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Self-stimulatory behavior (also called stimming, (2025). 9780857008725, Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 9780857008725 stims, self-stimulation, (2025). 9781458797285, ReadHowYouWant.com. ISBN 9781458797285 stereotypy, and stereotypic movement disorder) is the repetition of physical movements, sounds, words, moving objects, or other behaviors. Stimming is a type of restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB).American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical
manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author Such behaviors are found to some degree in all people, but are especially intense and frequent in those with developmental disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sensory processing disorder, or autism.
Stimming has been interpreted as a protective response to sensory overload, in which people calm themselves by blocking less predictable environmental stimuli, to which they have a heightened sensory processing sensitivity. (2025). 9781846420429, Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 9781846420429 Stimming can be a way to relieve anxiety and other negative or heightened emotions.
Although some forms of stimming behaviors have typically been shown to be healthy and beneficial—as they help regulate intense sensory experiences, relieve intense emotions such as anxiety, may facilitate understanding and social interactions with other autistic people, may promote pleasant emotions, and facilitate sense of security— stimming is often Social stigma. Those who are neurodivergent often feel that they should hide or decrease their repetitive behaviors because they appear to be socially unacceptable and often elicit negative reactions from those who do not understand their cause. While reducing disruptive or inherently harmful repetitive behaviors can be beneficial, there are also potential risks to mental health and well-being in suppressing and autistic masking some autistic stimming behaviors that are not harmful or are adaptive.
Stimming behaviors can consist of tactile, visual, auditory, vocal, proprioception (which pertains to limb sensing), olfactory, and vestibular stimming (which pertains to balance). Some common examples of stimming include hand flapping, clapping, rocking, blinking, pacing, head banging, repeating noises or words, snapping fingers, toe walking, and spinning objects. In some cases, stimming can be dangerous and physically harmful to the person doing it; for example, individuals may risk injuring themselves by forcefully banging their body parts against walls. Another problem is that repetitive behaviors can disrupt learning and social communication for some autistic individuals in some situations.
Different perspectives suggest that stimming involves both sensory and motor functions. Underdevelopment of these sensorimotor functions can result in stimming behaviors produced by the person as a controllable response. One study which interviewed thirty-two autistic adults found that unpredictable and overwhelming environments caused stimming.
Stimming can sometimes be self-injury, such as when it involves head-banging, hand-biting, excessive self-rubbing, and scratching the skin.
As it serves the purpose of self-regulation and is mostly done subconsciously, stimming is difficult to suppress. Managing the sensory and emotional environment while increasing the amount of daily exercise can increase comfort levels for the person, which may reduce the amount of the need for stimming. Consciously or subconsciously suppressing stimming with the aim to present as neurotypical is one type of autistic masking. It typically requires an exceptional effort and can negatively impact mental health and well-being.
The behaviors associated with ADHD stimming are characteristically repetitive and can be done consciously or unconsciously. Many neurotypical people may exhibit the same stimming behaviors, referred to as fidgeting, as someone with ADHD. However, for people with ADHD, these behaviors are more severe, occur more often, and can affect the person’s daily lives. Some potentially more negative or harmful stimming behaviors include teeth grinding, nail biting and lips, picking at one’s skin and scabs, overeating, impulsive actions, and chewing the inside of the cheeks.
For people with ADHD, stimming can change over time. Some stims may lessen or disappear over time, while other stims can emerge as the result of other stressors. ADHD symptoms can be aggravated by certain environments, situations, and emotions, which will trigger stimming behavior. Some of these triggers include situations involving certain emotions like conflict and rejection, distractions caused by television and phones, environments that are messy or busy, strong or distracting odors, and intense lighting.
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