“I use NeeDohs all the time, especially when I’m getting antsy,” sophomore Breon-leigh Reed said.
Needohs have been growing in popularity with many students bringing their own collections to school. The variety of stress balls range from being $3.99 to $12.99 and differ in sizes and designs. Many students use these stress balls to regulate their emotions and to focus on something to calm themself down in stressful situations. Although NeeDohs can be used just as a collectible or to be shared with friends, many students find themselves resorting to these items to get them through a strenuous school day.
According to Brown University Health, fidgets impact sensory processes, regulating skills and sustaining attention. Fidget toys engage in tactile tools (sense of touch), which increases ability to focus during a task. Using NeeDohs helps to calm students down before a test, allowing them to focus on the upcoming assessment and not on the nervousness they are experiencing.
“I was in chemistry, and we had a test; my teacher took it away during my test, and I remember being extremely stressed out,” sophomore Kate Payne said.
Oftentimes, getting shaky during big tests makes it harder physically and mentally to dial into the cognitive processes in order to succeed. The focus shifts from the questions at hand to these overwhelming symptoms of anxiety. This hinders basic tasks that students need in order to do well. Having something to squish provides a physical outlet for the hands to contract and release, calming students’ nervous system tactically.
“I originally got them because of my autism, and I got them before they were popular,” Reed said. “They kept coming out with new ones! I love them so much.”
For students with autism, engaging in fidget toys helps with the abundance of sensory information that often becomes overpowering. For many, bright lights, loud noises, and crowded spaces can begin to feel overwhelming. Being surrounded by that in schools can only add to the preexisting stress. By using fidget toys, the brain releases dopamine to help stay alert, assisting greatly in school.
“I use them all the time, especially throughout school,” Reed said.
NeeDohs are definitely not the only way to engage in tactile relief, but considering they are growing in popularity school wide, it creates a fun and lighthearted way to collect many while also assisting in school productivity. Students also have begun to notice which NeeDohs are better quality.
“Get the ones that don’t break like the Mello Mallo,” sophomore Anna Hilderbrand said.
The thrill of going “NeeDoh hunting,” while searching for the best ones out there, fuels the growing interest many students have in NeeDohs because the thrill of hunting is a rewarding experience, especially after finding items that are rare. This keeps many motivated to continue the search for NeeDohs and to collect more. Also, engaging in a hobby such as collecting brings fulfillment to daily life as being able to collect items that reflect personality allows for relief and enjoyment.
All in all, NeeDohs provide comfort on many different levels, whether that be to sooth stress and anxiety, being an outlet for energy, or just for the casualty of trading and collecting. In stress-filled places, like school, it is important to find something to relieve tensions, NeeDohs work effectively and enjoyably for many.
