ADHD Stimming and Cricketing: Embracing Your Rhythms

0:00 Welcome back to the Women's Mental Health Podcast. I'm Randi. I'm Randi. And I'm Jess. And we're two licensed psychotherapists. This is a safe space where we talk about mental health, well being, and strategies for coping with life's challenges. And how all of this is normal and you are not alone. Today we're diving into an important and often misunderstood topic, stimming and cricketing, which is related to ADHD, neurodivergency, and autism. So find us and more resources. on womensmentalhealthpodcast. com. Have you ever had these thoughts? What exactly is stimming? Is stimming exclusive to autism?

0:40 What does cricketing mean in the context of stimming? Why do people stim? Should stimming be stopped? Can stimming be a sign of anxiety or stress? What are some common types of stimming? How can I support somebody who stims? Can adults start stemming later in life? How can I reduce harmful or disruptive stemming behaviors, but safely? Let's first start. Define what stimming actually is. So stimming is short for self stimulatory behavior, which refers to a repetitive movement or sounds that individuals often use to self soothe or manage sensory input.

1:22 So common examples often include hand flopping, rocking, or repeating certain words or sounds. I rock. I do a lot of back and forth. I do a lot of movement. That I wasn't self aware of for a really long time. Like I'll clench my hands and stuff. I do, I clench my jaw, I grind my teeth. So there's lots of little behaviors that can be considered stimming that we don't necessarily think of. Yeah. My aunt used to always make this one really weird sound that I never knew why she did it. Well, I'm pretty sure she's ADHD or was and so now it makes a lot of sense why she does that.

2:02 Cricketing is what kind of prompted this because cricketing is the term that often is used to describe fidgeting behaviors. So particularly with people who have ADHD. So it involves small repetitive movements or activities like tapping fingers, bouncing your leg. So that's when I. It's. Think of that. My body movements, I guess I would call that cricketing then. Cause I will like, clench my toes. I will bounce my leg. I'll shift a lot when I'm sitting. Yeah. And sometimes it's like that, like rubbing your hands or like when you lay in bed at night, sometimes I'll rub my, I rub my legs together and it's not cause I'm cold.

2:44 It's just a, it's a cricketing. It's part of a stemming thing. Yeah. Or twirling your hair, I guess we want to know, why do these have such specific names? So stimming is primarily associated with autism, but it's also seen, as we were mentioning, in other neurodevelopment conditions, including ADHD. And it's called stimming because it's As we talked about, it's short for self stimulation, and it's a way to kind of manage all the feelings you're having and all the sensory things that are attacking your body that you might be more sensitive to, whether that's sound light, emotions. Yeah. And then the cricketing or the fidgeting, I kinda like it.

3:25 Call it cricketing. I think that's a cute one. Yeah. it gets its name from the constant, sometimes rhythmic movement that resembles the sounds of crickets, right? 'cause crickets move their legs back and forth together to make that noise. So it's just a playful way to describe that unnoticed, but sometimes persistent fidgeting that happens with our bodies. So how do these both affect women's mental health? the behavior can have both positive and negative impacts. On the positive side, stimming and fidgeting can help women, and especially children too, manage anxiety and help you increase your focus. And gives you a sense of control over those external environmental factors that are affecting you, whether that's stress or light or sound, like we mentioned.

4:13 However, if misunderstood, a lot of people can be judged by stimming and it can be annoying to other people around you. And so those behaviors can lead to feelings of shame or embarrassment, especially in women and children, if we're called out about it, or it's something you don't realize that you're doing. I know in grad school, I got through a lot of my assignments by listening to tool because they have such a rhythmic sound, the drums and that was how I was able to concentrate because I didn't realize that was a form of cricketing or stemming. That I was having to have that input of drums so I could just focus and concentrate because I didn't know I was ADHD.

4:58 And I realized that too with my son. He has sensory processing disorder. He also has autism and ADHD and he loves Imagine Dragons, and they have a very specific beat, with a lot of bass and drums and synthesizing sounds, and he just loves that. No matter what the song is, and he wants to listen to that on repeat again, because it's very soothing for him. That's interesting. I'll have to listen to them again and see. it's really important, just like we're talking about this, to embrace and normalize all of these behaviors. They really are natural coping mechanisms for people like us and others to manage this sensory input and emotions that are going on. I'm using big hands, right?

5:39 I'm like, Ooh, big hands. Like you said, it's a natural, it's just moving your body. Absolutely. Absolutely. And. For some reason we have found a way to alienate people that do it or make them feel ashamed of it. And we shouldn't. We really need to reduce the stigma around it. And with that, we can do this with talking about it and helping others around us understand what it is. And it's really important, especially in schools, that we help support people that need to do this ways that we can do that are what educating yourself and others. So learn about the reasons behind stimming and fidgeting and share that knowledge with your friends and family to really foster understanding and reduce stigma and then create a safe environment.

6:24 What does that look like, Jess? Ensure that home and work environments are sensory friendly and that, oh, we got to talk about that one, sensory friendly and that individuals feel safe to engage in these without judgment. So sensory friendly we used to have a movie theater back in our last hometown that they would have a sensory friendly movie day, which meant the lights were not completely dark. The movie was not blaring and so loud at us. And they invited everybody who had sensory issues to come and watch it. It was more peaceful for them to be able to watch it. And so those are some of the things that we can do to be inclusive of others.

7:06 Disneyland and Disney World, they have sensory spots where if you are overwhelmed, they have quiet spaces. It's not like widely known, but it's there. It's the same concept of a nursing room where women need to go to be with their infants. Well, this is a place where it's maybe quieter and there's less things going on around. So if an adult or a child is feeling overwhelmed, they can take a sensory break. And then what? Provide tools. We all know those little fidget spinners that came out years ago. Sensory tools, popping things. There's so many different things that work differently for different people. You have to find one that works for you. And honestly, I have always played with my pen.

7:48 I've always been a pen clicker. I'm a pen clicker. I actually like to take mine. I did this in one of my classes in undergrad, it was actually funny. I was sitting there playing with it and it came off and like, it was The, the part that you write with went shooting towards the professor and it, and he was, he looked at that and I was like can I have that back? That's my only pen. And he was laughing at me like, okay, girl, because I need that to keep fidgeting. For me. I doodle when I Um, taking notes or in a class or in any type of setting like that. And so really just giving yourself those tools to utilize and letting yourself know that it's okay to use that. We've talked about it before.

8:28 You can go back and listen if you have kids. a 504 plan or an IEP plan that will allow them to use these things in the classroom. Like my son uses a wobble stool or like the chair band so he can fidget with his chair or have more movement breaks so that you can be more successful and productive. I just got a wobble. Chair for my office. They're awesome, right? Oh my gosh. This one raises up so I can lean on it and wobble on it with my raising desk. And that's another thing, like fidgeting in your chair, leaning back in it. If you didn't realize that before, like my husband, I got new. Barstools and he was leaning back in them and I'm like, they're not for that.

9:10 I realized like he's always leaning back in his chairs to get that stimulation. And that's like a thing for him. But I was like, why are you doing that? That's not normal. And I was like, Oh, well it's normal for him. And that's why it's important to have conversations about this. I know I have a wobble board. It looks like a skateboard for my desk. I have one of those too. I don't use it with clients. I'm always afraid I'm going to like lose it and like fall off. I do not have good balance. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I like it. I use it when I'm doing other things, but I find myself playing on it more. And so when I'm actually with clients, I do not use that. if we can, accept all of this? We're so much better now than we were 10 or 20 years ago, but really practice acceptance of people and recognize that they're not trying to annoy you.

9:52 They really aren't. They're trying to self soothe when things get overwhelming or when they're overwhelmed. Right. And so having more compassion for that just makes it easier, I feel like, to understand. Yes, compassion. And have acceptance of it. So Jess, is stimming exclusive to autism? No, it is frequently associated with autism, but it is not exclusive. It's really for those on spectrum. Many people might engage in different forms of stemming when they get nervous or excited. like you said, twirling your hair or tapping their feet. feet. It isn't just for neurodiverse. We just see it more with neurodiverse. So, Randi, what does cricketing mean?

10:34 Like we talked about, it's like a quick kind of repetitive movement you could be like jumping or like flicking something, just something that's like quick and happening. Jess, clicking her pen over and over again is a cricketing movement. Jess why do some people stem? stimming can serve as a few different purposes, well, actually multiple purposes. It can help manage sensory overload. It can help us reduce our anxiety. It expresses feelings. It simply can just be a form of self expression. The reasons can be unique to every individual, I have a friend, her daughter used to carry around these stemming sticks and she didn't tap them, but she just played with them a lot, and it was just something she always had with her.

11:19 Yeah, my son loves soft blankets. He loves to feel them, rub them, carry them around. I've always called him my Linus because he just needs that or it could be something like a weighted animal There's different ways that can help soothe Especially when stimming. I was with a friend last week and we were walking through one of the stores shopping and she and I noticed, she and I both go through, I was going to see if you do this, we like to touch all the different materials and then when we find one we don't like the feeling of we, both of us would go and wipe our hands on our pants. So there is a special particular type.

12:00 My daughter and I do that too. And she does not like, I don't like it either. It's like a clay I don't know. And we always touch it and then we're like, why did we do that? And we do, we wipe it. And then. So you wipe your hands. Yeah. To get the feeling off. Huh. That's funny. Like, get the, Get the feeling off away. And we're always like, why do we touch that? We know we don't like it. It looks like the thing, like the texture we don't like. And then we still touch it because we touch everything and we're always like, ooh, look at this. And like, pick it up. And then we're like, ugh, like heebie jeebies, when we touch it. Oh, that's funny. So maybe that is the having to wipe your hands off is like a stemming to change the feel of your hand.

12:40 Because, I've always done that, and she's like, I've never known anybody else who does that. I've always done it. It drives my mother nuts. I used to always touch it and be like ew. That's funny. Okay, so Randi, should stimming be stopped? In many cases, stimming is totally harmless. And usually it's beneficial because it's helping you cope with sensory changes or emotions. But if stimming becomes really disruptive or harmful, say, if you're, rocking or hitting into a wall or hitting yourself and it's inhibiting your life, your daily activities, it's really important, then, to consult with a healthcare specialist or a therapist for supportive strategies that might be necessary if it is disrupting your daily life.

13:24 Just can stimming be a sign of anxiety or stress? Yes. For some people. Absolutely. An increase in stemming behaviors can be in response to heightened stress and anxiety, and it's just a tool that helps self regulate. So again, if your anxiety is up, your stemming might be up or when you're tired when you're tired and you're just a little bit off, your stemming could be up again. Randy. What are some common types of stemming? Here are some forms that are well known, but this is not a limited list. There's auditory stemming, which is making noises. you had an aunt who always made a noise, almost like a tick. And I notice, I do that too. I make a weird like I scrunch my face up a lot when I'm stimming and some of it is tactile based, like touch based, like rubbing surfaces, like we were just talking about touching everything.

14:14 Some people like scratching. smell things. They want to smell things. Some people are visual, like they need to stare at lights or spinning objects or it's vestibule like rocking or spinning yourself. That's when they put some of the stemming, they'll do like in those big flat saucer swings. We have one. Do you have one of those? Yeah. Those are so fun. But I think that's why swinging and rocking chairs are just a comfort thing. And we don't even realize it because it helps us connect with that rhythm and our body and it's fun. It's soothing. Well, think about it. When you're in your mother's womb, your mother typically is walking and moving. You're being rocked constantly.

14:56 And so it is soothing. So it's true. So just how can you support someone who is actively stimming? Buy them all the stimming stuff. No really understand why they're stemming and look at. Is this their coping mechanism and try to either help with their environment? I know that I won't do well with me and my daughter at Target late on a Saturday night. Correct. We won't do well. Overwhelming, too busy, too much noise, too many people, too many sounds. Yeah, meltdown is gonna ensue. And that's my meltdown. And so we won't go. To validate what their concerns are and educate yourself about what their specific needs and preferences are.

15:39 We've talked about wearing those loops before you have those loop ears, if you know you're going to go somewhere where it's super loud, do that. Yeah. You'll see a lot of kids with the noise canceling headphones on. I personally will get. Especially late at night, if I'm overwhelmed or I've been on sensory overload, I need to put on my own noise canceling earbuds or headphones to zone out because too much noise, or the dogs barking, or the doorbell ringing like one more time is just going to send me into a meltdown mode. But that's flooding. Yeah. That, what you're talking about is actually flooding. Which we'll talk about in a future podcast. Oh, yeah. ADHD flooding. Because a lot of people don't understand what flooding is, and they just think that they're having anxiety, and no, that's flooding.

16:22 Different. Okay Randi, can adults start stemming later in life? Yes, this behavior can onset later in life as well, especially if you are experiencing any type of sensory processing issue, if you are somewhere on the autism spectrum, or are neurodivergent, even if you were undiagnosed in your childhood This can happen, especially if you are stressed, if there's some type of stress happening or a significant change in your life, it can bring on or intensify even milder stimming behaviors you had before. So it can be completely normal to notice maybe you're doing it more or it's coming on out of the blue.

17:06 Especially if something major or traumatic has happened, it can be just a way, again, we've talked about self. Randi, how can I reduce harming or disruptive stimming behaviors in a safe way? So really talking to professionals about it and doing research, talking to a therapist who specializes in behavioral interventions, who can really help provide strategies to modify these behaviors if they are impeding your daily life or a person in your environment's life and understanding the person's need to self regulate Randi. But in a healthy way. the aim is not to erase someone's natural coping skills.

17:46 Because they will just pick up some negative coping skill instead. But you want it to be harmless and integrate into your daily life. So you want to empower them to manage their behavior so that it's effective. and not harmful. And when you understand and accept stimming behaviors and become more inclusive about it and compassionate about it and make that person feel supported or make yourself feel supported. That helps so much. We all just want to be heard and seen accepted for who we are. Whether you are stimming or cricketing it is some way of coping and that's totally fine. So this really is all about creating an environment where people feel understood and accepted.

18:32 These behaviors are just one part of the broader spectrum of how we manage our mental health. when we normalize stimming and cricketing, we help reduce anxiety overall and improve mental health overall by those who rely on those behaviors because it is, natural and it's a coping mechanism. And remember, embracing and normalizing these behaviors is a step toward a more inclusive and supportive community.