Aspergers Challenged Support Group

Just chattin with Blueyoshi and we talked about some soothing techniques we use when overly stressed, or just stressed or even when bored. Thought this would be a fun topic to see the interesting and diverse things people have come up with to self-soothe.

Mine is this crazy scalp digging thing. But it is VERY addicting! It soothes me so well when I start its hard to stop, im talking days! When SUPER stressed I rock back and forth while digging my scalp.

What are yours?

Peace, Love and Hope!

Allison

I find myself swaying back and forth alot, or knocking my leg up and down rapidly..not sure if that's a stress response.

Mine are mostly meditation related... like just taking myself out of the situation I'm in to calm down. Although I'll admit it's more for pain management purposes than anything really. Still it does good things for my mental health to meditate, even though it's very hard to actually do effectively.

I've done the leg thing before when greatly stressed, although it's mostly when I feel crappy and stressed than just stressed. Dunno if that's just me though.

Great ones so far guys!! I hope to see many more! Please you guys, go to your friends list and get them all to come here and post their self soothing techniques. Maybe someone could find one to try. But it is also interesting to see how we all cope.

Peace, Love and Hope!

Allison

My self-soothing behavior have not been very positive. Occassionally, I neglect my health (not have enough sleep, or skip meals), I obsessed about my imperfections (hurt myself) and quite a number of nervous habits/ticks (I've decided not to mention because they are too many and too embarassing). Lately, I'm trying to change the way I see myself and see my imperfections. I'm struggling to make a paradigm shift change in my thinking process and have been working hard to align my perceptions with reality and make realistic expectations on myself and others. I'm also trying to exchange positive self-soothing activities for the old negative ones like talking to my counselor, my partner/friends, excelling in my hobbies (Toastmaster and crafts), incorporating exercise into my daily routine, incorporating positive self-talk, etc. It's been a long process and I'm still trying to figure out all the kinks.

A favorite soothing technique for me, is to rip up paper into small pieces over and over. Or folding paper over and over. It is great for when talking to people, for me. Especially because I can keep it in a pocket and no one even knows I'm doing it. I also love to rip small pieces of tape off, stick it on and off my skin, fold it and rip it, then get more tape and do it all over again.

In the past I have had many maladapdive and physically damaging soothing techniques and self harmed alot.

I went through a intense dialectical behavioral therapy program(DBT) that helped me alot.. it taught me many techniques that helped me. I stuck mostly to the distraction techniques, doing something I enjoyed, or if I needed physical distraction, holding and icecube in my hand, cold water on my face, smashing eggs for when I feel angry, pillow.

My main technique is music... also some self soothing such as warm fragrent baths, candles, soft clothes.

I do sway alot still and I also do the leg thing. I also will stroke my arm or something with my fingers, or wring my hands a lot.