this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2026
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ADHD

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I honestly do not know the difference between and a stim toy and I usually use the two terms interchangeably.

My favorite fidget toys is my flippy chain. I use this thing all the time and take it with me everywhere. And I love that it's discreet and quiet.

What's your favorite fidget toy, or thing yiu like to fidget/stim with?

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[–] Aeao@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (4 children)

Unfortunately mine is cigarettes

That’s no a joke I bet a lot of undiagnosed people smoke just because they have adhd.

Tap for spoilerIt gives you something to do with your hands you can also you have an easy out when in social situations or overstimulation. “I gonna have a quick smoke.” Boom ten minutes to your self.

You want to avoid eye contract with that stranger while walking . You ever look at your phone just to avoid eye contact. Smoking allows you to shield from the wind which means hands in front of face, looking down, sometimes even turning your back entirely to the person. And you can click that lighter as long as you need to. “Oh no the lighter is busted. I now have to immediately leave this area to go get another lighter!”

Also non smokers give you personal space when you smoke

The problem is it’s a subscription service of $10 a day and also are forced to enter a cancer lotto every day.

[–] Coelacanth@feddit.nu 3 points 1 month ago (6 children)

I feel you. I'm glad I quit and all, but I still miss smoking more days than not. You described it absolutely perfectly. Also you can watch the ember glow, flick the ash, turn the cigarette around in your hand...

Plus I'm one of those who really enjoyed the taste, too. Especially now that spring is coming I miss sitting outside in the warm sunlight with a coffee and a cigarette.

[–] Aeao@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

I feel you on taste. I tried baking once and the only flavor I liked could be best described as Liquid ashtray. I could stand the “coconut mango “ type flavors “

Tap for spoilerHave you ever tried smoking while taking a shit? That’s is the best cigarette. I don’t smoke inside anymore tho ruins the paint, the dog doesn’t like, also it gives the kids cancer.

Sorry don’t want to portray smoking in too much of a positive light. It’s a deadly habit but it goes well with adhd. Except for the cancer.

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[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

and also are forced to enter a cancer lotto every day.

don't tell me that on days like today

[–] Aeao@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Love you to death my guy but I did censor it. The rest is in you.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

oh, my meaning is not the usual one. it's more "Cancer? Where? Gimme!" it's been a month.

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[–] renegadespork@lemmy.jelliefrontier.net 13 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I rarely end up using actual fidgets because I always forget them… so I usually just fidget whatever object is within reach at a given time.

[–] QuandaleDingle@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

If you can, put them on your keychain! 🔑 Now you just need to remember your keys! XD

High bar. -_-‘

[–] KumaLumaJuma@feddit.uk 3 points 1 month ago

Every damn time. I did just find a bunch of mine that my husband put into a box, one ADHD person and one near-obsessive cleaner makes for a fun mix in our house 😅

[–] bigredgiraffe@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I am not sure I could pick a favorite but here is my desk’s current fidget toy box hah! If I had to it’s probably the fidget cube or whatever is in my pocket. Also, I’m going to need to know more about this floppy chain most importantly where do I get one 😄

very random collection of fidget toys to quiet brain noise and hopefully concentrate

[–] KuromiGirl04@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Well, i got my flippy chain from Amazon.

If you search "bike chain fidget" or "flippy chain fidget", you should be able to find some 😊

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 7 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Just one of those stick toggle switches.

[–] Acklavidian@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

My guitar has these too

[–] caradenada@feddit.cl 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Ooh, that's neat and simple.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 2 points 1 month ago

I've seen various fidget cubes that have 6 different tactile things on them, and the one I want most is so hard to find... It was 5 different kinds of toggle switches and a mechanical keyboard key. I want it so bad.

[–] FilthyShrooms@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I have a metal mini slinky that I love to fiddle with, it's definitely the best fidget toy I have

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[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] definitemaybe@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago

Seriously. I trim mine close, but any tiny bits that are slightly longer or shorter become my stim until the next time I trim.

That and running my tongue above the inside of my teeth, or fingertips along my thumb.

[–] Dearth@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I recently got a hard plastic smush toy i really enjoy

I also really enjoy the classic 3 lobed spinner fidgets. My longest enjoyed fidget is a bit smaller than a switch joycon and has a bunch of buttons and switches on it. I often have it in my pocket at work as i can easily fiddle with it quietly with 1 hand while speaking with someone

[–] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'm afraid I'd try to eat that by accident. It just looks so appetising

[–] Dearth@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

It's less appetizing in person

[–] OriginEnergySux@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Honestly nothing beats tapping drum beats with my fingers to my favourite songs all day. Also made my typing insanly fast and (mostly) accurate at work lol

[–] lime@feddit.nu 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

i've tried finding one i like for a while now, ever since i got a 3d-printer... i feel like i need something with more heft to it. weirdly the thing that has worked best so far was a cylindrical pill box which opens with a spiral motion. flicking the top makes it spin all the way open and it's smooth enough to close on its own.

[–] fahfahfahfah@lemmy.billiam.net 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Maybe you could leave some space in your print for some kind of weight you can glue in

[–] lime@feddit.nu 2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

probably, 608 skate bearings are pretty commonly used as weights. i'm not good enough at designing stuff yet though, i'm just browsing for other people's stuff.

[–] bigredgiraffe@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

If you find one you really like and want heavier you could have it printed in metal with like shapeways or PCBway or something I bet! Or even metal-fill filament depending on your printer!

[–] lime@feddit.nu 1 points 1 month ago

i probably could yeah! that's clever.

[–] definitemaybe@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's really easy to add holes. One way is to just pop the shape you want into TinkerCAD, export as an STL, import into your project, add the part to your model as an assembly, toggle the shape type to a negative part, then position it where you want it. Then slice the plate, find the layer where you want to insert the weight, and right-click to add a pause. Then pop it into the hole and resume the print

Okay, yeah... I guess that is a lot of steps, now that I see it written out. But none of those steps are hard, lol. Takes like 5 minutes, once you've done it a couple of times.

I often put 4.1mm by 1.6mm cylinder holes into tiny prints to add 4×1.5mm magnets. If you want to add bearings for weight, I'd suggest trying a cylinder hole so it slides in easily. (I haven't tried it myself, but it makes sense in my brain that way).

I'm not sure the best way to keep it from sliding around in there, if your tolerances aren't right. Maybe put some glue in at the same time? If you leave it paused for a couple of minutes, I imagine the bed heat would dry the glue quickly, so it shouldn't ruin your print with moisture, I wouldn't think.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

i could use tinker... but i'm trying to learn freecad. i found a model for a gearbox that turned out to be very badly optimised and to use waaaaay too much filament, so i'm trying to recreate it. hopefully that will learn me enough.

[–] definitemaybe@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago

I use "better" CAD software for "real" projects, too, but TinkerCAD is really quick for popping out a simple shape, like a prism.

[–] Novamdomum@fedia.io 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Infinity cube. I've got loads of them. It really helps me listen when people are talking to me.

[–] salvaria@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Do you know of any that aren't so noisy? I love the one I have, but they do make a lot of noise

[–] Novamdomum@fedia.io 3 points 1 month ago

I know what you mean. I always go for this one - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07V43JNZ7

It's got a hard but velvety finish and the hinges are quiet. I also find that using it one handed means I can have it out of sight by my hip which makes it less obvious and noisy too.

[–] AnarchistArtificer@slrpnk.net 4 points 1 month ago

I like wearable fidget toys. I have an enamel pin of centrifuge tubes, which actually spins^[1]

I also have a couple of cool interactive pins from AtelierEumori (currently on break). I have this social battery pin and this TTRPG dice pin

There's a couple of rings that I have long been coveting, such as this one, this one, or this one^[2]. I don't own any of these, because they're super expensive, but they've inspired me to learn how to make stuff like this — I've been learning how to use a jeweller's lathe.

I like wearable stuff because otherwise I will forget them or lose then. I do have some begleri, which are as much as a skill toy as a fidget toy. This aspect of skill is why I like them — I like the feeling of practicing stuff. For this reason, a standard deck of cards is also something I like to fiddle with. Unfortunately, I tend to forget to take them with me, so I'm not actually very good at this stuff.


[1]: From dorbitalgames, but out of stock

[–] Nemo@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 month ago

I want to say clicky pen, not just for the clicking and spinning but also dis- and re-assembling them.

But the real answer by time spent is probably cocktail tray.

[–] ViaGetty@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 month ago

A dog clicker they gave me at my dogs training course a few years ago. It's louder than any clicky pen. So satisfying!

[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 3 points 1 month ago

The zit on my neck that won't heal because I keep picking at it.

[–] moondoggie@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

I have a small, pocket-sized fountain pen. In meetings I can take “notes” (draw), then spin the cap on and off. Some of the other people below mentioned smoking and it’s good for that too. I just say “sorry, I need a smoke” as I put the pen in my mouth. Nobody bothers me and nobody asks for a light. Worked a lot better before vaping was a thing though.

[–] Psythik@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)
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[–] nightspawn@literature.cafe 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Without thinking, I pick at the skin around my fingernails. Sigh. But when I do reach for a fidget, I have a spinner and one of those Needoh gumdrops that is satisfyingly squishy.

[–] Strider@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Oh absolutely. The fingers automatically search for uneven skin and start picking...

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[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] Acklavidian@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Exactly. Been trying to tell people this.

[–] rowinxavier@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Rubik's cube was my favourite for a few years when I was commuting by train. I had a 40-60 minute trip each way for work and it was an amazing way of killing time without going mad.

Then podcasts and audio books came in and honestly, I can manage sitting still with audio playing. I need it to be stimulating enough, but running everything at 2x speed is fantastic and really makes a huge difference.

That said, I also have a notepad and pen so I can write things down while sitting, so I plan projects and write questions to be answered later. That helps a lot. I also have my phone which is great for passing time, Offline Games is a fantastic set of games that dont require purchases or ads. I also have my first aid kit on my belt and I regularly go through it and make sure all is well, along with my tech pouch. Organising those and cleaning them out works well.

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[–] Hazmatastic@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

I'm a drummer, so mine is usually just finger-drumming to whatever is stuck in my head at the moment. But when I do use an object, spinning a pencil/pen or bic lighter around the thumb will keep me busy for hours

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Whatever trash I accidentally left on my desk. When that isn't around, I tend to grab my phone.

[–] Twinklebreeze@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

I really like using a Rubik's cube.

[–] thesingingsea@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I have a few sets of plastic playing cards that I've worn the ink off of

They make it easy to do a faro shuffle, it's sooo satisfying

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