My first entry; a blog post on the importance of having a sensory space when you have Asperger Syndrome.
Overstimulation. I don’t know of anyone on the spectrum who doesn’t deal with this, and when left alone, it can lead to a meltdown fairly quickly. For me, there are times I still melt down but one thing that has helped immeasurably has been creating a sensory space. For me, it is in my office. I have a tag I hang on my door to let everyone know I need sensory time. I keep my projects in here, as restoring furniture is my catharsis, but I also have a weighted blanket, an eye mask, black curtains, earplugs, and lots of sensory equipment (Stress balls, foam pillows, things I can safely squeeze, hit, throw, etc).
I can’t put into words what this space means to me or what it means for my family and my ability to lead a normal life. Even if you have to create sensory space in your bedroom, create it somewhere and create a signal to those in your house that you need time alone, uninterrupted. The value is really beyond words, even if you really use it… and that’s the thing. With a quiet space where you can decompress with some regularity, you will see a huge decrease in how often you need to use the space to prevent meltdowns.
Just my two cents, but I highly recommend it.