Reading wikipedia on autism for Reasons (tm).
I don't get it. Why is it so important that we don't stim? Like, there are some that are contextually inappropriate (loud noises when it might disturb others, for instance), but outside of those few things ... what's the problem with hand flapping, body wiggling, hair twirling, vocalizing in repetitive ways when it's not distracting/disturbing, etc, etc, etc?
Bah, humbug >.< @actuallyautistic
People who aren't ND find it distracting or annoying. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me kid-me to stop fidgeting / squirming / clicking / tapping / popping my lips / rubbing my pants leg / whatever , I could buy an island and retire to it.
@melindrea @ScottSoCal I find repetitive sounds & motions extremely distracting, & they can trigger a fight or flight response not unlike my response to claustrophobic situations. I regret buying my bf a clicky fidget toy several times a day 😅
I can't stand ticking clocks. Someone foot tapping at the edge of my vision makes me feel physically sick.
I will put up with them for as long as I can and if I can remove myself from the situation I will. But sometimes I just have to ask people to stop.
@melindrea @ScottSoCal I suspect a not insignificant number of NTs/allistics are at the very least distracted, if not driven to an extreme reaction, by repetitive motions & sounds. But as they don't recognise stima as something a person needs to do, they're just assholes about it, rather than compromising.
@ScottSoCal My question then is, really (to society, not you, to be clear!): is it distracting or are you just weirded out by people not being just another brick in the wall?
Though I do get how pen-clicking, noticeable tapping of fingers and other "louder" stims can be distracting ... especially since if someone is clicking a pen it will often break through my concentration.
(I was lucky in that a lot of my stimming was stuff my mom did, so while I never realised it was stimming--or that I was autistic--I did have outlets that were accepted by most people around me).