Stimming, short for “self-stimulatory behavior,” refers to repetitive movements or sounds that help regulate attention. They can include leg bouncing, doodling, chewing on pens or gum, tapping fingers or nails, using fidget toys, humming, throat clearing, or vocal tics. These behaviors may intensify when you’re bored, overstimulated, emotionally overloaded, or hyper-focused. Instead of being a bad habit, stimming serves as an adaptive coping mechanism for many ADHD brains.