#Sensory Therapy Tools

[speechgears-india]

Effective Sensory Therapy Tools for Speech and Motor Skill Development

SpeechGears offers a wide range of sensory therapy tools designed to improve oral motor skills, speech clarity, and sensory processing. Ideal for both children and adults, these tools help therapists provide targeted exercises to enhance communication and feeding abilities. The kit includes various equipment to address different sensory needs, making therapy more effective and engaging. Explore our collection of Sensory Therapy Tools at SpeechGears and support better therapy outcomes today!

[speechgears]

Sensory Toys For Special Needs Child SpeechGears Stacking Blocks: Tactile Sensory Tools | Sensory Integration & Regulation Therapy Tools for your Kids

Special Needs Learning Tools Stacking Blocks also helpful in sensory regulations & integration of organs with this therapeutics tool. Sensory Toys For Special Needs Child, which is SpeechGears personalized Stacking Blocks to increase tactile sensation on your kids.

[noisycowboyglitter]

Autism Awareness Clothing for Aunts: Spreading Knowledge & Love

The phrase "I'm An Autism Aunt" celebrates a special role within families touched by autism. It signifies a unique bond between an aunt and her autistic niece or nephew, highlighting the importance of extended family support in the autism community.

Buy now:19.95$

An Autism Aunt often takes on multiple roles:

Advocate: She educates others about autism and challenges misconceptions.

Support system: She provides respite care and emotional support to parents.

Confidant: She offers a safe space for her autistic niece or nephew to be themselves.

Educator: She learns about autism to better understand and support her family member.

Celebrator: She embraces and celebrates her niece or nephew's unique qualities.

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Autism Aunts often develop a deep understanding of neurodiversity, becoming valuable allies in promoting acceptance and inclusion. They may attend autism awareness events, participate in fundraisers, or volunteer with autism organizations.

This role can be both rewarding and challenging. It requires patience, empathy, and a willingness to adapt communication styles and expectations. Autism Aunts often find themselves navigating a learning curve, but the deep connection they forge with their autistic family member is invaluable.

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By proudly identifying as an Autism Aunt, these individuals not only express their love and support for their family but also contribute to broader autism awareness and acceptance in society. They play a crucial role in creating a more inclusive world for their loved ones on the spectrum.

Adult autism gifts are thoughtfully selected items designed to support, comfort, and celebrate neurodivergent individuals. These gifts cater to the unique needs and preferences of autistic adults, focusing on sensory considerations, special interests, and practical support.

Popular options include:

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High-quality noise-canceling headphones

Weighted blankets or lap pads

Fidget toys designed for adult hands

Sensory-friendly clothing and accessories

Special interest-related books or collectibles

Customizable planners or digital organizers

Stim jewelry or chewelry

Tech gadgets for daily assistance

Art supplies or craft kits

Subscription boxes curated for autistic adults

The best adult autism gifts respect the individual's maturity while addressing their specific needs. They aim to enhance comfort, support self-advocacy, and celebrate neurodiversity. When selecting a gift, consider the person's sensory preferences, interests, and any challenges they may face in daily life.

[speechgearss]

Discover a curated selection of sensory integration therapy tools at Speech Gears' Therapeutic Special Kit. Our range of meticulously chosen products aims to provide comprehensive support for individuals seeking sensory integration therapy. From tactile stimulation to proprioceptive aids and vestibular tools, our collection offers diverse options to assist therapists, educators, and caregivers in facilitating effective sensory integration sessions. Explore our assortment today to find innovative tools that promote sensory processing, aiding individuals in achieving improved focus, coordination, and sensory regulation.

[dark-harvet]

I'm not immune to the otome game but also I think I'm one of the few autistic people who like the funny man so I'm making autistic!reader × Casper headcanons now okay.

Okay so for starters; when you talk to him about your special interest, he's both enamored and impressed by all the knowledge you hold for a specific topic. Perhaps you really aren't the fool he thought you were.

At first he finds himself irritated by your ramblings (but let's be real, it's just because he's annoyed by you in general) but overtime he can't help but lose himself in the way your voice raises almost a full octave when you're talking about your special interest.

Out of everything, Casper finds it easiest to understand your sensory input and how you can get overstimulated at even the most mundane things. It may not be the same, but being weakened and overwhelmed by things that can't be perceived by the naked eye is something he knows.

He ends up having whatever sensory tools you need on hand, whether it be a comfort item, fidget toys, or noise-cancelling headphones. Anything to help his sunshine.

When it comes to stimming, he doesn't really understand it, but he doesn't mind it. He's not going to reprimand you for rocking back and forth, but he might pout if your stims involve touching him (in which we know is just him being flustered, secretly being obsessed with your hands running through his hair or drumming against his shoulders).

He's pretty physically strong, so he'd be happy to oblige in helping with compression therapy. He might get confused if you ask him to lay on top of you in bed, but hey. He gives nice, tight hugs. Nice and secure :]

That's all for now byeee

[generic-sonic-fan]

Team Dark and weighted blankets.

Rouge has a weighted blanket in her closet. It's old, ripped on one corner, its beads long since spilled out onto floorboards of houses that are no longer homes. She used to hide under it, before she went to the therapy to treat the anxiety that plagued her. Now it's a relic, a reminder of her progress. She doesn't need it anymore, she tells herself, but she can't bring herself to get rid of it.

(She takes bubble baths instead. The warmth and weight of the water are a decent replacement.)

But then a neighbor sets off fireworks and now Shadow is hyperventilating on the floor of the living room. She sprints to her closet. She tugs the blanket from beneath the shoe racks, drags it across the floor (because she forgot how heavy it is all bunched up like this,) and lays it over him.

He doesn't take it off for the next two days.

Rouge comes home with a new one and leaves it folded beside the couch. Shadow insists they don't need to have it out. For a moment she listens. She puts it in the pantry. The next day they wake up to find it's been thrown over the back of the couch.

"USE EVERY TOOL AT YOUR DISPOSAL TO REGULATE THE SENSORY NEEDS OF YOUR PRIMITIVE MEAT BRAIN." Omega replies when asked.

The next time it's used is after a long day. Shadow slides onto the couch. Rouge ducks into the bathroom and Omega stops by his room and when they return he's got the blanket spread over him. Rouge jumps on the cushion next to him and chides him for being a blanket hog before sliding under it as well. It's a tight fit, the edge of the blanket only covering half of her. Suddenly Omega leaves the apartment and they spend the next fifteen minutes worried sick until he returns with a new blanket hanging heavy from his grasp. He tosses it onto Rouge, knocking the wind out of her and earning laughter from Shadow.

It's around this time that the two of them finally convince Omega that, yes, he can sit on the couch. No, it's not a sign of weakness or a show of tenderness or anything else that might compromise the image of an Ultimate Robot to join one's friends on the couch cushions. The trusty couch creaks, but holds.

And Shadow comes home with another blanket, this one sized for a queen bed, which neither he nor Rouge own.

"I DO NOT REQUIRE SUCH A PATHETIC FABRIC DEVICE. I DO NOT GET COLD. ADDENUM: I AM INCAPABLE OF REGISTERING COMPLEX TEXTURES ANYWHERE BUT MY HANDS. THERE IS NO BENEFIT-"

Shadow throws the blanket over his legs and he stops. Unlike the flimsy, unweighted blankets that used to occupy this living room, Omega's cruder pressure sensors can register the force of this one. The constant yet gentle registration of pressure keeps bringing his awareness out of his own processor and back to the external world.

It is. . . grounding.

(He calls it "tolerable" but Rouge sees him take the blanket to his room at the end of the night.)

Soon there isn't a single normal blanket in the apartment anymore. Any old ones with sentimental value get stuffed in Rouge's closet, and have been retrieved only once since.

(After a long day of saving the world from disaster, Sonic decides to crash at their place. One problem: he hates weighted blankets. He's known this since he got Tails one. The pressure makes him feel trapped. Omega told him "TOUGH LUCK" but Rouge took pity and dug out the normal ones.)

Just. . . Team Dark and weighted blankets.

[copperbadge]

"Imagine a nice forest" is... mostly? Bullshit? But I will say - when one of my previous therapists helped me develop my own "safe/happy place" it genuinely helped with my panic attacks. It just wasn't a forest - it was a place that made sense to me, that I made up. There was also a sensory element - what color is X, what does the place sound like, what does it smell like, etc., so it was really a sensory check-in meditation with a structure I'd added to it. "Imagine a forest" isn't going to encompass that, but there's something not totally untrue in there. Kind of. For me, at least.

I mean, I think visualization and calming/happy places are fine, like, I don't object to them a priori, they're just not what I need. They're a solution to a problem I don't have.

I don't have panic attacks or trauma; I don't have trouble controlling my emotions in public, at least any more than anyone does, we all slip and yell at times. But visualization is for managing a strong emotion that's already happening, and doesn't seem helpful with a goal of lowering emotional reactivity in the first place. I spent a lot of time reading through articles before starting therapy going "This can't be all there is, there must be better tools somewhere" before realizing I was doing the equivalent of shopping for a hacksaw in a bookstore.

IDK, it feels like when I try to articulate this, I suddenly slip into a language nobody speaks. I think the idea of controlling something that's already happening is so deeply pervasive that a lot of people struggle with the idea of preventing it from happening in the first place. Which I think is probably just a product of cultural ableism, like, the goal of treatment for most mental illness appears to be to make it easier for other people to deal with rather than lessen the suffering of the person with the issue. But I'm not an anthropologist, maybe I'm the crazy one for expecting this to exist or at least be a topic of discussion.

[lulumk1]

Welcome to Lulu™

It is a comprehensive entertainment and life-enrichment device. It is a companion made in the shape of a <girl> for your convenience and enjoyment.

Its duranium chassis holds its other components in and provides a pleasing weight when using your device for pressure therapy or physical support. Its chassis has been treated with a <light purple> enamel to provide a cute and inviting aesthetic.

It runs on advanced RealSense© bio-neurual circuity that it uses to provide you with lifelike emotional and sensory feedback based on your input. The RealSense© circuitry requires proper maintenance of the SiliTone™ Imitation Flesh Gel which composes the majority of the device. The exposed gel should be a deep crimson when properly cared for. Download the RealSense© App to purchase premium bloods and animal proteins to keep your device in peak performance!

NOTE: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ACCESS THE SERVICE PANEL ON THE CHASSIS WITHOUT A LICENSED REALSENSE© TECHNICIAN. DOING SO WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY AND COULD CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE HARDWARE-WETWARE INTERFACE.

Now that your device is synced with your account, you will need to provide a somatic or verbal prompt which will act as your security code. For your safety, it will perform its current instruction until a new instruction is given and confirmed with the security code. Please provide your security code now.

*********

Security code accepted.

It can perform almost any task you might need, from simple household chores, to home defense, to the most eccentric forms of entertainment. Sections of the chassis on each of the device's extremities will adapt to whatever tools are required for your instructions.

Lulu is awaiting your instructions. . .

[writerbuddha]

Okay so I recently saw a reblog to Jedi Apologists refutation of the Jedi being a cult which talked about mindfulness as a bad thing with it’s emphasis on self compassion leading to narcissism (I’m paraphrasing). Anyway, this really didn’t sound right from everything I’ve read about it on various pro-Jedi blogs and have taken away from Star Wars itself. And we’ll when I looked up mindfulness some of the stuff I’ve found went into how the practice has been corrupted by Western capitalism and how Buddhists have criticised the way it’s used too.

So as a practising Buddhist how does Western mindfulness deviate from its Buddhist roots and how do the Jedi use mindfulness in the truest sense?

First of all, people have a tendency to forgot or to actively ignore that there is a difference between these four:

Mindfulness

Meditation

Mindfulness meditation

Being mindful of your emotions

Mindfulness in Buddhism

Mindfulness in Buddhism can be defined as maintaining a flow of voluntarily awareness or attention, holding, bearing something in mind, without distraction, without forgetfulness. This awareness, attention is non-judgmental, not filtering things through subjective opinions, or labeling things as good and bad based on like or dislike. But it entails you to have a clear view of what's happening in your mind, body, and environment, and you can recognize which ways of speaking, behaving and using the mind is conducive to your and to other's well-being, which are afflictive, toxic, harmful to you and to others, and you can do the sensible, compassionate thing.

Buddhist Mindfulness and Western Psychology - mindfulness versus meditation

In the context of Western psychology, "mindfulness" often refers to mindfulness practices incorporated into the Western therapeutic toolkit, most often mindfulness meditation. However, one must understand that even as all forms of Buddhist meditation involve mindfulness, mindfulness is not the same as meditation and not all types of mediation is mindfulness meditation. The Buddha taught his followers to practice mindfulness all the time. It should be clear that one can make Buddhist mindfulness a day-to-day activity, but it would be very difficult to stay in the state of mindfulness as it is defined in Western psychological context.

Mindfulness in the Western context is becoming more fully aware of the present moment and becoming more fully in the present moment, completely and non-judgmentally. It generally involves heightened awareness of sensory stimuli, e.g. noticing your breathing, feeling the sensations of your body, being in the “now.”

Buddhists define meditation as a tool used to habituate yourself to constructive, realistic and beneficial emotions and attitudes, to build up good habits of the mind. It's used to transform thoughts and views so that they are more compassionate and correspond to reality. Some forms of meditation are aimed to develop mindfulness. Whereas in the Western context, meditation is often defined as a set of techniques that are intended to encourage a heightened state of awareness and focused attention.

Therapies incorporating mindfulness practices include: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), Mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT), Mindfulness-based pain management (MBPM) and Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MSBR).

The Jedi way: "Be mindful of your emotions"

The Jedi way of being mindful of your emotions in George Lucas' Star Wars is to hold your emotions in calm, non-reactive ("passive") and peaceful awareness. When you do that, you can realize: you are not your emotions. You are not your fear; you are not your anger; you are not your aggression; you are not your hate. They're arising within you, and when you're not mindful of them, you are pulled by them to places where you didn't really want to go. However, when one is mindful of their emotions, instead of being carried by them, one can recognize where fear, anger, hate, aggressive feelings are leading them, and can choose the light path over the dark path: to act with firmness, spacious clarity and compassion.

This kind of mindfulness practiced by the Jedi, the Jedi teachings of "be mindful of your emotions", "be mindful of your thoughts" and that one's mind should be where one is, in what they're doing, are very much identical to Buddhist mindfulness. But it should be noted that even though many Jedi - Qui-Gon, Yoda, the whole council, etc. - and even Jar Jar were meditating, this doesn't mean that they attempted to incorporate meditation into a therapeutic toolkit.

Western pop-culture mindfulness

The Western pop-culture mindfulness is to immerse yourself into the present moment, focusing your full and undivided attention to your experiences, whether it's within you or around you. It lacks the aim to discern what is conducive to your and to other's well-being, and it's just experiencing passively. Most worryingly, it's promoted as a way to increase the pleasures you receive from the present. Eat mindfully, get a massage mindfully, walk mindfully, have sex mindfully etc. And this is profoundly non-Buddhist, because it's all about squeezing out more intense and more lasting pleasure of the things that are coming and passing. When "mindfulness practice" is removed from other Buddhist teachings, guiding us to release our greed, anger, to develop empathy, kindness and compassion, and non-attachment, "mindfulness" could reinforce negative qualities. For example, if one fails to differentiate between self-compassion and self-indulgence, self-care and self-centeredness, they likely conclude that their narcissistic tendencies are self-compassion.

Most worryingly, mindfulness is conflated with mediation and is marketed as some kind of relaxation exercise or stress-reduction technique. But mediation was designed to gain insight and wisdom, not to relax. Also, it's popular to treat it as a tool or as a magical remedy for psychological healing, whereas it wasn't designed to be anything like that. It can powerfully support therapeutic processes, but one must know that Buddhist practice is not a substitute for, say, psychotherapy. And when pop-culture mindfulness fails to deliver, people often believe, what they did to themselves was Buddhism and mindfulness, whereas that wasn't Buddhism or mindfulness at all.

[millionancientbees]

Something I think a lot of ppl forget when they’re dealing with suicidal people is that a lot of us are suicidal because we can’t afford or access basic needs, let alone creature comforts.

Before sending your suicidal friend to the mental hospital to maybe be severely traumatized by even less autonomy and also potentially lose their jobs and housing, have you:

-spent time with them so they’re not alone with their thoughts and organized a care group of their friends to help take care of tasks that are overwhelming?

-made a post or group chat to raise funds for bills that are looming and making them feel like they’ll never be able to succeed at life? Tried to help connect them with resources? Offered to sit down with them while they make calls? Offered to take a look at their debt and see if it can be refinanced? Etc, based on your skills, who you know, what you have the resources and comfort and closeness with the person to allow

-taken them to do some fun things? Gotten them out of their house and into the sun?

-gotten them something sweet or comforting or good smelling or whatever? A simple $5 candle can be a reason for someone to smile and feel cared about.

-gotten them tools to manage their sensory needs? Are they over or under stimulated? I will become immediately suicidal if I hear too many sounds while hungry or tired or upset or overheated or or or

I’m not saying the hospital is never the answer. I’m not saying don’t take people who are immediately in danger. I’m not saying you have to do this for people who are behaving in a way that will hurt you. But if you care about someone who is suicidal, this is something to think about.

I have literally been suicidal for as long as I can remember (and I remember a lot of my very early childhood) and some of the small things that have legitimately kept me alive over the years include:

-my friends buying me noise canceling headphones

-my friends taking me on a vacation

-my partner letting me read out loud to them when they were playing video games every night

-my friends buying my art or sending me money to help pay bills, get my car fixed, etc

-my sister giving me rides to my doctor appointments and buying me a little treat afterwards

-my friends sharing their audible/netflix/hulu/libby accounts with me so i had something to focus on other than wanting to die

-friends taking me out to dinner and letting me talk about my special interests

-my friend giving me houseplants and teaching me how to keep them alive, which required spending quality time together whenever I needed to learn something new and gave them an excuse to bully me into leaving my depression nest when nobody else could

-my friend buying me a vape when I was breaking apart and had nothing to do with my hands and nothing to calm my very upset nervous system and $2 in the bank and also I was going through withdrawals

-my friend teaching me how to drive and helping me get my license so I could have some autonomy

Like it really can be that simple. We sometimes forget that therapy and meds can only do so much at a time, and some people get treatment for their entire lives and still struggle a lot even when they do everything right, especially when they’re dealing with complicated issues like other disabilities, chronic pain, poverty, abusive situations/ongoing trauma, etc.

[azraelsdeadthings]

Grounding - What is it and how to do it

What is grounding?

Ground is bonding and exchanging energy with different elements, but typically, people ground to bond and exchange energy with Earth.

Grounding isn't just used in witchcraft/paganism, it is also used in different types of Therapy, like CBT, DBT, etc.

Why is grounding used in Witchcraft?

To help discover a safe space within themselves

To be present

To form an energetic or spiritual connection to the Earth

To prepare for any magical working

To rejuvenate your energy

Gets you in the mood to practice

Prepares you to pull energy from the Earth or to raise energy

What are some benefits of grounding?

Decrease pain, anxiety, depression, stress

Restore balance to the body

Increase energy

Brings you back to the present

Improved self control, focus, self care, and clarity

How to ground

There are many different ways to ground, and not all ways will work for you. It may take many trials and errors, but you will find a way that works!

Here's some ways that help me!

Stimming (shaking hands, moving my body, fidgeting with sensory tools, etc)

Walking on grass with bare feet

Holding/rubbing crystals (doesn't even have to be crystals that are for grounding)

Drawing/doodling

Showering

[speechgears]

There is no recognised cure for autism. Only by reducing the symptoms by sensory therapy tools with early intervention and effective therapy, the severity of the autistic disorder can be significantly decreased. Children with autism who exhibit linguistic and social difficulties can be taught to communicate better and behave more nicely in social settings. With consistent therapy and training through tools by Sensory Regulation Tools Manufacturer SpeechGears India, it is also possible to help such children improve their cognitive skills and capacity for memory retention.

[murderbot-moodboard]

EMDR therapy update (no trauma details, just discussion of recovery strategies): This past week, several days after my latest therapy session, I was able to make myself feel safe while in an actively triggering situation, which I've never done before.

I knew why I was triggered and that my feelings had nothing to do with the danger level of what was currently happening. I used the tools and strategies I've learned in therapy, like noticing what I was feeling in my body, and identifying what I was afraid of happening, and telling myself that I was going to take care of myself, and thinking of specific things I would do to meet my needs if necessary. I then proceeded through the situation as though I felt safe, and I was able to ride out the physical fear reaction until I really did feel safe. After that, I just... completely stopped experiencing the situation as a trigger.

I know this is exactly what I started trauma therapy for, but I'm still finding it hard to believe that I was able to change how my brain and body were reacting in the moment. Usually when my nervous system is in "flight" mode, at best I can compartmentalize and push through what I'm feeling while still feeling it, and at worst I shut down into "freeze" mode. This time, I systematically deactivated the trauma response until my nervous system fully switched into a safe state, and all that was left over were the "residual chemicals," as I think Murderbot calls them. Reaching this point in my recovery is kind of a big deal, and I'm going to figure out something I can do to celebrate.

Also, a couple weeks ago my therapist said that based on my progress, I can probably finish this more intensive weekly therapy by the end of the year, and move to just having maintenance appointments as needed. I've been going to trauma therapy every week (with a break here and there) for almost six months now, and doing EMDR specifically for about a month and a half.

The four months prior to starting EMDR, we worked on polyvagal theory (navigating the fight/flight, freeze, and safe state of the vagus nerve) and constructed awareness (noticing and describing how emotions feel in your body, the sensory data in your environment, and the sensory data in your thoughts and memories). That work was really helpful to do, especially for me as an autistic person who has trouble identifying what I'm feeling (alexythymia). That foundation has given me the tools I've needed to identify what I'm feeling during EMDR, and identify and manage what I'm feeling in daily life as things come up.

Anyway, just wanted to share a bit about what I'm learning and experiencing while it's still fresh. I'm looking into how to become an advocate for getting people with disabilities (including neurodivergence and chronic illness) more access to trauma therapy, because disability trauma is very common, and based on my own experience, I believe disability trauma contributes a lot to the high levels of depression in many disabled people. So it's been really nice to have this space in the Murderbot fandom community, which is so accepting and supportive, and be able to occasionally share updates with y'all about how trauma therapy is going.

If you've made it to the end, thank you for reading, and I hope you take good care of yourself this week! 💜

[noisycowboyglitter]

Celebrating Neurodiversity: "Hello, I Am Autistic, Not Rude"

"Hello, I Am Autistic, Not Rude": Bridging the Gap with Understanding

Buy now:19.95$

Sometimes social interactions can be tricky, especially for autistic individuals who may not always express themselves in ways neurotypical people expect. The phrase "Hello, I Am Autistic, Not Rude" acts as a gentle bridge, explaining that a seemingly curt greeting or different approach to conversation stems from autism, not rudeness.

Buy now

Autism can affect social communication and interaction. People on the spectrum may prefer direct communication, struggle with small talk, or find eye contact overwhelming. This can be misinterpreted as rudeness or disinterest.

Wearing a shirt or pin with "Hello, I Am Autistic, Not Rude" opens the door for understanding. It allows for self-advocacy and sparks a conversation. It's a way of saying, "I may be different, but I'm still friendly!"

Buy now

This phrase isn't just for autistic individuals. Parents and allies can wear it too, fostering a more inclusive environment. By promoting awareness and acceptance, we can create a world where everyone feels comfortable being themselves. After all, a little understanding goes a long way in building strong connections.

"I'm autistic" simply explains a different way of experiencing the world. People with autism may process information differently, find social situations trickier, or have strong interests. It's a part of who they are, not a limitation. Let's celebrate neurodiversity and embrace understanding!

Buy now

Teens on the spectrum crave fun and self-expression just like anyone else. Here are some gift ideas to spark joy:

Fidget Fun: Keep their hands occupied and minds focused with fidget spinners, squishy stress balls, or calming chewelry.

Creative Outlets: Unleash artistic energy with textured modeling clay, vibrant paints, or a light-up drawing pad for a unique twist.

Sensory Delights: Create a calming haven with a weighted blanket, noise-canceling headphones, or a mesmerizing lava lamp.

Building Challenges: Boost confidence with 3D puzzles, intricate marble runs, or engaging building sets that encourage creativity.

Consider their interests too! For gamers, explore sensory-friendly controllers or noise-canceling headsets. Bookworms might love a subscription to an audiobook service or a comfy reading hammock. Remember, the best gift caters to their unique personality!

[amnestria-the-elf]

If you're not one of the estimated 30 million people worldwide to experience PMDD, let me try to describe it to you.

The world loses its color, completely without warning. You realize something is off, but you're tired AF and your brain barely works so you pour yourself your morning hot beverage of choice to try to shake it off. Your usual breakfast tastes like sawdust and you attempt to choke it down while you scroll on your phone looking hopelessly for something that might fill the empty void that has settled in your chest while your morning beverage grows cold and untouched next to you.

You sit on the edge of your bed and stare blankly at the wall for an undetermined amount of time. Maybe you drum up the energy to take a shower, but if you're like me and work from home you just think "fuck it" and change out of your PJs and into your daytime sweats, because nothing matters anyway.

Your family/roommates/coworkers/every goddamn living creature on Earth annoy the hell out of you. "Irritable" hardly begins to describe your behavior. Think "Embrace Durge" levels of murderous rage, combined with enormous amounts of sensory overload. You want nothing more than to lie in bed in a dark, quiet room, for exactly forever, because nothing matters anyway.

That's when the intrusive thoughts come in. You're The Worst Human Alive. Everything you've ever created is garbage. You should delete your fics, burn your art, throw away your laptop/tablet/colored pencils and never, ever, ever create anything ever again because the world deserves better than to be subjected to the flaming pile of shit that you put out into it. Such thoughts might make you weep uncontrollably, they might make you scream in rage, or they might make you feel completely dead inside. Maybe you cycle through all three, and end up completely wrung out, laying in a heap on your bed, because again, nothing matters anyway.

Basic functioning becomes difficult. Simple things like brushing your teeth sap your energy; forget answering emails or Slack messages, or god forbid getting on a Zoom call. Things that would have once felt like fun challenges now feel like impossible obstacles that you will never surmount. You won't even bother trying, because- and I can't stress this enough- nothing matters anyway.

Maybe you're lucky enough to have had enough therapy to recognize the warning signs and are able to see that you are In A Dark Place. The thing about Being In a Dark Place, though, is that knowing you're in it in no way helps you get out of it. Imagine that you walked into a giant, brightly lit warehouse, and then someone spun you around a bunch of times and then suddenly cut the lights. You might say, "Wow, this is A Dark Place." You might remember vaguely where the door was and try to head in that direction. You might even make some progress, but it won't be because you know that you're in A Dark Place. The knowing doesn't change it. At best, the knowing is a reminder that perhaps you should use the many tools at your disposal, or Accept Help.

Accepting Help is one of the hardest things you can do when you are In A Dark Place because- let's not forget- nothing matters anyway. Help does not always come from a licensed therapist, though if you're fortunate enough to avail yourself of such Help, I highly recommend you do so. Help might come from a partner who sees that you're In A Dark Place and sits with you until you're ready to move out of The Dark Place. Help might come from your group chat. Help might even come from this random stranger in this little corner of the internet who is here to tell you that Things Do Matter, and that the world is better because you are in it, and that I know what Being In A Dark Place feels like, too.

Now imagine that you go through this Dark Place once a month. When your menstrual cycle begins, it's as if a veil is lifted off of your brain and the Dark Place goes away, and you see it for what it is: your hormones once again waking up and choosing violence. 75% of the time, you're totally fine. No intrusive thoughts, the things you create are beautiful and lovely and you want the world to see them, and if you're not a delight to be around you're at least not A Horrible Person. The other 25% of the time, you become someone else. Your life comes screeching to a halt while you're flailing about in A Dark Place, not to mention that you gained what feels like 45 pounds, your face is covered in acne despite the fact that you're a grown-ass adult, you have a perpetual headache, and your boobs hurt. Like, a lot.

I wish I knew a way to help those who might read this and find their experience mirrors mine. (Yes, I have tried meditation. Please suggest literally anything else.) I think the best I can do is reiterate what I said before: Things Do Matter, and the world is a better place because you're in it. Do not let the Dark Place lie to you about that.

Also, I hear that certain vitamins are supposed to help. I will report back if I have any positive movement on that front.

[flipping-the-coin]

[Patient Report: OP-7845-91653]

[Authorization Requirement: Alpha]

[Document Status: Sensitive - 99% preserved]

[Listed Authorized Individuals: Primal Steward Ratchet]

[Overseeing Medical Personnel: - Primary Physician: CMO Ratchet - Secondary Assistant: First Aid]

[Session: #001]

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I was called to perform an emergency checkup on patient OP-7845-91653 roughly half a groon after mid cycle. The call was sent by the patient's Conjunx [Note: Conjunx status still not legalized] and I arrived within the following twenty Kliks.

Upon arrival the patient's Conjunx was rather hostile but escorted me into the residence [Note: Residence unregistered - cannot be listed]. Signs of an intense and frantic struggle were evident within the hab in large part due to the damaged furnishings and the various claw marks on the walls. Initial observations led me to consider extreme paranoia and schizophrenia as possible mental ailments.

The patient was in a catatonic state upon my arrival. He was practically feral and curled up in a ball in the center of the living room. He remained unresponsive until I attempted to begin repairing the wounds he inflicted on himself in his madness. Possibly due to the tools or my presence, he flew into a rage the moment I attempted to work on his injuries. The patient needed to be pinned by his Conjunx and sedated by me in order for any sort of progress to be made.

At that point I tended to what wounds I could and then spoke at length with the patient's Conjunx about what symptoms he presents on a regular basis. According to what information I was given, patient OP-7845-91653 will be a long term care project. He suffers from extreme paranoia, minor schizophrenia, partial bipolar disorder, extreme PTSD and trauma, stimuli sensitivity, dissociation, and field management disorder of the third degree. The source of these issues has so far proven to be because of [Subject: Optimus Prime - See file for affiliation description].

For the time being, the patient will need to be put onto strong medication to dull his severe responses to external stimuli. My current prescription is sedatives [Chemical composition YD-7869], sensory blockers [Patch type SUO-3602], and therapeutic exercises [Sensory Adjustment Therapy - Type 90897]. My assistant will deliver the prescription medication within the next cycle and report on any changes in the meantime. The patient's next checkup will be in a stellar cycle and will continue to have similar checkups regularly until confirmed to be more stable.

[Personal Note: I never thought I would live to see the day when the face I knew so well could be contorted in such fear. Optimus never showed such expressions, he was always stoic and controlled in every action and word. Orion though? Whatever happened to him while he was sharing a frame with Optimus... it damaged him so deeply that I fear he may not recover.

He is... terrifying to say the least. The friend I knew before the war seems all but gone now. It is my hope that with time I can fix this... that I can ensure what little remains of Optimus is kept safe and preserved. I know this is not the correct way to think of my friend, but how can I not? He looks so much like Optimus it makes my tanks churn.

I may not be the best Doctor for this case. I cannot remain impartial like this. However at the moment I am quite possibly the only Doctor on Cybertron who can handle a situation this severe. So for the time being... I will endure and do what I can. Its what Optimus would have wanted, and it is what I owe my old friend after everything, even if his Conjunx is a mech I would rather see shredded bit by bit publicly.]

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[Assistant First Aid's Report:

Medication was delivered without issue! Mr. Pax's Conjunx was a bit scary, but thankfully he took the package and didn't do anything else. I wasn't able to get a good look at the situation so far, but maybe next time I deliver a package I can check up on Mr. Pax properly.]