Tag / anxiety

by Erin Nowicki

Packing List- SPD Style

For someone diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, going on a trip away from the comforts of home can be stressful. Now, I love to travel and I find it exhilarating, but that’s because I make sure to be prepared.

This list I’ve compiled is specific to my needs, but I bet some of them will be helpful for you:

1. Compression Socks

I would say this is the most important thing to bring. My feet are the most sensitive part on my body, so making sure I have a good pair of socks is clutch. When traveling, I never know what kind of sheets I will be sleeping on; having socks makes sure to protect my feet from any uncomfortable textures as well as giving me deep pressure. Compression socks are the best choice not only for sleeping, but they also help if I get overloaded with my sensory.

2. Superman Blanket

I get cold easily which in turn spikes my SPD so I always make sure to bring my superman blanket. I’ve had it since I was in high school (I think) and it’s gone with me all over the world. It’s a kid size blanket and the texture isn’t too bad, so it’s perfect for travel.

3. Hoodie

You never know if it’s going to rain (because rain=needles for me) or be chilly so I make sure to always bring a hoodie. Of course I bring a cute one but it also needs to be comfy. 😉

4. PJ Pants

Like I mentioned with the socks earlier, I don’t ever know ahead of time whether or not I’m going to be comfortable where I sleep. Making sure I have comfortable PJ’s at least protects my skin for the most part from uncomfortable fabrics.

5. Fingernail Clippers

If I let my fingernails grow out too long, it really triggers my sensory in my hands. I can’t stand the feeling after I take a shower and I have long fingernails. I get the chills just thinking about it now. So, before a trip, I always cut my fingernails. I still bring the clippers just in case for some reason I didn’t cut my nails well enough or if I accidentally break one. A broken fingernail is a no-no for this sensory princess.

6. Baby Wipes/Dry Shampoo

I never know what the water will feel like in the different places I travel to. If it’s too soft, I will most likely not take a shower more than once when I’m at that location. So, that’s where the baby wipes and dry shampoo come in. The wipes help keep me somewhat fresh and the dry shampoo tames the hair.

7. Shaving Cream

Shaving cream comes in really handy if I really have to take a shower and the water texture brings me a lot of pain. When I’m ready to get out of the shower, I wash my hands with the shaving cream. It helps take away the soft feeling of water or shampoo/conditioner from my hands. It’s been a lifesaver!

8. Lavender Oil

Sensory overload happens and can feel like you can’t get away from the pain. Something that I’ve adapted into my packing list the past couple years is Lavender Essential Oil by DoTerra. Lavender is a natural calming agent, so I’ll put a little on my neck and it helps remind me to take deep breaths and calm down. I won’t put it on with just my fingers because the texture of oil actually hurts my skin too, so I use a cotton swab or tissue.

Another thing this oil helps with is mosquito bites. You never know if you are going to get bit on vacay! No one likes a mosquito bite, but add a sensory disorder on top of it which makes the pain even worse. Thankfully, lavender takes away the itching which in turn takes the extra pain away too.

9. Chapstick

Traveling via car or plane, it’s inevitable that my lips will get extremely dry and chapped. If I get stressed out, I tend to pick at my lips, so chapstick is a must bring.

10. Converse

My favorite pair of shoes are my raspberry pink colored, low top Converse. When I was in high school, my mom bought me my first pair. When those died, she got me another pair. 😀 Thanks Mom!

I bring these specific shoes because they are comfortable, provide my feet with deep pressure and are reliable. If it rains, these shoes hold up very decently, which is helpful for me because I don’t particularly like my feet getting wet if I don’t have to.

Alrighty, that’s my list! I hope you enjoyed it! If you have any packing musts, please share them in a comment below! I’d love to see if any of your things would be helpful for me too! 😀

by Erin Nowicki

Fairytale or Not?

You probably know the story about the princess and the pea, but I bet you didn’t know that it is the most relatable fairytale for someone with Sensory Processing Disorder. Before I go any further, I want to establish exactly what SPD is, especially for those of you don’t know what it is. 

STAR Institute defines SPD like this: 

Sensory processing (originally called “sensory integration dysfunction” or SID) refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses.

To simplify this definition:

The “telephone wire” between your nerves and brain is disconnected somehow, which means, that your brain is being told that, for example, putting on clothes is painful- even though you know that it shouldn’t hurt. 

So…back to our fairytale. I remember reading the part of the story where the princess comes to the breakfast table and is absolutely exhausted because there was a small bump (aka the little green pea) that was bothering her all night. I remember TOTALLY relating to her and knowing exactly how she feels. The thing that people find funny and unbelievable is that is has to be “impossible” for a pea to cause pain. That is where they are wrong…this fairytale is not just about my life, but many many other people’s lives who live with Sensory Processing Disorder.

I wasn’t diagnosed with SPD until I was a Sophomore in high school. For many, many years, I got made fun of by “brilliant” doctors who didn’t believe me when I said that I hurt every time I touched something or something touched me. They would always laugh in my face and say that I was crazy and that I was being a drama queen. 

I will never forget the day that my mom and I were told that we weren’t crazy. We both looked at each other and just started sobbing. To have that knowledge that I wasn’t crazy and that I wasn’t making it up made me feel liberated. The doctor who diagnosed me was an occupational therapist who specialized in SPD in Autistic children. See, almost every person with Autism has SPD, but what most people don’t know is that there are tons of people without Autism that have severe cases of SPD (like me) as well.

The thing is, as an adult, there aren’t any reading materials that focus on being an adult with SPD. Most of the material focuses on kids with Autism that have SPD. Also, the support groups I’ve found on social media for adults with SPD, don’t really help either-or really I just haven’t had any success with feeling supported on those platforms. All that to say, I really want this blog to be a place where you can come to for advice, stories about my life while living with SPD, coping mechanisms, inspiration, knowledge, support, etc…

Now, I am a dreamer and have many dreams, but one of my ultimate dreams is to partner with an occupational therapist who specializes in SPD and write a book that is geared for adults living with SPD (whether or not they’ve been diagnosed with it). Maybe that will happen one day, but for now I will start with this blog.

**Disclaimer**

I will be excruciatingly honest about certain aspects of living with SPD and I will not hold any details back no matter how personal they are. Life can be REALLY tough when living with SPD, but if someone doesn’t write about those details, then people aren’t going to be changed for the better- and I don’t want ANYONE to feel the way I felt, because YOU ARE NOT CRAZY!