Stuffed animals and blankets tend to be a favorite for toddlers; however, many children and adolescents hold on to favored stuffies, loveys, or blankies well into adulthood. These objects are often used as transitional objects by youth, aiding them in learning to self soothe and to find their own ways through difficult feelings or emotional situations. Researchers have found that the presence of a transitional object can lessen anxiety in the moment and buffer against longer term symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.
