I went to a dentist in Oahu who specialized with children. I was blown away. Besides sunglasses to offer, He talked very quietly, had low lighting and offered a blanket. He used a small light on his forehead to see his work. It was very calming!
My dental office (I’ve been their patient for over a decade and my family has been with them for over 25 years) has posters on the ceiling and dangly visual distractions for kids to focus on.
Ha! When I was very young, I bit my dentist. I was normally a quiet and obedient child. He was too scary and the opposite of the dentist you describe. Wrong kind of stims.
@@laraelixirs Treated me like a human being rather than an object. He was just doing a mechanical process, so being gentle and aware would have worked. I've had wonderful dentists as an adult and they all pay attention to their patients. As a child I didn't understand this, but even as an adult I wouldn't return to a dentist like this.
This just reminded me of my high school biology class. I was always doodling or fiddling with something under the table while the teacher talked. One day she called me out and told me "stop that and pay attention" and I recited word for word everything she'd said in the past ten minutes, and then told her "look, I promise you if I look like I'm paying attention, I haven't heard a word you said. If I look distracted, I'm hearing you." Thankfully she was understanding and only got on me a couple times afterwards when she forgot.
My teacher when I was like 11 told me to stop doodling when she was explaining stuff, bc, even if I was able to focus on what she was saying while doing it, others could not (?) so I could be a good example for other kids (wtf actually)
@@ssoffigra woulda told her “ok that’s fine as long as you’re good with me not remembering a single word you’ve said” that’s BS. so glad i was homeschooled i probably would’ve gotten this a lot
I was banned from doodling or fidgeting in 5th grade and they refused to believe that I found either of those things helpful. I was told I couldn't bring fidget toys with me anymore because it was "distracting to other students." After that I pretty much immediately developed trichotillomania, something my eyebrows have never recovered from although thankfully the hair on my head is no longer really thin in the back.
I have issues with high pitched noises or unexpected sounds it truly registers as fear in my mind . I use music to stem , and lining things up , reorganizing my purse . “taking inventory “ . Your voice is calming ; it’s exciting to see someone being an advocate for adults on the spectrum who don’t have the resources.
@neopio3869 I like to organize my purse collection 😂 each purse has its own makeup, sunglasses, lip balm. So all I need to add is my wallet when I need one
Another "sense" that is not included in your worksheet is the vestibular system. It's really important to some people, so I wanted to mention it here. The vestibular system is our sense of balance and spatial awareness. If you absolutely love or hate things like swings, roller coasters, trampolines or spinning around, you might have hyper- or hyposensitivities in that area and might want to explore that further. (but you may mention that somewhere in your video, idk, I had to get this info out otherwise I won't e able to focus on your words)
i feel like swings can be so chill but as soon as it starts getting too fast or too high i can feel that force pulling on my body and it freaks me tf out lmao
I have felt so invalid bc when I discovered my neurodivergence and my hypersensitivities, I didn’t know what they were already. I had to figure it out through trial and error and paying really close attention to my body’s signals. This is the first time I’ve heard someone acknowledge that that’s the case for some people and I just want to say thank you. 💕
I’m going through the same process! I feel like I’ve made some progress in trying to understand which stimuli make me feel overwhelmed, but I often still find myself wondering why I’m so snappy and nervous all of a sudden… my poor interoception doesn’t help either 😭 It’s a long and hard journey of self-discovery, but it feels nice to get the accommodations I need 😊
@@spaghetto9836 I think it probably is, although chances are that even before we know, we've already got a few. But, especially for those of us that are used to extensively masking, it can be tough to figure out what we're already doing to stim.
@@kat7659 I feel this. I’m trying to uncover all of my stims. So far I know one of my biggest ones is pacing. I pace to let off “energy” in my body and I do it when I am ranting/talking to myself.
I am a teen and I think I might be autistic, unfortunately, my family doesn't think I'm "autistic enough" or just trying to be "different", but I came to this video to help myself out a bit, and figure out comforts n discomforts. I found this very helpful! I want to try making a list like this, I think regulating my body and mental health and listening to my body can improve my daily life ^_^, so thanks a lot for helping the community!
Your positive attitude is so heart-warming 🥺 Sometimes parents need some time to process things, maybe one day they will slowly come to accept that part of your experience. Lots of older people are afraid of diagnoses like that because back then, psychological treatment was very flawed and even abusive. So your parents maybe don't want to admit your autism because they might be afraid that you'll get treated badly by doctors. But maybe they'll learn that things have changed. 😔 I wish you all the best!
It may be that your family will never accept it (as mine hasn’t) but just know that you know you better than anyone else ever could and if you feel like something isn’t right, you resonate with autistic traits, and autistic coping mechanisms help you and identifying with the label helps you to do more research to make your life better and more livable, it doesn’t really matter if you truly are autistic or if other people think you are. You are valid and you’ve got a whole community supporting you here ♥️
Omg the air smell! Yes! I’m super sensitive to the smell of air and I categorize seasons by how the air smells. I can always tell when the seasons are in the process of changing too because each season has their own scent.
one of the reasons i feel so uncomfortable during summer is because of the smell. the air smells so dense, whereas in winter it smells loose. i know that probably sounds crazy haha
I can smell worms when they come out of the earth after the rain 🫣 It smells different when there are no worms. Anyway, I’m totally like this. You can catch me saying things like “it smells like winter” hahahaa. Ppl always made me feel weird about it, so I’m glad to see this happens to others too.
I've had suspicions that im autistic and I'm slowly realizing all my stims and I'm like omg I've been doing this the whole time it just felt so normal and ordinary.
If you're an adult, or even a teenager and haven't been diagnosed, you'd likely be surprised at just how much of your time and energy goes into masking. I've been allowing myself stim time on breaks at work and I actually get some measure of rest when I'm back to work. I always kind of wondered what the real point of breaks are when you just come back and have that much more stuff piled up.
I can relate to the auditory stims and always having the headphones on. Always got like 50 things in the "watch later" list to listen to whenever I'm doing something that doesn't require my full attention, and now this channel is the latest addition...
Same!!! I love looking at my podcast playlist, waiting to listen to something while doing chores, or walking my dog. My favorite thing right now is cleaning up broken glass from the nearby hills, while listening to a podcast. A repetitive chore, with interesting information on the side. 😅
I literally made a Listen Later playlist, to sort between the videos... cos the Watch later was getting out of hand, and for many I didn't require the visual component
I absolutely hate being stuck in a group of women taking about their boyfriends or whatever. To me it feels like being in jail performing a soul sucking task for eternity. There’s zero upside and an infinite amount of downsides if I don’t perform correctly. I am so relieved I have control over my life now as an adult with a full time income. Being a teen was hell on earth.
Going on a trip with a group of people, being stuck in a noisy restaurant or pub is horrible too. I’m only starting to realize the extent of pain I experienced as a child and younger adult.
I'm literally talking to somebody on Twitter about this right now in huge paragraph forms about how literally nobody in our Neurotypical friend group has fucking any idea how to be interesting in a conversation like a literally all they talk about their work or a boyfriend like do not have hobbies or interests
ohmygod literally. GIRLTALK. (omg random but the caps reminded me. one time i replied to someones comment on instagram in capital letters and she responded “why are you shouting at me” lol i was like damn okay i was excited but uhh LOL anyway girltalk) i swear i could just never relate to anything the girls were saying and of course they couldnt relate back lmao so i really struggled with female friendships until literally last year. ive met a lot of people in less forced environments thankfully and now im very satisfied with my friendships.
@@Atlasintokyo I hate small talk personally but I don't think it's fair to insult others for finding it engaging at all or that they find it interesting. Others could say the same about you if had a special interests they considered boring you know 😅
When I and my husband were attending church with my mom, the church had a youth lockdown party at the county's swim center. Besides swimming you could play racket ball and there was a basketball gym with a track around the edge. So one of our daughters has Cerebral Palsy and is in a wheelchair. So I went along to help her. We went swimming for a while, that was pretty good. Some of the women chaperones for the event had been students that my mother had taught Sunday school to when they had been in 8th grade. I was about 4 years younger. All they talked about all night long was our NFL football team and how to get stains out of their laundry. I thought I was in hell. I used to follow college football so I wasn't out in left field (to mix a metaphor), BUT REALLY! Football and laundry is the only thing they had to talk about! Me and my daughter just hung together and entertained each other with a more varied conversation than that. Still they nattered on and in between chaperoning talked on those 2 subjects for a collective 3 hours. We enjoyed the swimming but I told my daughter if I ever got that boring to smack me.
Thank you for bringing up the fact that no diversity can be very uncomfortable for poc. I’ve always felt this way but wasn’t sure if it was autistic related or just me being weird about it.
No, I totally feel the same way, and I'm a white woman. I grew up in a small all-white Midwest town, so when I enter a setting where there's no diversity, it reminds me of that and all the bigoted, garbage attitudes that go along with it. In my adult life it's seemed like even if events have not explicitly excluded POC, if they have not made a point of deliberately INCLUDING POC (and LGBT+, disabilities, etc), they're probably not going to align with my values and I get preemptively anxious. Does that make sense? I can imagine that "preemptive anxiety" is even worse for POC entering those settings.
I have unfortunately found that alcohol is my social loophole to avoiding the burnout from masking/scripts… if I’m drinking enough I can stop masking and nobody can tell if I’m Different™️ or just too drunk (hopefully). The downside to being an extrovert with this strategy is the alcoholism
I'm not diagnosed (though thinking I might be ND) and the need to listen to something while doing things and needing to do things while listening/watching something is really, really resonating with me. And yay for my workplace letting me knit or do another small craft during meetings (also helps me not fall asleep from my hypersomnia).
It's worth noting that there are degrees, and even if you are outside the spectrum, that doesn't mean that you wouldn't have enough going on that you'd need to stim. It's entirely possible to be technically not autistic, but still have pronounced autistic traits that dictate they be cared for.
@@SmallSpoonBrigade yes. And I do have quite a lot of autistic traits but there are also some significant ones I don't have, hence wanting to discuss it with a professional.
I love that your workplace let’s you do that! I have been considering incorporating something physical during meetings (I teach and work in a sewing school/production studio so we’re constantly sewing and working on patterns). I have so much to get done (doing two peoples jobs rn) that I think I could use that as a reason to keep working during meetings… but which may make me less anxious and help me focus.
One of my visual dislikes is illogical order or patterns. If I see a small container under a larger one, or two towels of the same pattern hung next to a different pattern like in my kitchen or bathroom make me crazy. It should be alternating patterns or smaller on top of larger. 😠
i knew life was hard for me as an AUDHD person but seeing you talk about every aspect of our sensory struggles was like a slap in the face. like wow … we really have to deal with so much that neurotypical ppl don’t. we are actually so strong and such superstars for living everyday
I know the sun smell, but I really enjoy it! Particularly a car that has been sunbathing or if someone's hair has been in the sun. I hate the smell of plastic that's been sitting in the sun though.
I've been trying to replace the words "meltdown" and "shutdown" with "overload" or simply say or signal that I'm too overwhelmed to function in those extreme moments. I personally hold a strong distaste for the use of "meltdown" after realizing the connection it has with an imagine of a small child throwing a tamper tantrum because their parents wouldn't give them something they wanted. I feel like it's infantilizing for a grown autistic adult to be equated to such a concept, especially when it isn't even accurate -- it's just that my sensory inputs have been taking in far more than they can handle and I need everything to stop before I can begin to process and calm down from everything. So, that's my personal take on preferring to say sensory overload over things like meltdown or shutdown due to the connection that the latter two have to screaming children, even if only on a subconscious level.
Going through this helped me realize that knitting is one of my top stims. It's repetitive and deeply calming for me. Portable so I can bring it to appointments, running errands, travelling, socializing. It's also a great icebreaker for others and I'm comfortable answering questions since I get asked the same things over and over like "what are you making?", "how did you learn?", etc. I love knitting and I'm so grateful for this hobby-stim!
My dentist has a comfort menu that you fill out as you check in. You may choose from glasses, neck pillows, bite guards, Netflix, music, noise canceling headphones, 3 different essential oils options to be diffused, blanket (both weighted and not) drinks and snacks while you’re waiting, ear plugs, fidget cube, lights off, heated towel after your procedure. It is so nice to walk in and have it be normal to receive such supports. I don’t have to bring these items with me or explain about my medical ptsd and feel weird for wanting and needing extra comforts in order to stay on top of my dental health. And as ritzy as the accommodations sound, it doesn’t cost me more than other dentists.
It's worth mentioning (apologies if you mention this later on, I'm at 5:50 ) that people can experience both hypo and hypersensitivity. Combined or fluctuating, alternating. This is common in AuDHD folk but also presents among all Neurodivergent people, it can be super challenging! I personally ind it difficult to pin down what I find comfortable or uncomfortable because it can change so drastically depending on other factors. Like a shower can sometimes even be simultaneously sensory heaven and hell at once 😬
33:52 I also stim to express positive emotions (apparently to get rid of extra energy generated from positive emotions) like excitement, happiness etc. or just sometimes to stop boredom.
My mum and I like the describe our ND as DJ sliders (like, the remix boards), and our environment pushes the sliders around and we have to, somehow, make the music sound good
I am obsessed, for a variety of reasons!!! One, at first I wasn’t sure how this would go since it’s a longer video but halfway through (and I’m hooked the whole time mind you even with ADHD) I realized it’s like body doubling! I’m going to order and go back through it with you so I’ll actually work on it instead of seeing it as “another task to do.” Two, I have had such a good time following along as you wrote out your sensory likes and dislikes, even seeing as you uncovered new realizations about yourself. I laughed and nodded along like you were really talking to me 😂 thank you so much for this and great job designing it - I’ll be purchasing for sure. I recently realized I didn’t cook with garlic or onions, even though they’re crucial, because of the smell and touch factor so I’m going to get a little mincer so I don’t have to touch them. Your video helped me see I could apply that thinking to a lot of stuff in my life.
omg when you mentioned no diversity as a visual discomfort - that really hit me! as a hairstylist i sometimes experienced being in an environment full of blonde cis women & remember saying thats funny but looking at it in retrospect i realize how uncomfortable i actually was with that + knowing that i feel comfortable when theres a diversity of people around feels good
You know white cis blonde women can be neurodivergent too right? Some of them may have been masking, especially in that kind of environment. Please don’t judge us all so harshly. It’s hard for us to keep up with that sort of act as well tbh so I just avoid the culture of visiting beauty salons or having a circle of girlfriends.
I felt that way when visiting my cousins. They are the perfect American nuclear family picture perfect and lived in a neighborhood soooo white that I thought I stumbled TrumpCity. I’m Poc so I felt so paranoid there trying to make myself invisible bc of this uhhh
@@Maria7Mariathey weren’t saying that blonde cis women can’t be ND they were just saying it makes them uncomfortable when there’s no diversity. it’s just a visual thing. it has nothing to do with the ppl as individuals tho
One sound that makes me want to scream is the hum of fans installed in a house/apartment, etc. Where I live now, they hooked the bathroom fans to the light switch, so if you turn on the light, the fan automatically turns on, too. Omg. Almost as bad as being in a room with a droning fan is being in a nearby room, and hearing the fan humming thru the walls. Argh!
One of my ultimate favorite smells is earth after rain/ or wet eart/soil.. red earth/soil! I smell differentiate between different types of soil .. also the sound of raindrops calm me deeply, I used to put on long hours audios of rainforest with rain sounds and birds when I felt overwhelmed or depressed.. never knew these were kinds of stims.. Wow I'm discovering so much about my differentness and potential autism/ADHD and I'm loving it and super grateful ❤
keep in mind there are more senses than just those 5, theres balance, temperature, pain, proprioception, spatial awareness, hunger, thirst, and probably more i for one get anxious when walking on paths that are sometimes slanted, sometimes straight because it throws off my balance
Hey there I'm an autistic person who was diagnosed as a toddler and b/c my parents discontinued services, I didn't get the help I needed, let alone even realize I was autistic until now. I now have the blessing of treating kids like me as an Occupational Therapy Assistant but I don't have resources for myself. So thank you. I'll be binging these vids. 💖
Good info for sensory sensitivity, but nothing on emotional regulation? The biggest trigger for stimming, for me, has always been emotional overload from masking, social interactions, relational misunderstandings or communication breakdowns, trauma, loss of control or order, etc. Some stimming is also unconscious, and self-harming, and can depend on the intensity of the trigger. Just wanted to note this as a shout-out to those who have other triggers and stims.
Anyone feel like they have high ass tolerance? Like I for sure get bothered by stuff but I've never really noticed until recently? Like I used sunglasses at a concert the other day and it was amazing???? But I've never really realized that kind of light bothered me, sound doesn't bother me all the time, I'm thinking maybe it's just being so used to masking all that, that I tend to recoil myself into my own mind to avoid stuff I didn't even knew I was avoiding and forcing myself trough stuff I don't like idk
This was so validating to hear. I constantly feel like I need something to listen to too when I'm doing work/tasks around the house. I thought maybe it was just an anxiety thing, but it's validating to know that it's more about what helps me stay focused and having something I can keep my attention on that is helpful. ♥
This workbook is so great. An idea for future workbooks may be to include the vestibular sense (movement), as I find that with my Autism, many of my stims can be seen with that. Overall it is a great product I just bought and am so excited to work through.
I haven’t watched the video yet, but I just wanted to say that your channel is amazing! Watching your videos is helping me gather more information and learn more about autism and ADHD :) Thank you so much for providing high-quality content like this!
I can’t even explain how invaluable this video is 😭🙏🏽 .. I wouldn’t have known how to fill this out nor would I have thought of the things you wrote down and I literally resonate with practically every single one on every sheet. So so grateful!!! 💖
Maybe she wasn't aware they are real senses. Those often get overlooked in public perception too. I think they can be very relevant for autistics too (for me, mostly proprioception)!
Ahh! The temp/weather based stuff😌 I used to work in a freezer warehouse, and with the right thermals and simple clothes under the insulating suits the company provided, it was THE BEST possible feeling! Like i could just curl up and nap right there in that freezer! And the feeling of the warmth of the sun on my bare skin with a chilled breeze🥰👌 Best Afternoon Ever! 💛🤍💜🖤
I love that you record yourself doing the worksheet yourself and explain each of the prompts/lists. Makes it so much easier for me to understand what is being asked!
I’m a 38 year old female and I think I may be autistic. Someone I dated told me they think I am and over the past few years it just makes sense. I want to get a brain scan. Its so expensive though.
a brain scan? that's not how they assess autism. you'll get an iq test done, therapy sessions, and an autism assessment done. Still not cheap, but less expensive than a brain scan ; )
I hate the smell of condiments.. like ketchup, bbq sauce, ranch, honey mustard… once it is leftover after dinner. I feel nauseous having to rinse it off plates/ramekins
Talking about wanting to run around in the theater. There's a puppet center near me that has sensory friendly showings. It allows for Neurodivergent folks to get up and walk around or leave and come back. The lights also aren't completely off, they're just very dim. I know a couple of my local movie theaters have sensory friendly showings as well, but they're specifically catered to kids :// I wish more places would have sensory friendly showings. Oh! And the puppet theater has sunglasses, earplugs, and headphones all available at request! They also have a story map and I LOVE IT. I really really wish more places would create story maps.
Maybe it’s just me but I usually have to be the one to initiate physical contact like a hug or roughhousing with a friend. I also can’t tolerate really strong smells like the smell of medicated or heavily scented products (bath and body works hand creams and hand sanitizers as an example) without getting a really bad migraine or at best a really bad headache. It’s not debilitating per se but it really bothers me.
U hit on something that ive tried to find out online, passive overstimulation, i was really curious if things subconciously set me off like sounds or lights, things that i didnt realise were stressin my brain out because they ddidnt bother me, u just covered that after me searching for months thank you, my workplace went from having very bright lights to having LED lights that are motion sensored so most of my stockroom is in darkness until u walk down an aisle so there are lights going off and on forever, and some timers are different so one aisle will have a light that switches off after a minute and another 30 seconds, the day they were installed i felt like crying and i later thought maybe it was because of the lighting change
This is the first time I've ever heard it put into words- the buzzing trapped inside of my body feeling. Like this scratchy fuzzy clawing thing wanting to turn my skin all inside out. It feels like I will just implode if something doesn't change RIGHT THEN. I bought the work book, I'm going through it with you. I was diagnosed at 26, and haven't had much opportunity to do any foundational work like this. I am really grateful. I noticed something on Etsy, there are so many "ADHD planners" and "autistic workbooks" that were in the 'relevant' category after searching yours, but they all seem to be hundreds of pages of all monotone black and white or the officey blue scales. The art work and color in yours makes me feel really comfortable, and genuinely happy about doing it. The others feel intimidating and like I would get lost and confused if I wasn't in a state of hyper fixation. Which, maybe they are for hyper fixation? All I know is that I can really feel how much care and attention was put into this workbook and I want to express that to you ❤
For taste, I'm not sure if it's a stim exactly, but I love and almost require acidity in most if not everything I eat. I'll add lemon or lime or a bit of vinegar to most things I cook.
i love your content so much!! it comforts me a lot and you break things down in a really concise way that isn't too overwhelming so i can help regulate myself and my autism in much more healthier ways
I'm not autistic but I've been super interested in autism this past year and I love to learn new things about it. This video is very informative and it rises so many questions in my mind. Could stimming even benefit neurotypical people ? I don't know any autistic person (at least not that I know of) with who I can talk about that kind of things so it's an honor for me to listen to you guys exchange about your experiences. I feel like I'm learning so much about what it is to be human thanks to that.
yes it does actually! stimming is a behavior that everyone actually engages with. it's just that the intensity/frequency and what it is used for changes when someone is autistic or adhd. most everyone tends to stim in some way when their system registers a need for some self soothing. in neurotypical people this can look like hair twirling, foot tapping, etc.
Immediately bought 4 of your workbooks!! This is such a fun way to get to know yourself and tbh I feel like you’re an angel because I’ve been asking for something like this for so long 😭 I was diagnosed with ADHD and unofficially with bipolar disorder but I really think the bipolar might be either a misdiagnosis or a side effect of being treated and expected to act neurodivergent my whole life and constant burnout. I feel like a disappointment because I was supposed to grow up and be a successful adult yet I’m still a kid and I don’t understand how to do adult things like others do, I really can’t. I tried and I ended up having daily panic attacks because I just couldn’t study or produce after being in a cold sterile and bright classroom with people that make me uncomfortable for 4 HOURS 4 DAYS A WEEK. I used to go out and do fun stuff with my friends every weekend and even go out to loud bars and clubs but my burnout got to a point where all I wanted to do in my free time was sleep, play escapist video games and FaceTime my friend who was also playing escapist video games for similar reasons. It’s so fun and we still like to do it sometimes but I wanted to excel in my field and create yet I couldn’t… I couldn’t even eat or take care of myself and my pets properly. I got medicated and it helped to stop the panic attacks and make me think more like neurodivergent people in the way of “yeah I feel horrible and disgusting but it is what it is” but I really just want to be able to work and create without feeling bad because I deserve better, my loved ones deserve to see me happy and because my art reflects how I feel and I don’t want to do dark depressive art forever. I hope these workbooks help me (and I know they will) cope in healthier ways so I can love myself better and be the artist I deserve to be. Thank you :))
At 10 I noticed how much more I began to hate sounds. For almost 12 years I thought I had “misophonia.” After getting my adhd diagnosis I feel that I might be Audhd. I don’t like sounds of chewing,loud televisions,balloon pops, loud clicking, loud talking. I have so many things that stress me out and I use music and headphone to stop the stresses. Ifeel so comfortable knowing why ❤
I found out about Misophonia about a year ago and thought that was my issue. But after learning that I'm Autistic 2 days ago and maybe a few other things like ocd, etc. I am now also wondering if Misophonia is just a really hard to thing to mask from and it's really a branch of Autism. Thanks for saying what I was thinking while watching this video.
It's short for "self stimulating behavior." And considering that it took me somewhere around 15 years to pick up on the fact that my evaluation was effectively a backhanded diagnosis to avoid having to add it to the ever-growing list of stigmatizing conditions on my medical record, I'm the last one to judge people for not picking things like that up quickly.
I discovered I have autism this year and it’s been such a freeing experience. uncovering my stims and unlearning things I’ve done to hide myself my whole life has been amazing. I had a test today and just felt awful and bad and I just starting shaking my head like crazy for a few seconds and immediately felt better like I knew I couldn’t do my normal stims right then so it was just really relieving to know this stuff now :)
Being in a car for longer periods of time always sucks - unless I am the driver and can control when and where to stop and how fast we go. Also we have this rule that the driver has the power over what music is played and how loud it is played. So on longer trips I'm pretty much always the driver by choice and for example my best friend really appreciates that cause driving will usually stress him out after a while.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but most of those sounded just normal. Most people dislike body odor but like freshly washed sheets. Most of those came of to me as liking nice things and disliking things that humans just generally don't like. Maybe that's just me also being neurodivergent
I think you are absolutely right, I guess the difference might be the _intensity_ neurotypical and neurodivergent people respectively enjoy or suffer from those sensory things. I think most neurotypicals don't get meltdowns when they are exposed to stressing sensory input but with autistic people this might happen. Of course, it's a spectrum of how much/how little each single person reacts to those sensory inputs. I hope this might give you an idea :)
@@anniestumpy9918 What a great response. That really put it in perspective for me. I should have come to that conclusion myself, I know that especially in psychology we have to view things as spectrums. I might not have a full breakdown over touching certain textures like raw concrete, but I get this wave of repulsion that makes me physically shiver
@@jonasholzer4422 I think it's also just a matter of the examples that are used. people who are autistic especially tend to have some "obscure" preferences in those areas. me for example, im hypersensitive to smell and I cannot eat anything that is piping hot because hot food has the most atrocious smell to me, I'll gag and lose my appetite if I even get close to it.
As an autistic person who actively enjoys BO smells, I was bummed out by how normal all of these are... To the point that I'm not sure I can count them as stims compared to what I do
It's funny how a lot of elements of discomfort for you are comforting to me because of differing experiences. Blue light and sterility are things I take comfort in because I spent a lot of time in hospitals/clinical environments as a kid. I find artificial yellow light to be super painful though.
I also hate artificial yellow light! Especially at night, idk why it makes it so hot in the room & I immediately feel the room cooling down when I turn the light off. My boyfriend doesn’t feel it
In college a classmate of mine had a voice that literally made me nauseous. He was having a debate with my teacher and I had to excuse myself from class just to get away from his voice. This was long before I realized I had autism. I had always chalked it up to some sort of weird happenstance. He ended up leaving school for his mental health and I thought maybe I had sensed it? Ha, now I think his voice just set me off. Poor guy tho. I hope he got the help he needed even if his voice drove me crazy.
Omg yes baths! A hot bath settles and calms me the way nothing else does and is often also helpful when I have stomach issues or when something has me all out-of-whack... a bath just does it for me. Fixes all the problems if given enough time.
Cold showers calm my anxiety or when having a panic attack, I just stand under the 🚿 cold as it can... And it works warming me .. normally I'm a cold feet and hands kinda person/ weighted blanket during summer!😅
Hello. I just wanted to say that yesterday I had a super difficult day at work and I was very stressed. I went into one of our „thinking pods“ which is a slightly darker and noise proof room which we use for meetings and I allowed myself to stim (rocking back and forth, slapping my thighs, tapping my feet, flapping my hands, humming) and I really REALLY needed that. I felt a little better afterward. I am still embarrassed about my stims and I even suppress them at home, but in that moment I was so overwhelmed and it helped so much.. What I am trying to say is that I am thankful that you make content about stimming
What I notice that you do is that you are using terminology that can be searched on google; however, you use examples that are inclusive to all experiences in ways that an internet search does not. I would never think to search “I notice that when I’m distressed, I play a song over and over because there is one note in it that calms me, I rely on this song to calm myself to function and think properly, is this stimming?”, I would just think everyone does that because they love music and that I don’t participate in self stimulating behavior because I didn’t identify with the ones listed online. I wouldn’t think that me feeling the need to introduce myself to people who know who I am is stimming or how to explain the effect it has on me when I don’t do it in order to not be seen like I’m being insecure by implying that they’ve forgotten me by my introduction. I have been misdiagnosed with schizophrenia and I have a family and work environment that aren’t educated on what autism is or how to accommodate a neurodivergent person, I was wondering how did you form a correlation between the information available about autism and your unique expression of those symptoms? When the way a symptom was presented didn’t represent you, how’d you know that it was appropriate to conclude that a behavior you noticed about yourself was indeed a true expression of that symptom?
a lot of things that can identify autism end up being struggling or abnormalities in certain areas of life. thinking about what others inherently know to what you had to learn. embrace autism is an amazing resource that the raads r test and the cat q test are where id start if you haven’t already! i was recently diagnosed and would be happy to answer any questions if youd like!
@@two_5 I can’t take anymore A,B,C,D test, it’s not worth it. The questions are too much for me because I don’t know the answers or what exactly they are asking and every time I just pick an answer without knowing, it effects me deeply. Then I don’t trust the trust the results because I know how hard it was for me to pick an answer and that I could get multiple results based off different times of day, different moods, and different ideas how I was supposed to answer them. I don’t know if I have a questions, because you were recently diagnosed, I would be interested in hearing your story then I might have questions based off what you share. I have a google meets, we could talk on there
@@JJohns-pv3xh i know it’s extremely frustrating battling with your memory what helped me was writing down every possible trait or odd thing i did when i was a kid and now and after a few months it was substantial evidence for my diagnosis. being able to look back on memories with a new perspective of wether that experience was possibly impacted by being autistic is way easier then doing it in the moment. be kind to yourself because its not anyones fault if you cant remember something. asking family members or friends specific questions about things you don’t remember without saying anything about autism might help get some clear insight on what you were like in the past. i dont feel comfortable communicating outside of youtube but i still want to help with the knowledge i have!! communication with a therapist who specializes in autism or has other autistic clients might be helpful because they might see similarities or help you find and make accommodations for yourself and try treating yourself as if you do have autism because not having a diagnosis doesnt mean you aren’t autistic it just means you dont know for sure.
@@two_5 hello. I seen your message last night and didn’t know how to respond. When I woke up this morning, it was one of the most dominant things on my mind. That’s kind of why it’s hard for me to chat on here nonverbal only because the chats lingers in my mind all day and feels like a new task that I have to complete which makes it more harmful than helpful because at that point, I can’t see the value of the support or resources you might have. Only thing I’m focused on is that you are showing an act of kindness, and I am struggling to find responses that are a balance between truthfulness & coming off as polite and grateful as a response to that act of kindness. So for me this exchange isn’t about actual autism resources like it might be for you, for me it’s moreso about me trying to figure out how to have a successful conversation about autism resources and I don’t feel like I’m doing a good job and it’s causing me stress. I am so happy for you and proud of you for getting diagnosed 💗 knowing that news is more help than you know. At this time, I don’t have any questions or anything, I’m glad the option is there if I ever do. Bye : )
@@JJohns-pv3xh im sorry this caused you stress!! not all conversations have to be an exchange especially if someone wants to help you then its about you! you dont have to match the energy of every interaction its better to let them know how you feel so that you and the person youre talking to dont have to overthink! i hope you are being kind to yourself and do something that makes you happy today! (you dont have to respond /gen)
Hi, thank you for this worksheet. I feel like I can be both hypo and hyper sensitive at the same time sometimes: I can feel overwhelmed by the noises around me and need them to quiet but needing to hear the noises I make (opening something, cooking, doing things,…) to be okay
My sons do lots of humming to stim and it’s become unbearable the torturous sensations I feel in my body hearing it all day. Like what do you do when you’re constantly exposed to triggers that happens to bring loved ones comfort? I feel bad wanting silence but the sounds are overwhelming, it’s really hard when you’ve got to accommodate in ways that exclude yourself but we all need the space to be who we are.
noise canceling headphones? or simply listening to music or podcasts on any headphones but loud enough to cover up you sons humming could be really helpful
@@julianahernandez4757 I have them but my ears are sensitive and they all hurt after a while, plus I’m not really in the position to do that while homeschooling or other things that require my full attention. I try to use white noise as a buffer but 2 kids stimming constantly and simultaneously doesn’t really compare to those sounds.
@@FC-kw4mw yea that’s understandable. the only other thing i can think of is maybe helping your kids explore other stims? other than that i really have no idea lol. sorry i can’t be much help
@@julianahernandez4757 it's ok I really appreciate you even taking the time to. Well I thought to assess what they are seeking by stimming that way and it seems to be one of habit like it's their version of white noise lol. The sound and oral vibration I guess is what they like (they can't really tell me) and even trying chew toys they still hummed while doing it so I've just let it be but it's just a lot sometimes.
Goodness I'm the only person who ever said I smell the air and rain before it rains hours before... growing up no one said it but myself! Later when people started to comment on "I smell air/rain" I'd just react by"did you know dogs could smell rain way before it rains".. and tried to laugh it out... While I hardly find anything funny nor I understand comedy and the point of jokes..😢 what miserable experiences they were.. Now I grew to keep to myself most cause no one near me really understand nor accept difference and they make you feel freakish..
I have this really weird visual one that when things are too symmetrical it just gives me anxiety and stomach aches. It feels like they are too unnatural, I really prefer natural things like plants and trees that have a way more complex structure.
Your comment immediately reminded me of a Frazier episode where people kept straightening out the decorative items on a shelf. He would rearrange them again in a more random, non symmetrical way while repeatedly shouting they need to placed “askew, askew!!”🤣🤣🤣
Definitely agree. It seems that people have for some reason adopted the idea that neurodivergent encompasses only neurodevelopmental differences like adhd and asd, when according to the person who made/coined the term, it really applies to anybody with a brain that diverges from the norm, so this also means people with mental illnesses. It's more helpful to just say neurodevelopmental difference/disorder if that is what you mean.
Kermit the frog voice haha!! When you did the voice, I pictured Glenn Sturgis from _Superstore_ and got reaaaally uncomfortable. I've struggled a lot to watch that TV show because of his voice! I just thought I didn't like the character but never really related it to the voice. Thanks for your work, your content is very helpful 🙏
I have a long beard. I stroke it. It’s probably my favorite way to stim cause it isn’t super obvious. I also rub my finger tips together along with the other typical stims. I like the smell of woods like pine, cedar, oak, sandlewood etc. I hate pulling cotton out of medication bottles. I don’t like my face being touched. I don’t like multiple different colored flashing light. I’ve found cannabis helps block out a lot of the stimuli I find overwhelming
Dancing and swaying help me. Also, I play with my hair and pick at my face and ears (have an itchy skin allergy condition that never goes away). If I can't do those things, I wiggle my feet.
I was diagnosed at the age of 2 and I don't know what stims I have or why I don't stim at all as a kid I did do things like ribbon certain materials, sucked my thumb till I was in Elementary or Middle school and picked my boogers till I was 25. I don't know if those are stims or not. Hand flapping, eye blinking, and more! Those are some stims but I still don't know if I did any of those stims. ❤😊
Thank you so much for going thru this yourself. As someone who also has ADHD but is coming to the realization that I am autistic I feel like I don't know what my stims are bc I've been masking for so long (32 years old) and with having rapid fire thoughts when trying to answer a question that I've never really asked myself is overwhelming and would take so much more time and energy to complete. Your channel has been helpful and comforting. Thank you!
I just want to say how much I not only appreciate your knowledge, ability to convey concepts and how well spoken you are, but I also love your aesthetic and editing style. It makes someone like me, who’s very visual and creative, even more drawn to your content. I subscribed and have been binge watching your videos. Thank you so much for your hard work and guidance💛
I was diagnosed at a young age, but I’ve never really had the proper support nor teaching about stuns and all the nitty gritty about being autistic, so I really appreciate this as it feels like I’m uncovering my real self in a way
@8:15 this list is like 99.99% of the world... Something that gets me in some types of beans, or like this certain type of earthy smell.... everyone is just like "it smells like cut grass"; but freshly cut grass is fine, it is something about the type of grass that was cut... Not people's pit smells and shit smells.... i think everyone would be able to relate to that. And for perfume, basically any kid with asthma going to relate.... Alcochol is like the ONLY one i can kinda see as being something that most of the world doesn't like.... Edit: @11:53 and i am gone....
This is so nice. I was DX with adhd this year (32 years old). It’s been a journey, so much “makes sense” now, I also had to grieve not knowing this sooner, wishing I knew this at school age and had help then. But also being glad I learned so many coping mechanisms and techniques to manage my life (poorly 😂). Just yesterday I was thinking about stims, and wondered if I tried some out, but that didn’t feel right because it doesn’t come naturally? I of course have learned that some things I thought were just annoying habits were stims.
Glad you're covering this topic, it's so important! But I have to say, it's not "neurodivergency", it's either neurodivergence or neurodiversity - both meaning different things. When speaking about one's own autism, ADHD, etc. The word should be "neurodivergence" or "neurodivergent" but when speaking about the movement it is "neurodiversity"
To wash dishes I always watch favorite RU-vid channels, stand on a jute rug over a more cushioned rug, scented candle, a different scent meyers cleaning day dish soap to enjoy. Plus I watched Rajiv surendra’s video “ how to wash dishes like a pro” video. All these things help me enjoy it now. When I fold laundry I lay a fleece blanket over my living room rug and sit there and fold on it while watching a movie plus scented candle. This all is for autism or adhd. Also having a drink like a kombucha or Gatorade helps.
I’m more of the hypo sensitive side then hyper which sucks bc I can easily ignore my body needs stuff for so long my body soemtimes makes myself sick or fatigue bc I just don’t sense the signs to go to bed to eat and sometimes to go to the bathroom or stay hydrated
bro the Sound one is PAIN. Its hard being a POC and having to say loud sounds bother you. No parties, no bustling people, no stereos booming. Its part of our culture to be loud and proud and our repetitive and catchy (though mindless these days)music reflects that, but I cant do it. it feels like im drowning and choking on the sound waves or they make me dizzy. My dads a musician too so he doesnt get it. its "hip and cool" to blast music but i cant fit in that way. too many people talking is the same problem, draining. -
I'm a white woman, but I also have the no diversity issue! I get very uncomfortable when I notice a space is mostly white - I often miss social cues/passive aggressive remarks / subtle stuff and often wonder if I've missed subtle racism/micro-aggressions/etc.
That's not surprising. Those of us on the spectrum don't really have our own group in day to day living unless we're fortunate enough to have encountered each other. Having a bunch of diverse people around you probably does help mask things a bit and reduce the sense that everybody needs to have the same views on things. One of my favorite things about being autistic is that I can join pretty much any group I feel like joining and generally be as accepted as I would be with the groups that one would normally expect me to be a part of. I certainly do get included in things in a way that a white man like myself normally wouldn't. "... but you're not like that" was a phrase I heard a lot growing up. I do think that one of the reasons why it would be a crime against humanity to cure autism is that there's a decent chance that one or more of us will be the one that finally brings world peace. I can't remember who said it, but I think it really is true that we're kind of like a socially dysregulated wolf pack.
This sounds more like american political indoctrination than a legitimate issue. Most people feel at home in their racial or ethnic group. It's normal. If you don't that means you got the message your own ppl are unsafe which is unhealthy
Thank you so much for this video. This is a completely new understanding of stims for me. I’m on the waiting list for my autism diagnosis so that will be helpful.
The way certain people pronounce "s"-yes, yes yes lol. I've been trying to explain this to my family for years but it almost physically "hurts" when people pronounce "s" (in a way that I call) "sharply".
i hate eating outside because the air makes the food taste nasty. ive only realized this lol. even seeing people outside would disgust and put me off. i also HATE/FEAR the sound of people gagging or vomiting. It makes me have a full panic attack. How do you know if its just phobia or autism related? I also wear sound cancelling headphones practically 24/7
I would have loved to watch the video, but the background music made it impossible for me to listen to it, because it is too irritating and distracting for me... anyone else knows this issue?
Yeah that happens to me due to Hormone fluctuations. On days I don't eat well I can prioritize background sounds over voices. I use LOOPS PRO ear plugs and it helps so much so I don't go into a meltdown and feels like a stim with anyone knowing. Works great in restaurants and around loud environments 🤗
Thank you for an informative video, Irene 🥰 I rewatched this episode while filling out the workbook you made, and it's funny how these sensory aversions and comforts are things I already know, but reflect on in a different way with actually writing them down, and putting them in context with situations. In a world where I feel like the ultimate goal is to be able to do everything you need to do without "distractions" and to learn to live with the silence, I feel so liberated here, with you encouraging people to utilize their stims ❤ I finally feel like the things I feel the urge to do, to make it through daily tasks are finally validated!
That's not surprising, especially if you didn't grow up consciously doing these things. There is a fair amount of wisdom in the body, and often times it knows what it wants to do and what it doesn't want to do. Most of the time, it's OK to just go with it, provided it doesn't involve harming yourself or causing social problems. I didn't realize that the reason I'm so fond of saying the name of a local Korean shop is vocal stimming. It just is a name that is fun to say over, and over again.
