What is stimming?

The sight of a person rocking back and forth during their daily commute or blowing on their fingers compulsively as they walk down the street is increasingly more common. Due to recent destigmatisation efforts, neurodivergence—when somebody’s brain functions in a way that’s not typical of most people—has become more visible over the past few decades.

These mannerisms, such as rocking, often imply that somebody is neurodivergent, and the movements tend to garner scientific names like “stereotyped or repetitive motor movements” or “restricted repetitive behaviours” (RRBs). Recently, however, the term “stimming,” derived from “stimulate,” has grown in popularity.

Stimming is largely associated with those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); however, recent research has shown that to be a misconception. In an article published in 2019, a team of researchers from both the University of Exeter and University College London in the United Kingdom noted that non-autistic adults also engaged in RRBs; in other words, non-autistic adults also stimmed. According to this study, stimming is a self-regulatory mechanism that helps people cope with stress or calm themselves when overwhelmed. 

Sensory overload is often the explanation given as to why people stim; the concept features heavily, and sometimes problematically, in fields dealing with ASD. As the name suggests, sensory overload refers to a situation in which somebody is unable to filter sensory stimuli in a way that gives them a comforting and manageable sense of the world around them. Many individuals with autism or issues like Sensory Processing Disorder describe stimming as a way for them to process overpowering feelings. 

In a study published in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, entitled “Autistic and non-autistic adults accounts of sensory experiences and stimming,” one 40 year old woman participant said, “it feels like I have ants crawling under my skin.” A 33 year old non-binary participant noted that “Everything hurts and … everything is electric [and] I’m hot.”

Stimming is, from what we know, a source of short-term comfort. Though it can appear unsettling or off-putting to those unfamiliar with it, stimming is a way for neurodivergent people to manage stress when overwhelmed. This ignorance, though gradually giving way to greater awareness, pressures people to keep their stims under wraps. This has led some to develop what some researchers call “substitute stims,” where people are forced to consciously swap out a very noticeable stim for a more subtle one. The study mentions that a failure to understand this can contribute to the social barriers many—neurodivergent or otherwise—face.