What helps with sensory symptoms?

[Ziggysmum]

Hi

I was wondering what things people who have sensory symptoms have used to help? Or if anyone has used sensory tools to help them generally? My friend uses a lightbulb that changes colour and bought me one. However any dim light makes me irritable so I was wondering what other people have tried?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Things I could have in my hand helped. Things like a stress stone or one of those bobbly stress thingies.

I find Mindfulness helps, and part of it is to retrain how you interact with objects/foods with your senses so it can be applied to this also.

[debbsi]

I agree with mindfulness, it uses the senses, you choose which sense to concentrate on, whichever you feel comfortable with.
For auditory sense you could listen to calming music or sounds
For tactile use a stress ball etc
For olfactory use calming oils such as camomile or lavender
For gustatory drink herbal tea
Sounds like you might struggle with visual so avoid dim light as you said, I like bubble tubes but that might not be suitable for you
There are 2 other senses; proprioception and vestibular which are to do with balance and movement
It's a very individual thing, if you try something and it makes you feel agitated, don't use it again a way of regulating yourself again is simply to push against a wall with your hands.

[Ziggysmum]

Hi both

I didn't get notifications of a reply to this message so I apologise for not replying sooner. Thanks for the suggestions :)

@debbsi, I notice you're an OT, do you have much need to use these tools in practice?

[debbsi]

Hi
Yes I'm an OT I have had some basic sensory integration training for working with adults in mental health. I am only recently trained but will find it useful particularly when someone is feeling unsettled, a person can learn what unsettles them and develop a plan. There's a lot of ideas on the internet

[georgewing]

Well lets tell you a secret .The good things come with autosugestion ,for example if you think that a stone will help you the will help you .Just wear as tone with you and think that this tone will protect you and see what hapens