All about the ‘long hug’

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This post is going to be a little odd. I’m sharing something I’ve been doing to help me start my day… but it’s very much a new thing and I’m not entirely sure how it works.

In a nutshell… I find it very tricky to get my brain to ‘boot’ in the morning. I tend to wake up quite derpy & floaty. Getting into my first monotropic focus tunnel of the day can take hours. I know this sorta thing is pretty common for other Autistic / ADHD / Neurodivergent folks like me.

I’ve recently discovered a little trick that seems to help me boot faster and start my day far more smoothly. I block my hands.

Blocking my hands?

Yeah… I know.

Essentiallly, I set a 45 minute timer and do something which stops me from using my hands. For example, giving Lion a long hug, holding a sensory toy, fidget toy or wearing mittens / gloves etc.

As long as it stops me using my hands it seems to work.

While I wait out the 45 minute timer my brain goes a little bit everywhere.

I might think about stuff I’m doing that day, stuff I did yesterday, people I’d like to chat to, games I’d like to play. All sorts. Sometimes it’s very quiet & I get absorbed into the sensory experience instead.

By the end of the ‘long hug’ I’ve built the momentum to bounce off and start my day

Okay… why?

I haven’t a clue why this seems to work. I have some theories, but it’s very early guesswork at best.

It might work because it stops my brain from ‘doing a thing’ and gives it time to process what’s happening.

I suspect ‘what I’m thinking about’ isn’t the important bit… the important bit might be what’s happening in the back of my brain where stuff is being ordered, sorted, filtered and decided. Working out what to do first is a pretty complex task and this seems to make it easier

It might also work because the restriction forces simplification & makes me feel safe. Its enjoyable in its simplicity. Even the boredom can be enjoyable. It’s very comfy in bed.

Sometimes it’s improved by listening to an audiobook or gentle kids TV show other times I just want it to be quiet.

Importantly, I don’t let myself change the choice once I’ve started. Taking away the ability to second guess myself stops me from spending the whole time trying to ‘optimise’ what I’m doing.

I’m pretty sure this all relates to monotropism… but I’m not sure how yet.

Final thoughts

I’m sharing this little ‘thing’… because it’s been useful to me.

It was an accidental discovery. My room was super cold one morning, so I popped my thick winter bike gloves on while I was snuggling Lion.

I also happened to have a 45 minute timer running to remind me to take some antibiotics. The two things combined in a really surprising way.

I haven’t a clue if this works for other people, but I figured I’d share it incase it does.

I’m going to keep experimenting and see where it goes. If you give it a try, please let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear if it works for you!.

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Spaced Out & Smiling is about exploring the fun side of Autism, and trying to understand what it means to be Autistically Happy.

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Jamie: @JamieKnight
Lion: @Lickr