Types of Stimming

A single reason can’t explain this, but experts believe it’s likely linked to how the ADHD brain works. Stimming is a response to challenges that people with ADHD have in situations that require sitting still, paying attention, or managing emotions

Research suggests that the imbalance of a chemical messenger in the brain called dopamine can affect how folks with ADHD perceive reward and satisfaction.[1]

Due to this, ADHD can make it much harder to pay attention to activities that don’t interest you. You might stim to combat boredom in a dull environment, or help focus when completing uninteresting tasks.

Sometimes, stimming might result from:

• Nervousness
• Anxiety
• Stress

In such situations, this behaviour could be a way to self-soothe and avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Because of how the ADHD brain is wired, individuals may be hypersensitive to the sensory information they receive, causing them to experience sounds and sensations more intensely or for longer.[3]

As a result, an ADHDer may be quickly overwhelmed and overstimulated by surrounding stimuli, such as:

• Bright lights
• Loud noises
• Crowds

Stimming may be one way to cope with ADHD sensory overload, as it can help reduce the anxiety and pressure linked to this phenomenon.

Many people exhibit self-stimulating behaviours, such as biting their nails, shaking their legs, or playing with their hair. These behaviours may overlap with ADHD stimming in some ways.

That said, ADHD stimming is typically more severe than fidgeting in “neurotypical” people. It also occurs more often and may even interfere with some ADHDers’ daily activities

The following are some examples of what ADHD stimming may look like.

• Sight: Visual stimming stimulates your sense of sight and often helps tackle feelings of boredom. Examples include repetitive blinking, drawing, arranging objects, or flipping pages.
• Verbal: A person may hum, repeat words, click their tongue, clear their throat, or whistle to minimize boredom, manage feelings of anxiousness, or stay focused.
• Auditory: Some people may listen to the same song repeatedly. Other times, they might mimic noises in their surroundings.
• Touch: ADHDers may catch themselves playing with their hair, grinding their teeth, biting the inside of their mouth, or picking at scabs or the skin around their fingernails. Sometimes, they may fidget with their clothes, rub their fingers together, or clench their fists. The main reasons for these self-stimulatory behaviours are to focus and self-soothe.
• Smell: Olfactory stimming can help people calm their nerves. It often involves sniffing items that have a particular scent. For example, this might be the smell of a perfume your loved one uses or the familiar scent of freshly-washed clothing.
• Vestibular: Vestibular stimming usually involves balance and movement. This might look like tiptoeing, rocking back and forth, pacing, head shaking, leg shaking, or spinning in a circle.

It can sometimes be difficult for people to notice that they stim because it may be done subconsciously. If you aren’t sure, you can ask a friend or family member whether they’ve noticed you demonstrating these behaviours.