There are some brands you discover and immediately understand why they exist. Hugz was one of those brands for me.
When I first learned about Hugz and the story behind its creation, founder Lexi’s experience immediately felt familiar. Lexi has spoken openly about struggling with anxiety and depression from a young age, and how being severely bullied in high school eventually contributed to crippling panic attacks that sometimes made it difficult for her to leave the house.
I know that feeling in my own way.
I started experiencing crippling panic attacks in high school, too. At the time, I didn’t really know how to explain what was happening to me—or even if I should. I graduated high school in 2008, and mental health wasn’t talked about nearly as openly as it is today. There was still so much shame and misunderstanding around anxiety, panic attacks, depression and asking for help.
I remember feeling like there was nobody I could tell.
Looking back, one of the hardest parts wasn’t only experiencing the panic itself. It was feeling like I had to hide it.
That is part of the reason I find what Lexi has created with Hugz so inspiring. Instead of keeping her experience private, she turned something that once made her feel isolated into a company built around comfort, conversation and mental wellness.
And I love that the idea started with something as simple as a weighted blanket.
From Panic Attacks to a Portable Hug
When Lexi was struggling with anxiety, weighted blankets became one of the tools that helped her feel calmer. But there was an obvious limitation: a weighted blanket isn’t exactly something you can take everywhere.
So she began thinking about how to make that comforting feeling more portable, accessible and affordable.
The result was Hugz: soft, weighted, huggable animals designed to provide the comforting sensation of a weighted blanket in a form you can actually hold close.
I think there is something really beautiful about that evolution.
Sometimes wellness isn’t about finding one magical solution. It’s about discovering little tools that help you get through a difficult moment—a calming ritual, a walk outside, a breathing exercise, a conversation with someone you trust, professional support, or simply something comforting to hold when your nervous system needs a little extra reassurance.
Hugz doesn’t position itself as a replacement for mental health care, and I think that’s an important distinction. Rather, it’s a tangible comfort object inspired by something that helped its founder through her own experience.
And sometimes, having something comforting within reach can be meaningful.
Why Talking About Mental Health Still Matters
Today, we’re having conversations about mental health that were much harder to have when I was growing up. But that doesn’t mean the stigma has disappeared.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 36.2% of U.S. adults ages 18–25 experienced any mental illness in 2022, the highest rate among adult age groups.
Young adults also had the highest prevalence of serious mental illness that year, at approximately 11.6%.
Those numbers aren’t just statistics. Behind them are people trying to navigate school, relationships, work, family, social pressure and adulthood while also trying to understand what is happening inside their own minds.
And sometimes, the first step toward getting help is simply being able to say:
I’m not okay.
That’s why I believe brands that make mental wellness part of the conversation can play an interesting role in changing the culture around it.
The more we talk about anxiety, depression, panic attacks and emotional well-being without shame, the easier it becomes for someone to recognize that what they’re experiencing isn’t something they have to hide.
Mental Health Is Health
One of the ideas behind Hugz that really resonates with me is its belief that mental health should be normalized as part of overall health.
We don’t typically feel embarrassed about taking care of our physical health. We go to the doctor. We rest when we’re sick. We take vitamins. We stretch. We exercise. We talk about sleep.
Mental health deserves that same kind of attention.
That doesn’t mean every difficult day requires a diagnosis or that a weighted stuffed animal can solve anxiety. It simply means we should be able to acknowledge that our minds and nervous systems need care, too.
For some people, that might mean therapy. For others, medication, meditation, movement, time outdoors, breathwork, community, or another evidence-based form of support.
And sometimes, it can also mean creating small moments of comfort throughout the day.
That’s where I think Hugz fits in.
A Small Reminder That You Don’t Have to Carry Everything Alone
There is something inherently comforting about a hug.
There’s something instinctively comforting about being held or having something soft to reach for when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Hugz captures that sense of comfort in a form you can keep close, whether you’re having a difficult day or simply need a little reassurance.
Hugz takes that familiar feeling and turns it into something you can keep beside your bed, on the couch, or within reach when you need a little extra comfort.
The brand describes each Hugz as a warm embrace for yourself or someone you love, with a focus on creating a soft, balanced companion for difficult days.
I especially love the idea of giving one to someone who may not always know how to ask for support.
A Hugz can be a simple way of saying:
I’m thinking about you.
You don’t have to explain.
I’m here.
Shop the Hugz Edit
Whether you’re looking for something for yourself or a thoughtful gift for someone you love, there are several ways to explore the Hugz collection.
Mini Hugz
For something smaller and easy to keep close, the Mini Hugz collection makes a sweet option for desks, nightstands, travel bags or anywhere you might want a little comfort nearby.
Hugz Bundles
If you’re shopping for more than one person—or simply can’t choose a favorite—the Hugz bundles make it easy to create a little collection of comfort.
Shop Hugz Bundles
Exclusive Hugz
And then there are the Hugz that feel a little more special—the unique characters and exclusive designs that make these weighted companions as adorable as they are comforting.
The Exclusive Hugz collection is currently sold out, but we’ll be keeping an eye out for the next drop.
Meet Flo the Lobster
Designed with period comfort in mind, Flo the Lobster brings a little extra comfort to those not-so-comfortable days. Her weighted, lay-flat claws can rest over your abdomen, while Flo can be heated for cozy warmth or chilled when you’re looking for cooling relief during cramps and aches. It’s a comforting companion to keep nearby when your period arrives.
Shop Flo
Hugz Gives Back to Mental Wellness
What makes Hugz feel even more meaningful to me is that its mission extends beyond the product itself.
Hugz says it donates 10% of all proceeds from its Hugz of the Month to mental wellness charities, helping support organizations working to normalize mental health and expand awareness.
That matters because the conversation around mental health needs more than awareness alone. It needs resources, education, access to care and organizations doing the work every day.
If you’re looking for additional ways to support mental wellness, here are a few organizations worth exploring:
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) — Provides mental health education, support, advocacy and public awareness programs across the U.S.
- Active Minds — Focuses specifically on youth and young adults, working to change the conversation around mental health and reduce stigma.
- Inspiring Children Foundation — An organization supported by Hugz that focuses on helping young people develop tools and support systems for mental wellness.
There are so many ways to contribute to the mental health conversation, and donating is only one of them. Checking in on a friend counts. Sharing your own experience counts. Asking someone how they’re really doing counts. Encouraging someone to seek professional help counts.
Sometimes, simply making it easier for someone to talk can be the beginning of something much bigger.
We Don’t Have to Be Ashamed of What We’re Going Through
I sometimes think about what it would have been like to experience panic attacks in high school and have the language and openness around mental health that exists today.
Maybe I would have felt less alone.
Maybe I would have understood sooner that I wasn’t broken.
Maybe I would have felt comfortable telling someone what was happening instead of carrying so much shame around it.
That’s why seeing founders like Lexi use their own experiences to create something bigger than themselves feels so important to me.
Hugz isn’t going to solve the mental health crisis. A weighted stuffed animal isn’t a substitute for therapy, medical care or a strong support system.
But that’s not really the point.
The point is that something that began with one person finding comfort during a difficult chapter has grown into a brand actively trying to make mental wellness easier to talk about. And when we make those conversations more normal, we make it a little easier for someone else to say, me too.
That is where change begins.
Shop Hugz
Sometimes We All Need a Hug
My hope is that we’re moving toward a world where a panic attack isn’t something you have to hide, where asking for help isn’t a source of shame, and where taking care of your mental health is viewed as simply another part of taking care of yourself.
I love that Lexi took something that helped her—her weighted blanket—and reimagined it into something softer, more portable and approachable.
But even more than the product, I love the conversation behind it.
Because sometimes wellness starts with something small.
A conversation.
A check-in.
A moment of comfort.
A reminder that you’re not alone.
And sometimes, quite literally, it starts with a hug.
Shop Hugz and learn more about the brand’s mission at givehugz.co.
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