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what would be your ideal respite situation?

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starcats
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09 Aug 2019, 6:56 pm

Ideal is alone on a beach. Ocean sound, sand to touch, wind for gentle pressure.

Not a possible rec for a hospital setting. Ideally in that setting, a therapy dog or cat to brush and cuddle with for a few hours would probably bring me back.

Sorry to hear you went through that.



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09 Aug 2019, 7:56 pm

IstominFan wrote:
Time spent with my cats, even though I only have feral cats now. I like going outdoors to see them when it's time to feed them.

Sweating out my tension on the tennis court

Watching my favorite tennis players
I love cats and I miss having one. They are really amazing at making me feel loved and cared for. Feline therapy is awesome. I suck royally at tennis though! :lol: I am glad you are good at it and really enjoy it.


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09 Aug 2019, 8:00 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
skibum wrote:
This thread is very important because I want to let hospital staffs and legislators know how our needs can vary and be quite different from the needs of nts who are in crisis. It is important that they understand that they need to be much more creative in the crises departments so that they can provide ways to meet the needs of all of their patients in crisis, not just people who do well in a traditional psyche ward or a traditional respite facility. They need to build facilities and provide spaces that can meet the varying needs that we have. It would be so easy for a hospital to provide a dark sensory deprived room in one area and a beautiful garden with a pond or stream or an indoor plant filled atrium ward in another area. These are just two examples of how crisis intervention spaces can differ form the traditional psyche ward.


Is the "Closed in without an easy exit" feeling that panics me. An indoor plant ward would be great, but if it could have a door to the great outdoors I would be ok, as long as it is easy to open.
Just an outdoor shelter just for me would be ok. Oh... Strangely, you mention dark rooms. A thought came to my mind. An old brick built coalhouse that I can lie down in (I have to lie down) which is dry but nothing is painted etc... Old... Old wooden door that does not have a lock. One old window which has a curtain... That would be ok. It won't smell like hospital. It won't feel like hospital. The dirty coal atmosphere will make me feel like it is a nice place to hide away. Prehaps with a nice large dog to be company like a labrador...
It is modern square room with no windows and a thick heavy door which would make me panic. The old single plank width wooden shed doors I would be fine with.
Sorry. I know I am being a bit silly or strange, and I realize others would squirm if they had to be in the same calm enviroment...
You are not being silly at all. I like the idea of an old fashioned wooden coal room. When I was very small, one of the places we lived in was heated by coal and we used to go into the basement and play in the coal room. I totally get why you would love that. I also completely understand the fear of claustrophobic anxiety. Easy access exits are always a good thing. And a good loving dog as a companion, can't beat that.


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09 Aug 2019, 8:03 pm

starcats wrote:
Ideal is alone on a beach. Ocean sound, sand to touch, wind for gentle pressure.

Not a possible rec for a hospital setting. Ideally in that setting, a therapy dog or cat to brush and cuddle with for a few hours would probably bring me back.

Sorry to hear you went through that.
Thank you.
I love your ideas as well. I can mentally see them. It is soothing just seeing the mental visuals.


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10 Aug 2019, 4:34 pm

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/09/health/p ... hNQBkZw4NU

skibum,
Check this out!!


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10 Aug 2019, 7:25 pm

skibum wrote:
Dear_one wrote:
My tolerance for noise is vastly better when I'm well rested. The trick is to get the sleep before the next noise.
I wish mine were better with rest. It is in the sense that it can make the difference between whether I have enough time to escape or not. I found that with me, if I have really good energy levels and if I am well rested and well fed, I can tolerate the sounds for about up to maybe one to two minutes or so longer than if I am not in tip top form. If I am neurologically battered, I have no tolerance at all, not even a couple of seconds. But that extra couple of minutes could give me enough time to hold off a meltdown until I can find a discreet place to have it. Or if I am really really lucky, I might be able to escape and not have a meltdown. But that is very rare.


It sounds as if you can recover from meltdowns very quickly. It takes me days, or just adds another increment to my PTSD. Any tips?



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10 Aug 2019, 7:42 pm

My ideal respite situation is being able to be alone with a weighted blanket and a stuffy. Its what works for me at school. There is a room with a couch in my school's special ed classroom. It helps for when I feel frustrated and just need to sit alone. At home I just go up to my room and do the same thing



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10 Aug 2019, 8:42 pm

IsabellaLinton wrote:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/09/health/philadelphia-eagles-stadium-sensory-room/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1l_MQw7feRXbji34BtDaK0Y0myy9P6YYUkepA-nJA7GtA7YhNQBkZw4NU

skibum,
Check this out!!
That is SUPER COOL!! 8) :D


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10 Aug 2019, 8:48 pm

Dear_one wrote:
skibum wrote:
Dear_one wrote:
My tolerance for noise is vastly better when I'm well rested. The trick is to get the sleep before the next noise.
I wish mine were better with rest. It is in the sense that it can make the difference between whether I have enough time to escape or not. I found that with me, if I have really good energy levels and if I am well rested and well fed, I can tolerate the sounds for about up to maybe one to two minutes or so longer than if I am not in tip top form. If I am neurologically battered, I have no tolerance at all, not even a couple of seconds. But that extra couple of minutes could give me enough time to hold off a meltdown until I can find a discreet place to have it. Or if I am really really lucky, I might be able to escape and not have a meltdown. But that is very rare.


It sounds as if you can recover from meltdowns very quickly. It takes me days, or just adds another increment to my PTSD. Any tips?
It is rare that I have a long drawn out meltdown, mine are usually short bursts but very intense. Because my meltdowns are because of sensory stimuli, once the stimulus is gone, the meltdown will stop. But it does leave me drained afterward. The difficult part is that even though the recovery can be quick, I think the long term damage is greater. I no longer have stamina for much of anything. I just got home from Special Olympics bocce and I had to sit on the other side of the court while I was waiting my turn because I could not tolerate the other athletes talking to each other even with my ear muffs on. And I stopped and had a salad for dinner at my favorite pizza place and I had to have them turn the lights off where I was sitting because I had no ability to tolerate even the mellow lighting in that restaurant. So yeah, short intense meltdowns have always been my thing because I grew up with no one understanding Autism or knowing anything about it so I had to learn how to make my meltdowns as discreet and efficient as possible because we grew up with a leather belt. I learned to have swift, silent meltdowns and lots of shutdowns. But the long term cost of that is pretty high. So I don't really recommend it. It is better to have a longer meltdown and longer recovery than a bunch of short super intense ones because I don't think I recover as well long term.


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livingwithautism
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11 Aug 2019, 8:45 pm

skibum wrote:
Dear_one wrote:
skibum wrote:
Dear_one wrote:
My tolerance for noise is vastly better when I'm well rested. The trick is to get the sleep before the next noise.
I wish mine were better with rest. It is in the sense that it can make the difference between whether I have enough time to escape or not. I found that with me, if I have really good energy levels and if I am well rested and well fed, I can tolerate the sounds for about up to maybe one to two minutes or so longer than if I am not in tip top form. If I am neurologically battered, I have no tolerance at all, not even a couple of seconds. But that extra couple of minutes could give me enough time to hold off a meltdown until I can find a discreet place to have it. Or if I am really really lucky, I might be able to escape and not have a meltdown. But that is very rare.


It sounds as if you can recover from meltdowns very quickly. It takes me days, or just adds another increment to my PTSD. Any tips?
It is rare that I have a long drawn out meltdown, mine are usually short bursts but very intense. Because my meltdowns are because of sensory stimuli, once the stimulus is gone, the meltdown will stop. But it does leave me drained afterward. The difficult part is that even though the recovery can be quick, I think the long term damage is greater. I no longer have stamina for much of anything. I just got home from Special Olympics bocce and I had to sit on the other side of the court while I was waiting my turn because I could not tolerate the other athletes talking to each other even with my ear muffs on. And I stopped and had a salad for dinner at my favorite pizza place and I had to have them turn the lights off where I was sitting because I had no ability to tolerate even the mellow lighting in that restaurant. So yeah, short intense meltdowns have always been my thing because I grew up with no one understanding Autism or knowing anything about it so I had to learn how to make my meltdowns as discreet and efficient as possible because we grew up with a leather belt. I learned to have swift, silent meltdowns and lots of shutdowns. But the long term cost of that is pretty high. So I don't really recommend it. It is better to have a longer meltdown and longer recovery than a bunch of short super intense ones because I don't think I recover as well long term.

I quit Special Olympics because I moved into a group home in the city and I didn't like how the practices were run.



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12 Aug 2019, 9:31 am

My garden attracts a ton of birds all year long. :D



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12 Aug 2019, 12:31 pm

skibum wrote:
Dear_one wrote:
skibum wrote:
Dear_one wrote:
My tolerance for noise is vastly better when I'm well rested. The trick is to get the sleep before the next noise.
I wish mine were better with rest. It is in the sense that it can make the difference between whether I have enough time to escape or not. I found that with me, if I have really good energy levels and if I am well rested and well fed, I can tolerate the sounds for about up to maybe one to two minutes or so longer than if I am not in tip top form. If I am neurologically battered, I have no tolerance at all, not even a couple of seconds. But that extra couple of minutes could give me enough time to hold off a meltdown until I can find a discreet place to have it. Or if I am really really lucky, I might be able to escape and not have a meltdown. But that is very rare.


It sounds as if you can recover from meltdowns very quickly. It takes me days, or just adds another increment to my PTSD. Any tips?
It is rare that I have a long drawn out meltdown, mine are usually short bursts but very intense. Because my meltdowns are because of sensory stimuli, once the stimulus is gone, the meltdown will stop. But it does leave me drained afterward. The difficult part is that even though the recovery can be quick, I think the long term damage is greater. I no longer have stamina for much of anything. I just got home from Special Olympics bocce and I had to sit on the other side of the court while I was waiting my turn because I could not tolerate the other athletes talking to each other even with my ear muffs on. And I stopped and had a salad for dinner at my favorite pizza place and I had to have them turn the lights off where I was sitting because I had no ability to tolerate even the mellow lighting in that restaurant. So yeah, short intense meltdowns have always been my thing because I grew up with no one understanding Autism or knowing anything about it so I had to learn how to make my meltdowns as discreet and efficient as possible because we grew up with a leather belt. I learned to have swift, silent meltdowns and lots of shutdowns. But the long term cost of that is pretty high. So I don't really recommend it. It is better to have a longer meltdown and longer recovery than a bunch of short super intense ones because I don't think I recover as well long term.


When I'm out of the house, I'm usually ready for almost anything. I get my meltdowns at home, when noise intrudes, and then I can't sleep in case it returns and wakes me. I'm even in a crisis now for the third anniversary of a really bad one. So, I don't think I get long-term recovery either. :(



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12 Aug 2019, 12:49 pm

skibum wrote:
Mountain Goat wrote:
skibum wrote:
This thread is very important because I want to let hospital staffs and legislators know how our needs can vary and be quite different from the needs of nts who are in crisis. It is important that they understand that they need to be much more creative in the crises departments so that they can provide ways to meet the needs of all of their patients in crisis, not just people who do well in a traditional psyche ward or a traditional respite facility. They need to build facilities and provide spaces that can meet the varying needs that we have. It would be so easy for a hospital to provide a dark sensory deprived room in one area and a beautiful garden with a pond or stream or an indoor plant filled atrium ward in another area. These are just two examples of how crisis intervention spaces can differ form the traditional psyche ward.


Is the "Closed in without an easy exit" feeling that panics me. An indoor plant ward would be great, but if it could have a door to the great outdoors I would be ok, as long as it is easy to open.
Just an outdoor shelter just for me would be ok. Oh... Strangely, you mention dark rooms. A thought came to my mind. An old brick built coalhouse that I can lie down in (I have to lie down) which is dry but nothing is painted etc... Old... Old wooden door that does not have a lock. One old window which has a curtain... That would be ok. It won't smell like hospital. It won't feel like hospital. The dirty coal atmosphere will make me feel like it is a nice place to hide away. Prehaps with a nice large dog to be company like a labrador...
It is modern square room with no windows and a thick heavy door which would make me panic. The old single plank width wooden shed doors I would be fine with.
Sorry. I know I am being a bit silly or strange, and I realize others would squirm if they had to be in the same calm enviroment...
You are not being silly at all. I like the idea of an old fashioned wooden coal room. When I was very small, one of the places we lived in was heated by coal and we used to go into the basement and play in the coal room. I totally get why you would love that. I also completely understand the fear of claustrophobic anxiety. Easy access exits are always a good thing. And a good loving dog as a companion, can't beat that.


Brick coalhouse made from old bricks and mortar with a wooden door.

When I was somewhere in my early 20's I remember for some reson I needed to go in our bottom field and just stand there in the hedge. I just stood there for ages, and then a flock if wrens came down and most perched on me with some on nearby twigs. Wrens are supposed to be relatively solitary little birds, but these were in a group together.


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12 Aug 2019, 8:42 pm

skibum wrote:
starcats wrote:
Ideal is alone on a beach. Ocean sound, sand to touch, wind for gentle pressure.

Not a possible rec for a hospital setting. Ideally in that setting, a therapy dog or cat to brush and cuddle with for a few hours would probably bring me back.

Sorry to hear you went through that.
Thank you.
I love your ideas as well. I can mentally see them. It is soothing just seeing the mental visuals.


I was also trying to think of how nature could be used in a hospital setting. If there was a garden or atrium with a big, solid tree to hug for a while, that would be really grounding. Even an actual garden to weed and dig in the soil would help.



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12 Aug 2019, 9:17 pm

starcats wrote:
I was also trying to think of how nature could be used in a hospital setting. If there was a garden or atrium with a big, solid tree to hug for a while, that would be really grounding. Even an actual garden to weed and dig in the soil would help.

Really. The cosmonauts on Mir used to tend their bean sprouts as soon as they woke up, like friendly puppies. Some of the old hospitals for TB had fabulous windows, but now there is no attention given to light at all, even though we know that being able to see a tree speeds the healing in long-term recovery.