Comforting things...

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Is there anything you do for comfort, if you've experienced sensory overload, or you're upset/anxious? I know every aspie has a way of comforting themselves and dealing with things, so what are yours?

Usually I'd do these things to calm down:

Sensory Overload/Meltdowns

-Lie down/wrap myself up in blankets and block everything out. Usually I'll also clamp a pillow around my head, the pressure is very reassuring.
-Stim, for a very long time and quite severely. I make sure I'm not around anybody, though.
-Wear a gas mask. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but it's kinda like the pillow. It deadens things and makes stuff seem more bearable during sensory overload.

Anxiety/Depression

-Watch Friendship Is Magic. Yes, you can laugh, but it works for me.
-Listen to chillout music with the biggest headphones I can find
-Hug anything.
-Rocking. It really does help me deal with things.
-Lie down/go to bed. For same reasons as sensory overload/meltdowns.

Anyway those are the things that help me specifically. What helps you deal with things?

Rocking, putting something heavy on my lap or round my shoulders, getting some nice smelling essential oils and putting them near my face, using earplugs, talking to myself, removing myself from a situation and going somewhere silent and dimly lit, stroking soft things, squeezing my arms and shoulders.

Retreating all together from the situation. Stimming with my rubber bands or obsessively combing my hair. Also, going into "Autopilot" mode.
These are mine.

Sincerely,
Matthew

I sit in my happy corner in my room, listening to music and playing Bejeweled Blitz on my iPad.

Cuddling with a plush toy
Petting my cat
Indulging in my special interests
Writing in my diary
Posting on WP
Talking about things that bother me with someone I trust

I do a lot of the same things other people do. I remove myself from a situation. I crawl into bed and under the blankets. I'll read a book and listen to music. Sometimes I find taking a shower or a bath to be really nice too. When I'm overwhelmed, I like to be alone. Sometimes, if I have the gas for it, I'll drive somewhere like to the lake by my school or down to the river and walk around there. Being alone is that much more enjoyable when I'm surrounded by the natural world.

I pretty much do the same as you do.
I wrap myself in a soft blanket eventhough I have no idea why and I try to shut out all sensory stimuli.
I only rock when I'm extremely upset or frustrated and I start pacing the room while rubbing my hands together. If I am experiencing a meltdown in the evening I close all the shutters, switch off the tv or my soundsystem and turn off the lights. I wrap myself in a blanket and lie down on the couch untill I've calmed down again. Turning off the tv is definitely essential because it can have a devastating effect on me when I'm not feeling good in my own skin. I don't know why I watch tv is long and as often as I do anyway, because nearly half of the programs and shows irritate me beyond belief. The only thing that I see on television is an 'NT wold' I don't want to be part of.

I have a cat and I'm afraid that mycat will sense it when I feel upset so I give it some positive attention afterwards. Having a pet helps me to limit my 'meltdown-time' because the responsibility of caring for another living creature makes me aware of the fact that there are important things besides myself.

I have trained myself to be in control as soon as I leave my appartment. I do get meltdowns when there are other people around but I try to make sure they don't notice it.

When I'm very anxious, often, I hide in my blanket with my computer and listen to music. Easier now with my netbook, since it releases less heat and fits better. (I am almost always in my bed to start with, so I don't need to actually go to bed...)

Depending on the situation or the cause of my anxiety, I will listen to certain appropriate Daria episodes, especially "Boxing Daria" or "Through a Lens Darkly" if I want depressing material, or "Daria!" or most of the first two seasons if I want to be more cheerful. Listening to music in general is good too.

When my hair is longer, I will often wear a close-fitting cap to hold my hair. It always annoys me to feel my hair, but when I am anxious, even more so. It calms me a bit.

If I'm only mildly anxious, I find that reading something for myself (i.e. not for school) helps a lot. However, when my anxiety grows, I can't concentrate, so it doesn't work.

I like typing. I will try to type the lyrics of songs as fast as the song itself, or as fast as possible.

I also play some of my easier video games: Freecell, Bejeweled Blitz, Snake, etc.

Sometime ago, I also self-harmed, but I wouldn't recommend it. However, I still like to apply pressure on my arm when I feel really bad, but I don't think of it as self-harm, even though it can hurt as a side effect.

Of course, another solution is to take twice my maximum dosage of sleeping medication, and hope I'll fall down and sleep. But then, when I'm so anxious I'm ready to rashly destroy my sleep schedule for a week, I'm generally also so anxious it can't really work in the first place, so... mixed result on that one.

Last edited by enrico_dandolo on 11 Mar 2012, 4:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Is that your cat? So cute!

Yep, that's my kitty. I find her adorable. She's an Emotional Support Animal for me, that I got in order to help regulate my emotions and help me in meltdowns. She's amazingly good with me and the most frustrating thing about her is that I want to take more pictures of her and show her off, but she likes rubbing her face against the camera instead of letting me do so.

When I get stressed, I go pet her, or she comes up to me, lies next to me and chirps at me until I pet her. It's hard to be upset when a cat is looking at you, chirping (she chirps more than meows) and seeming to say "You can't be upset, you must pet me instead.".

As a whole, both cats and dogs do a lot for me. I'm a very animal-centric, water-centric, and math-centric person .

That's absolutely great Tuttle!
Couldn't agree with you more.

Well, I definitely can't agree with the 'math-centric' part...but animals and water are both very comforting for me.

Hi fragileclover.

Sorry for the fact that I'm off topic now but I have been a bit hard against undiagnosed people with aspergers on this forum and I would like to offer you my apologies.

Oh, I had not noticed, so no need to apologize. Thank you for the gesture, though.

Being on this forum has taught me a lot about myself, and led me to seek an official diagnosis (which I'm undergoing now). I think it's an invaluable tool for those diagnosed and undiagnosed. If for nothing else, it provides a real sense of 'belonging' and self-understanding.

Just basically going to a quiet place and being alone. Preferably on a bed and in my bedroom.