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418d
Stuffies? So, I am an adult. I have a job, and a house, and a mortgage. I never got rid of all of my childhood stuffed animals, but I mostly kept them in the way that many teens keep them - more like decorations than toys. I would occasionally drag one out to study with, etc. if I was having a bad day. I picked up a dinosaur stuffie a bit over a year ago, and from the get-go it was a little different. Saf often sleeps with me, and sometimes comes on car rides, etc. I just noticed he's looking a little... loved. Like a child's favorite toy, not like my others that sit on their shelves and look cute. I've accidentally bonded to this little stuffed guy like you might expect out of a kindergartener, not a grown adult. He makes me feel safe, I guess. Has anyone else had that experience? Any idea where it might be coming from?
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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Anxiety (Including GAD)
Low Mood
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I do this too. Don't see anything wrong with it if it's comforting :)
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416d
Nothing wrong with it. Many people will deny it but a lot of adults do this
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417d
It's a comfort item. You were drawn to the little guy. I have accumulated like 4 Llama stuffed in the last 2 years. So trust me I understand. I'm a full adult also and I've also had my hippo stuffie for 23 years. Same age as I am. But yeah. It's definitely comfort with some of them and just a feeling of having a safety net.
I do this as well
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I sleep with a stuffed animal every night. I have a bunny that I’ve had since before I was born. It was a gift from some relatives of mine. I slept with that bunny every night until I got up to a college dorm last year. Then I slept with a stuffed dog that looked like my dog that I had since I was in 1st grade, and I sleep with that dog every night while in college. Then when I go home to my parents’ house on weekends, I sleep with the bunny. I’m 21 and I have been sleeping with that bunny ever since.
I sleep with an alien stuffie and I also named it. I am 43. I am not sure I am in the spectrum, but I have a very disturbed sleep and it helps me to relax a bit.
I'm a teen and I do this a lot. I have a special connection with my stuffies. It's ok to have a bond with them too.
A *lot* of the behaviors that have emerged since I started that journey are very child-like, actually. I stick my hand in fountains, I climb stuff, I balance on curbs and painted lines and hop on colored stones and tiles. I wonder if NT people have those same desires, and just feel like they need to "act like adults," or if they legit aren't interested in such things.
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I'm way past the stage of accepting that I'm not a neurotypical and, if I want to be happy, I can't pretend I am. Haha. I allow myself the grace to behave how I want to, as long as it's not too disruptive to those around me. This is just a new one for me.
yep!! my partner gets me plushies as gifts so my collection keeps growing- I've got 5 or so that I'm really attached to, plus another bunch that I'm a little less bonded to. I always bring one with me when I travel, bc I genuinely sleep so much better with them
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@j_Bug I don't know really where it comes from, maybe there's comfort in having something consistent? and I bet there's some biochemistry related to having something to snuggle like that, where it reduces your cortisol levels or something
☝ This content is generated by our users and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision
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Yes, many people have had similar experiences with stuffed animals providing comfort and a sense of safety. It's not uncommon for adults to bond with a stuffed animal as a coping mechanism or as a way to connect with their inner child. The feeling of safety and comfort might come from positive associations with stuffed animals during childhood or simply the physical presence of a soft, cuddly object.
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