Inspired by #ActuallyAutistic Twitter conversations. Things I wish I’d known when I was first diagnosed autistic.
Autism and Late Diagnosis – I Wish I’d Known – the Importance of Movement and Stimming
Inspired by #ActuallyAutistic Twitter conversations. Things I wish I’d known when I was first diagnosed autistic.
Wow thank you for sharing your experience with stimming. I did not realize we adults do it. (Yes, even actual autistics can be influenced by media messages about us.)
While watching your video I thought of some stims I do. When I see a movie I like to use two seats, put up the armrest in between, take off my shoes and change my position constantly.
I’m so grateful to have figured out the magic of earplugs. Even in a “silent” environment they immediately make me feel calmer. Conversely if I’m in a meeting or movie and there are side conversations, I’ll put my earplugs in and adjust them so I can hear what I want to concentrate on.
I thought of one “internal” stim I do: if I can’t get to my earplugs, I’ll “sing” a sing inside my head, nodding or tapping to the beat. Sometimes I’ll play with it, like have another artist sing the original artist’s song.
The only answer to the question “what do I wish I’d known?” is the earplugs. Everything else I’m just bouncing off you to test whether it is autism or insanity. Thank you for your work!