How do you express your neurodivergence with kandi?

GasMask_Robot 9/25/2021 08:26 pm 2271

Hello! I've just started working on an article about neurodivergence and kandi for a zine about various alt subcultures. I'm interested in hearing some ways other neurodivergent people use kandi to express said neurodivergence (For example I use my kandi to stim by shaking it around on my wrists). So if you'd like, please respond to this thread with your answer. If you don't want your username (or other name if you'd rather) used in the article let me know and I'll keep it anonymous, otherwise I'll credit you by default (like "Username says they use kandi to blah blah blah"). Thank you!

29 Replies

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Oct 27, 2021 12:34 pm

i cant really wear kandi that much bc of sensory issues so i just use whatever i make as something to stim with, i really like rolling the beads on cuffs and holding singles in my and just kind of twirling them around.

(btw, i dont know if i am neurodivergent bc i havent been tested or diagnosed with anything yet but im going to get tested for adhd soon since i have traits of it that make me have trouble with things like studying and stuff like that.)

Oct 27, 2021 11:55 am

ooh this is my jam!

coz i'm autistic, right, and one way that's manifested throughout my entire life is my love of organizing things.

((when i was a kid, i collected pokemon cards, but i never once played a game--i just organized them in my binder over and over again--put them in, take them out, start over--sometimes by name, or by type, or by HP, or--well you see what i mean))

and now that i'm trying to get into kandi, i find that i get a lot of satisfaction out of sorting beads.

like, i've bought a couple few bags of what they call "bead soup" from my local thrift store--not to make into kandi, per se, quite a bit of it isn't even pony beads--but just for the sheer joy and contentment i get out of organizing beads.

((the real irony, though, is that i have a very low tolerance for actually wearing kandi--any longer than a few minutes and the itchy sensation ticks me off lol))

Oct 27, 2021 11:32 am

I use kandi to chew on because i have a lot of moth stims of it really helps me

Oct 24, 2021 11:56 pm

i use cuffs and charms to stim by shaking my arms or with charms, by rolling the beads on the string while theyre on my keychain. i use the act of making kandi as a distraction when im having an episode (i have borderline personality disorder and ptsd) as a grounding technique an to calm down or prevent panic attacks because it forces me to focus on something other than what is bothering me . happy

Oct 24, 2021 10:22 pm

i tend to be very susceptible to just spiral completely down the unreality slippery slope but kandis kinda like a pressure thing (esp with cuffs) so it keeps reminding me that oh yeah im real i exist. also rolling it to stim!! thats very good as well but pressures like the constant one kao happy

Oct 24, 2021 9:38 pm

OHOH i love to stim by shaking my arms violently when they're covered in kandi because i looove the noise it makes !!!! I also love to make kandi related to my hyperfixations, with words/names of characters on them!!!! also the act of making kandi in of itself is a stim for me!

Oct 24, 2021 9:17 pm

i love to use it to stim by shaking it around and also by fidgeting with and like spinning beads and stuff like that !! also the colors are very fun and relaxing to look at and since i have special interests and hyperfixations ive made kandi based on those so they make me rlly happy to look down at my wrist and be able to be reminded of the artist / thing that makes me so happy ^___^ !!!!! this probably makes no sense so im sorry im no thoughts head empty rn

Oct 24, 2021 8:13 am

i personally like to roll my kandi cuffs up and down on my arm because of the sound it makes and the texture of the beads

i made a mini 3d shaker cube that i can stim with n stuff (like squish it and shake it)

making kandi can help me be distracted and it can have me have some time to catch up on a tv show im watching

also the amount of colors and shapes and charms i can use honestly makes it even more fun and satisfies my brain aesthetic wise iykwim

another thing is that making cute little charms or just cuffs with soft colors is really nice and comforting : D

  • rotten_meat
Oct 24, 2021 8:01 am

I personally find kandi to be super comforting, just having it on makes me feel more confined into myself (I disassociate a lot) and it really helps me remember that I'm a human and like things and I have thoughts

Oct 24, 2021 6:36 am

idk if I'm neurodivergent or not but I do like to move the beads on singles around cos it's just fun to do and distracts me : D

I'm usually too scared to do anything else than that because I feel like I'm going to annoy people, cos the beads are so loud for no reason, and then they're going to make fun of me for wearing like 15-20 bracelets all up my arms :/