Tag / coping mechanisms

by Erin Nowicki

The Princess Chronicle vol. 7

Sensory discrimination is really how we define how we actually label the physical experiences we are having with our external world as well as even our internal.

Mim Ochsenbein, MSW, OTR/L 

This quote is from an amazing video I watched that further explains a little more what SPD is about. It’s only 10 minutes and I highly recommend you check it out!

SPD Covid Hacks 😉

**Here are my top four “hacks” that I wanted to share on how I’m helping myself to cope better during this pandemic. Some things might work better for you and some might not…if you have some of your own, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE share them in the comments below!**

  • Bandana or Wide Headband
    • Do face masks bother you? I know I can’t stand the feeling of them brushing against my face or how they pull on my ears. Obviously I still wear them but I have found that bandanas or wide headbands help me feel a little more comfortable. The deep pressure it provides as opposed to just sitting on my face definitely makes a difference.
  • Grocery List
    • You might already be an avid grocery list person…before Covid-19, I would rarely make one. Now, I really make it a point to have one, because I like to get in and out of that store as fast as I can. It also helps to have it organized by section, that way you can strategically make yourself through the store. I haven’t personally done this, but I know some grocery stores do a curbside pick up; so, that’s something you might want to try as well.
  • Foam Soap
    • Having to wash my hands more (see previous post), I’ve noticed that my least favorite part is the soap. I realized that I don’t dread it as much when I know there’s a foam soap as opposed to the slimy regular soap. 😉 Foam soap is a little more airy and not very textured which makes it less painful.
  • Hydration
    • This hack isn’t really a hack…it should be something we all are doing anyways, BUT, if you’re like me at all and HATE water, then this hack is for you. 😉 If I don’t hydrate, I notice that my face sweats more when I’m wearing a mask and that is a HUGE pain for me.
    • I have found that I like ice cold water better than room temperature. I will sometimes add frozen or fresh fruit (such as berries, lemons, strawberries) to my water to help cover the taste of the water. I also found that I drink more if I have my water bottle with me at all times and if I have a straw (I use a silicone or metal straw).

What You Missed Last Time

If you missed out on my last post, click the link ^^^^^ and check it out. I wrote about what it’s like to be living in this pandemic world as someone with SPD.

Guess What!?

I have some exciting news that I wanted to share with you!

You know how I really wanted to review products for you so you don’t have to? Well…. I have officially become an Affiliate for a company called Huggaroo. Huggaroo is this amazing company that sells weighted blankets and other wonderful products that can help people with SPD; and honestly, I think any person can benefit from their products- I know I sure have personally.

Being a part of their Affiliate program means that any product YOU purchase using my referral link, helps provide me with a 10% commission! Isn’t that killer?!

I do need to establish something with you- I vow to never ever ever become an Affiliate or sponsor for a company unless I 100% love the product and believe in it. Yes, getting a little extra cash so I can start buying more items to review for you would be so nice, but it’s not worth it to me if I’m not being honest with you or myself. Make sense? I also wanted to tell you that any money I make from being a part of the Affiliate program, I’m going to use so I can purchase other products to review for you, my readers!

My link will be on my Contact page.

by Erin Nowicki

The Princess Chronicle vol. 6

Today’s chronicle is filled with some coolio stuff! I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe while the Covid-19 Pandemic is happening!

Make sure to check out my next post where I will talk about how this pandemic affects someone living with SPD.

Peanut Butter Podcast

What an adorable name for a podcast, eh?! My friend Stasia invited me to be a guest on her show! The best part is that it was specifically for me talk about SPD!

When I asked her how I should describe her podcast for my bloggers- this is what she said,

Stasia interviews neat people about neat things for the benefit of all mankind.

How magical is that?!

I’d love for you to not only check out the episode that I’m on, but also make sure to listen to the other episodes she’s done-it’ll be a blast!

OH! I almost forgot to mention that Stasia is actually the artist who designed two blog logos! She’s just a magical, creative bean isn’t she?

Thank you SO much Stasia for interviewing and letting me spread the awareness about SPD and thanks for always making me laugh. ❤

What You Missed Last Time

I found this fun, little test to see if I have SPD. 😀 I recorded my answers and included a link for YOU to go do it. Even if you don’t have SPD, you should still go and see if you learn something new about yourself. If you do take the test, I would love for you to share what you got by leaving a comment!

Journal Entry

Within the past year, it came to my attention that my sensory processing disorder DOES affect my mouth. Now I’m not a picky eater and textures don’t bother me when it comes to food, so I always wrote off my mouth for not being affected by SPD.

One day I was reading through this SPD Facebook group that I follow. A post caught my attention when someone mentioned that their was kid having a really difficult time with brushing their teeth. I felt like a light switch in my brain turned on immediately.

So here’s the thing…I HATE brushing my teeth. It’s not that it hurts necessarily, but I always gag and even sometimes puke (TMI? haha…sorry). I never knew why and have tried all sorts of different toothpastes, which never helped.

Seeing this post helped me realize that the issue with brushing my teeth is most likely a symptom of my SPD. Unfortunately, the knowledge doesn’t really take away my problem, but it has allowed me to have grace towards myself through the frustration. Sometimes knowledge can make a difference when you have a struggle.

I’m A List Person

If you’re new to the The REAL Princess & The Pea story, welcome! I hope you were able to learn something new, felt understood and I also hope you know that you aren’t alone.

I enjoy writing lists, so I thought for our newcomers, I’d write one to explain some of the reasons why I write this blog!

  • First and foremost, I don’t want ANYONE to ever feel like they are alone in this struggle of living with SPD. SPD is still not super well known to most people, so it can feel isolating. I want this blog to be a place where you can come and get advice, perspective and comfort.
  • To bring awareness to others about SPD.
  • I love to write and when I find time, I really enjoy telling my story with SPD. (It also helps to clear space in my brain for other things in my life like writing music!) 😀
  • To help educate others about SPD…and honestly I’m learning too!
by Erin Nowicki

The Princess Chronicle vol. 5

Happy New Year (22 days late)! I hope all of my Unicorns had a magical holiday season and I hope you are ready for a great new year we have ahead of us.

I know I haven’t been on here in AGES, so I wanted to share with you why!

Sometimes the “Pea” wins…

Ever since I started this blog, I felt like I had the momentum, brainpower and excitement to write and share a glimpse into my SPD life. In November, after my last post, I ended up just dropping off the blogging map…but why?!

At first, I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t want to write about my SPD and why I was dreading to even think about my blog. After talking to one of my blog subscribers, I realized what the issue was.

Every week I was writing a new blog post, which meant throughout each week I was thinking of what I wanted to write about.

This in turn was causing my Sensory to actually flare up ALL THE TIME. Once I figured out that this blog was the “Pea” that was causing me to be in pain (remember, SPD revolves around the brain and the disconnect with the nervous system), I decided to take a break for a little. So, yes, I let the “Pea” win but I’m ok with it..because I’m baaaaaaack. 😀

–Game Plan–

Instead of focusing on writing one blog a week, I’m going to write multiple blogs at one time so then I can post them once a week. Less thinking time overall…so let’s see if that will help this Sensory Princess. Wish me luck! ☘

What You Missed Last Time

Do you want to know what it feels like for a person with Sensory Processing Disorder to take a shower three days in a row?

On my last blog post, I did an experiment for yall and I hope it gives some insight. Go check it out!

Imagine a sound technician working a soundboard like the one above, but he clearly has zero training.

Excerpt from The Body Is Not An Apology

If you have time, click on the link to go check out the full article where I got that excerpt. I had never heard that analogy about SPD before and it totally resounded with me because I am a musician. Let me know in the comments below what things stood out to you in the article!

Next Week’s Blog

I found a “Sensory Processing Disorder Symptoms Test for Adults” and I wanted to share my answers with you. Do you think it will tell me I have Sensory Processing Disorder? HA!

by Erin Nowicki

The Shower Experiment

For this next post, I wanted to do an experiment. If you didn’t know this yet: I can’t stand showers! So, this should be an interesting experience! At first I decided to take a shower every night from Sunday to Sunday while taking notes on how my body felt afterwards, but after three days I ended up having to stop because honestly, it was outrageously painful.

For the record, I’m not calling this a “failed experiment” because I don’t think that I failed at all. In my opinion, the experiment shifted a little bit and I can still share my experience with you- which was mainly that I can’t handle more than three days of showers in a row. :p

● Here are the notes I took after each shower from the 3 days ●

Shower 1

So far I’m feeling like I usually do, but I guess you don’t know what that means haha. Basically, my entire body experiences pain during and after the shower. When I’m done, it usually takes a while for my skin to calm back down. Currently, I am having to rub the pain away on my back, arms and legs. My feet aren’t bothering me today, which is nice. My hands aren’t feeling too soft either, which also makes me happy. In my book, soft is bad.

Shower 2

Ok, right off the bat, my hands are KILLING me. They feel super soft which is my worst nightmare. I did notice that in the shower, I felt like I couldn’t get the soapy feeling off which was annoying. My legs are also feeling uncomfortable. A positive observation is that my feet aren’t hurting as bad as my hands or legs.

Shower 3

My legs are in a lot of pain today. The softness of them hurts extremely bad, so I’m under a blanket with them individually wrapped in cozy blankets. Wrapping them tightly helps to instill that deep pressure which brings some relief. My hands are also pretty bad as well today. I need to get some gloves that have individual spaces for my fingers (currently I only own mittens at this juncture which won’t help the situation). My feet aren’t too bad, but I went ahead put socks on them as soon as I was out of the shower, because I didn’t want to wait and find out how bad they were going to hurt.

Some observations:

  • My back and stomach don’t seem to be a highlight of pain after that first day.
  • Deep pressure is a must.
  • Maybe I should wait until warmer months to try this experiment because the cold weather could’ve been a factor.

I’m so glad I did this and I’m not disappointed in the experiment only lasting three days. When it gets warmer, I will definitely attempt a full 7 day experiment. I will definitely have some different strategies on how to help cope more comfortably too!

Do you have any questions for me that I might have missed in this post? What are some ways you cope with your pain after a shower?

Please leave a comment below!

by Erin Nowicki

The Princess Chronicle vol. 4

I’m back from California! Wow, what a trip that was!! I had such a blast tagging along with Jon and his band, as well as hanging out with my in-laws.

After the tour, Jon and I were able to spend two days in Venice Beach just exploring, eating delicious food, relaxing and crossing things off our bucket lists. It was dreamy and pure magic.

Journal Entry

This last Sunday, as Jon and I were driving to church, there was a car behind playing music EXTREMELY LOUD. He had the bass cranked and oh my goodness, because of my SPD, it was hurting my ears so much.

We had to sit through two lights with this car behind is. I was starting to panic because it was hurting so badly. When I was about to break down, he actually pulled up next to us and I decided to do something about the situation.

**Now, let me set this straight- never in a million years would I have done what I did next… I honestly think because of me starting this blog and no longer being ashamed of my disorder is why I did this.**

I rolled down the window and waved him down, with a smile of course. With hand signals, I motioned for him turn down the music. —->

He turned his music down and asked what was up. So I kindly asked him if he could turn it down just a little bit because it was physically hurting me.

Honestly, I thought he wouldn’t care because it seemed like he wasn’t caring about anyone when he had his music so loud that it was affecting everyone…but he COMPLETELY surprised me!

He then responded with a sincere apology and said that he didn’t realize that it was painful. SAY WHAT!?

Sometimes people just aren’t aware of how things affect you and honestly, they might not ever be aware unless you advocate for yourself with kindness & confidence.

What You Missed Last Time

I had so much fun writing my last blog post, but if you missed it, click the link above to go check it out. I wanted to share my go-to’s when packing for an out of town trip as someone with SPD. If you have SPD, you probably have some go-to things that you bring to help ease your sensory while you are away from home. I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below!

In my packing list, you might’ve noticed that I mentioned something called “deep pressure.” The product they’ve created is pretty neat too…maybe I’ll try it someday. 😉 I wanted to send you over to an article that explains it in a good way. ⬇

Deep touch pressure refers to a form of tactile sensory input which is often provided by firm holding, firm stroking, cuddling, hugging, and squeezing.

Excerpt from Tjacket

Come back next week to read about how I attempted an experiment for my sensory and how I failed. 😀

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

The Princess Chronicle vol. 3

California here I come!!

On Thursday, I will be flying out to Cali with my hunky and his band, Flatfoot 56, for a week filled with music, adventure and of course other dreamy things.

This trip is super important to me because I have been dreaming of going to California ever since I was a kid. I’m so excited to check this off my Dream List!!!

All that to say, in honor of my trip, my next post will be a fun one for yall; I’m going to do a Sensory Processing Disorder Travel Packing List. Check back next week!

Bi-Weekly Journal Entry

I went rollerskating this weekend and had a bad fall. Luckily I had my helmet on, because it would’ve been brutal. My head has been killing me and my lower back is extremely sore.

Last night, Jon put some ICY HOT on my back and let me tell you…it was SOOOOOOO painful! Not only applying it hurt, but the entire hour after putting it on hurt, because I could feel the cream on every inch of my skin. It felt like little pinches and burns all over my back. Geesh.

For the record- I love rollerskating and definitely had a blast before I fell! SPD isn’t gonna stop me from going out again this week! 😉

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

-Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

I’m currently reading Little Women and I thought this quote would be perfect for today. Sometimes, I think SPD feels like a storm… and unending one at that, but I think there are ways to help manage the storm. I want this blog to be a place for you to come when you are ready to learn how to sail your ship.

One of my dreams is to start a review section, where I review different products, coping mechanisms, and really anything that might help you (and me) to learn how to sail our ship better. The goal for this is so that YOU don’t have to endure the pain of trying something blindly. I’m willing to do this and I want to do this. I want to see the world of SPD changed for the better. If you know any entrepreneurs or companies that would want to partner with me, please send them my way!

What You Missed Last Week

With SPD, rating pain accurately can be quite difficult. Last week, I talked a little bit about how I’ve managed to go about that. I even shared my most embarrassing story, so you want to make sure to check it out! 😀

I know that blogs can be daunting for some people, but that’s why I have a Twitter account! I want everyone to be able to have access to this blog. ❤

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!