New to the group

Welcome Sarah!

1. Yes I have experienced something similar to what you’re describing! I am not Deaf, but I was diagnosed with ADD as a child. We assumed most of my behaviors, sensitivities, and difficulty with socialization stemmed from that disorder. But a couple years ago I analyzed my behaviors a little closer, compared it to known Autistic people, and decided I should pursue a diagnosis. So a little similar to how many of your traits were attributed to deafness, mine were attributed to ADD/ADHD.

2. My advice for helping you self-manage emotions is to set yourself up for success. Start with making sure your workspace/living space is “Autism-friendly.” If you like visual stimuli, get lights or pictures of things you love. I have lava lamps set up in my office for that reason. If you dislike bright lights, consider asking for dimmer accommodations or a location with natural light. If scents in your area disturb you, keep scents that soothe you close at hand, like maybe a candle. You don’t have to light a candle for it to be a quick, effective way to soothe you. All this to say, make your environment safe, so even when things get stressful you can ground yourself.

3. Self-regulate quickly? Fidget toys. Spinners, squishy toys, etc. My wedding ring spins, so I often take that off and fidget with that when I’m stressed or deep in thought. A friend of mine just introduced me to the concept of “fidget keys” which is just a couple of keyboard keys that click really nicely. Super satisfying.

4. There are a variety of ways Autistic people like to relax. For me? Video games with repetitive actions like puzzle games. I also really adore my weighted blanket and sometimes snuggle up with that when I need a little extra help relaxing.

Hopefully some of this helps! Welcome to the Autistic community!

Thank you!

Yeah I have a few fidget toys however I feel like I get bored of them quickly or they lose their effectiveness. Ive had so many different ones over the last few months! I do like to do drawing and colouring however when I do these I get really lost in the moment and then lose track of time. I can’t be out of the room for too long as I work in a school and the pupils are the priority. I am able to take around 5 minutes to walk around the school and go back to the classroom however often this is not enough but I know I need to be able to be in the classroom supporting the pupils as this is my job. I am also able to go for a walk around the block at break times which I do sometimes when I find the time. I’m often so busy that I just don’t have the time. I think this part may be down to ADHD and not being able to leave a task for 10 minutes to take a walk and regulate myself. I am my own worst enemy. I don’t like this as it just creates more issues for me however in the moment I feel like I have no choice as I need to get something done before I forget and at the fear that someone else will come and ask me to do something. I struggle with saying no to people or being able to say that I am at my limit so will do something but it will have to wait. 

I do have a weighted blanket at home. I love it! Home life is okay. I can put the TV on with my weighted blanket and I’m quite happy. Work is more problematic. I haven’t yet found my “weighted blanket” at work or the right space to be able to just take a breather and this has become a little frustrating for me

Ah, an education-related career! I worked as a professor for a while, so I can understand how that can be pretty taxing. Being around pupils requires a great deal of masking and you’re probably constantly bombarded with stimuli.

Drawing is a great, GREAT, stim. You can do that incognito without attracting attention to yourself. If you have difficulty with regulating how long or how focused you are while engaging in that, then my advice is to allot yourself only a certain amount of time for that task. Like, give yourself 2-5 minutes on a clock and then break it up with another activity (ex. checking your email) before you engage in drawing again.

I’ll think on whether I’ve got any other advice for self-soothing activities that can help in a classroom setting.

HistoryLover5 said:

Why is it that all of a sudden it becomes harder to mask when you need to?!

That is an excellent question. I wonder if anything has changed in your environment or your life to make it harder to mask? Are you feeling burnt out?

HistoryLover5 said:

Any self-soothing activities have to be discreet as well so not to disrupt the lesson

Oh! That reminds me of “progressive muscle relaxation.” A therapist taught me that recently. Here’s a quick rundown of how do it:
1. Tense up your toes.
2. Count to five or ten.
3. Relax your toes for the same amount of time.
4. Repeat for your ankles, then your calves, then glutes, then abdominals, hands, arms, shoulders, then face (though probably not in class since that would be less discreet).

Another thing she taught me was changing your body temperature can possibly fix emotional uprisings quickly. You could try keeping a portable fan to cool off whenever you get upset to give your body the impression of going for a walk without necessarily needing to do it.

HistoryLover5 said:

Why is it that all of a sudden it becomes harder to mask when you need to?!

That is an excellent question. I wonder if anything has changed in your environment or your life to make it harder to mask? Are you feeling burnt out?

HistoryLover5 said:

Any self-soothing activities have to be discreet as well so not to disrupt the lesson

Oh! That reminds me of “progressive muscle relaxation.” A therapist taught me that recently. Here’s a quick rundown of how do it:
1. Tense up your toes.
2. Count to five or ten.
3. Relax your toes for the same amount of time.
4. Repeat for your ankles, then your calves, then glutes, then abdominals, hands, arms, shoulders, then face (though probably not in class since that would be less discreet).

Another thing she taught me was changing your body temperature can possibly fix emotional uprisings quickly. You could try keeping a portable fan to cool off whenever you get upset to give your body the impression of going for a walk without necessarily needing to do it.