Sensory area.

Post Reply New Topic

I want to creatae a sensory area in my house with stuff that could soothe me if I'm having a meltdown or a panic attack.

I was freaking out for most of two hours earlier on. I took a small dose of clonazepam and then did deep pressure by getting a really thick dressing gown and tying it around my body. I switched the lights off except for an orange lightbulb on my lamp and listened to a rainfall sound playlist. The whole combination really calmed me down after about half an hour.

Can anyone suggest things I could buy to create a sensory area?

I'm hypersensitive to sound, light and touch, but I do like feeling certain textures, and I do like colourful light, at low brightness (my orange lightbulb is low wattage).

a rocking chair?

Lava lamp or a string of led xmas lights (just don't get the ones that change color really fast if you're prone to visual overload)?

Weighted blanket(s)?

Body socks (I've also seen them called "sensory socks")?

What textures do you like/what things do you like the texture of?

Good ideas.

I like smooth, silky textures.

I haven't heard of a body sock but I'll look it up.

I haven't got a lot of money as I subsist on government benefits, but I'll see what I can buy online.

To cope with sensory. I just crawl into my bed in my ultra-dark and quiet bedroom and pull the covers and my weighted blanket over me and just decompress for about 15-30mins. If I'm away from home. I try to find an empty room and turn out the lights.

My bed/bedroom is my sensory area.

I use a small nightlight that changes colors in my bedroom. It's really an air freshener but I don't use the air freshener insert, just the light. I'm not sure what brand it is or if it's even still available because I've had it for years.

It has different settings and I set it so the colors don't change. I set it to a mix of blue and pink so the room has a soft blue/pink glow.

There are all sorts of decorative things you can get with LED lights in different colors.

For pressure you could try a heavy quilt. I like to use a lighter blanket that conforms more to my body, with a quilt on top of it for pressure.

I just ordered a lava lamp and some relaxing mini lights that I can scatter around my room.

Weighted blankets specifically for autism are too expensive for my budget but a friend suggested I try to buy one of those old blankets from a charity shop.

I might actually have a heavy quilt in the loft, but I cannot climb ladders due to coordination issues so that will have to wait until someone will go into the loft for me.

-

Can anyone suggest any stim / sensory toys? I had some really cool stim toys when I was younger but I've since lost them and I don't know what they're called.

I have one of those big exercise balls people use for strengthening core muscles. I roll around on it and "float" on it sometimes. It's more a soothing thing for feeling happy though.

You can also get weighted vests, anklets, and wristlets in the exercise section of Walmart.

I got this spinning light thing called a Spiro-Light from Cracker Barrel yesterday. I really like it. It has two spinning LED propellers on an axel so you have two spinning light things (green, yellow, blue, red) that as they spin, the axle picks up speed. So you have two spinning sets of light that are spinning about each other. What I don't like about it is that is generate a lot of wind. It's like a lit up fan really.

Cracker Barrel is also carrying something called Sands Alive. It is kind of expensive though. It's a very, very fine grain sand and kind of sticks together. It feels like a cloud or like velvet. It kind of reminds me of the way biscuit dough looks, but without the horrible stickiness. It does leave a dry-feeling film on your hands, though.

Also, since you like smooth, velvety things, I recommend anything silicone. Silicone can be smooth or velvety in texture. If you can afford it I highly recommend this http://www.stimtastic.co/stim-jewelry/c ... ix-pendant and if the shape of it doesn't scare you or worry you. I got a white one. It is larger than it looks in the picture. This is also really good http://www.stimtastic.co/stim-toys/flex ... t-keychain

Also, there is a fabric called Minky. It is super-soft and you can find it at a fabric store.

I see you live in the UK and may not have Cracker Barrel restaurants or Walmarts.

You can find Sands Alive online though. It is different from Kinetic Sand so don't get confused there. Kinetic Sand is like real sand, rough and very grainy.

You might find a Spiro-Light or something like it if you search for the word online or I am sure any of the fidget-toy websites will carry something similar.

The exercise ball I got from Walmart and was $10. I am sure you could find one in a similar store where you are or just order any of these online.

I love animalcrackers's lava lamp idea. It kind of sounds like it would suit you. Also black out your windows to avoid natural light. Noise canceling headphones sound good too.

Sorry, you said smooth, silky things not smooth, velvety things.

Thanks.

I'll have a look online tomorrow.

I'm assuming then that Amazon.co.uk would have weighted vests for exercise that I can use for deep pressure?

I have ear defenders so that could be useful.

Ordered the lava lamp.

Would taping black material to the windows work to black out the light? This is not my own house so I can't really install blackout blinds.

No worries Whiskers.

Something else you might like for pressure. Fill up a small cloth bag with salt (large salt like kosher salt or Epsom salt, not table salt). I have a drawstring bag about 8 inches long, that bath salts came in, and I refilled it with kosher salt. I use it sometimes on top of my forehead or face for pressure. Or I put it under my neck when I'm lying down.

Big cats who will park themselves on your chest and purr when you are lying on the couch or bed are good too. Too bad they don't do what you want them too, much less when you want them too.

Black paper would probably work. Any dark fabric would work, too, as long as it's thick enough.

Re: stim toys, maybe glass stones or marbles or smooth, polished regular stones in a jar/bowl? Or a string of glass beads?

I'll try the bag of salts when I find a suitable bag.

The marbles are a good idea.

I found a stim toy recently in a cupboard. When I have it in my hand I find it easier to focus on studying.

I had another bad meltdown this evening but 250 micrograms of Clonazepam, deep pressure and low coloured lighting helped me to terminate it.

I will be asking my psychiatrist tomorrow about coming off Amisulpride as it is making my meltdowns worse as opposed to better.