Sensory Processing Sensitivity - Tumblr Posts

hey y'all!!! my last spur of the moment review did really well and people seemed to enjoy it, so here's a review of my second order I did from Stimtastic! (I got this stuff only a few days after the last order, it's been a while oops)

This is the order! I also got a reversible sequin bag and another of the brushes, which I gave to some friends. Overall I enjoy the things from this order much more than the first (tho I like both) since I had a better idea of what type of stim toys I liked.

The brush is AMAZING. It's so stimmy!! The texture is phenomenal and it also makes a really satisfying noise when you quickly run your hands over it! It's also very fun to flap with; In my next order I definitely want to get a second one so I can flap with both hands at once with it. The only downside is that it gets dirty quite easily, especially with hair. It can be washed pretty easily though, after all it is a brush!! This thing is definitely a 9.5/10, the half point taken off because of dirtyness.

Wacky tracks! You can get these from other places too, but I still included it in my order on a whim. I'm glad I did! It's one of my favorite stim toys I own by far, mostly because of the noise it makes. I also got lucky and got one in my two favorite colors lol. It started a bit stiff and hard to move, but after a few days of playing with it I no longer needed to use so much force. 10/10, I'll probably get another one in the same colors to make it longer.

Silicone straw! I got this because I have a bad habit of chewing up plastic straws, and hey it helps reduce waste! I like that it came with a brush (not in the pic) and a nice little case! The main downside of the straw is it has a chemical taste to it that hasn't gone away with washing. It's pretty noticable when chewing :/. Still, for only a dollar, it's pretty good! 5/10

Finally, the soft chewelry bundle! I loved how cheap this bundle is; It's only 12 dollars! The tag is my favorite, since it's so soft and flexible I can chew on it without any fatigue and it's nice to suck on. The dulcimer is very nice for molar chewing, though mine has a slight defect on the underside that gives it a bad texture so I don't use it as much as the tag. The tube is very springy and makes a nice sound, though it's hard to chew on without getting spit all over you due to its shape!! Overall these are very nice chewies for soft chewers like me, 8/10 (the tag is a 10/10 though!)

Overall this purchase was very good! I highly recommend Stimtastic, their items are high quality and very well priced!

Tip for anyone with sensory sensitivities regarding face masks: Mask Brackets!

Hey everyone! I haven't seen any mention of these things regarding sensory processing issues, and they help me a lot so I figured I'd make a post about them!

These are mask brackets! They're worn inside face masks, and their intended purpose is to keep the fabric of the mask away from the nose and mouth (similarly to how a N95 mask is molded).

I personally struggle with face masks because the feeling of fabric on my face irritates me a lot (I can't wear hats or scarves either) and it often feels unsanitary because the irritation makes my nose very runny. I also encounter the common problem of my brain tricking itself into thinking I can't breathe (even though the mask doesn't inhibit breathing at all) and as a result I get out of breath and nauseous. I've seen a few articles aimed at helping neurodivergent people wear masks, but most of them are aimed at children and are more aimed at the discomfort of wearing them over ears (which I get as well, but I've found much easier solutions for that).

But recently, I discovered mask brackets! Since they keep the fabric away from your nose and mouth, and they're pretty darn cheap off of Amazon, I decided to try them out after a bit of research, and I'm glad I did! They've improved my sensory issues a lot!

This is what mine look like. I ordered ten off of Amazon for around ten U.S. dollars. There are a few different styles available, the most common being the ones like these, with a cross in the middle

I chose the style I did because I was worried about the other styles like the one above coming too far of the face. If the bracket causes the edge of the mask to have gaps and not touch the face, it could defeat the purpose of the mask, which isn't what I want. I don't know if the deeper brackets would actually do that, but I got the more shallow type just in case.

The brackets themselves are made out of a thick, but still mildly flexible plastic. They say they're made out of silicone but I'm pretty sure it's actually a blend of silicone and something else because it's not as soft and flexible as silicone. They don't scratch my face, though you can definitely feel that's it's there. It's much better of a feeling than the mask, though!

The benefits- It keeps the mask from irritating my nose, so it doesn't get runny and gross ten minutes into wearing it. Since it stays away from my mouth, it's much easier to talk, and my voice is much less muffled which is good for when I'm in school. I haven't felt nauseous while wearing it either, which was a common problem for me without it for some reason.

The downsides- They often need to be adjusted since they can move around in the mask; Mine tend to slide down into my chin, especially if I yawn or sneeze. I believe they are meant more for pleated face masks unlike the Olsen style I usually wear, so this could be part of the problem. They also could irritate your face if you have sensitive skin or are allergic to the plastic, so I'd recommend you test them out at home before you go out wearing one. The last downside is that the only places I can find them for a good price is on Amazon, and I haven't seen any in physical stores at all.

Overall, these really help me! I'm going to keep looking for other styles and maybe try to figure out a DIY version that does the same thing. If you want to try these out, make sure you do your research and look at different styles to find one that doesn't make the mask defective and works for you!

I was not warned the planes would be so loud. it was alright, I had all my ear protection. the west of America is beautiful.

addressing my health and writing!!

fun fact: i'm rereading this post as careful as i can because i wrote ~90% of this post with my eyes closed!!

hi everyone!

the title of this post seems so serious but also not so serious at the same time...? 😅

anyways! this is just me updating a little bit of my health and how it's been affecting my writing.

on january 31st 2022, my psychologist wrote a letter to my school addressing that he 'has...identified that [I have]...Sensory Processing Disorder' (words quoted by the letter that was sent out). as far as i'm aware, i specifically have sensory modulation disorder.

i'll try to keep this concise and to the point. in terms of my spd in general, four of my five senses are hypersensitive with my top two being visual and hearing.

i recently just found out an important info by quite literally timing myself. i stayed in my room, lights out and in the dark for 20 mins. during that time, i did nothing but just stare at the ceiling (or i don't know, the spider that went past too) and jammed to some music. after, i started to write.

there is small time gap of 14 mins before i felt a twitch in my right eye. there is a small 1 min gap after when i started to get a headache. for me, i knew this before but i was afraid to admit it especially when i love writing so much but it's clear now that i am hypersensitive to lights.

that's why (at least, i personally feel like this) my writing quality has decreased drastically and writing errors are more apparent than ever. i get people to proofread for me but i'm really bad in asking for help so i usually just try to do it myself to the best of my abilities. the way i explain scenes have also been more boring and bland, and i want to tell you that if you think so too, you're most probably right! it frustrates me more than anything.

i'm trying to find ways to counter this or at least make the time gap bigger. i recently found out that writing in the dark, phone brightness down to the lowest helps and i was able to write for about ~40 mins before i started to get a headache. but unfortunately for my sleep hygiene, no technology should be in my room (i even moved my piano out of my room because of this) and so, i am trying to find another way.

another way i found is that closing my eyes works. fun fact: i'm rereading this post as careful as i can because i wrote ~90% of this post with my eyes closed!! yes it works but you can imagine how hard it can be.

if i can be fully honest, it's actually really hard for me to both read and write these days as well because there is no way i can make out the words without any form of light. when the headache strikes, it strikes and walking in a straight line can become difficult sometimes. the reality is that it's hard to write without reading and it sucks that i can't support anyone's work at the moment, especially when they have supported me so much (i'm so sorry to all the writers out there). there is nothing much i can do right now but to remember and learn the stories in my head as references when i write.

i'm still exploring for more ideas but if you have any ideas, do tell! i would love to try them out!

but i'm not going to stop writing! not when i have ideas to write and stories to share! it's just going to be slow and i'm planning to take it in a pace where i can handle. like i've mentioned before, i don't want to release stories that i'm not proud of.

thank you everyone for the support so far! 'double a decade' reached 100+ notes in less than a week! that's so crazy for me, thank you 😭💕