Proprioception issues and weights

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The base method i used to make my blanket was to take two sheets, sew them together in a giant pillow-case like shape, and then sew lines up it every 4". I then could fill each of those columns with the proper amount, push it down into where I wanted that pocket to be, and then sew horizontally. That gives one line of pockets. Repeat this over and over, and then it's done. This way its not pockets bulging out on one side, but instead evenly filled ones.

I'm not sure how your idea would work. I'd be worried about it feeling too uneven. The even pressure is quite nice for me. Using sheets however is actually quite cool just to start with.

However, generally playing with old, but not warn out, bedsheets works well and is not too expensive. If something fails terribly, you can always cut the pellets out as they're the main expense.

I used ebay. Two boxes of 15 lbs, each $30 including shipping.



The base method i used to make my blanket was to take two sheets, sew them together in a giant pillow-case like shape, and then sew lines up it every 4". I then could fill each of those columns with the proper amount, push it down into where I wanted that pocket to be, and then sew horizontally. That gives one line of pockets. Repeat this over and over, and then it's done. This way its not pockets bulging out on one side, but instead evenly filled ones.

I'm not sure how your idea would work. I'd be worried about it feeling too uneven. The even pressure is quite nice for me. Using sheets however is actually quite cool just to start with.

However, generally playing with old, but not warn out, bedsheets works well and is not too expensive. If something fails terribly, you can always cut the pellets out as they're the main expense.

...if possible, I would like to know more about the weights thing for non-sleep time, I looked it up, but didn't find any terribly useful sites. I cannot get comfortable sitting unless I'm in a semi-yoga position (one leg completely on top of the other) or cross-legged. I always assumed it was because I'm short and my feet don't (or barely) touch the ground in most chairs

Yes, I have to have a blanket over me in bed too. Usually that's not a problem in the UK, but on the (thankfully) less than 20 nights a year when it's really really hot, I struggle to feel comfortable or settled without a blanket. I think weighted blankets might actually work for me, but they're sooo expensive that I think I'll try the gym weights on my thigh muscles before I go to bed first, and see if that will work even on my most stressed out days.

As Questor says, being physically restrained is an entirely different kettle of fish. In childhood, if anyone tried to restrain me, I would immediately go into full-out panic attack. Luckily I had a reasonably sensitive family, and although no-one had any I idea I was on the spectrum (and wouldn't have known what it meant even if someone had told them), they realised it made me panic and didn't tend to do it very often. I've never had an anger meltdown, and they didn't need to restrain me because I'd lost it and might put myself in danger – it was tears with me if anything.

The main difference for me between having weight on my body and being restrained is that with the weights or the piles of blankets there's no-one else involved. I'm in complete control and I don't have to worry about another person doing something unpredictable or that I don't like. I can't cope with being bear-hugged, lovely as everyone always says it feels – I just panic and immediately start trying to fight my way out of the situation! It's only happened to me a three or four times in my life, but it always ended embarrassingly, with me having reacted as if the person doing the hugging was trying to murder me or something...