Weighted Blankets.. Thinking about convincing my GF about getting one

BayB8 · Mar 15, 2016

Ever since I was little I always like, and slept better when I had pressure on my legs and feet as I slept. When I was younger I would take and extra pillow or two and place them on my feet. I liked it. I still do that every once and a while.

I was thinking about looking into getting one but here is my predicament.

I know that these types of sensory objects, in this case Weighted Blankets are used in Special Education, for Autistic children or what have you. That doesn't apply to me, I just am a very sensory oriented person. Now, My girlfriend is a EEE, Special Educator Preschool teacher and she uses weighted Lap pads and such for a child or two sometimes. The few times I brought up the conversation, not just this one, I don't know. Maybe she feels weird about it or something because she works with children with needs that use the same. Its the same thing with the whole fact that I'm ABDL and I like to wear diapers. She sometimes has a hard time because she works with kids everyday who, some not all, are still in diapers, many because they have a need for them.

I don't know how to pursue the subject. She thinks I bring it up because of this site and I heard about them from here and its connected to being ABDL, but honestly its not really. What do you guys think? suggestions about how I could talk to her about it.. I am thinking of taking an extra blanked and folding it over my feet/legs tonight. I just don't want to her feel weird or awkward.

PS: Not sure where I should have posted this, so I hope this is an okay spot. I chose what I thought was best fit.

aspie · Mar 15, 2016

weighted blankets are very good for those who have autism or sensory processing disorder

BayB8 · Mar 15, 2016

aspie said:
weighted blankets are very good for those who have autism or sensory processing disorder

I know that. I don't relate to those but I have always enjoyed it. I just don't know how to get around her connecting her job and me.

Akastus · Mar 15, 2016

BayB8 said:
I know that. I don't relate to those but I have always enjoyed it. I just don't know how to get around her connecting her job and me.

TBH, it sound as though she has fallen into the dangerous intellectual trap of trying to draw a rigid distinction between the people that she helps - children with severe mental issues - and everyone else. A distinction that does not exist. As though she can cope with severely Autistic children, but not a boyfriend who may have some mild Autistic tendencies.

If you are relaxed/comforted by weighted blankets, then who is to say that you don't have a mild sensory processing disorder? Shouldn't she be sympathetic to that? Does she believe that techniques that are used to treat mental disorders should be exclusively reserved for those who exhibit the severest forms of those disorders? If it genuinely relaxes you, and helps you to sleep, what possible moral right does she have to object? It's not as if there is a finite supply of them - economics does not work that way.

To make an observation, it seems that there is much more compassion extended to those whose mental issues make them unable to function in society, than to those who can function, but have issues. Or perhaps in the former case, it's merely pity, which isn't the same thing as compassion at all.

BayB8 · Mar 15, 2016

Akastus said:
TBH, it sound as though she has fallen into the dangerous intellectual trap of trying to draw a rigid distinction between the people that she helps - children with severe mental issues - and everyone else. A distinction that does not exist.

If you are relaxed/comforted by weighted blankets, then who is to say that you don't have a mild sensory processing disorder? Shouldn't she be sympathetic to that? Does she believe that techniques that are used to treat mental disorders should be exclusively reserved for those who exhibit the severest forms of those disorders? If it genuinely relaxes you, and helps you to sleep, what possible moral right does she have to object? It's not as if there is a finite supply of them - economics does not work that way.

To make an observation, it seems that there is much more compassion extended to those whose mental issues make them unable to function in society, than to those who can function, but have issues.

If I did have a sensory issue, I dont know what it is.. Does someone have to have a sensory disorder to be relaxed by it?

I don't think she means negativity.

Akastus · Mar 15, 2016

BayB8 said:
If I did have a sensory issue, I dont know what it is.. Does someone have to have a sensory disorder to be relaxed by it?

I haven't the slightest idea. I'm just saying that if you are relaxed by a technique that is known to be very effective at relaxing people with sensory processing disorders, then you shouldn't rule out the possibility that you have one. And neither should she.

aspie · Mar 15, 2016

many people who have a Sensory Processing Disorder do not know they have it. They may be under sensitive to a specific stimuli or over sensitive to a specific stimuli.

The Only reason I bought it up is because many people with an ASD respond to pressure therapy as a method to calm them down.
It has been theorised that all sentient animals that poses intelligence have a degree of autism to one point or another.

Weather that is true or not, I can not say.

dogboy · Mar 15, 2016

From what I see in your post, she also has a problems with you wearing diapers? I think there's the heart of your problem. She's having trouble accepting the whole AB/DL thing. The weighted blanket is just a part of the greater whole. I think you need to give her more time and hope that she becomes more accepting. Diaper wearing and identifying with being little is a lot for most people to process, but many do when given enough time.

Tetra · Mar 16, 2016

I have a little brother who we adopted each other and he is an aspie and has sensory processing issues and is in to straps,belts ,weighted blankets all that stuff and i made his lifetime by getting him a radiologist lead apron for him for Chrisrmas, he loves to sleep with it on him and when he is up in his chair i got him a NIJ Level III vest thats what i wear because my town has at least 1500-2000 shots fired calls and my town is little compared to Chicago where he is ,i can not imagine how many calls they get so he is super comfortable with the weight and i also know that if a stray round finds him its gonna give him a nasty bruise but he will survive.so if you have sensory issues i can not tell you how kuch happiness that blaket will bring you, so go get it,if nothing else you can be under the covers with the other half and just cover yourself with the weighted one.

BayB8 · Mar 16, 2016

dogboy said:
From what I see in your post, she also has a problems with you wearing diapers? I think there's the heart of your problem. She's having trouble accepting the whole AB/DL thing. The weighted blanket is just a part of the greater whole. I think you need to give her more time and hope that she becomes more accepting. Diaper wearing and identifying with being little is a lot for most people to process, but many do when given enough time.

She did at first, but we made compromises and things have gotten better in general. It's a work in process, just every time I bring up something new, it's like starting over sometimes depending on what it is

caitianx · Mar 16, 2016

Being Autistic myself, I pile my heavy wool blankie on top of me, and it calms me down.

BayB8 · Mar 16, 2016

I actually mentioned it to her last night and a little bit today, and she is taking it way better than I thought. Maybe its just the fact that I always think the worst out come.

out of curiosity, how would I know wqhat is a good weight. I see it says 10% of body weight for kids and 5-10% for adults.. last time I checked I was 153. Should I go 15lbs, or should I got like 12lbs

northlite98 · Mar 16, 2016

Well if she sleeps with you. Maybe go for one based on the lighter weight.

BayB8 · Mar 16, 2016

northlite98 said:
Well if she sleeps with you. Maybe go for one based on the lighter weight.

The One I was looking at really only fits one person, 38" X 50"

Trevor · Mar 16, 2016

BayB8 said:
The One I was looking at really only fits one person, 38" X 50"

If it's one person, I don't see where your girlfriend has any room to complain. It's really about you and your comfort in sleeping. I'm all for being inclusive but I don't think this would even necessitate a conversation unless it was somehow so expensive that it was a shared purchase.

BayB8 · Mar 16, 2016

Trevor said:
If it's one person, I don't see where your girlfriend has any room to complain. It's really about you and your comfort in sleeping. I'm all for being inclusive but I don't think this would even necessitate a conversation unless it was somehow so expensive that it was a shared purchase.

I just ordered one. She actually was perfectly fine..

dogboy · Mar 16, 2016

It sounds like things are working out which is good. Sometimes it just takes time for someone to get used to new ideas. I can understand that.

LittlePony · Mar 16, 2016

BayB8 said:
I actually mentioned it to her last night and a little bit today, and she is taking it way better than I thought. Maybe its just the fact that I always think the worst out come.

out of curiosity, how would I know wqhat is a good weight. I see it says 10% of body weight for kids and 5-10% for adults.. last time I checked I was 153. Should I go 15lbs, or should I got like 12lbs

I have a weighted blanket that fits one person and is about the size of a twin mattress give or take. It's 20 pounds and it works well for me. I honestly think that 20 pounds isn't enough for me; I'm 200 pounds.

littleboyof40 · Mar 17, 2016

I never used a weighted blanket. My wife's mother is a psychologist for kids with Austimn. I don't have autsimn but have an anxiety disorder. In addition to weighted blankets, she recommends swalding (not sure that is spelled right) the kids when they have a nervous break down. My wife has done this to me a few times at night, it feels great and I am really bad with my anxiety and can't fall asleep. Just a thought.

LittlePony · Mar 17, 2016

littleboyof40 said:
I never used a weighted blanket. My wife's mother is a psychologist for kids with Austimn. I don't have autsimn but have an anxiety disorder. In addition to weighted blankets, she recommends swalding (not sure that is spelled right) the kids when they have a nervous break down. My wife has done this to me a few times at night, it feels great and I am really bad with my anxiety and can't fall asleep. Just a thought.

Being swaddled is great, it feels amazing!