So if stimming brings happiness, what else can be substituted? Repetitive non-stressful things like crafts, puzzles, pets, bike riding, sports, baking, or other hobbies.... Okay, how about spinning your own yarn? weaving? Spinning & weaving is commonly associated with crazy. The perception is wrong, not the interest. A strong analytical mind is naturally drawn to pattern seeking, mathematics, and music. Weaving is a rhythmic, repetitive pattern based skill. Spinning fibres into yarns is also a moving meditation.
Why is society hung up with creating things? It is not on trend. Look around you, someone had to figure out how to make the fibre, & then the math to create all the common textiles today. Pattern based minds figured out the best weave structure to make denim fabric for the jeans that are everywhere. Try it. Go get interested in a new hobby, and try to discuss it among other people. Watch them glaze over with boredom, or their attention wander away. Weaving is associated with something tedious, hard to do, time & labour intensive. What does all the TV & video gaming produce? Why does "crafting" have such a negative stigma? Something to do with the language; Home made vs Hand made. A home made pie or cookies are well loved & have yummy romantic associations. A home made craft brings forward the idea or feeling of something crappily made or kids immature art projects. Picture a crochet doll cover over the toilet paper or crochet toilet seat cover. Does that compare to a hand made card or a home made afghan blanket to cuddle on the couch with. How about ripping old sheets & making a rag rug out of them? Well, now there's some social approval coming through. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Its hammered into us, repeatedly, almost brainwashing really. Caring about how we use our resources should never have become a trend, why isn't it just normal. It wasn't that long ago there was another mantra: use it up, wear it out, or do without. That's been obliterated by cars & appliances that have built in obsolecence after 5 years or less, they break, and it costs more to repair them than to replace them. Our landfills can't handle it. Consumers demand lowest prices, best value. Manufacturers cut corners with a 4cent part that should've been a 9cent part & then the product quits prematurely. Rant rant rant. Do you think an average mind will have the patience to sit down & figure out how to fix this broken DVD player? An autistic detail oriented problem solving mind can.
