Cuddly Soft Toys

Hi my name is Jamie I'm 39 & I have level 3 Autism. I have a small blue cotton puppy teddy bear called BlU he's 11 years old which I baught when I was 29 years old I baught him at the time as I felt lonely after attempting suicide. 11 years later I do everything with BlU (sleep,travel,socialise,date,get arrested,go hospital,eat & drink,

So far BlU has been to Egypt  & Malta  & Spain & France. At the end of the year we are booked to go to Tunisia .

We live independently on the Isle Of Man . 

I asked BlU what his job title & he says why do you ask this question then he makes me laugh.  yes I talk to my teddy  it's calming to have a 1way conversation with your imagination.

Many days me & BlU go walking or cycling & we get bullied by 13-17 year old teen thugs. Who call me names like ***,Weirdo,Autism Freak. 

I have tried to save myself from attempting suicide but failed & since I baught BlU in 2016 - 2025 I've attempted suicide 19x I've cut myself full body & face. I want to try n stop but bullying only makes matters worse then the way the isle of man police deal with me & BlU they bag him up in an evidence bag. To the isle of man police aren't trained for autism they treat us like the rest & just see my BlU as a toy nothing else. When I was arrested they took everything off me handcuffed me as I was in suicidal mode & was only a danger to myself after they took BlU from me I started to walk in the road at night hoping for an RTA.

I'm on blood thinners for life after 2018 I had a PE/pulmonary Embolism & a mini stroke the hospital found 4 blood clots in my left lung & 2 in my right lung. In 2019 I had another blood clot in my left leg & then a cardiac arrest. The hospital diagnosed me with thick blood disorder. 

I was born in 1985 when I was diagnosed as non verbal Autism level 3 & I first started talking at age of 18 years old I spent many years communicating using P.E.C.S & Chalkboard. Throughout my childhood I was diagnosed with Photosensitive epilepsy & at age of 7 years old I had a childhood trauma when a friends older brother hit me in the left eye with a metal baseball bat causing it to expload. I remember looking in a car mirror & seeing blood & orange gunk dripping from were my left eye was.

Why do old churches have collections of cuddly toys for sale?

And this one actually trusts people to take the toy and place money in a wall safe.

Yeah I do my Mickey mouse plushie is my everything, he makes me feel better, happy and warm and safe. Sleeping with him every night. 

The only Christmas present that my mother openly enjoyed was back in 1989, when I bought her a genuine German Hermann teddy bear at a specialist teddy bear shop.  The bear growled/purred as it was rocked like a baby.

The following Christmas, my cousin bought his mother a teddy bear.

I've been listening to him on the 1800 Seconds On Autism podcast. Lion is a useful and important part of his life.  

Yes, I’m rather obsessed with teddies. I have specific ones - one for sleeping with, ones for traveling with, one for stressful events and a couple of large ones for hugs. Then I have all of my childhood ones that I’ve not been able to let go of, and ones I’ve bought on trips that have happy memories attached to them. It’s fair to say that my room looks like that of a small child as a result! I don’t care what people think though, it’s more important that I have something in my life that gives me comfort and happiness...

My current favourite teddy for hugging is my giant unigoat, whom I am sat with right now. 

It's very distressing to be treated badly. I have a carpet bag which I like to hold - that too is very comforting. Whatever makes us feel more comfortable and secure is a good thing, I think. Too often as children we are forced to give up things we rely on because we are supposed to be too old for them. The world would be a better place if more adults retained child like qualities 

Our condition is hidden from neuro typical. not only that the way many of us have been treated or ignored to cope on our own   I had a bad encounter with Social services, was given 0 points by PIP and treated like a piece of meat at a DWP health assessment.  This has made my mental health worse until my soft toys came to the rescue.  I even took a soft toy to the GP. 

I think we should have a soft toy protest when treated badly  

The old ones are the best! 

I agree! My granny gave my teddy away to another child when I was 9 years old and she thought I was "too old" for him. Still haven't got over it (58 now!). 

I was inspired by Jamie and Lion, who I found out about on Twitter. Jamie is autistic, works for the BBC, and takes a large plush lion with him wherever he goes. 

It was when I was feeling low and suicidal at night, after talking to a 111 NHS Doctor who wasn't much use that I resorted to my soft toys and a shot of Irish cream.  I started giggling when I invisaged the look on the DWP health assessor when teddy comes along for support. The next time I am assessed by anyone teddy shall accompany me.  Its  better than any stress ball.. 

I was lucky, I kept some of my old ones and gave them to my son. My current favourites are the pigs from Minecraft and Angry Birds

Here is my soft toy family - the monkey is a replica of one I had as a child. I have just got a rainbow bear as well! Two of these teddies have heart beats.

Still have some around my pillow at night, always have, nearly 40 and married! Always a good source of comfort.