Do You Worry Objects or Stuffed Animals Have Feelings?

Many of us get attached to stuffed animals or cute objects. But what if we thought those objects had feelings and it was our job to keep them safe?

When you add anxiety or OCD into the mix, it could become a full time job.

It can impact your sleep. What if I roll over them?
It can impact your fun. How are they when I’m not home?
It can impact your clutter. I can’t throw them away?

It can impact your life.

What was meant to be an entertaining or cuddly object, has now become a huge burden.

So how do we help ourselves let go of this responsibility?

That’s what I cover in this week’s Youtube video. I talk about how this love for stuffed animals and cute objects can be hijacked by anxiety or OCD. I talk about why it’s important to work on this issue and how to get started.

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This video is made for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice.

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[psyche]

Maybe this is embarrassing, but I’m gonna say it anyways, especially for those out there with unhealed trauma, autism, or are just having a similar experience.
I’m an 18 y/o struggling with multiple panic/anxiety disorders including ocd. This manifested incredibly as I’ve been collecting stuffed animals with a kid. But whenever they had to be donated I had to be consoled for hours. When I had to move them out of my bed bc I had too many, my dad had to convinced me they’d be okay or give them small towels as blankets. I’d give myself knots in my backs so they could sleep comfortably.
I never grew out of this compulsive need to personify them and take care of them. It’s gotten to the point where lately I’ve been googling “why do I feel like my stuffed animals hate me” because I feel like I’m not doing enough for them or I gross them out or that they’re disappointed in me.
As much as this video made me want to angry-cry because I felt insulted, I know she’s right (which actually makes me mad in a way?)
Anyways, I’m going to try these suggestions out. I don’t think I can be mean to them outright (I feel like one of them has low self-esteem) but I’ll talk to the bunch of stuffed animals by setting boundaries and telling them what I’m going to work on. They can be real for a little bit while I start, but I can’t let them be real for forever. I don’t want to suffer by thinking about them in such a motherly light anymore

[Gina-sivk]

Yes!!!! 👏🏼 Thank you for making a video about this. Anxiety / OCD runs in our family and I didn’t know all the ways it manifested itself in each one of us. I can see this clearly and so much more with my daughter who worries about her dolls and stuffies so much to my 84 year old Aunt who can’t throw away any cards or papers and it’s turned into hoarding. Thank you that I can share this video with my family ❤️. I appreciate all that you do!!!

[jbynum]

My daughter recently has been telling me that objects let her know when they are sad. Then for Valentines we got her a chocolate puppy as her candy. She literally said, "I am not sure I can eat this; I don't want to hurt its feelings." This is when I knew it was more than just imagination. The timing of coming across this video is perfect!! Thank you!

[chantalpaquette]

Those are the reasons why I sometimes wished that I’ve never watched Toy Story. Thanks for the help

[carrieanderson]

Wow! I just recently discovered I have OCD and realized that this was an early sign I remember from my childhood! Amazing to know I’m not alone!

[carinaluxford]

This issue is one which I haven't heard talked about before or which I realised forms part of OCD behaviour. Thank you Natasha, that's very helpful!

[KraftyKreator]

I think this depends on why you have a stuffed animal. I have heard stuffed animals are perhaps a sign of trauma. And these little guys are there to give you comfort. If obviously they give you distress more than comfort than yes that’s an issue but I feel some of us have a good balance and I’m keeping my lil buddy Harry, my build-a-bear dog. He’s beat up and I’ve had him for 13 years but to be loved is to be changed. I also don’t think I have OCD but apparently I have anxiety. Things aren’t perfect but he is such a comfort to me, I wouldn’t dare abuse him or anything. I am 47 and can’t imagine not having stuffed animals. Yes my boyfriends knew all about my lil buddies.

[thanosame]

I have anxiety and I'm very attached to my stuffed animals. I have way too many (to the point that they fill up my closet and are in bins in my basement). But today, I decided to donate many of them with my parent's help and I feel so much better. I still feel bad for them, and I have many more that I haven't donated yet, but I managed to do a lot. This made me feel so much better now that I know I am not alone.

[iwrotehaikuz]

My whole entire life, I've felt this way with both stuffed animals and objects with "wholesome" cartoons or characters on it. e.g. ; lets say there's a cereal box with a cute cartoon animal or cute cartoon and lets say theres fighting & swearing in the house. I worry for the characters/cartoons and feel in my heart they look so "pure and kind and wholesome" that they shouldnt have to see or hear this and in my mind i think, "what if this is scaring them?" I've felt this way since I was a child (I'm now 25 yrs old) and even as a kid, when someone would yell or swear id cover my stuffed animals ears and hold them & worry about them. Ive always wondered why i think like this. I've never met anyone else who has thoughts like this, I thought I was just crazy.

[janielongo]

Natasha I really enjoy your videos. They are so helpful.

[SerendipityArtandGaming]

This could help…I always worry about this, and even a lot worry that they will get mad and things like that. Like my dolls will try to kill me….yeah I’m tired lately bc of insomnia and chronic fatigue

[Raquel_Incorporated]

First time coming across this, I didn't realise it was an anxiety/OCD trait. I always used to personify toys as a kid and I find I still struggle to throw something away if it has a face on it, even if it's just a post it with a hand drawn smiley on it. Really interesting, thanks!

[janer.]

Thank you, it has been hard but I have been incrementally purging my plushies from when I was a kid last few years. Recently I have been helping my sister who is a hoarder Purge her and her teenage son's things and I ran into a Build-A-Bear she didn't want to throw away because she thought it was sentimental for her kids I what not. But it actually caused me to grieve throwing out a Build-A-Bear I received in high school and getting obsessive thoughts about it. I can't say I handled it perfectly but I did feel some comfort and navigated some of the nagging guilt that came up.

[cosmic-ish]

I was looking for something completely different, but yes. Yes I do.

[haliegray]

I worried only because my anxiety pushy talked about itself, and I was so scared

[LesterRivers-jduj]

I do worry about my stuffed animal. I don't want anything to happen to elmo, elmo is my best friend. If elmo got hurt, I would cry for a long time 😭 and then I would help him and do everything I got to save him he is my best friend, and elmo keeps me safe from the boogeyman and he go to the potty room with me and my babysitter to help my babysitter change my pull-up diapers and I am a special need baby boy

[Kains_sword]

Solution. I found that

Get a dog .
Come home
You see teddy torn to pieces ...

Keep face of teddy . And all other stuffed animals that will follow that fate . .

Sew onto a blanket.
Making one big blanket of them all where they will be happy forever