Do All Autistic People Stim? Common Stimming Examples Do Not Apply to Everyone

Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress, moving their body, engaging their mind, and expressing their emotions because people are unique with individual needs and preferences. Stimming is a widely understood category used to describe behaviors that many neurodivergent people do, but it’s really an umbrella term that encapsulates such a diverse variety of behaviors for autistics and ADHDers. Each neurodivergent person has their own experience of/need for/relationship with stimming. There are some stims that people have in common, and there are other stims that are completely unique to the individual. One person’s stim might be another person’s sensory “ick.”

Neurodivergent people use self-stimulatory behaviors in several different ways. Stimming can be used to regulate, whether it is to provide additional stimulation when you are hypo-aroused, or to provide calming sensory sensations when you are over-aroused. Stimming can also soothe and comfort stress and overwhelm, or may simply be a way to channel joy and excitement. It’s also very worth noting: stimming just feels good.  

Read on to learn about the varied manifestations of stimming within autism as well as the most common stimming examples for autistic people. 

Autism and Stimming

Let’s start with a basic definition of stimming. Stimming, or self-stimulation, refers to repetitive behaviors that work as a coping mechanism and self-soothing technique. They help autistic people soothe themselves during times of discomfort or distress. Stimming can also be an important part of one’s identity and self-expression.

Historically, control and compliance-based neuronormative models such as ABA have unfortunately tried to paint stimming as a negative behavior that needs to be suppressed and controlled. But the opposite is true. Stimming is a natural and important facet of neurodivergence that is both a valid, healthy regulatory mechanism, and a valuable medium of neurodivergent communication/expression. 

Stimming can help autistic people in a variety of circumstances to cope with their feelings, including (but certainly not limited to):

• Soothing sensory overload from the environment 
• Decreasing or distracting from anxious and uncomfortable emotions
• Expressing positive emotions, such as hand-flapping when something wonderful is happening 
• Expressing negative emotions, such as vocally stimming (e.g., shouting, moaning, groaning, humming, repeating phrases, etc. during an upsetting conflict)  
• Increasing engagement with surroundings, such as staring at pleasing/moving objects in an environment
• Adapting to an unfamiliar environment, such as smelling items at a new house, or feeling the furniture
• Releasing excess energy, such as a person who needs to move their body or fidget when they’re anxious or excited (this sensory need is very common with ADHDers)
• Simply honoring what sensations the body’s sensory system needs or craves
• Pleasure

Common Stimming Examples in Autism: Understanding Sensory Self-Regulation

Stimming is different for everyone. Stims can vary in frequency, intensity, and purpose. Some stims may be more subtle, and some may be more obvious to outside observers. Whether more subtle or more obvious and commonly recognized as stereotypical stimming behaviors, stimming is valid. Too many autistics have been encouraged, forced, or judged for engaging in and expressing their stims publicly. Suppressing stims to “appear more acceptable” to neurotypicals is proven to contribute to burnout and other significant mental health consequences. Unfortunately, some autistics with marginalized identities, including women, Black, Queer, and Trans autistics, have had to suppress or mask their stims as a safety and self-protective measure from actual harm against them. It is also worth noting that some stims are completely unconscious and automatic, while others may be a conscious behavior by the individual.

All stims meet a sensory need. They can also meet multiple sensory needs at once and overlap with more than one sense. Below are examples of stims, by sense. 

Visual Stimming Examples

Visual stimming involves the sense of sight. These behaviors often involve repetitive eye movements or focusing on specific visual stimuli. Examples include:

• Repetitively blinking
• Moving hands in front of eyes
• Staring at moving objects or lights (e.g., a lava lamp)
• Eye tracking (looking out of the corner of one’s eye)

Oral Stimming Examples

Oral stimming involves sensory experiences related to taste, texture, or mouth sensations. Common oral stims include:

• Placing objects in the mouth
• Licking, chewing, or sucking on objects
• Repeated lip movements
• Intense desire for certain food textures or tastes

Olfactory Stimming Examples

Olfactory stimming is based on the sense of smell. It often involves repetitive sniffing behaviors:

• Sniffing people, objects, or environments
• Repeatedly inhaling specific scents or fragrances

Auditory Stimming Examples

Auditory stimming focuses on the use of sounds to meet a sensory need. Some examples include:

• Tapping or drumming fingers on surfaces
• Clapping hands
• Snapping fingers
• Listening to specific sounds, phrases, or music repeatedly (e.g., auditory ASMR)

Vocal Stimming Examples

Vocal stimming involves using sounds made with the mouth and throat to express emotions or soothe. Common vocal stims include:

• Repeating phrases or sounds
• Grunting, humming, or squealing
• Vocalizations during emotional highs or lows

Tactile Stimming Examples

Tactile stimming refers to behaviors that engage the sense of touch. These may include:

• Rubbing hands together
• Drumming fingers against objects
• Clenching and unclenching fists
• Touching or feeling various textures (e.g., smooth, soft, bumpy, or fuzzy items)

Vestibular Stimming Examples

Vestibular stimming involves movement or balance. These behaviors are common for self-regulation, such as:

• Rocking back and forth
• Pacing around the room
• Spinning in circles
• Swinging or swaying

Proprioceptive Stimming Examples

Proprioceptive stimming uses body awareness and can involve behaviors like:

• Leaning against walls or objects
• Touching others for sensory feedback
• Muscle tensing and relaxation

Stimming Differs Between Neurodivergent Individuals

The above examples of stimming highlight stimming behavior that satisfies a sensory need. These stimming examples generally provide sensory information and often meet a sensory-seeking need. 

As mentioned above, the same sensory-seeking stims that are helpful and pleasurable to one autistic person could feel deeply intolerable, uncomfortable, or even painful for another autistic person who has a sensory aversion in that specific area. 

For example: 

An autistic person who likes playing with slime as a stim, but their autistic friend hates the feeling of that texture on their hands. 

A person with ADHD who needs to listen to loud techno music as a stim to focus on work, but their friend with ADHD needs complete silence to work. 

An autistic person who rocks as a stim to give their body a desired movement, but their autistic friend despises that type of movement and prefers to keep their trunk static in their seat.

An autistic person who loves staring at their color-changing bedroom lights, but their autistic friend gets overstimulated by the colors and lights.

A person with ADHD who loves going to music festivals to see all the sights and hear all the sounds, but their friend with ADHD gets overstimulated by those environments.

Identify and Honor Your Unique Sensory Needs 

Stimming is an important part of the neurodivergent experience for many people. Stims can be personal, and your stims do not have to look like anyone else’s examples of stimming. Your autistic experience and expression may vary. You get to decide what “sensory diet” is best for you.

NeuroSpark Health can help you understand your neurotype and gain insight into your sensory use and interests through adult autism assessments, self-diagnosis coaching, or autism-affirming therapy. FYI — your therapist stims, too. 🙂

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial consultation.

Looking for more insights on neurodivergence and stimming? Dive deeper into our articles on autism and ADHD, or connect with NeuroSpark Health for neurodivergent-affirming support.