Stims

A partial list of stims:

Biting your lips* (try gum or chewelry!)
Bouncing your leg up and down
Chewing gum
Chewing purpose-built chewelry
Chewing the inside of your cheek* (try gum or chewelry!)
Chewing your hair
Clenching your fists
Coughing or clearing your throat
Dancing
Digging your nails into your skin
Doodling
Eating seeds
Feeling textures, e.g. stroking a soft fabric
Fidgeting with a small object, string, etc.
Hair twirling
Hand flapping (not the only stim in the world, but a good one!)
Hard blinking
Head scratching
Humming
Jumping
Knitting
Knowling (organising and lining up objects, especially after disassembling them)
Lip popping (making B or P style sounds)
Listening to a song, instrumental track, or field recording
Listening to a sound (e.g. dropping a button or dice on a book)
Moving your head from side to side
Nail biting
Pacing
Picking your nails
Picking your skin* (try tearing paper!)
Placing something heavy on your chest, stomach, or lap (e.g. books, or a weighted blanket)
Playing a musical instrument
Pressing your arms against your chest or stomach for pressure
Repeating a mantra, either internally or externally
Rocking back and forth
Rubbing your feet together
Rubbing your hands together
Singing
Smelling things
Spinning
Staring at something gently moving -- fairy lights, distant city lights, ocean waves, a lava lamp, a watch, etc
Swinging your arms around
Tapping or flicking your fingers
Tearing paper
Teeth grinding*
Tongue clicking
Walking on your tiptoes
Wriggling your toes

∗ You might want to consider trying out other stims, to try and replace these ones. It should be easier if you stick to the same sense.

Note that stimming in general is perfectly healthy, a sensible response to too much or too little stimuli, and nothing to be ashamed of.

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