Hi again! This topic is about Tics and Stimming, how they feel and what the differences between them are :]
Some of you may have seen me saying that I tic and stim – but I don’t have Tourette’s. Here’s an in depth explanation of what that’s all about.
But first, for those who are unfamiliar with the terminology, what is a tic or a stim?
TICCING
This is Google’s definition: “a habitual spasmodic contraction of the muscles, most often in the face”.
What this basically means, a tic is a muscle spasm/contraction, that happens as a reflex rather that a thought–out action. You usually have no control over it, and it can happen at any time, anywhere. Usually, the more you think about it, the more it’ll happen.
A tic can be as simple as a twitchy eye, and as complicated as a string of words, or a complicated movement with your hands. Vocal tics are commonly known to be random words or phrases, as well at the stereotypical swearing. More physical tics can include clapping, jerking your hands, twisting your neck, stomping, clenching your fist, just to name a few. Ticcing doesn’t always mean Tourette’s.
Tourette’s is a neurological disorder, usually identified by large amounts of uncontrollable ticcing, in a way that seriously effects your day-to-day life and quality of living. It is unlikely that someone with Tourette’s will ever get their driving license, and the disorder can be quite stressful at times. This is all I will say on it, however, as I do not have Tourette’s.
What I have is anxiety-triggered tics, or rather one main one, being an awkward jerk in my neck. It hurts, and isn’t something I would wish on anyone, especially as it usually makes my anxiety worse. I have other tics, but they don’t occur as often.
STIMMING
This is Google’s definition: “the repetition of physical movements, sounds, words, or moving objects.”
‘Stim’ is short for Self-Stimulatory Behavior and is usually stereotyped to be something you would usually see in only an autistic person or in someone with ADHD. The truth is everyone stims, to a certain degree. We just do it in a way that is ‘socially unacceptable’, ie; makes the poor little neurotypicals confused.
Examples of stims include: Chewing gum, clicking your fingers, rubbing/picking at/chewing on your skin or some other object/tactile surface, fidgeting, tapping your leg, humming, fiddling with your hair, ect. There’s loads, and it would be impossible to list them all.
Ok, now onto how they feel.
They have similar concepts, but different intensities and causes
A phrase I’m fond of using is this: a stim is like an itch, while a tic is more like a sneeze or a hiccup.
Suppressing either of these behaviors is uncomfortable and difficult, but it is generally accepted that a tic is considerably harder to suppress than a stim. This is because a tic is a muscle spasm, whereas a stim is a mental response to over/under stimulation.
Because I am writing a topic about ticcing, I am doing so right now. It’s uncomfortable and I can’t really stop it. It’s like when your sneezing/hiccuping – you know it’s going to happen, but it still takes you by surprise.
On the other hand, when it comes to stimming there’s a number of steps. Your brain realises that something isn’t right. Maybe there’s too much light, or noise, or some other sensory input – or maybe there’s not enough. Subconsciously, your brain figures out a way to fix that, then sends to urge to do so into your conscious mind. As a result, you suddenly feel that you need to do the thing, and the longer you refuse to, the worse the ‘itch’ gets.
Ticcing can be quite scary.
In extreme cases, sometimes we can have a ‘tic attack’. This is basically when you get overwhelmed by the tics, doing them all at once again and again and again, unable to stop or do anything other than wait for the spasming to end. This can be painful, cause injuries and bruising, and all in all is exhausting and terrifying. It’s more common in Tourette’s, needless to say, but I have had one or two during panic and anxiety attacks in the past. They were not fun, and I had a number of bruises afterwards.
Even outside of a tic attack, it can be quite nerve-wracking. I mean, these are motions and movements that are out of our control. I can’t tell you the number of times I was terrified that I was having a seizure or something because of my ticcing.
It can hurt your self-esteem
This applies to both stimming and ticcing. Neither is exactly a social norm, and we can get quite nervous about allowing ourselves to do these things in public. We get funny looks and talked about behind our back. People call us r*tards and a whole bunch of other names. They think we’re crazy because of these things, and it can be extremely emotionally damaging.
Currently, I’m working on allowing myself to stim in front of other people, and it is hard. It’s not easy and I’m in constant worry of the weird looks and whispering I’m bound to receive.
Allowing yourself to stim freely brings a sense of relief
Because of the nature and cause of self-stimulatory behaviors, allowing yourself to carry them out will ultimately make you feel better. It’s like scratching an itch, so to speak. That feeling of relief is the ultimate goal, all in all.
Ok so that’s all on that. Feel free to share your own experience with these things below!
Also, please lmk if there is a topic in particular you would like me to do :] Whether or not I do it will of course depend on my personal experience with it and whether it is a triggering subject for me.