Stimming (repetitive actions to regulate sensory and/or emotional input) isn’t just limited to physical movements.

Autistic people stim visually, vocally, and through every other sensory channel. Some of us prefer stimming in certain ways more than others.

Personally, I mostly stim with physical movements and vocal sounds.

But I also smell things over and over again, stare at refracted light, listen to the same song on repeat for hours, watch certain videos over and over again, etc.

All of that is stimming.

Stimming is natural, and everyone does it. Autistic people just stim differently and often more intensely than people of other neurotypes.

Our experience of the world is more intense. So it takes more stimming to regulate ourselves, but we also find more enjoyment in it.

I can become completely mesmerized by things that neurotypicals ignore. Light, flowers, leaves, patterns, water, etc.

I also move in ways that neurotypicals usually don’t, and make noises they usually don’t.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I like stimming.

Sometimes stimming can become self-injurious, or dangerous to others. In those circumstances, it’s good to try and figure out the root cause so that the problem can be avoided.

But if that’s not possible, redirecting to a similar but un-harmful stim is the best option.

Autistic people are often taught to be ashamed of our stimming, and to suppress those urges.

We may be mocked, bullied, called names, punished, or reprimanded for stimming.

That is wrong. Autistic people should be accepted for who we are, and that includes our stims.