So I ask a lot of questions, hoping that many of you will share your experiences as well. And in the new year, I’m hoping to start interviewing other neurodivergent voices in the community. As many of you have already might know, my first guest is my husband, the wonderful, talented, and handsome David Rivera.

What Gives You Sensory Euphoria and Relaxes you?

This is Pt 2 of the interview with David. Stay tuned for pt 3 next week.

Patreon members and YouTube channel members had access to this video on December 28, 2022. The video’s public release will be January 11, 2023.

Transcript:

David: You know what it is. I’m uncomfortable being on camera.

Lyric: Yeah, I know you are. It’s okay. That’s why I said just look at me instead.

David: I’m gonna look outside.

Lyric: Okay. That’s fine. Hans Ralph says, “what gives you sensory euphoria or joy?”

David: Hans, I know the name.

Lyric: Yeah. I was like, that’s a familiar name.

David: I know the name Hans. What is it?

Lyric: What gives you sensory euphoria or joy? Do you know what sensory euphoria is? Like? Good sensory overload. Like pleasant sensory overload, like the good tingles, like at ASMR and stuff.

David: Oh, uh, I have an example. As a matter of fact, yeah. I don’t have it with me though, but I have one, but I don’t have it.

Lyric: Get it! I gotta something

out the bear’s mouth.

David: Hold it.

Lyric: Oh, didn’t, here we go. What gives you sensory euphoria or doy? Or doy??? Doy!!! Donk!!!

David: Do what gives you doy???

Lyric: Doy – doy! Okay….

David: Okay, so…

I don’t know what box. , but typically, uh, uh, maybe like an iPhone box or, I dunno what this is.

Lyric: This was headphones.

David: Headphones?

Lyric: Some sort.

David: Uh, we once bought little drones and it came in a small package. Anything very smooth like . Okay? Don’t make fun of me.

Lyric: Nobody’s gonna make fun of you here.

It’s soft on your skin.

David: That smoothness on, right here, on my face. Awesome. Oh, it’s so good. Like I wanted to, I told Lyric I wanted to put some stuff around the house.

That way I can take ’em off, you know, Velcro style, whatever, you know, and then just, I can just use them. But we have ’em in cabinets and stuff.

Lyric: Stim tools everywhere.

David: I have this, uh, you can see that one too.

Lyric: Oh yeah.

David: I have this little key chain rock. It’s so smooth. It’s really smooth. And I’ll put it in my mouth.

Lyric: Yeah, they have, those are called worry stones. Oh.

David: Even worry stones, but I’m not worried. No. I just love the way it is.

Lyric: That’s just what they called them.

David: But I like sliding, grinding my teeth on it cause it’s so slick. And that’s not rough though. It’s not rough.

Lyric: Okay. But I don’t like anything grinding my teeth.

I’m weird about my teeth. I’m very sensitive about them…

David: And then

the smoothness and I guess anything smooth.

Lyric: Mm-hmm.

David: you know, and I’ll rub it and rub on it.

Lyric: I like fuzzy!

David: You know. . That’s one thing. There’s other things, but this is what came to mind really quick.

Lyric: Nice.

David: This right here.

Lyric: The box. Yeah, that was good. I thought you were gonna go for like some of your, sounds like your crunchy sounds.

I know you really like crunchy sounds.

David: Yeah, very true. But this, this is more of a feeling. Sound wise. . Oh, the..

Lyric: Sound like those

David: pink

Lyric: crunchy, like the paper

David: pink

Lyric: bags

David: pink and the rock pink gravels. Oh shoot.

Lyric: Yeah. yeah…

David: Hold on.

Lyric: It’s on the counter over there.

David: Pink gravel rocks -when you walk on pink gravel rocks.

Lyric: We don’t have any of those right now.

David: The small – the sound is so crunchy.

Lyric: That’s a good one. I think.

David: Kind of like crunchy snow, but a lot more sharper, and I like that. And I also have this. Where is it?

Lyric: It’s all, it’s back there.

David: I kept this bag.

Lyric: It is very crunchy.

David: Cause it’s crunchy… to me.

My ear.

Lyric: Yeah. Oh, this a distinct sound.

David: Yeah. Yeah. We went shopping one day and, and, and I don’t know how about had a chicken or chicken or something…

Lyric: or potato wedges or something.

David: I dunno what it was, in the bag. I’m like, Ooh, really? It’s not as thin and flimsy, as most bags, and I like that. Another thing, can I go bring another thing?

Lyric: Yes, of course. Go bring another thing.

See, he’s enjoying himself now. He’s getting into it. Look at you.

David: This.

Lyric: Oh, the $2 bill?

David: Any dollar bill. That’s hard, chrisp.

Some people might not like it. Sorry.

Lyric: It’s okay.

David: Well, I love this. This is, this is…. and I’ll crinkle it. This is, I, this, I keep this in the bathroom . Not that I use it in there…

Lyric: but it’s very crisp.

David: This is

good.

Lyric: You’re not supposed to spend them. That’s what they say about – that’s what they say about $2 bills.

David: Anyway, just things, guys.

Lyric: Things – THINGS – THINGS!!! Okay.

David: I want to add this.

Lyric: Oh, okay.

David: The smoothness of this ring. … and this is a? What is this called?

Lyric: Oh, a a fidget spinner ring.

David: Fidget spinner- fidget does fidget fidget spinning, and then the smooth ring. Yeah, the wedding band.

Lyric: Good sensory!

David: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And I keep these to use all the time.

Lyric: Ooh, that chili breeze came in. You like that? Does that feel good?

David: It does. Cause I’m sweating right now.

Lyric: I was like-

David: because you got me in a tight spot!

I know. I

Lyric: opened it up for you.

David: You got me in a tight spot

so

Lyric: you can be comfortable. It’ll just make me stim more. I’ll be okay. I can stim.

 Soulfully NeuroDivergent

David: Soulfully-

Lyric: Olivia.

David: Olivia.

Lyric: Hi, Olivia. Bum. Bum. Bu bum. . Sorry. .

David: Is that a thing???

Lyric: From uh, Law and Order… the theme song. Time to go to court! Anyway,

 What brings you the most peace and relaxation?

David: Okay, I’m gonna think about this one.

Lyric: I thought that was gonna be an easy one for you. Sorry.

David: So I don’t, what was the question?

What brings you???

Lyric: The most peace and relaxation? Oh my gosh. Your snoring is so loud, Pig!

David: Sleeping?

Lyric: Sleeping???

What about being near water?

David: I don’t think about things like this.

Lyric: You always wanna be near water, all the time.

David: Yeah. Whether it’s, uh, uh, uh, the shoreline of a beach, a river flowing river

Lyric: or lake.

David: Well, lake, not much because you don’t really hear that sound.

Lyric: Yeah. So the sound of the moving water.

Oh yeah. That’s relaxing.

David: Yes. Especially a running river!

Lyric: Mm-hmm.

David: You know, and it doesn’t have to be even massive. It could just, you know, trickle, trickle, trickle.

Lyric: The ocean, the lapping at the beach. Yes. That crashing?

David: That because it kind of waves through… and, uh, a flowing river.

Lyric: Yeah. Water’s a good one. Um, I’m trying to think what else.

David: What else?

Yeah, I don’t know.

I just know that it brings me some type of joy being near it. Yeah. And I don’t like being there. I like being in the woods or, or, or like the BLM lands. We’ve been in, and forest places. I like being in nature, you know, but I’m not sure if that – that – is answering the question?

Lyric: Yeah. What brings you peace and helps you relax?

Do you struggle with setting and maintaining boundaries?

David: No.

Lyric: Yeah, David’s pretty big with boundaries.

David: I don’t think so. If I set a boundary, that’s it. You know? I didn’t used to be this way, but I’ve been through a lot that I- in my past, that I didn’t, I didn’t wanna repeat again.

Lyric: He’s pretty quick to put up a boundary. So, and stick to it….

David: Boundaries are boundaries to me.

I’ll put ’em up anywhere anyhow. I, I’m all about protecting my mental health and my wellbeing, so I believe in boundaries and I stick firm to them.

Help me get the word out!!! – If you like what I do, and would like more, please consider subscribing on Patreon. This blog is made possible by support from readers like YOU!  (Sharing my content is also, equally helpful!)

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With gratitude,

– Lyric