My stims and stereotypies (and what they are)
Stimming, often simply called stims in the autistic community, refers to repetitive movements or sounds that may look like tics to the untrained eye. Yet stims and tics are very different. Stims are regular, repetitive, rhythmic, and seem to serve no purpose. “Seem” is the key word: they actually play an essential role in sensory and emotional regulation for autistic people. In short, they are essential to their well-being.