sugartits-kun

[sugartits-kun]

automated text reply that just says YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY PERSON I AM LETTING DOWN

[sugartits-kun]

Gettin' Through the Holidays Mental Health Tricks

If y'all are anything like me, this time of year is triggering AF. Here are some small, very easy grounding exercises that I was taught by my therapist, basically in order of how much I like them for this rage-inducing season. You make like them in a different order, depending on your rage-to-despair ratio.

Push a wall: literally go up to a wall and try to push it over. Really try. I promise you won't push it over, but give it your best shot. Try to hold it as long as you can, and then take a breather and assess whether you need to repeat. Why it works: This is a quick, physical expulsion of the fight-or-flight feeling. It's a bit like punching a wall, but without the potential to hurt yourself/look scary/damage things. You can even do it in front of people and say you're stretching, they'll never know (unless the wall actually falls down, but this will not happen, I assure you).

Shake like a dog: Animals shake to release stress, and you are also an animal. Setting aside time to just shake it out, as vigorously as you can, arms and legs, face, stick your tongue out, pretend you're shaking like a wet dog. You can dance instead, if that feels better, and you can do this to music, but basically the more unhinged you can be, the better. If you are in a place you can scream, scream too! Why it works: like the above, this is a release of pent-up stress and anxiety. Especially if your rage-to-woe ratio is high, some kind of physical exertion is often the best way to burn through the cortisol and adrenaline you're building up.

Bilateral Tapping: Cross your arms over your chest so that your fingertips are at your shoulders, and slowly tap, one hand at a time, back and forth, for about a minute. Breathe slowly. Why it works: This is weird as hell, but because this engages both sides of your brain, it helps override the activity of the amygdala, which is the part of your brain that Makes The Fear. If you're being literally triggered in a situation, i.e. you're having a trauma response, or reliving some family trauma, this is a good one.

Box Breathing: From a comfortable position (can really be seated, laying down or standing), inhale slowly for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, then repeat. You can do it for shorter counts or longer counts, but if you vary the counts make sure the exhale is longer than the inhale. You can close your eyes or leave them open. Why it works: This exercise helps you move from a sympathetic (activated) nervous system response to a parasympathetic (balanced) response. I do this one every day, and it's a good gateway to meditation. Especially helpful in anxious or tense situations, but I find if I'm very triggered I need one of the other ones first, or it can make anxiety worse. Breathwork is amazing but not usually as a first exercise if you're very activated, or have been activated a long time.

Ice: Lots of ways to do this one – hands in cold water for 30 seconds, ice pack on the back of your neck, dip your entire face into a bowl of ice water (this one's the most effective). Why it works: I kinda think this is hilarious, but this activates your mammalian dive reflex. It immediately slows your heart-rate, so if you are feeling your blood pressure and heart rate rising, this one is very good. The only reason this one's at the bottom of my list is because I hate being cold.

I wish you all a very get-through-the-holidays-without-hurting-yourself. Take time alone if you need it.

[sugartits-kun]

loser-ass website that so many people are afraid of a “soulless” office job, when so many people would KILL for that comfort and security. obviously i get not wanting to work in The Mines (retail, service, manufacturing, etc) but the reality is that like 90% of people who don’t work in The Mines have a 9 to 5. so like what are you expecting? to just never work at all or write fanfiction for a living or become like an astronaut princess rockstar because you haven’t changed your answer to “what do you want to be when you grow up?” since kindergarten? i fear the conservatives may have been right about us.

[sugartits-kun]

my little po' boy

[sugartits-kun]

i'll open up my heart 🫀

[sugartits-kun]

what if we kissed... under the missle toad

[sugartits-kun]

[sugartits-kun]

Delicate Flowers and Interlocking Tessellations Carved Into Fruits and Vegetables by Takehiro Kishimoto 

[sugartits-kun]

one time I saw a post that was like "why do people draw out lmao or lmfao with a bunch of Os like they're a howling wolf" and half the reason i do it now is bc i am definitely invoking a howling wolf

[sugartits-kun]

1990's Tamagotchi playing cards feat. babytchi

[sugartits-kun]

hey bro can i ask you a question that will reveal a deep and fundamental gap in my knowledge of the world

[sugartits-kun]

it should be illegal to take a nap and still have a headache when you wake up. like no i shut it off and back on again why are you still here

[sugartits-kun]

[sugartits-kun]

I will never understand the hate for grey hairs. Your hair has sliver in it now. You have the color of stars on your hair. You have proof you survived and grew up. You have proof you are living. How is any of this bad?

[sugartits-kun]

do you see the vision........

[sugartits-kun]

Really can't go wrong in fantasy with a giant skeleton being part of the environment. I'm talking colossal, part of the scenery bones.

Oh yes, let me wonder what the hell it is, how it died, how long it has been there. Let me walk on its ribs pathways, climb inside an eyesocket, look at where it fused with the nature around it.

[sugartits-kun]