Neurodivergent distress coping

I made this christmas tree decoration on a night I was really struggling:

Now that’s not a brag. It was actually completely the wrong coping mechanism – it lead to my becoming so distressed I toppled my Christmas tree! No damage done, to me or the tree, so nevermind but still. Trees are not playthings!

So I had to rethink the ways I was trying to cope: too much tv, crafting, distraction.

What I needed:

• stimming
• sensory items like my weighted blanket
• lava lamp
• radio music
• spotify music
• taking a break from christmas
• opposite action: opening some of my own presents that I’d bought for myself/one my mum got for me
• radically accepting
• a little clock for my kitchen so I could be aware that time is passing
• engaging in special interests – and strewing them around the room for a low demand way to spark interest

Using these methods has helped me work better with the home treatment team. With good communication about my being autistic and PDA with them, they did an excellent job of adapting their approach, and I’ve impressed a lot of them.

You can cope with distress and crisis as a PDAer – you just need to work with your brain and not against it!