Health Benefits of Fidget Toys: Providing Healing, ADHD Management and So Much More

Managing a health issue for a long time can be tiring. The symptoms experienced with the disorders and other health issues talked about below are overwhelming. While there are medications to help with many health issues, most people would rather do things the natural way. Whether someone has ADHD, stress, anxiety, Autism, bad habits, pain, chronic fidgeting or PTSD, there is one management tip all these share. Fidget toys help in the treatment plans for all these things. If you don’t know what sensory toys are, fidget spinners and fidget cubes would be great examples. These are new contraptions on the market and have already shown great promise for treating the health issues above for children and adults. While there have not yet been many studies on these specific fidget gadgets, studies and research have been done in the past to show the benefits of fidgeting in general. Those studies and research show positive results for fidgeting in both children and adults. So, it stands to reason that these new gadgets will benefit almost anyone who experiences the above-mentioned disorders or health issues.

Use Fidget Toys for ADHD Management

This Wall Street Journal article supports the use of stress toys for ADHD in children who have this disorder. However, there is some controversial evidence from clinical psychologist, Mark Rapport, who states the fidget spinners are not as beneficial for treating ADHD symptoms as the fidget cubes. He believes the spinners could be distracting and could actually keep the children from focusing. The truth is all children are different and something that works for one may not work for the next. The fidget cubes have many buttons to keep hands busy. Taking those in the classroom may be a better option. Both these options have already shown benefits if many children and adults.

A Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology study showed that children between the ages of 8-12 years old had better performance and memory when participating in gross motor activities which is what happens when playing with fidget toys for ADHD. Even adults who have this disorder have benefited from fidget toys for ADHD. When taking part in work meetings, those with ADHD, may have a difficult time holding still but these handspinner gadgets have helped them to do so. These gadgets have also helped adults accomplish more tasks each day at work as well.

Those who have ADHD may experience many symptoms including behavioral, cognitive and mood issues. The behavioral issues may include repetitive actions, minimal restraint, irritability, impulsivity, hyperactivity, fidgeting, excitability and aggression. Cognitive issues may also include trouble focusing, shorter attention span, issues with focusing, forgetfulness and absent-mindedness. The mood issues may include mood swings, high excitement, boredom, anxiety and anger. Those with ADHD may also have learning disabilities or depression. When taking all this into consideration, it makes sense that fidgeting with a spinner or cube can help bring attention to where it needs to be. They help people with ADHD to focus and stay on task more often than if they weren’t using a fidgeting gadget.

Reducing Anxious Thinking with a Fidget Spinner

Anxiety can be difficult to tackle for children and adults. Anyone who has ever had anxiety knows how terrifying the attacks can be or even how scary just thinking of having an attack can be. The good news is that stress toys help reduce anxious thinking. One expert, a pediatric occupation therapist Claire Heffron stated in a Washington Post interview that she believes fidget toys should be used in the behavior strategies for all classrooms. Fidget spinners and cubes give someone with anxiety something else to focus their mind on. By the time they realize it, the anxious thoughts have gone away. There have been adults with anxiety who have stated these new hand spinner gadgets have helped reduce their anxiety tremendously. For anyone who knows how difficult it is to get rid of anxious thinking they know how big of a deal it is to have something that helps so greatly and that is what these gadgets do.

Anxiety isn’t something that can be wished away. People with anxiety must learn how to cope with their anxious thoughts and manage it. There is no one-and-done cure for anxiety but it is nice to have a toolbox of ways to reduce anxiety. It seems these stress toys are an amazing tool to add to this kind of toolbox. Those who have high anxiety or need something to focus their mind could benefit from a fidget cube or spinner. It is important to remember, for children and adults, these fidgets are more beneficial for those with a mild-form of anxiety. With moderate to severe anxiety, other forms of treatment may be required. On one hand, anxious thinking is a negative type of daydreaming. The person with anxiety gets lost in these thoughts and it takes a bit to snap out of them. Fidgeting and doodling helps these people to keep from daydreaming or having anxious thinking.

Those who have anxiety may experience a range of symptoms that affect their whole body, behaviors, cognitive functions and more. The whole-body symptoms might include sweating, restlessness and fatigue. Behavioral symptoms may include irritability and hyper-vigilance. The cognitive issues might include unwanted or racing thoughts. Those with anxiety may also have trembling, reduced concentration, insomnia, fear and excessive worrying. With all this in mind, it is understandable that fidget spinners would help redirect focus and reduce worries. They help to calm the mind so the person with anxiety can fight off those unwanted thoughts.

Add Autism Toys as Part of the Treatment Plan

With so many children who have a diagnosis of autism, it is helpful to have as many sensory toys and fidget toys to help them as possible. It has been proven repeatedly that those with autism benefit from fidgets. Most occupational therapists use sensory balls, clays and now fidget discs to help with sensory processing disorders. Adding autism toys as part of the treatment plan for those with autism is highly recommended. 

Children with autism often feel alone or as if they don’t fit in with other children. With these stress relief toys, everyone is playing with them. This helps those with autism so they don’t feel left out or as different from everyone else in their classes. Most children with autism get overwhelmed easily due to an overload of their senses. This causes them to become panicked, fearful and stressed. They will usually fidget or do repetitive movements to cope. Having autism toys gives them an outlet for dealing with the sensory overload.

Those who have autism may experience a range of symptoms including behavioral, developmental, cognitive and psychological. Some of the behavioral symptoms might include repetitive actions or words, self-harm, impulsivity and compulsive actions. The developmental symptoms might include learning disabilities. Cognitive symptoms might be difficulty focusing. Psychological symptoms might be depression or not being aware of other people’s emotions. Some other symptoms might be sensitivity to sound and light as well as anxiety. Treating these symptoms with sensory toys makes sense. It allows those with autism to focus their hands and train their mind to stay on track when their senses are overloaded.

Manage Sensory Processing Disorder with Sensory Toys

Sensory processing disorder is similar to what many with autism experience. Children or adults with this disorder may become overwhelmed when in a room with bright lights. They may feel overwhelmed with loud or sharp noises. Some people with a sensory processing disorder may be stressed when someone touches them lightly. These are just some of the things that those with this disorder may experience. It is helpful for people with a sensory processing disorder to have outlets for managing all the overwhelming stimuli that surrounds them.

Now, fidget spinners or sensory toys give them an outlet along with many benefits. The spinners help to get rid of nervous-bound up energy. These gadgets help those with the disorder to stop tapping, pacing or biting on things. Many with a sensory processing disorder have anxiety. When using a fidget toy, it helps in releasing built-up tension and redirects the mind. These handspinner gadgets also give those with this disorder back the control they feel as if they lost. They know the situations around them are out of their control but fidgeting is something they can control completely. Lastly, a fidget cube or stress relief toys give someone with this disorder, visual and calming stimuli. These fidgets are predictable and have repetitive movements to ease the mind and calm the body.

Those who have a sensory processing disorder may have a variety of symptoms. These could include poor posture and balance. They may have difficulty with head-eye movements, visual stimulation tracking issues, becoming tired easily and having challenges with other external stimuli. When using fidget cubes or spinners, they are able to overcome the external stimuli and keep their internal emotions intact.

Break Bad Habits with a Fidget Cube

Many children and adults have bad habits. The longer the bad habits go on, the more difficult they become to break. There has been much research done showing how to break and overcome bad habits. Now with fidget spinners available, people have another way to break a bad habit. Some bad habits that might be broken by using these gadgets are nail biting, flicking pens and tapping of the fingers. Many people with ADHD, ADD, sensory processing disorders, autism and other disorders have bad habits they may want or need to break. Anyone, from young ages to the elderly, can use a fidget cube or handspinner to break their bad habits. For example, every time the person wants to bite their nails, they can grab and twirl the fidget cube instead.

Those with bad habits may feel like others are staring at or judging them. They may try to stop their bad habits on their own but it doesn’t work. Most bad habits are a form of dealing with anxiety or stress. Hand spinners help to ease those emotions.

Handling Pain with the Use of Fidget Spinners

Unfortunately, there are many reasons why someone might have pain. There are pains that people experience after surgeries. Someone may have pain or spasms after a long day at work. There are many injuries someone might have that could be causing them to have pain. Millions of people have chronic pain that almost never goes away. It can be difficult to get through each day when experiencing all that pain. Luckily, there are many coping skills for managing the pain. There is massage therapy, acupuncture, chiropractor services, physical therapy, exercise and much more. Some people even find that repetitive activities such as puzzles and fidgeting will help to get them through a bad day where the pain is flaring up. Fidget spinners are new but some people are already using them to cope with their pain.

There are many symptoms someone may have when experiencing chronic pain. Some of these symptoms include back pain, neck pain, muscle spasms, nerve pain, cramps throughout the body, headaches and much more. Using the spinners allows those with pain to take their mind off it for a bit. For anyone who experiences this type of pain, they know that even being distracted from their pain for a few minutes is a huge relief.

Treat Symptoms of PTSD with a Hand Spinner

PTSD is one of the most difficult things to overcome. Those who suffer from PTSD may experience nightmares, have headaches, high stress and avoid many situations in life. Some traumatic events that may cause PTSD include car accidents, childhood trauma, physical assault and many others. A hand spinner is very simple and nowhere near as complex as PTSD. Just about everyone fidgets in some way or another. Those with PTSD may do so to hide their reactions or emotions from the PTSD. While, a hand spinner can be beneficial for treating PTSD symptoms, there isn’t much research to back these yet since they are so new.

Those with PTSD have many unwanted symptoms as well. Most of these include behavioral, psychological, mood and sleeping issues. The behavioral symptoms might include social isolation, self-destruction, hypervigilance, hostility, irritability and agitation. Psychological symptoms might include fear, flashbacks, mistrust and anxiety. The mood symptoms might include feeling lonely, guilty or losing interest in activities. The sleeping symptoms may include nightmares or insomnia. Some people who have PTSD have constant unwanted thoughts and they may even detach emotionally. Dealing with these symptoms without any coping mechanisms is nearly impossible. However, using fidgets helps them to overcome flashbacks, tough emotions and those unwanted thoughts.

Get Fidget Toys for Chronic Fidgeting

There are some people who just chronically fidget. They may not have any one set diagnosis for why they do this. Many people have a diagnosis of ADHD, anxiety, stress, autism, sensory processing disorder, bad habits, pain or PTSD that cause them to fidget. However, many others are left without a diagnosis and without knowing the cause of their fidgeting. For these people, who don’t have a diagnosis with a treatment plan, they are left to wonder how they can stop fidgeting. Fidgeting toys can help them to stop playing with their shirt, grabbing at things or twisting or tearing things up. Currently, the most popular fidgeting toys are the spinners and cubes. They are being used in schools to help children focus and in workplaces to help employees concentrate better as well.

There are many symptoms that someone with chronic fidgeting may experience. Some of these symptoms may include grabbing constantly at things, twisting things, crumpling paper, playing with clothing, tapping pencils or other things on desks and much more. Anyone who experiences these symptoms can benefit from using either a fidget cube or fidget spinner. Yes, it may seem like a bad idea for people who chronically fidget to have fidgeting gadgets. However, it keeps them from fidgeting with things that they should not be messing around with. It helps them to fidget with a purposeful gadget which also helps them to keep focused as well.

Managing Health Issues through Fidgeting Gadgets

There are many health issues that may be treated using a fidget spinner, fidget cube or other fidget toys. There still is not much research to back the benefits since they are new on the market. ADHD, anxiety, stress, autism, sensory processing disorders, bad habits, pain, chronic fidgeting and PTSD all have negative symptoms that are often debilitating. The one thing all these health issues have in common is that the symptoms can often be treated with fidget toys or stress relief toys. Children and adults can use these gadgets to manage their symptoms. It is important to remember that these stress toys or a handspinner should be used alongside other treatment options. Those with these disorders no longer need to feel left out or different from everyone else because these spinners are becoming more popular daily. They are being used for many health issues and are being put into treatment plans to help people finally get the relief they deserve.