Latest Posts by willowisgayyyy - Page 4

My dear lgbt+ kids, 

You may have heard the term touch-starved before - but what exactly does that mean and are there ways to cope with it? 

Touch has measurable health benefits, such as reducing stress hormones, regulating bodily functions (like blood pressure) and helping to transmit signals from your brain to your body. 

Touch-starvation is a real psychological condition that occurs when people experience little to no touch from other living beings and it can manifest in different ways, for example in: 

feelings of depression

increased anxiety

difficulty sleeping

intense feelings of loneliness 

attachment issues 

heightened stress levels 

It’s important to note that “touch” isn’t a synonym for “sex” here. A person who is not sexually active but regularly receives gentle, positive touch in non-sexual ways (such as hugs, hand-holding or back rubs) is not at risk for touch-starvation.

What to do if you are experiencing touch-starvation? Well, it’d be easy to say “go hug a family member”, “hold hands with your partner more often” or “get some cuddles from your friends” - but you most likely wouldn’t be in this situation if you could easily do that. So, here are some ways to cope with touch-starvation when touch from loved ones is not an option: 

Cuddle animals instead. If adopting a cat or dog is impossible for you, consider volunteering at an animal shelter. They are usually happy to have someone come in and spend times with the animals! 

Get a beauty treatment that involves touch: get your nails done, get your make-up done, get a hair cut.. 

Get a massage. Depending on availability and comfort level, you can get a full body massage or something focused on one body part, like a scalp massage or foot massage. 

If you can’t or don’t want to get a professional massage, consider buying a massage tool you can safely use at home on yourself. 

Try out a weighted blanket or weighted stim toy/plushie. The pressure stimulates your skin similarly to touch. 

Touch yourself in non-sexual ways: rub lotion on your skin, take some extra time to massage in your shampoo in the shower, gently run your fingers up and down your arms… 

Cuddle an plushie or doll (yes, it’s okay to do that as an adult as well!) 

Get a pregnancy pillow that cuddles you from both sides while you sleep. (Positive side effect: they can be great for back pain!)

If that’s your thing, watch “touchy” ASMR videos such as massage roleplays etc.

Be verbally touchy with online friends: sending virtual hugs or kisses may not stimulate your skin but it can still help with feelings of loneliness!

With all my love, 

Your Tumblr Dad