stim-watching = repeatedly watching, most often, digital media.
What exactly is stim-watching? If stim-listening is repetitively listening to songs, stim-watching is repeatedly watching, most often, digital media. I first recognized that I was doing this in the fall of 2004. While out Christmas shopping at an electronics store, I came across a big-screen TV that started playing the teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode III. I was mesmerized by just one viewing of it. When I got home, thanks to the advent of digital media, I attained a copy of it from the internet. I then repeatedly watched the trailer via my computer to extend the experience through as many as a dozen replays. As a recent suicide attempt survivor, it helped me relate to the character Anakin Skywalker. Stim-watching provided me with the ability to relate to his tragic downfall by repeating the video.
In the midst of this theatrical fervor, I happened upon the trailer that was released for James Cameron’s film Avatar. Stim-watching it ensured that modern film trailers would have a permanent place in my life. As would stim-watching in general. The trailer had instrumental music that really lit a passion within me. So I watched it again several times. The background music was amazing. I literally searched the internet for “Avatar movie trailer music” and found out what the tracks were. One was familiar to me from the film The Island. The other two were by a music group called Audiomachine. I would go on to create what I called opus playlists by mixing this neo-classical music according to how each track made me feel. Each playlist tells a story based on the emotions the songs generate.
Imagine the potential of stim-watching or stim-listening for your needs. I was fortunate to come up with this form of stimming despite having my needs neglected by mental health experts. Now you can explore it too. Empowering autistic people with knowledge like this is what I live for.
The Veridian III battle and planetfall scene is one of our favorites and still gives a boost of adrenaline today.
