February 26, 2025

Stimming, or self-stimulatory behavior, is a natural and often essential part of how autistic individuals and many others navigate the world. It can involve repetitive movements, sounds, or interactions with objects—things like hand-flapping, rocking, vocalizing, fidgeting, tapping, or even singing. Stimming isn’t just random behavior; it serves a purpose. It can help regulate emotions, process sensory input, maintain focus, and provide comfort in overwhelming environments.

However, traditional therapies—particularly Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)—have often targeted stimming as something to be reduced or eliminated. In many ABA programs, autistic children are trained to stop stimming through reward-based systems, redirection, or even punishment. The reasoning behind this approach is usually based on making autistic people appear more “normal” rather than understanding the function of stimming in their lives. This suppression can have serious consequences, including increased anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and a loss of autonomy over one's own body.

Forcing someone to stop stimming without offering an alternative way to self-regulate can be incredibly damaging. It teaches autistic individuals that their natural coping mechanisms are wrong, leading to masking—where they suppress their autistic traits to fit in. Over time, masking can contribute to burnout, anxiety, depression, and even PTSD. Rather than trying to eliminate stimming, we should be asking:

Is this stim harmful to the person or others?

Is it disrupting the person’s ability to learn or engage in necessary activities?

If so, is there a way to modify the stim without removing it entirely?

Instead of treating stimming as a problem, we should be recognizing its value. Some people may benefit from learning additional regulation strategies, but that doesn’t mean stimming itself is bad. It’s a natural part of being human, and autistic people deserve the right to regulate in ways that work for them.

By shifting away from harmful suppression techniques and toward true support, we create environments where neurodivergent individuals can thrive without fear of being controlled or forced to conform. Acceptance starts with understanding.

About the Blogger: Rebecca Engle is a special education teacher, writer, and advocate for equitable education.

#Neurodiversity #Stimming #AutismAcceptance #SayNoToABA #InclusionMatters #BanABA