative and reassuring.
I have BPD and it comes with a delightful and extensive range of relentless self-soothing behaviours - from repetitive self-injurious to relatively benign. I can definitely relate to the music thing. Mine goes in phases, depending on the source of stress. Currently, I have a degree-study essay due, for example, so I have Hold On, I'm Comin' by Sam & Dave on continuous loop. Something about that particular rhythm and progression just calms my essay-writing nerves.
All that is to say, thanks for sharing this story.
This is a great piece, Lewis - informative and reassuring.
I have BPD and it comes with a delightful and extensive range of relentless self-soothing behaviours - from repetitive self-injurious to relatively benign. I can definitely relate to the music thing. Mine goes in phases, depending on the source of stress. Currently, I have a degree-study essay due, for example, so I have Hold On, I'm Comin' by Sam & Dave on continuous loop. Something about that particular rhythm and progression just calms my essay-writing nerves.
All that is to say, thanks for sharing this story.