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Stimming
Stimming is when a person, neurotypicals included, does repetitive movements or vocalizations. It can be conscious or unconscious, and can be done for a variety of reasons. For neurotypical people, it's usually done out of habit, but for neurodiverse people, it is often done out of self-soothing, expression of emotions, or due to sensory overload.
Facial Expressions
If you’re neurotypical, you likely don’t struggle to interpret facial expressions- even with limited input. In this activity, you'll be asked to interpret the emotions of faces with obscured eyes. This simulates the difficulties that autistic individuals have in deciphering facial expressions, due to their discomfort with focusing on the eye regions of others’ faces in conversation. Try to answer within 3 seconds!
Sensory Overload
Sensory overload is when individuals, especially those with neurodiverse conditions like autism, become overwhelmed by an excessive amount of sensory stimuli. This includes sounds, lights, textures, and smells. Neurodiverse individuals may engage in stimming behaviors as a way to cope with and regulate the intense sensory input during these situations.
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