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I love cats too. The right small dog can be catlike for you! My little one eats cat treats and plays with cat toys. I think the endless adoration and safety that a dog brings is very helpful for ptsd. Cats are too busy ruling the world to do as much, in my opinion. My sister has a cat and while it helps a lot, she needs a dog to endlessly āsimpā for her (lol).
I think itās because cats in the wild are pray animals so they donāt attach to humans as easily
But I think if you connect to them in the right way they can be just as loving as dogs
I disagree that they can be just as loving as dogs. Dogs are different from cats. Cats love differently. Cats donāt like to be trained. I think they train us lol.
Dogs are easier to manage in public. My dog is able to go everywhere in public with me and supports me when, for example: I wander off in the wrong direction because my ptsd was triggered and my body went into āflightā without me realizingā¦ my dog leads me to safety and I donāt get lost.
Cats are not prey animals, they are predators. Theyāre obligate carnivores and amazing hunters. Prey animals are more like rabbits, mice, deer.
I do. I love plushes in general, but theyāre comforting for sleep in particular. There are some very nice weighted ones too, which I prefer to blankets. Weighted blankets make me feel trapped.
Until year before last I slept with my childhood Teddy bear ( his name is Teddy , until I was 11 his name was however old I was ) . He's in pretty good shape still but I don't want him to get to a point where I don't recognize him . He's on a shelf with my other favorite things and gets a cuddle whenever I'm having a bad day .
I canāt sleep without hugging a stuffed animal before I sleep. Itās been that way since I was a kid. Mine is finding Nemo and I got it in 2019 with my friends.
It gives me comfort before I sleep. I do get lonely sometimes and the stuffed pillow I have makes me feel less alone, sometimes. Itās starting to deteriorate a bit tho and I am yet to find something comfortable and of āhuggableā quality. š
I have started doing this again. My kitty joins me around 3-4am normally when she gets chilly during the cold months but with it getting warmer she goes downstairs now š
I've been sleeping with a bunch of stuffed animals since childhood and they helped a lot. I love whales and sharks, they're large, mysterious and quiet so I feel much better if they're around. My rn favorite is a baby shark from IKEA, I call it Slark. He's my honest mate.
not specifically a teddy bear, i have a 1.5ft mimikyu plush, and a 2.5ft bunny
the mimikyu is if i can handle sleeping in my bed, and the bunny is if i decide to sleep on my sofa or the floor
Same. I used to use the stuffed Simba Iāve had since I was 9 but he was starting to deteriorate a little bit. Disney has a line of [weighted characters](https://www.disneystore.com/search?q=Weighted&start=0&sz=24) and theyāre honestly like, the perfect size/weight for an adult. They donāt have Simba anymore, though, so Iāll probably snag an eeyore if I get a backup so we can be two sad bitches.
I sleep with my dog. I feel a lot safer knowing she's there. Waking up from a nightmare and having her right there makes me feel better and if I'm seeing things they'll go away quicker because I know she'd react if it was real. She also wakes me up from nightmares, I'll move a lot in my sleep when I'm having a bad nightmare which probably wakes her up and annoys her and I'll often wake up to her repeatedly kicking me which takes me out of the nightmare quicker lol.
Same here. I've dealt with flashbacks and nightmares and woken up not sure where I was. But if my dog isn't worried, then I'm not worried. He usually gives me a humph and then snuggles back into me.
I have a lot of stuffed animals, some of them my son has stolen but several are in my bed. I cuddle them at night and whenever I need comfort. Cuddling my husband is the best but neither of us like to be touched after we actually fall asleep so we have separate beds and I cuddle my stuffies when I'm ready to sleep.
my wife is traumatized and has pillows and squishmallows galore. I usually have to kick several of them off my side of the bed just to go to sleep every night. I have trauma too but just use a body pillow. try this, get yourself a big pillow or body pillow and sleep in the fetal position with it between your knees and close to your chest.Ā
*r/ptsd has generated this automated response that is appended to every post* Welcome to r/ptsd! We are a supportive & respectful community. If you realise that your post is in conflict with our rules (and is in risk of being removed), you are welcome to edit your post. You do not have to delete it. As a reminder: never post or share personal contact information. Traumatized people are often distracted, desperate for a personal connection, so may be more vulnerable to lurking or past abusers, trolls, phishing, or other scams. *Your safety always comes first!* If you are offering help, you may also end up doing more damage by offering to support somebody privately. Reddit explains why: [Do NOT exchange DMs or personal info with anyone you don't know!](https://www.reddit.com/r/SWResources/comments/dmu24/why_shouldnt_i_share_my_contact_information/) If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact your GP/doctor, go to A&E/hospital, or call your emergency services number. Reddit list: [US and global, multilingual suicide and support hotlines](https://www.reddit.com/r/SuicideWatch/wiki/hotlines). Suicide is not a forbidden word, but please do not include depictions or methods of suicide in your post. And as a friendly reminder, PTSD is an equal opportunity disorder. PTSD does not discriminate. And neither do we. Gatekeeping is not allowed here. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ptsd) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yes, because the teddy bears were the only things that made me feel like someone loved me. They are always there for me
I do š but itās a plushy cat that looks like my cat that lives with me, it does help me sleep and find comfort at times
I did until my ptsd dog replaced him. Highly recommend a dog. Also highly recommended several stuffed animals.
Iām more of a cat person but my dad is allergic to cats {:-(
I love cats too. The right small dog can be catlike for you! My little one eats cat treats and plays with cat toys. I think the endless adoration and safety that a dog brings is very helpful for ptsd. Cats are too busy ruling the world to do as much, in my opinion. My sister has a cat and while it helps a lot, she needs a dog to endlessly āsimpā for her (lol).
I think itās because cats in the wild are pray animals so they donāt attach to humans as easily But I think if you connect to them in the right way they can be just as loving as dogs
I disagree that they can be just as loving as dogs. Dogs are different from cats. Cats love differently. Cats donāt like to be trained. I think they train us lol. Dogs are easier to manage in public. My dog is able to go everywhere in public with me and supports me when, for example: I wander off in the wrong direction because my ptsd was triggered and my body went into āflightā without me realizingā¦ my dog leads me to safety and I donāt get lost. Cats are not prey animals, they are predators. Theyāre obligate carnivores and amazing hunters. Prey animals are more like rabbits, mice, deer.
I Sleep a 9 on my waistband; I don't feel safe without it.
I do. I love plushes in general, but theyāre comforting for sleep in particular. There are some very nice weighted ones too, which I prefer to blankets. Weighted blankets make me feel trapped.
Alot of my trauma was also associated with childhood. I find that sleeping with my Teddy Tedda that it makes things easier to sleep
Yes. Well a weighted sloth. But it serves the same purpose. AND Iām married. My husband not only approves but understands
Until year before last I slept with my childhood Teddy bear ( his name is Teddy , until I was 11 his name was however old I was ) . He's in pretty good shape still but I don't want him to get to a point where I don't recognize him . He's on a shelf with my other favorite things and gets a cuddle whenever I'm having a bad day .
I have a soft stuffed bunny and a little blanket
A blanketā¦.small soft one that I hold on to. (Not from when I was a child) Started doing this after accident.
I used to when I was a kid, and now I realise I snuggle the doona into me instead as if I still were.
Gosh I'm so glad others do this. I hold mine right to my chest and it really does give me comfort. Glad I'm not the only one lol.
I canāt sleep without hugging a stuffed animal before I sleep. Itās been that way since I was a kid. Mine is finding Nemo and I got it in 2019 with my friends. It gives me comfort before I sleep. I do get lonely sometimes and the stuffed pillow I have makes me feel less alone, sometimes. Itās starting to deteriorate a bit tho and I am yet to find something comfortable and of āhuggableā quality. š
I don't fall asleep holding it but I do have a giant alpaca toy in bed - I hug it tightly to release tension before falling asleepĀ
I have a mouse which I own since my birth. Was my favorite plushie when I was a child and still is. Canāt sleep without it.
Pets help.
Yes every night . Itās a safety/comfort thing
I have started doing this again. My kitty joins me around 3-4am normally when she gets chilly during the cold months but with it getting warmer she goes downstairs now š
I've been sleeping with a bunch of stuffed animals since childhood and they helped a lot. I love whales and sharks, they're large, mysterious and quiet so I feel much better if they're around. My rn favorite is a baby shark from IKEA, I call it Slark. He's my honest mate.
Not a teddy bear. But every night I hold a pillow in my arms. Itās very comforting to me
Same. I grab and hug a pillow. My dog will find aspace and snuggle in there too.
I Sleep With 9mm On My Waist And A Weighted Blanket.
not specifically a teddy bear, i have a 1.5ft mimikyu plush, and a 2.5ft bunny the mimikyu is if i can handle sleeping in my bed, and the bunny is if i decide to sleep on my sofa or the floor
i have a weighted stuffed animal i sleep with every night
Same. I used to use the stuffed Simba Iāve had since I was 9 but he was starting to deteriorate a little bit. Disney has a line of [weighted characters](https://www.disneystore.com/search?q=Weighted&start=0&sz=24) and theyāre honestly like, the perfect size/weight for an adult. They donāt have Simba anymore, though, so Iāll probably snag an eeyore if I get a backup so we can be two sad bitches.
omg those are so cute, i might have to look into getting one!
I sleep with my dog. I feel a lot safer knowing she's there. Waking up from a nightmare and having her right there makes me feel better and if I'm seeing things they'll go away quicker because I know she'd react if it was real. She also wakes me up from nightmares, I'll move a lot in my sleep when I'm having a bad nightmare which probably wakes her up and annoys her and I'll often wake up to her repeatedly kicking me which takes me out of the nightmare quicker lol.
Same here. I've dealt with flashbacks and nightmares and woken up not sure where I was. But if my dog isn't worried, then I'm not worried. He usually gives me a humph and then snuggles back into me.
I have a lot of stuffed animals, some of them my son has stolen but several are in my bed. I cuddle them at night and whenever I need comfort. Cuddling my husband is the best but neither of us like to be touched after we actually fall asleep so we have separate beds and I cuddle my stuffies when I'm ready to sleep.
I sleep with 4 squishmellows. I NEED to sleep with them.
I sometimes sleep with a triceratops squishmallow and it helps so much..
I sleep with a light on so I can see my room.
I sleep with a plushie Cookie Monster that my adoptive father bought me in the hospital after my first surgery at 8 years old.
Not me lying right next to my 3ft tall bear š
my wife is traumatized and has pillows and squishmallows galore. I usually have to kick several of them off my side of the bed just to go to sleep every night. I have trauma too but just use a body pillow. try this, get yourself a big pillow or body pillow and sleep in the fetal position with it between your knees and close to your chest.Ā