Do you know of any quiet or discrete fidget/stim toys? I find that I need to fidget in my school discussion group to keep from getting super anxious, but if I play with a hairband under the table or doodle then people notice. Most of the fidget toys I find online are colourful, which I don’t want because people will see. I will try a stress ball, but I think that my fingers need to be doing things. Thank you 🙂
realsocialskills said:
A couple of thoughts:
There probably aren’t many ways to stim that are completely undetectable. Some things I can think of that might be harder to detect than some others:
- Rocking back and forth subtly
- Chewing gum
- Using typing as a stim (eg: typing out scripts or words you like over and over)
- Using fidget jewelry .
Also, knitting and crocheting are not discreet at all, but they are often socially accepted in classes or group conversations. Depending on your particular group, that might be an option.
Another thought: maybe it’s ok if people notice:
- Stimming isn’t necessarily as dangerous as it feels
- Sometimes it’s okay to stim openly. Sometimes nothing awful happens
- And sometimes people react badly, but in ways that are easier to put up with than the stress of suppressing stims
- Stimming openly and conspicuously is not the right choice for everyone
- But it’s probably the right choice for more people than realize it
- So it might be worth reconsidering whether hiding your stims is the right choice
- Or it might not be. You’re the best judge of this, and you have no obligation to stim visibly.