What is Stimming?

Stimming is short for self-stimulatory behaviour, which is movements or sounds like rocking, hand-flapping, humming, or tapping that help people feel calm, focused, or joyful. Everyone stims sometimes, but autistic and other neurodivergent people often stim more because their brains experience the world more intensely. Stimming is a natural way to regulate feelings and communicate needs. Support means accepting safe stims, asking kindly if unsure, and helping swap unsafe stims for safer options. Stimming is not something to hide - it helps people feel safe, calm, and happy.