Introduction
Holding onto your childhood furry friends may be a positive step for your mental health. Many people over the age of 20 try to hide their love of stuffed teddy. One in three people finds comfort in keeping a soft toy in their bedroom. According to Professor Bruce Hood of Bristol University in the UK, and sharing a bed with one is quite common.
We are all occasionally affected by stress and anxiety. Say that soft toys are for children. They enjoy these because of their comfy, warm appearance. These items serve as good “stress balls” for them. Stress never rings the doorbell before showing up and treats everyone equally harshly.
Stress is at the heart of numerous mental health problems. This may eventually result in more severe issues, cause anxiety and depression, and ultimately serve as the catalyst for a person to experience a nervous breakdown. So let’s look at how plush toys and soft toys promote mental health and offer emotional support to adults at home.
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Lesser Social Anxiety
You may have social anxiety if the idea of going to a group event, social gathering, or family gathering makes you anxious. Increasing use of social media and technology is to blame for the rise in social anxiety, claims a study released in September 2020. A social situation becomes more intimidating, scary, and foreign as we spend more time on our phones, tablets, and laptops and less time learning social skills, creating support networks, and enjoying face-to-face interaction.
Relationships are essential for mental health, especially for young people, and the more people withdraw behind screens, the more harm is done to society as a whole. A cute plush toy, however, might hold the key. Many people find that having someone who can give them a hug, a familiar smile, and mental reassurance helps them overcome this problem and develop the mental fortitude to deal with challenging circumstances.
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Generate a feeling of security
Our bodies enter fight-or-flight mode when we experience stress or anxiety. This reaction can be highly unsettling, even though it keeps us safe from harm. By instilling a sense of security, comfort items can lessen this feeling. They can aid in detaching us from our issues and allowing us to concentrate on something else.
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Reduce Workplace Stress
79% of professionals reported experiencing stress at work in 2020. Approximately 33% of people reported experiencing extreme stress, and 77% said they believed pressure from their jobs affected their physical health. Fatigue, anxiety, depression, emotional eating, mood swings, and a higher risk of heart disease and heart attack are all signs of work-related stress. Therefore, finding a way to lessen workplace stress and lower the likelihood of developing severe health issues is imperative.
Thankfully, plush toys can help in this circumstance. Being welcomed home by a soft, furry creature that always smiles at you can make you feel secure and safe. After all, a teddy bear is a universal representation of love and medical professionals. Therapists concur that a weighted soft toy can reduce stress in the workplace.
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It helps to relieve grief and trauma
For the simple reason that they can lessen children’s trauma, fluffies are regarded as comfort objects. However, stuffed animals are a common remedy used by therapists to comfort clients who are grieving and dealing with loss, including both children and adults.
A stuffed animal can do wonders to lessen the impact or onslaught of these mental illnesses. Because separation, dissociation, and disorganized attachment symptoms can begin in childhood. It restores damaged attachment bonds and assists while making one feel secure.
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Maintains a balanced level of hormones
Stuffed animals are excellent for maintaining normal hormone levels. A tonne of hormones controls how well our bodies function, much like cortisol. A change in quantity can be a severe issue. By creating a more stable physical and mental environment, having a polar bear plush can help someone keep their mental balance.
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Encourage Positive Thought
Soft toys can serve as a helpful reminder of happy childhood experiences, your parents’ love and comfort, and the wonder of childhood. Plush toys can help us recall a time when everything and anything seemed possible, from Disney films and fairytales to Harry Potter and superheroes. This will do wonders for your mental health. As you get older as adults, humans frequently experience feelings of self-doubt. These feelings can easily lead to a pessimistic outlook on life.
These days, growing up can feel pretty lonely, especially for those who move away from school or are responsible for raising a young family alone. When you’re feeling down, having a few adorable soft toys with big smiles around the house will cheer you up and reassure you.
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Supported Loneliness
A Buzzfeed survey revealed how some community members felt about their soft toys and why they chose to keep their plush toys from childhood. After a challenging day at work, one person told Buzzfeed that she still sleeps with her childhood stuffed animal. Because she feels comforted knowing he will always be there for her. Another person spoke about traveling with their soft toy because they view it as a “piece of home.”
Sadly, a lot of people experience loneliness as they age. Feeling lonely as an adult is surprisingly common. Whether you haven’t yet found the right partner or have had many bad relationships. A soft toy can improve your mood if you cannot own a pet. It provides you with a cute, cuddly companion at night. Soft toys are used in cafes and restaurants all over Asia to combat loneliness.
A sizable stuffed teddy will join you if you’re dining alone at the Cafe. Consider purchasing a cuddly plush toy companion if you prefer to eat at home.
Conclusion
Soft toys are significant mental health support, whether you have a soft spot for them or different ways to reduce stress. Adults might feel a little awkward about purchasing a plush toys like polar bear plush, stuffed animals, etc. Most people wouldn’t think twice about a couple taking a weekend trip to Disneyland. But for some reason, it’s still unusual in our Western culture to see soft toys on an adult’s bed.
