I used to have a doll so originally named Dolly and the fabric and insides were the perfect texture, I've now replaced it with two pillows and I'll take it by my friends and they'll see me and say "Ah you brought The PillowTM"
I Stan Bebe so hard. I have a stuffed Eeyore plushie whos perfectly shaped to cuddle with and tbh I can’t sleep without him. It’s hella validating to see a fellow trans man who has a doll/plush that they love
You should check out tangles there my favorite and the oldest toys made specifically for strumming! Or at least that's what I heard, either way, there great!
I hate that fidget spinners became a “trend” in 2016 because mine genuinely helped me out in college with fidgeting & concentration but everyone was like “oooh, let’s have a go”.🙃 Made it an extra distraction rather than an aid.
I'm actually glad they became a trend because If they didn't I wouldn't have ever found them and I would still be using things like erasers and bracelets so keep my hands moving I have tried things like stress balls but they never worked because they were bulky and they would just distract me more because they weren't fast paced like the spinners are
I have a similar stim toy to Bebe, though I didn’t really think of it as a stim toy until you mentioned Bebe. I have Pink Bunny (really creative name for a stuffed pink bunny) I used to rub their ears on my face and between my fingers. And neat fact about Pink Bunny, I could never settle on if they were a boy or a girl, and would always switch between pronouns, so I literally had a genderfluid bunny as my stim toy lol.
Avery Elliott oh my god I literally had a stuffed bear named Bear (sooooo creative) and they were also genderfluid lol and this was very frustrating to my mom as at times I could be very stubborn if she accidentally misgendered my sweet precious genderfluid bear I still always keep on my bed
Avery Elliott I’m freaking out myself because I had a stuffed animal that I got another of years after I lost it. But more importantly - I had two baby dolls growing up. I couldn’t sleep without at least one. And the EARS were what got me the most in terms of pleasant and comforting stims!! There was this pattern of the plastic ear that has ridges and bumps but since they were so close together, the end feel was mostly smooth and UGH (pleasant UGH). I still have one of them and it also looks in a similar shape to Aaron’s Bebe. But whenever I pick him up (yes. Almost every single stuffed animal or doll I owned, I made them a boy :P I still do without totally meaning to!!), I still rub his beard against my fingers and my lips (which lips :P)
I had(/have) a caterpillar named caterpillarie that was the same!! I could never decide their gender, I eventually decided caterpillarie was neither a girl or a boy, so I My caterpillar is a non-binary caterpillar lol
Are you literally me?! What is happening right now. I literally also have a pink bunny, its name is just Bunny though, and I still rub its ears all the time on my face and my fingers. Its ears are soft and yellow and it has yellow hands and feet and a white bow. I wonder if we have the same one, that would be wild. Also literally the exact same thing about my Bunny's gender. I couldn't decide if they were a boy or a girl, but felt that they were neither. Now I've realized that I'm agender and my bunny has been agender all along.
I totally didn't know he dealt with selective mutism, I also deal with that and it's nice to see that someone I look up to deal with the same thing I do
I only recently came to the realization that I have a collection of stims I've been gathering over the span of my whole life and didn't even realize what I needed them for. One is a bead filled little clown doll with a ceramic face. May seem terrifying to some but i live it and it just brings me a sense of calm.
Honestly, the comments on this video make me so happy and they definitely make me feel like I'm not alone. Thank you Aaron for making this video,and thank you to all the commenters!!! I literally rock all the time and I have my fidget cube,spinners, my chewy lightsaber necklace, and other things. I bought these little penguin icepacks that are squishy if you don't freeze them and it feels so right and perfect to squish them. I kick my feet and chew oh my hoodie strings and sometimes chew on my fingers if I don't have my chewy necklace... I used to chew on my hair constantly and could never stop moving. I've been diagnosed with ADHD, but so many people (including autistic friends of mine, coworkers with autistic children, as well as my autistic brother) have suggested I get tested so I can get diagnosed as being autistic. I'm %99 sure that I'm autistic and was misdiagnosed as a child (seeing as I'm AFAB and all AFAB are pretty must raised not to cause a scene and things like that are ingrained into you) my parents always say that my brother and I are EXACTLY alike, but refuse to recognize the possibility that I might be autistic. :(
This made me realize that my blanket is actually a stim toy. I'm just now finding out about stims and I have ADHD and anxiety attacks. I have had this blanket since I was five and I'm now twenty nine lol. It's just as discolored as your doll and I also can't sleep without it. I wish I could find something else with the same feel of twenty four year old fabric lol. It's almost like as I grew over the years my stim changed with the blanket because old fabric has a unique smooth feel and you can't find it anywhere else. But as a child the new fabric of the same blanket was my stim. Very educational and helpful video. Thank you!
Hair ties are such a good stim! They're good to fidget with, and (at least for me) they're a good pressure stim too. Obviously don't wear one for too long or too tight. Not an object stim- and I don't recommend it to people that have EDS or other things that can cause joint dislocation- but I flex my jaw. It's kind of like a chewing motion, but I don't let my teeth touch. I didn't even know I did it until a speech therapist in grade school pointed it out.
I take a fidget cube to school, and swing and bounce my leg almost constantly at school. I also kick the legs of my chair and knock my knees together and hum (I do it a bit like an alarm, between two pitches) and I find it very calming in class. Today was also the first day I took my noise cancelling headphones to school, I used them at break and lunch, and also when I was waiting to go into form, there was 2 classes waiting and it was very loud, so I put them on, and my friends asked about them and I said they were noise cancelling, and they carried on talking to me like usual, and didn’t treat me any different, or question me which I thought was really cool! I don’t have permission to use them in class yet, but I’m going to ask I think, I was allowed to use them in English as we were watching a movie and it was a bit overwhelming, my English teacher is awesome! Have a great day!
Harriet Grainger I use normal earplugs made out of foam or wax in almost all situations where I can't use headphones, because people might think I'm rude or not listening to them. If you have short hair or hair tied up, people will ask about them, but it's way more subtle than headphones.
Ally S yes, I sometimes wear earplugs secretly in class, but they look a bit like Bluetooth in-ear headphones, and I once got confronted in class about it by someone who doesn’t like me, once is shown the teacher they let me keep them in, but it was not a nice situation! And then I lost one of them, but they are definitely better for more discreet situations!
i have a fidget cube, a slow rising squishy, and a fidget pad thing that looks like a game controller thats i take to school! i normally leave the fidget cube in my locker, the fidget pad in my pencil case, and keeps the squishy on my desk. sometimes i play around with the duck. his name is big mac :) i have a lot of other stim toys but those are my favorites
This is a video I didn’t know I wanted but now that it’s here I see I’ve wanted it all along. Aaron is so informative when he talks about mental illness and I usually send his videos to my friends who don’t understand why I do the things I do. Also I’m always here for a stim toy review.
OMG thank you so much for this video I'm literally flapping and rocking in excitement to see you sharing your stim toys and special objects!! There can be so much stigma to relying on special objects to be just be okay and not overwhelmed, or to sleep, I still have a lot of trouble owning that for myself, even to my autie friends!
I feel like most people who use stim toys have one that's kinda personal. Like you have Bebe and I have a little lavender scented pouch of sea glass. I guess it's because it's a mix of sensory stimulation and comforting memories. I wanted to know if you've tried Tangles? They're one of my favorites and from what I've seen on Tumblr very popular in the autistic community.
My best friend got me one of the Tangle toys and it gose everywhere with me. Its something that i find wiggles around so smoothly to help with keeping my focus off of what is giving me anxiety
Hey! I know this is off topic but I don't have any other social media accounts. I just want to say aaron that you are very sweet and valid and I care about you a lot. In light of recent news, I want to apologize on the half of people who have been rude to you. I will stick by you through it all.❤️
I don't know how to explain how validating it was to me when you brought out your doll, I've always been too ashamed to admit that I still sleep with my Puffy (short for puffalump, its a little mouse stuffed animal) let alone that I still stroke its ears to calm down. I have always found that the silky texture is very calming for me. Also don't worry that your doll is looking a little ragged, at this point Puffy has more holes sewn together then fabric left and it was white at one point though its been such a long time that its hard to remember what it looked like white. But back to the point, thank you for sharing that it really made me feel less insecure about my own 27 year old stuffed mouse.
Your fav stim doll is not terrifying at all to me, I still have a stuffed animal I named "tigger" (not related to the real Pooh Tigger) and he's been my buddy since kindergarten, I rescued him from the "lost and found" and he's been there for me through EVERYTHING. No judgement from me here :) Thank you for this video, lots of fun textures, temperatures, feelings, and other things that work great for anyone of us who need some sort of distraction in stressful situations. You'll always be awesome in my book :)
That bracelet is awesome. Sometimes i just go non-verbal and as I'm normally a very talkative person, people always ask what's wrong. Which means then I'm having to force myself to say just a word to try to get it let alone and it's so uncomfortable and kind of painful to talk then. Especially if it's not left alone and i have to make myself say more to get it left alone. My bad chew stim habit was buying lollipops and chewing the stick at the end. No matter how much i was told to stop, i never did as it was comforting
It's so nice to see a youtuber exactly like me. I'm trans ftm, have selective mutism, and have several similar stims due to my ADHD. I am definitely subbing. Also, I love that I don't have to turn down my volume to watch your videos :)
I have a stuffed animal I can’t sleep without and I’ve had it since I was 2. It is my actual prized possession and honestly don’t think I could live a day without it. You aren’t the only one and it’s always okay to sleep with a stuffed animal or something like that.
Your doll looks like a Puffalump (made by fisher price iirc, I’ve seen them on ebay)- I had one when I was younger and she got lost in a move I think but I would stim with her all the time with the rattle and face especially
I have a puffalump that I stim with and being 27 years old I do worry what I'll do if it ever truly falls apart. I have the same worry about getting a replacement, what if it doesnt feel the same and it also doesnt help that since the company went out if business in the 90s getting a replacement means spending 80 to over 100 dollars because they are considered collectors items now.
I just love this video! I’m a retired special ed teacher and it’s great that so much more information about autism and disabilities in general. You are definitely sharing your knowledge in your videos along with your experiences and personality. Keep it up!
idk if you would want to but there is a person who fixes up dolls and stuffed toys that have been 'loved' into disrepair! Her website is realmsofgold.com and she gives estimates and doesn't fix anything you want to keep on the stuffed toy or doll beforehand :) By the same token, I also get the appeal of keeping the doll looking 'loved'!
the thing you said about stimming your whole life really hit home with me cause I am trying to get diagnosed myself and when i look back on my childhood i see all the specific mannerisms and things i did were actually just stims
It's really interesting to hear your stims. I know not everyone has the same stims, but it was really interesting to hear how different your things are from mine. It helped drive how the idea that for everyone it can be different.
That bracelet looks awesome! My favourite stim is a tangle toy, specifically the kinda squishy one with bumps. I recently got two spinner rings and am loving them. I'd like to see more toys, and your videos are always so well articulated and informative!
Leg bouncing is my rocking! If I’m not doing it my skin feels crawly and I can’t focus on anything. As far as physical stim toys, I really like smooth things that I can roll around in/wrap around my fingers, like beaded things and rings.
I’m so thankful for your content. Your videos have truly helped me come to terms with who I am and accept myself. I also love how you’re always super informative in your videos & I love that your trying to reduce the stigma of neurodiversity. So thankful to be a part of this community 💕
I remember having a handkerchief as a baby and rubbing it between two nails. For a long time I thought it was something bad but then I noticed my mom and grandmother having the exact same tic with their nails. These patterns are hereditary, it's so neat
I actually have two favorite stim toys that are equally my favorite. It's my teddy bear named Teddybear and my baby blanket which i named blankie. They've always calmed me and helped me to focus, especially when dealing with invasive thoughts.
I got one of those bracelets and a crab too! My favourite is this non-sticky putty I found, I like to squeeze things and this is so good to squeeze. Gives me good brain tingles :)
Your voice/videos are always so soothing. I can't even pinpoint what it is specifically that makes them so soothing, they just are. I have two cat beanie babies that I have had since I was a child that I felt ashamed of when I started transitioning as well. Maybe I'll go find them when I get home from work.
Person with ASD, ADHD and EDS (and other things) here🖐️When you took out the crab i started looking at my "stimshelf" for my lizard and octopus that are the same type as the crab. And when you started talking about touching smooth cold stuff it sorta kickstarted a desperate need to find something cold and smooth since its something love too. I do alot of stimming things with my hands, when im having a bit to much sensory input i tend to rub them together. And im that person that loves touching weird textures that i find nice. Which sometimes include sandpaper. 🤔 So those weighted animals and cold smooth things rocks are some of the things i love.
I know I'm late to the draw but I always love your videos like this cause I always seem to learn why I did or still do the things i did growing up. The amount of times I've had meltdowns and done things considered weird due to sensory issues.
I HAVE THE A SIMILAR FAVORITE STIM TOY. It's a teddy bear that was handmade by one of my grandma's friends for my brother so its also about 25 years old and its cloth is so smooth and cool I relate.
Great video as always! I was wondering if it would be an appropriate time to ask for more info about when/if the podcast is going to resume. I miss it so much and as awesome as the October spoopcasts are, it feels like it’s been a while since us sprouts got to listen to you and Chase just talk about everyday topics. Anyway, I hope you have a great day! Same to all the limes/sprouts/bees!!
I love how you warned every one how terrifying the next thing was yet the first thing I thought was "Oh it's so cute" 😂 Then again I did have a year long special interest with porcelain dolls
I just wanna say how proud i am for you keeping up with your schedule and im loving the content, even though im not autistic and idk if i have adhd, i struggle sometimes with senses i guess bc of anxiety and this is very important to me
I have a similar thing to Bebe, but I call it my comfort object. She is a stuffed rabbit named Sir Rabbit and she is heavy and soft and the inside of her ears is velvety and I love everything about her.
Hey Aaron, I would LOVE to see you make a podcast on your own (similar to ysb, with your own 'spin') independent from Chase and all of...that mess... ANYWAY! I really miss having you in my ears when I'm running!
Oh. I never heard anyone else talk about selective mutism before and i teared up. 💖💖💖 i struggled so much with it throughout my life but NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT
When I was a kid I had a little weighted plush of a rainbow lizard that I used to stim with because the fabric they were made out of was really smooth and they had a nice crunch to them when I chewed on them. sadly I chewed a hole in them and my parents made me through them away. Nowadays I primarily stim with an infinity cube that I made out of dice and denim from some old jeans
When I first started dating my girlfriend a year ago, I was so certain getting her some nice stim toys be the perfect gift, knowing she had autism. Though I quickly learned she doesn't use or like any physical stims, she instead likes to verbally stim. This normally is just her quietly whispering 'bababa,' but it also sometimes leads to her randomly yelling where ever we may be. That's certaintly been a challenge to get used to, but I like the insight of how neurodivergent people just have an absolute need to stim, either for dopamine or comfort as she really can't explain why she yells. She says she just has to. I still may get some of these for my own though honestly! So thank you
My 2 1/2 year old son just got diagnosed with autism. Certain behaviors he did previously just went over my head - like he chews the back of his rubber toddler forks (to the point the rubber is coming off) he also really likes to play with this rubber bracelet and this “ball” necklace , anyway thank you for going over the feeling of stimming. It’s kind of hard right now because he is non verbal and this is BRAND new for us ... We are at a hard position right now because of the unknown , even thought he says some words there is still a possibility of him being non verbal ... and ugh see ? I am going through some emotions right now. But thank you!
I hope you'll find a way to be there for him and how he needs you. I would say: just don't push him.. When feeling pushed it makes me wanna take the other route. Just knowing someone is there, no obligations is the key for me to come out of my shell.. Good luck!
If you could review some of the chewables from stimtastic or others from chewigem that would be great! I think especially stimtastic have some chewables that are really slim and made for light chewing or just sucking, also some of them are a bit more discreet (the tag, the dulcimer or the feather pendants) if that´s a concern
oh i actually think that bracelet would be good for my nephews... one gets overwhelmed pretty easily and his cousin can make it worse by asking if he’s okay when the best thing to do is just leave him alone, but he won’t answer because he’s so overwhelmed
I usually use hair ties or a bag filled with something squishy. I want to get one of those cubes sometime. I think that would be a good way to avoid my usual stim of biting and picking my thumbs.
I lowkey cried when you pull out your doll. I’ve also been using my teddy bear my whole life I didn’t know i was stiming but I would always rub my teddy bear (this might sound weird) while smelling it or biting it. I’m really glad I found you and knowing that I’m not the only one with similar problems.
ive followed you on twitter for a long time but i don't think i've ever watched one of your videos - your voice is super soothing and this was a really nice thing to watch!! really informative and also reminded me that when i'm stimming with my hands or hair ties people don't think much of it and that i'm just being paranoid
My favourite stim is silky ribbons. I rub them when I’m stressed or anxious or just cause it’s there and I need to do something with my hands. There are so many ribbons around my room that after I clean it I have a little pile of like 10😂 my mom said when I was a baby I would put my hand in the back of my sleepers and play with the silky tags and she thought it was cause they bothered me so she cut them out but then realized it’s cause I like the feeling
Ah! I was literally just thinking of your doll the other day! I was wondering what it looked like because I had a weird meltdown/shutdown thing and I had this coraline doll that just feels nice to hold and it reminded me of your doll.😅 Anyways, best video, 10/10, and have a good day!
Thank you so much! I'm so excited for the video!!! 💜💜💜 I wanted to look closer at all the options when it comes to stimming and read up on it - this video is so well timed for me... 😅 Also, I am having a rough day, and 12 minutes of your calming voice is gonna make me feel so much better.💜🙈😊 (Now off to watch the video 😅)
My brother uses chewing as a stim a lot. And honestly gets in "trouble" for it constantly, cuz he uses plastic bottlecaps. Until recently I did not know his chewing was a stim. since I know I try to be more understanding, while still telling him of the danger so thanks for making me aware of alternatives I can show him!
my favorite stim/fidget toy is the fidget cube. i don't have autism, but a panic disorder. i love the clicking of the switch, i know it drives ppl crazy so i try not to do it around others/not as fast so its not as loud. there's just something about the clacking sound and the physical feedback that calms me. also,the sensation of the little nubby buttons on another side pressing down is really nice, too. that hairtie phonecord thing works for me, too. i have one clear one that i like to stretch and twist. it's my favorite "casual fidget" (ie something with a different use that i sometimes also use as fidget toy) bc when i twist it around itself,it has like the perfect number of loops so they align up in two rows. others sometimes don't and that bother s me s o much lol
I love the Chewigem bracelet, I have it too, but can't wear it anymore cause of my silver splints :') Yay for EDS/HSD. Stimtastic is really nice for chews too! They have relly soft ones (I love their UFO).
I got a free pop socket thing for my phone and put it on to try it out and I actually used it for stimming a lot because I could spin it around or spin my phone around while holding it. It was so great bc it was discrete I didn’t have to remember to bring it anywhere and I couldn’t lose it. Until it broke from me stimming with it too much 😅
I have a bear that I got when I was born and I still sleep with him 27 years later. I stim with him every night even though I’m neurotypical. I stim a lot with different things because I do have a little bit of sensory processing disorder. I like the bike chain links and spinners and of course, playing with my hair. But my bear, that is his name, is my best and favorite stim.
I have a blanket that I got I don’t know maybe 10 years ago. Maybe I’m way off I don’t know. But it’s literally like my most comforting/stemming it will almost aways calm me
These phone cord hairties are such a wonderful stim toy! I'm always a bit sad when I actually tied my hair up with one and can't stim with it lol. I also stimmed for as long as I can remember with also chewing on my hair as a kid for example. Everybody was weirdly accepting as in "Oh, I guess you just got a new tic now?", but at the same time expecting for me to be able to just stop doing it? When I wasn't even doing it consciously?
my mom gave me this skin cleaning thing and I haven't used it once for it's intended purpose. I use it because the bristles and bumps feel nice in my hand. it tastes really weird but I still chew on it anyways.
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I think my favourite thing is that I did not mention that my dolls name is “Bebe” in this video, BUT YOU ALL KNEW LMAO
EXPOSED
This was a really great video. I feel honoured to finally meet bebe
I used to have a doll so originally named Dolly and the fabric and insides were the perfect texture, I've now replaced it with two pillows and I'll take it by my friends and they'll see me and say "Ah you brought The PillowTM"
I Stan Bebe so hard. I have a stuffed Eeyore plushie whos perfectly shaped to cuddle with and tbh I can’t sleep without him. It’s hella validating to see a fellow trans man who has a doll/plush that they love
You should check out tangles there my favorite and the oldest toys made specifically for strumming! Or at least that's what I heard, either way, there great!
*hiding in the closet*
I hate that fidget spinners became a “trend” in 2016 because mine genuinely helped me out in college with fidgeting & concentration but everyone was like “oooh, let’s have a go”.🙃
Made it an extra distraction rather than an aid.
I'm actually glad they became a trend because If they didn't I wouldn't have ever found them and I would still be using things like erasers and bracelets so keep my hands moving I have tried things like stress balls but they never worked because they were bulky and they would just distract me more because they weren't fast paced like the spinners are
I have a similar stim toy to Bebe, though I didn’t really think of it as a stim toy until you mentioned Bebe. I have Pink Bunny (really creative name for a stuffed pink bunny) I used to rub their ears on my face and between my fingers. And neat fact about Pink Bunny, I could never settle on if they were a boy or a girl, and would always switch between pronouns, so I literally had a genderfluid bunny as my stim toy lol.
Avery Elliott oh my god I literally had a stuffed bear named Bear (sooooo creative) and they were also genderfluid lol and this was very frustrating to my mom as at times I could be very stubborn if she accidentally misgendered my sweet precious genderfluid bear I still always keep on my bed
Avery Elliott I’m freaking out myself because I had a stuffed animal that I got another of years after I lost it. But more importantly - I had two baby dolls growing up. I couldn’t sleep without at least one. And the EARS were what got me the most in terms of pleasant and comforting stims!! There was this pattern of the plastic ear that has ridges and bumps but since they were so close together, the end feel was mostly smooth and UGH (pleasant UGH). I still have one of them and it also looks in a similar shape to Aaron’s Bebe. But whenever I pick him up (yes. Almost every single stuffed animal or doll I owned, I made them a boy :P I still do without totally meaning to!!), I still rub his beard against my fingers and my lips (which lips :P)
I have a toy lamb with silk ears I use as a pillow and rub on my upper lip on
I had(/have) a caterpillar named caterpillarie that was the same!! I could never decide their gender, I eventually decided caterpillarie was neither a girl or a boy, so I My caterpillar is a non-binary caterpillar lol
Are you literally me?! What is happening right now. I literally also have a pink bunny, its name is just Bunny though, and I still rub its ears all the time on my face and my fingers. Its ears are soft and yellow and it has yellow hands and feet and a white bow. I wonder if we have the same one, that would be wild.
Also literally the exact same thing about my Bunny's gender. I couldn't decide if they were a boy or a girl, but felt that they were neither. Now I've realized that I'm agender and my bunny has been agender all along.
I totally didn't know he dealt with selective mutism, I also deal with that and it's nice to see that someone I look up to deal with the same thing I do
I also have selective mutism
I just watched an 8 minute ad on this video cause it was gay
Reviewing Stim Toys! ft. Bebe
By Aaron 'Little Doll Hands in his Pockets' Ansuini
I only recently came to the realization that I have a collection of stims I've been gathering over the span of my whole life and didn't even realize what I needed them for. One is a bead filled little clown doll with a ceramic face. May seem terrifying to some but i live it and it just brings me a sense of calm.
Nice to finally meet Bebe 😘
Honestly, the comments on this video make me so happy and they definitely make me feel like I'm not alone. Thank you Aaron for making this video,and thank you to all the commenters!!!
I literally rock all the time and I have my fidget cube,spinners, my chewy lightsaber necklace, and other things. I bought these little penguin icepacks that are squishy if you don't freeze them and it feels so right and perfect to squish them. I kick my feet and chew oh my hoodie strings and sometimes chew on my fingers if I don't have my chewy necklace... I used to chew on my hair constantly and could never stop moving. I've been diagnosed with ADHD, but so many people (including autistic friends of mine, coworkers with autistic children, as well as my autistic brother) have suggested I get tested so I can get diagnosed as being autistic. I'm %99 sure that I'm autistic and was misdiagnosed as a child (seeing as I'm AFAB and all AFAB are pretty must raised not to cause a scene and things like that are ingrained into you) my parents always say that my brother and I are EXACTLY alike, but refuse to recognize the possibility that I might be autistic. :(
she's not terrifying, she's precious! This was a great review!
Omg I thought you were misgendering me for a minute and I was like I’M SORRY, WHOMST??
@@AaronAnsuini Your doll =)
I was showing my partner the scary looking doll and they went into the closet and took the same doll out
This made me realize that my blanket is actually a stim toy. I'm just now finding out about stims and I have ADHD and anxiety attacks. I have had this blanket since I was five and I'm now twenty nine lol. It's just as discolored as your doll and I also can't sleep without it. I wish I could find something else with the same feel of twenty four year old fabric lol. It's almost like as I grew over the years my stim changed with the blanket because old fabric has a unique smooth feel and you can't find it anywhere else. But as a child the new fabric of the same blanket was my stim. Very educational and helpful video. Thank you!
Hair ties are such a good stim! They're good to fidget with, and (at least for me) they're a good pressure stim too. Obviously don't wear one for too long or too tight.
Not an object stim- and I don't recommend it to people that have EDS or other things that can cause joint dislocation- but I flex my jaw. It's kind of like a chewing motion, but I don't let my teeth touch. I didn't even know I did it until a speech therapist in grade school pointed it out.
I take a fidget cube to school, and swing and bounce my leg almost constantly at school. I also kick the legs of my chair and knock my knees together and hum (I do it a bit like an alarm, between two pitches) and I find it very calming in class. Today was also the first day I took my noise cancelling headphones to school, I used them at break and lunch, and also when I was waiting to go into form, there was 2 classes waiting and it was very loud, so I put them on, and my friends asked about them and I said they were noise cancelling, and they carried on talking to me like usual, and didn’t treat me any different, or question me which I thought was really cool! I don’t have permission to use them in class yet, but I’m going to ask I think, I was allowed to use them in English as we were watching a movie and it was a bit overwhelming, my English teacher is awesome! Have a great day!
Harriet Grainger I use normal earplugs made out of foam or wax in almost all situations where I can't use headphones, because people might think I'm rude or not listening to them. If you have short hair or hair tied up, people will ask about them, but it's way more subtle than headphones.
Ally S yes, I sometimes wear earplugs secretly in class, but they look a bit like Bluetooth in-ear headphones, and I once got confronted in class about it by someone who doesn’t like me, once is shown the teacher they let me keep them in, but it was not a nice situation! And then I lost one of them, but they are definitely better for more discreet situations!
i have a fidget cube, a slow rising squishy, and a fidget pad thing that looks like a game controller thats i take to school! i normally leave the fidget cube in my locker, the fidget pad in my pencil case, and keeps the squishy on my desk. sometimes i play around with the duck. his name is big mac :) i have a lot of other stim toys but those are my favorites
Dan_04_g are the earplugs loop earplugs?
This is a video I didn’t know I wanted but now that it’s here I see I’ve wanted it all along. Aaron is so informative when he talks about mental illness and I usually send his videos to my friends who don’t understand why I do the things I do. Also I’m always here for a stim toy review.
OMG thank you so much for this video I'm literally flapping and rocking in excitement to see you sharing your stim toys and special objects!!
There can be so much stigma to relying on special objects to be just be okay and not overwhelmed, or to sleep, I still have a lot of trouble owning that for myself, even to my autie friends!
I feel like most people who use stim toys have one that's kinda personal. Like you have Bebe and I have a little lavender scented pouch of sea glass. I guess it's because it's a mix of sensory stimulation and comforting memories. I wanted to know if you've tried Tangles? They're one of my favorites and from what I've seen on Tumblr very popular in the autistic community.
A pouch of sea glass and lavender honestly sounds like the best stim
My best friend got me one of the Tangle toys and it gose everywhere with me. Its something that i find wiggles around so smoothly to help with keeping my focus off of what is giving me anxiety
Hey! I know this is off topic but I don't have any other social media accounts. I just want to say aaron that you are very sweet and valid and I care about you a lot. In light of recent news, I want to apologize on the half of people who have been rude to you. I will stick by you through it all.❤️
I don't know how to explain how validating it was to me when you brought out your doll, I've always been too ashamed to admit that I still sleep with my Puffy (short for puffalump, its a little mouse stuffed animal) let alone that I still stroke its ears to calm down. I have always found that the silky texture is very calming for me. Also don't worry that your doll is looking a little ragged, at this point Puffy has more holes sewn together then fabric left and it was white at one point though its been such a long time that its hard to remember what it looked like white. But back to the point, thank you for sharing that it really made me feel less insecure about my own 27 year old stuffed mouse.
We love you, Aaron. We support you. We are here for you. We will stand with you.
Your fav stim doll is not terrifying at all to me, I still have a stuffed animal I named "tigger" (not related to the real Pooh Tigger) and he's been my buddy since kindergarten, I rescued him from the "lost and found" and he's been there for me through EVERYTHING. No judgement from me here :) Thank you for this video, lots of fun textures, temperatures, feelings, and other things that work great for anyone of us who need some sort of distraction in stressful situations. You'll always be awesome in my book :)
Sometimes I forget that RUclips can be so informative. Thank you for making this great video.
I got my autism diagnosis today! This video is very well timed
"wow this feels great" idk why but that made me laugh a little
That bracelet is awesome. Sometimes i just go non-verbal and as I'm normally a very talkative person, people always ask what's wrong. Which means then I'm having to force myself to say just a word to try to get it let alone and it's so uncomfortable and kind of painful to talk then. Especially if it's not left alone and i have to make myself say more to get it left alone.
My bad chew stim habit was buying lollipops and chewing the stick at the end. No matter how much i was told to stop, i never did as it was comforting
It's so nice to see a youtuber exactly like me. I'm trans ftm, have selective mutism, and have several similar stims due to my ADHD. I am definitely subbing. Also, I love that I don't have to turn down my volume to watch your videos :)
i have adhd and when i'm laying down i rock back and forth in a way? and i've always done it , i didn't know why but i guess i do now!
Same when im happy ill rock side to side but when im sad it changes to back and forth idk how or when it started but it just is now lol
Thank youuuu. Stimming helps me concentrate, regulate emotions and stimuli I have no control over at the moment. Thank you for your videos
I love those twisty hairbands, they are the best!
I have a stuffed animal I can’t sleep without and I’ve had it since I was 2. It is my actual prized possession and honestly don’t think I could live a day without it. You aren’t the only one and it’s always okay to sleep with a stuffed animal or something like that.
Your doll looks like a Puffalump (made by fisher price iirc, I’ve seen them on ebay)- I had one when I was younger and she got lost in a move I think but I would stim with her all the time with the rattle and face especially
I know a lot of the time even identical replacements don’t come close to cutting it but figured I’d throw it out there as a just in case
I have a puffalump that I stim with and being 27 years old I do worry what I'll do if it ever truly falls apart. I have the same worry about getting a replacement, what if it doesnt feel the same and it also doesnt help that since the company went out if business in the 90s getting a replacement means spending 80 to over 100 dollars because they are considered collectors items now.
Yeees please review more stim toys! :D
I just love this video! I’m a retired special ed teacher and it’s great that so much more information about autism and disabilities in general. You are definitely sharing your knowledge in your videos along with your experiences and personality. Keep it up!
I wanted to see Bebe for such a long time!!! She is so cute 😍 I imagined her to be a much bigger doll 😅
We love you and believe you. 💗 we stan a wholesome plant 🙏💗💗
i used to LOVE those weighed sand filled toys when i was a kid !! i had so many lizards. i just always loved reptiles lol.
idk if you would want to but there is a person who fixes up dolls and stuffed toys that have been 'loved' into disrepair! Her website is realmsofgold.com and she gives estimates and doesn't fix anything you want to keep on the stuffed toy or doll beforehand :) By the same token, I also get the appeal of keeping the doll looking 'loved'!
I always have a D20 and a bit of string in my pocket. Never realized there was a word for my constant lifelong fidgeting. Very interesting video
the thing you said about stimming your whole life really hit home with me cause I am trying to get diagnosed myself and when i look back on my childhood i see all the specific mannerisms and things i did were actually just stims
Bèbè!!!!!!!! (Idk how to spell the name of your doll but I'm excited to see it :3)
OMG!!! The way you described liking cool things and hating sweating...that is me 100%! I've never met someone with the same problem!
It's really interesting to hear your stims. I know not everyone has the same stims, but it was really interesting to hear how different your things are from mine. It helped drive how the idea that for everyone it can be different.
Me, sitting here the entire time stimming with my toys: this video is perfect. Stimming is literally what helps me through the day
That bracelet looks awesome! My favourite stim is a tangle toy, specifically the kinda squishy one with bumps. I recently got two spinner rings and am loving them. I'd like to see more toys, and your videos are always so well articulated and informative!
I'm glad you don't have Bebe's severed hands in your pockets lmao. Love you Aaron
I'd love to see the rest of your stim toys! 💜💜
Leg bouncing is my rocking! If I’m not doing it my skin feels crawly and I can’t focus on anything. As far as physical stim toys, I really like smooth things that I can roll around in/wrap around my fingers, like beaded things and rings.
I’m so thankful for your content. Your videos have truly helped me come to terms with who I am and accept myself. I also love how you’re always super informative in your videos & I love that your trying to reduce the stigma of neurodiversity. So thankful to be a part of this community 💕
It makes me so happy going through the comment section and literally finding only wholesome comments :)
I am truly blessed to have the actual literal best people on the internet watching my content 💖❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Ur all the best
putty really helps me and my mom used to make stim necklaces i could chew on so that was great.
I remember having a handkerchief as a baby and rubbing it between two nails. For a long time I thought it was something bad but then I noticed my mom and grandmother having the exact same tic with their nails. These patterns are hereditary, it's so neat
I actually have two favorite stim toys that are equally my favorite. It's my teddy bear named Teddybear and my baby blanket which i named blankie. They've always calmed me and helped me to focus, especially when dealing with invasive thoughts.
I adore fidget cubes, the legitimate antsy labs one is fantastic. Durable, quiet, easy to carry.... Ahhh so good
I got one of those bracelets and a crab too!
My favourite is this non-sticky putty I found, I like to squeeze things and this is so good to squeeze. Gives me good brain tingles :)
amazing video, so explanatory, thank you, Aaron.
Your voice/videos are always so soothing. I can't even pinpoint what it is specifically that makes them so soothing, they just are.
I have two cat beanie babies that I have had since I was a child that I felt ashamed of when I started transitioning as well. Maybe I'll go find them when I get home from work.
Okay I love Bebe because I adore terrifying dolls tbh
I had that doll too! I remember she had like a silky tassel on her hat that I liked. Her name was Paprika!
Person with ASD, ADHD and EDS (and other things) here🖐️When you took out the crab i started looking at my "stimshelf" for my lizard and octopus that are the same type as the crab. And when you started talking about touching smooth cold stuff it sorta kickstarted a desperate need to find something cold and smooth since its something love too. I do alot of stimming things with my hands, when im having a bit to much sensory input i tend to rub them together. And im that person that loves touching weird textures that i find nice. Which sometimes include sandpaper. 🤔 So those weighted animals and cold smooth things rocks are some of the things i love.
I know I'm late to the draw but I always love your videos like this cause I always seem to learn why I did or still do the things i did growing up. The amount of times I've had meltdowns and done things considered weird due to sensory issues.
I’m so in love with Bebe! She’s awesome
I have the crab! Except mine is pink and purple. Stimtastic is a fabulous site!
I have the same crab from stimtastic! I love it, one of the best stim toys I own
I HAVE THE A SIMILAR FAVORITE STIM TOY. It's a teddy bear that was handmade by one of my grandma's friends for my brother so its also about 25 years old and its cloth is so smooth and cool I relate.
Great video as always! I was wondering if it would be an appropriate time to ask for more info about when/if the podcast is going to resume. I miss it so much and as awesome as the October spoopcasts are, it feels like it’s been a while since us sprouts got to listen to you and Chase just talk about everyday topics.
Anyway, I hope you have a great day! Same to all the limes/sprouts/bees!!
Lamb butt! I don't think Bebe is terrifying at all. I think it's sweet and wonderful that she helps you so much. ❤️
I love how you warned every one how terrifying the next thing was yet the first thing I thought was "Oh it's so cute" 😂
Then again I did have a year long special interest with porcelain dolls
Bebe is not creepy at all! She is lovely. Your little crab reminded me of a toy that I had when I was little and it made me overwhelmingly happy! :'-D
7:35 I used to play with these as a kid! I love them probably have loads in a draw somewhere
I just wanna say how proud i am for you keeping up with your schedule and im loving the content, even though im not autistic and idk if i have adhd, i struggle sometimes with senses i guess bc of anxiety and this is very important to me
I have a similar thing to Bebe, but I call it my comfort object. She is a stuffed rabbit named Sir Rabbit and she is heavy and soft and the inside of her ears is velvety and I love everything about her.
Hey Aaron, I would LOVE to see you make a podcast on your own (similar to ysb, with your own 'spin') independent from Chase and all of...that mess... ANYWAY! I really miss having you in my ears when I'm running!
Oh. I never heard anyone else talk about selective mutism before and i teared up. 💖💖💖 i struggled so much with it throughout my life but NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT
When I was a kid I had a little weighted plush of a rainbow lizard that I used to stim with because the fabric they were made out of was really smooth and they had a nice crunch to them when I chewed on them. sadly I chewed a hole in them and my parents made me through them away. Nowadays I primarily stim with an infinity cube that I made out of dice and denim from some old jeans
When I first started dating my girlfriend a year ago, I was so certain getting her some nice stim toys be the perfect gift, knowing she had autism. Though I quickly learned she doesn't use or like any physical stims, she instead likes to verbally stim. This normally is just her quietly whispering 'bababa,' but it also sometimes leads to her randomly yelling where ever we may be. That's certaintly been a challenge to get used to, but I like the insight of how neurodivergent people just have an absolute need to stim, either for dopamine or comfort as she really can't explain why she yells. She says she just has to. I still may get some of these for my own though honestly! So thank you
Great video, interesting topic. 🤗🤗🤗❤️❤️❤️
My 2 1/2 year old son just got diagnosed with autism. Certain behaviors he did previously just went over my head - like he chews the back of his rubber toddler forks (to the point the rubber is coming off) he also really likes to play with this rubber bracelet and this “ball” necklace , anyway thank you for going over the feeling of stimming. It’s kind of hard right now because he is non verbal and this is BRAND new for us ... We are at a hard position right now because of the unknown , even thought he says some words there is still a possibility of him being non verbal ... and ugh see ? I am going through some emotions right now. But thank you!
I hope you'll find a way to be there for him and how he needs you. I would say: just don't push him.. When feeling pushed it makes me wanna take the other route. Just knowing someone is there, no obligations is the key for me to come out of my shell.. Good luck!
Max Trans LGBTQ I will keep this close to me. Thank you 💙
If you could review some of the chewables from stimtastic or others from chewigem that would be great! I think especially stimtastic have some chewables that are really slim and made for light chewing or just sucking, also some of them are a bit more discreet (the tag, the dulcimer or the feather pendants) if that´s a concern
oh i actually think that bracelet would be good for my nephews... one gets overwhelmed pretty easily and his cousin can make it worse by asking if he’s okay when the best thing to do is just leave him alone, but he won’t answer because he’s so overwhelmed
I usually use hair ties or a bag filled with something squishy. I want to get one of those cubes sometime. I think that would be a good way to avoid my usual stim of biting and picking my thumbs.
I lowkey cried when you pull out your doll. I’ve also been using my teddy bear my whole life I didn’t know i was stiming but I would always rub my teddy bear (this might sound weird) while smelling it or biting it. I’m really glad I found you and knowing that I’m not the only one with similar problems.
ive followed you on twitter for a long time but i don't think i've ever watched one of your videos - your voice is super soothing and this was a really nice thing to watch!! really informative and also reminded me that when i'm stimming with my hands or hair ties people don't think much of it and that i'm just being paranoid
“Wow, this feels great!” Me when I finally let out a tic!
I got an ad! Also I am so happy you made this video I had no idea where to get stim toys other than toy stores
My favourite stim is silky ribbons. I rub them when I’m stressed or anxious or just cause it’s there and I need to do something with my hands. There are so many ribbons around my room that after I clean it I have a little pile of like 10😂 my mom said when I was a baby I would put my hand in the back of my sleepers and play with the silky tags and she thought it was cause they bothered me so she cut them out but then realized it’s cause I like the feeling
Ah! I was literally just thinking of your doll the other day! I was wondering what it looked like because I had a weird meltdown/shutdown thing and I had this coraline doll that just feels nice to hold and it reminded me of your doll.😅 Anyways, best video, 10/10, and have a good day!
OMG IT'S BEBE!
When I was little I use to steal the silk and satin edges off of every blanket in the house.
Thank you so much! I'm so excited for the video!!! 💜💜💜 I wanted to look closer at all the options when it comes to stimming and read up on it - this video is so well timed for me... 😅 Also, I am having a rough day, and 12 minutes of your calming voice is gonna make me feel so much better.💜🙈😊 (Now off to watch the video 😅)
My brother uses chewing as a stim a lot. And honestly gets in "trouble" for it constantly, cuz he uses plastic bottlecaps.
Until recently I did not know his chewing was a stim. since I know I try to be more understanding, while still telling him of the danger so thanks for making me aware of alternatives I can show him!
my favorite stim/fidget toy is the fidget cube. i don't have autism, but a panic disorder. i love the clicking of the switch, i know it drives ppl crazy so i try not to do it around others/not as fast so its not as loud. there's just something about the clacking sound and the physical feedback that calms me. also,the sensation of the little nubby buttons on another side pressing down is really nice, too.
that hairtie phonecord thing works for me, too. i have one clear one that i like to stretch and twist. it's my favorite "casual fidget" (ie something with a different use that i sometimes also use as fidget toy) bc when i twist it around itself,it has like the perfect number of loops so they align up in two rows. others sometimes don't and that bother s me s o much lol
I love the Chewigem bracelet, I have it too, but can't wear it anymore cause of my silver splints :') Yay for EDS/HSD. Stimtastic is really nice for chews too! They have relly soft ones (I love their UFO).
your voice is so soothing uwu
I got a free pop socket thing for my phone and put it on to try it out and I actually used it for stimming a lot because I could spin it around or spin my phone around while holding it. It was so great bc it was discrete I didn’t have to remember to bring it anywhere and I couldn’t lose it. Until it broke from me stimming with it too much 😅
I have a bear that I got when I was born and I still sleep with him 27 years later. I stim with him every night even though I’m neurotypical. I stim a lot with different things because I do have a little bit of sensory processing disorder. I like the bike chain links and spinners and of course, playing with my hair. But my bear, that is his name, is my best and favorite stim.
I would love to watch more stim toy reviews & videos. I have ADHD & I did not know a lot of the things I do habitually are categorized under stimming.
I have a blanket that I got I don’t know maybe 10 years ago. Maybe I’m way off I don’t know. But it’s literally like my most comforting/stemming it will almost aways calm me
These phone cord hairties are such a wonderful stim toy! I'm always a bit sad when I actually tied my hair up with one and can't stim with it lol. I also stimmed for as long as I can remember with also chewing on my hair as a kid for example. Everybody was weirdly accepting as in "Oh, I guess you just got a new tic now?", but at the same time expecting for me to be able to just stop doing it? When I wasn't even doing it consciously?
my mom gave me this skin cleaning thing and I haven't used it once for it's intended purpose. I use it because the bristles and bumps feel nice in my hand. it tastes really weird but I still chew on it anyways.
Thank you I have adhd and I wanted to see this to see which one would be good for me