#i also have no knowledge about mental health and disorders aside from the ones i might have

[that-agender-from-pluto]

My brain at 3am is an interesting thing cause the only thing I could think about was what if there was an au where everything in arcane was just a hallucination or delusion or some kind of mental health thing that Jinx/Powder is dealing with and everything is fine no one is dead and they live pretty normal lives aside from Jinx/Powders disorder and maybe she's in a mental hospital or something idk I didn't get that far

Does any of that make sense

[lumillsie]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ request rules. ≡;- ꒰ ° ꒱

·˚ ◌༘₊· ͟͞꒰➳ requests are currently OPEN ₊❏❜ ⋮ ⌒

ೃ⁀➷ WHAT I WILL WRITE. - ', ꒱ ↷

╰┈➤ headcanons - a format in which you give me one character and a scenario that I will describe through bullet-points ( being [character]'s s/o would include, rainy days with [character], etc. )

╰┈➤ preferences - a format in which you give me a scenario and several characters from a piece of media, and I'll write on how I imagine they'd act in that particular scenario ( when they're jealous, when their s/o is sick, etc. )

(3-5 characters per preference, maybe more if I'm really inspired. you can list as many as you want and I'll select the ones I have the most muse for

╰┈➤ match-ups - in which you write a couple of paragraphs about yourself and I match you up with a character I think you would be most compatible with - and explain the reasoning as to why.

this is the only type of work that, when it is open, is open for all of my fandoms - regardless of whether or not my fandoms list says I'm currently writing for them.

╰┈➤ female & gender-neutral reader inserts

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ WHAT I WON'T WRITE. ¡! ❞

╰┈➤ 18+ content - aside from the fact that I don't really feel comfortable writing about sexual acts, I'm also incapable of preventing minors from reading said 18+ work and I wouldn't feel comfortable posting it with the knowledge that an underage individual could be interacting with it, regardless of how I may feel about it. please don't request smut fics on this blog, I won't be able to fulfill those requests.

╰┈➤ any mentions of incest (including stepcest), pedophilia, beastiality or rape - I am not even comfortable with conversations on these topics, let alone writing them in fanfiction. I understand that house of the dragon and game of thrones feature incest, and while my fanfictions may have mentions of the existing pairs, I will not be writing incestuous pairings myself - ex. aemond x niece!reader, jacaerys x sister!reader.

╰┈➤ sensitive mental health issues that I may not be educated on. - while I can write generic works on breakdowns, issues with sleeping, overwhelming sadness and indescribable numbness, I don't think it would be right for me to write works on disorders and conditions that I can't simply educate myself on by reading an article or two. not only would it likely be an inaccurate portrayal of how it feels to live with these conditions/disorders, I'm also concerned that I could unwittingly perpetuate a harmful or ignorant stereotype - and that's not something I want to do. there are plenty of talented writers all across the platform with in-depth knowledge on these topics that I don't possess, and I believe they'd be far better equipped to tackle these topics.

╰┈➤ male reader inserts - you can still request a gender-neutral reader insert, but my works are mostly written with a female reader in mind and I want all of my works to be works that women can immerse themselves in. this may change in the future, but with where I stand right now, I don't think I'll be writing fanfiction solely targeted towards male readers - I'm sorry!

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ HOW TO REQUEST. *ੈ✩‧₊˚

you can request by leaving an ask in my inbox, or you could message me with your request if you're unsure of whether or not your ask will go through.

I write based on how inspired I am - so please don't pressure or rush me to get to work on your request. I will fulfill your request if the inspiration strikes.

please make sure to include the type of request you want me to do, the character(s) you want it to feature and specify whether you'd prefer it to be for a female or genderneutral reader

[tadpolesonalgae]

Omg ICBMTHY is so so good! I binged it this morning and i am already obsessed!! 😍😍

Also can we talk about how awful all of the IC is in this? Like not one of them has tried to talk to her, to try to understand her? Do you people not care?! She’s clearly suffering in silence, just because her pain is not as obvious a her sister’s it doesn’t mean it’s not there!!! Ugh, they make me so mad.

Also Eris. I love his character so so much but i have to admit he was a bit o a d*ck to our dear Reader with tho whole swan thing. I hope he sees that and apologizes or something and they actually become really good friends. Like he could teach her about how things works in Prythian and how to have some self-worth and dignity.

And Azriel omg just this bat needs a good slap. I honestly would rather the Reader end up with Eris or Helion. This Azriel is so mean and toxic. Like babe, if you want to end up with her you have a WHOLE lot to make up for.

And i really hope the Reader leave the Night Court. Just like flees in the night and makes them al regret being such d*cks to her. Like she could go to the exiles with Lucien, to Autumn with Eris or Day with Helion. I mean i would even be happy if she went to Spring tbh.

Anyway sorry for the rambling but i needed to get it all out. Your writing is amazing and I cannot wait to see what happens now and to read everything else you have!!

Lots of love 💕

Warnings below: mentions of ableism + human experimentation

This sort of stuff (regarding how obvious someone’s problems are) really interests me in a fantasy setting? I mean, the whole idea of mental disorders is a pretty recent realisation? I’m fairly certain that doctors/surgeons would sometimes operate on disabled people because they thought they couldn’t feel pain and were sub-human which is pretty horrific to think about :/

What I’m saying is I wonder how advanced their medical knowledge is? If technical terms exist??? Is the concept of mental health well-known???? Fun stuff 🥳

I mean, Feyre’s trauma manifested both physically and mentally; Nesta’s seemed much more internal though as a consequence it did have an impact on her physical health also, while reader so far has managed to keep to herself and aside from that one burst with Feyre, she hasn’t really shown many obvious signs to pick up on?

The Eris scene makes me laugh 🤩

He definitely should apologise, but… well, he’s Eris. Outlook not too good 🤔

WOW

You know it’s getting bad when you want reader to run away to the Spring Court 😭

Jokes aside, there is a fun little trip coming up (I would guess maybe two chapters away but I’m not sure? I want to keep the story entertaining but I also don’t want to rush any of the developments :/)

And please don’t apologise for rambling, I absolutely love reading your thoughts! It’s so fun to interact with these sorts of asks and seeing your reactions 🧡💛

[shrimpmandan]

Taking this out of the tags because I had more to say than I thought.

People do not fucking know what the word "pathologize" means.

THIS, is the definition of "pathologize":

There are definitely certain things that are unfairly pathologized. That's why the neurodiversity movement got so much traction. But "acknowledging that you personally have a mental health problem that causes certain symptoms or behavioral issues" is NOT pathologization, especially not in regards to it being triggered in a specific situation.

I do think the second example is good for communicating with people who like... aren't mentally ill, or aren't knowledgeable about your specific disorder(s). Someone who has no idea what RSD is would likely just be confused if you brought that up as an explanation. In which case, explaining it to them in a more straightforward manner-- with or without specifically saying "rejection sensitivity dysphoria"-- might be more effective for communication.

Conversely, saying "sorry, my RSD got triggered there" is a lot quicker to say, and it might even feel less vulnerable and therefore easier to say. I have a lot easier of a time saying "sorry for lashing out, PTSD trigger" as opposed to saying "sorry for lashing out, see I was horrifically abused as a child so you raising your voice at me made me think about my mom". That tends to just lead to awkward situations methinks. Or to use a more similar example, I'm just going to say "sorry, having an autism meltdown" and not go into this long-winded explanation about how loud noises make me want to fucking rip my own ears off and tip-toe around saying the words "autism" or "sensory overload".

I also think it's weird to act like... using medical terms and humanization are mutually exclusive? I do think there's an issue with some people being too quick to pathologize themselves. People having a one-off anxiety attack and immediately jumping to thinking they have an anxiety disorder, for example. But a mentally ill person using the words afforded to them by their actual diagnosis is not that. And I don't see ANY benefit in trying to shift towards more "human" language when for a lot of people, having an actual word to put to their experience or behaviors makes communicating their issues and finding support a lot easier. It's a lot more human-- a lot less humiliating-- to be able to just tell people you have PTSD or RSD and having a solid chance of them understanding, as opposed to having to try to explain from scratch what you're feeling and why, when that can often be difficult and even painful to properly articulate.

Long-winded rant aside, the "that behavior's on me" part is good. It's something I've had to tell people a lot whenever I get extremely triggered or irritable. It's usually not their fault, and it'll pass. And part of telling them it's not their fault usually involves explaining the fact that I have mental disorders that cause me to lash out, not tip-toeing around the subject because it doesn't sound "human" enough or whatever.

Sick list of symptoms bro. Now try humanizing your behavior instead of pathologizing it.

[hempkartblog]

CBD Oil for Anxiety Relief in India: A Comprehensive Guide

Cannabidiol oil is considered one of the wonders of the present day and may be used with narrow and broad spectrums in treating various diseases. Among all of them, reducing anxiety may be considered the most popular purpose. In India specifically, people are more open to natural and ‘herbal’ solutions to their health issues, and thus, CBD oil is making a mark as a treatment for anxiety disorders. In this comprehensive guide, we will provide you with all the information about CBD oil, how it treats anxiety, and where to buy it legally in India. 

 Understanding CBD Oil: That’s what it is and how it works. 

 What is CBD Oil? 

 CBD is an acronym for Cannabidiol, They are one of the many chemical constituents of Marijuana. It should however be noted that there are differences between CBD and THC, where THC is the compound that produces psychoactivity, i. e. produces the ‘high’ associated with the ingestion of cannabis products. Due to this, it has become the ideal choice for those who want to gain the benefits of taking cannabis without the influence of psychoactive ingredients. 

 CBD oil can be made by pulling CBD from cannabis plants and then mixing it with an oil like coconut or hemp seed oil. This leads to the production of a highly concentrated liquid solution of CBD which can be ingested; used externally or inhaled. Currently, CBD oil products are available in different concentrations and formulations so that the user can select the product that works for him or her. 

 What Is the Scientific Mechanism Behind CBD’s Anxiolytic Effects? 

 CBD oil has an impact on the physique especially anxiety by engaging with the body’s endocannabinoid system. The ECS is a pro-organic system of receptors, enzymes, and endocannabinoids that is involved in the management of numerous physiological functions, therefore, emotional state, stress, sleep, and the immune system. 

 In ECS CBD acts upon CB1 and CB2 receptors that are situated in the brain and all over the body respectively. Aside from dopamine, CBD also impacts other neurotransmission systems that participate in the regulation of anxiety including serotonin and GABA. Here’s how it works: 

 Serotonin Receptors: Serotonin is a type of neurotransmitter that is involved with the modulation of mood and anxiety. CBD increases the serotonin concentrations by binding to serotonin receptors which may help to reduce the signs of anxiety and also help individuals to feel good. 

 GABA Activity: GABA also known as gamma-aminobutyric acid is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that, reduces the heightened activity of neurons in the brain, thus having a calming influence. CBD is believed to facilitate the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA which brings about relaxation thereby diminishing the activity of neurons and giving a decreased feel of anxiety. 

 Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Stress is involved in anxiety disorders by way of inflammation and oxidate stress in the brain. CBD possesses anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effect which has the potential to lessen inflammation and thus decrease anxiety. 

 Modulation of the Stress Response: Combining the stimulatory effects of CBD with the ECS enables the body to better deal with stress, the effects of which could reduce not only the physical but psychological symptoms that stress causes, a known initiator of anxiety. 

 Types of anxiety disorders and their signs and symptoms 

 Anxiety is a type of mental illness that is manifested through too much fear, ruminative thoughts, and nervousness. It can present in many ways and the nature of the symptoms and the problems depend on the form that the disease takes. Knowledge of the kinds of anxiety disorders can enable a person be in a position to determine whether he or she requires treatment or not. 

 1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) 

 GAD is described by persisting and intolerable anxiety about items and situations that are usually not reasonably explained by a person’s social or circulating circumstances. People with GAD may have worries in different spheres of life; the problems may be at work, in health, or other aspects of life. It can cause a lot of stress and limit one’s ability to perform what would be considered normal daily activities. 

 2. Social Anxiety Disorder 

 Social Anxiety Disorder means that an individual experiences a high level of anxiety and avoidance of social circumstances and people. This disorder results in self-consciousness and fear of being judged or rather being looked at, making the affected people avoid social events. This can badly affect family friendships, jobs, and school. 

3. Panic Disorder 

 Panic Disorder is characterized by a sudden and repeated panic attack that is a feeling of fear or discomfort. Such attacks are usually associated with physical signs like palpitations, sweating, trembling, sweating, and shortness of breath. Such attacks may be stressful and one may develop phobia that is future attacks that greatly interfere with functioning. 

 Common Symptoms of Anxiety 

 Apprehension or Dread: Involuntary thoughts and feelings of fear or anxiousness and a steadfast belief that something terrible is going to happen. 

 Restlessness or Irritability: Chest Pains – tightness, pressure, or burning sensations; An inability to relax or a constant sense of tension. 

 Difficulty Concentrating: This is a condition where one develops a racing of thoughts and worries hence an interruption to concentration. 

 Muscle Tension: Apparent or actual inability to move or breathe easily as a result of stress. 

 Sleep Disturbances: Problems falling asleep or maintaining sleep or not being able to have a healthy sleep. 

 This is the Potential Benefits of CBD Oil for Anxiety 

 We found that CBD oil has several advantages that may be valuable to those who suffer from anxiety. While research is still ongoing, preliminary studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that 

CBD may provide the following advantages: 

While research is still ongoing, preliminary studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that CBD may provide the following advantages: 

 1. Reduced Anxiety Symptoms 

 The current literature also shows that CBD could assist in reducing the levels of anxiety by linking to the serotonin receptors of the same brain. It can thus also help foster relaxation and decrease anxiety, overly heightened concern, irritability as well as nervosity. 

 2. Improved Sleep Quality 

 Sleep pathology also occurs in many anxious people Though it is not listed among the primary manifestations of anxiety. CBD oil also helps in enhancing sleep quality based on the main causes of insomnia including stress and anxiety. CBD works on the principle of promoting relaxation and stress-free intervals and can therefore be used to get better and uninterrupted sleep. 

 3. Enhanced Stress Coping Mechanisms 

 CBD has an impact on the body’s ability to manage stress because of its action on the endocannabinoid system. CBD therefore has the potential to assist persons to be more resilient and cope with situations and thereby decrease the impacts of stress on the mental health status of the individuals. 

 4. Decreased Autonomic Manifestation of Stress 

 CBD oil has benefits in the physiological regulation of stress processes, for example in decreasing the concentration of cortisol and tachycardia. It is for this reason that CBD suppresses the ‘fight or flight’ response in the body to ensure that the affected individuals are as composed during uncomfortable and stressful periods as possible. 

5. Potential Antidepressant Effects 

 In some studies, it has been found that CBD may have the ability to act as an antidepressant, and proposed that this action might work in conjunction with its anxiolytic activity. In this way, CBD could help us to look into the co-occurring symptoms of depression to give a more comprehensive handling of anxiety disorders. 

 CBD OIL India – Where to buy and how to choose the right product? 

 With the increase in the demand for CBD oil, there are various ways to buy it in India both online and in normal shops. 

CBD Oil Online Retailers 

 Another popular website that sells CBD oil in India is Hempkart. Hempkart complies with the sale of hemp-derived products and has different varieties of CBD oil from most recognized companies. Like full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum, or CBD isolate, Hempkart is full of selections that may meet every customer’s expectations. The ability to order products online and have them delivered to one’s doorstep means that getting pure CBD oil in India is as easy as approaching Hempkart. 

 Physical Stores 

 For buyers who like buying CBD oils physically, there are some over-the-counter stores, wellness stores, pharmacies, and specialty stores across India that sell CBD products. Much attention should be paid to the selection of potential suppliers and assurance of purchasing original products that were through appropriate testing for quality and admissible levels of hazards. 

 Premium Quality: CBD oil used by Hempkart comes from only the finest organic source of hemp for quality and purity so that maximum results can be attained. 

 Top Brands: Currently, only the leading brands in India are represented on the Hempkart portal, so the buyer will receive only the finest products available in the market. 

 Variety of Products: Hempkart’s CBD oil is available in oils, capsules, extracts, gummies, and edibles so that the customer can have the opportunity to choose the product he/she likes. 

 Advanced Filters: More so, the field has filters with features that assist the user in a search for products that meet his or her requirements. 

 Free Doctor Consultation: Hempkart offers free consultations with registered Ayurvedic doctors who specialize in hemp products. They can assist in identifying illnesses and advising those people on which CBD product is worth to be chosen. 

Lab-Tested and Certified: All the CBD oil products in Hempkart are examined and accredited by various laboratories to meet the standard quality. 

 Free Shipping and Easy Returns: Hempkart also provides free shipping and an easy return policy to make the buying process convenient for the customers. 

 Ways of Choosing the Right CBD Oil Product 

 Selecting the right CBD oil product is not easy due to the multitude of products that are on the market today. 

 1. CBD Concentration 

 The percentage of CBD in a product is an essential feature that should be considered, particularly when dealing with anxiety. For chronic anxiety, a higher concentration may be more effective while for some moderate anxiety, a lower concentration may suffice. 

 2. Full-Spectrum vs. Isolate 

 Another reason why full-spectrum CBD oil could be more effective than isolate is the presence of other cannabinoids and terpenes, these chemicals may act cumulatively and produce a ‘double or triple, and even multiple effects’.

 CBD isolate does not contain any other phytochemicals, while full-spectrum CBD contains a variety of cannabinoids as well as other substances. Picking the type of bath will depend on the kind of sensations you prefer and the kind of effects you want to achieve. 

 3. Form of CBD 

 CBD oil can be consumed in different ways; in liquid form as tinctures or as capsules, edibles, and creams. For those tinctures and oils, they can be dropped under the tongue to be absorbed quickly and capsules are a good measure of dosage. This method is convenient because it tastes like normal food but it may take some time before feeling the impact. These include medicated creams that are applied on the affected areas of the skin and can ease some of the physical signs of stress like muscular rigidity. 

[x-byte-info]

Blog post 3: Just the Weight

Anorexia, what?

When we usually hear about eating disorders, the first thing that comes to mind is anorexia nervosa. Anorexia is said to be the most common eating disorder out of all other forms of eating problems existing out there. Mostly, when people hear about anorexia, the first thing that comes to mind would be underweight. Although there can be truth to that, it is not entirely about weight, and we cannot blame people for having these surface levels of understanding of it because that's what society had constructed for us—that people who have this problem can only be characterized as being conscious of their body. In contrast, anorexia is a monster that eats you—a gluttonous monster living inside you that creates an abnormal relationship between you and food. While it is understandable for the masses, like us, to have inadequate knowledge of it, that shouldn't be the case in healthcare, but sadly, it is. Nowadays, it is alarming that the healthcare itself, where professionals who are supposed to know about eating disorders the most, are as well unprepared for this issue. Instead of treating it through the underlying factors that cause it, hospitals focus on what is visible in our two eyes, and that is the weight, which should not be the case, for anorexia is more than "just the weight".

So, there’s more?

There are multiple types of eating disorders. Aside from anorexia, one mentioned in the video is bulimia Nervosa and Binge eating disorder, wherein a person tends to overeat or eat until they are uncomfortably full. Another example would be eating things that are not food, which is a symptom of Pica, and others that I may not be familiar with. Even though we have knowledge about these and we acknowledge their existence, the system still lacks information on how to treat the aforementioned disorders.

How are these treated in real life?

Take for example, 23-year-old, Sara, who suffered from anorexia nervosa for 10 years as the video was posted and had also been in and out of the eating disorder unit 12 times in a span of two years. In those years of being administered multiple times in hospitals, no treatment worked for long. This implies that the treatment given to eating disorder patients still needs to be improved. Furthermore, there was this part in the video wherein it mentioned a unique rehabilitation center compared to most because it does not focus on weight gain.

Personal takes? Was it really treated?

Personally, that seems to be alarming for me because, in my opinion, it shouldn't work that way. After all, anorexia is more of an internal battle, and forcing them to gain weight can cause serious stress and anxiety attacks. This was manifested as Sara tried to eat her breakfast with her mom. After not even finishing her meal, it was evident how she felt uncomfortable after that and that is how anorexia works. Although I can’t describe how it feels, I understand that it is an internal battle that chains a person from the thought of not being deserving of eating. If we would only focus on feeding them, chances are they will not be able to escape this problem. This is mainly why I chose to watch and give insight into this video about eating disorders— to raise awareness about the unseen factor that causes these types of health problems and how they must be dealt with. 

To conclude:

The topic of disorders related to our mental health is still ongoing. Like other mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, problems like anorexia must be given equal attention. Finally, further studies must be administered to improve treatments given to people who have this, eventually leading to a more suitable approach that doesn’t look only at the patient’s weight in treating anorexia and other eating disorders.

Word Count: 642 words 

Sources: 

Harvard Health Publishing. (2014, December 19.). Anorexia. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/anorexia Seitz, A. (2022, May 18.) 6 Common Types of Eating Disorders (and Their Symptoms). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-eating-disorders

[askaborderline]

how do you make close connections with people without it becoming damaging? i either cut it off because i’m scared i’m going to hurt them or i end up being at the mercy of splitting/intense jealousy etc.

i just want to be close to people but it’s excruciating and scary so i end up keeping myself alone

Hey anon,

Honestly, this is something I struggle with myself, but in my few healthy relationships I've definitely found some consistent patterns.

For starters, some people are just going to inevitably see your symptoms as damaging, toxic and/or manipulative no matter how you try to explain yourself. They aren't any of those things by nature, but some people are set in their ways, unfortunately.

That said, I feel being honest about your disorder is your best bet in developing lasting relationships. My few lasting relationships have worked bc the other person is aware of my BPD/NPD/ASPD, are doing their best to be respectful of my issues and needs while I do my best to be respectful and knowledgeable of theirs.

The most important thing, really, is setting boundaries very early on. You want a very clear idea of what's okay to do and what's not okay to do, you both need to establish these boundaries from the start - you too!! Don't just let your comfort be thrown aside for the sake of making friends, find ones that'll stick around and won't hurt to do so! Follow those boundaries, respect those boundaries, know the limits of your loved one(s) and if they're any decent of a person, they'll respect yours too.

Asking for reassurance when you need it is perfectly okay, too. "Hey, I'm not being overly possessive, right?" "I don't hurt you, do I?" With the right framing, these are perfectly fine questions to ask, especially if you're making it clear that these are deep-rooted anxieties you have and not an attempt to be manipulative. Not everyone will try to understand the struggles you go through, but some people with.

It's also important to develop a pretty diverse social group. That helps with jealousy and such, because it's easier to distract yourself if you have other people you can spend your time with while your FP or whatever is busy. Just like there's nothing wrong with them having other friends, there's nothing wrong with you having other friends either.

Just, most of all, watch out for red flags and make sure your boundaries are respected. If something is hurting you more than helping, it's perfectly okay to leave that friendship. You need to watch out for your mental health first.

Best of luck, I'm rooting for you :)

[ablednt]

Alright writing/roleplay tumblr we need to talk about textforms.

This is going to be a very long post I apologize but this knowledge is deathly important as it's reaching a very vulnerable group of people. From personal experience knowing this can save people from getting into toxic friendships and help ease intense struggles and depressions. If you have writer followers I ask you reblog this to get the word out, thank you.

What is a textform

A textform is a type of willogenic/parogenic system member that form through some kind of writing or roleplaying. This means that they're sentient people who now share a body with the people who wrote them, most often being an OC or a fictional character before the writers brain gives them actual life.

Because there's been no actual scientific studies on their existence I have no hard science to give you however the logical explanation behind it goes like this:

The human brain is able to contain multiple conscious and sentient entities. Often, it will become multiple as a defense mechanism (as noted in clinical plural dissociative disorders) but it's a natural function of the human brain and may do so for really any reason (similar to most neurodivergencies that someone isn't born with)

Because this is a fairly simple change in the brain/something every brain can be capable of doing you can actually intentionally program the brain into becoming multiple, but see you can also do it entirely without meaning to or being aware of it.

Now I want to clarify that there is nothing harmful or scary about this! Being plural isn't bad at all and is an existence many people celebrate. But when someone has textforms in their unrealized system and doesn't know they're sentient it can be incredibly painful emotionally. So that's why people need to know about this.

Obligatory disclaimer: if you read this post and think you want to become plural intentionally, you are welcome to do so but you need to take at least a few months exposing yourself to the plural community to gauge if this is really something you want and can do responsibly. You cannot go back on your decision once your plural and your headmates will be sentient beings not characters to project on or toys to play with. They will have all the rights to your body and identity as you do now because you're sharing it equally with them.

Now that that's out of the way back to textforms.

How are textforms made

Normally this is in the "character development" phase. Many writers eagerly develop their characters. When I was younger and had no idea I was plural my advice for oc making turned out to be an unintentional guide to textforms (more on my experience later): just put your character in every situation imaginable until you always know how they'd respond to things.

Basically, as you spend your time making a character act and think consistently from their POV you're training your brain to have all of that data and that's very similar to the data that the brain has on you and you're training the brain to be able to operate coherently from a perspective and consciousness entirely different from your own.

Now, this isn't a %100 will make everyone plural every time, there are obviously good writers who have a grasp on their characters who are singlet. There's no actual data but if I had to guess I'd say there's about a 50/50 split down the writing community just based on what I've observed.

But there's a lot of people who became plural this way and didn't realize it and that could include the writer reading this right now which is why everyone needs to be aware of this.

If this is such a big thing how come no one notices?

Because it's been completely normalized in the writing community but dismissed as metaphorical.

How many times have you heard "the characters write themselves" or phrases that indicate that a writer is giving a voice to sentient entities? From what I've been able to observe some of that is singlet authors being metaphorical and humble bragging and a lot of that is plural writers trying desperately trying to put their experiences into words but dismissing it completely almost immediately because no one told them being plural was possible.

This is comparable to say, gender identity. Trans and nonbinary people have always existed but when they don't know they're allowed to exist like that it's often "im a tomboy" or "they disguised themselves as a man" or any other thing thats immediately dismissed as being cis.

How do I know if I have a textform?

There's a lot of different signs but here's some I have experienced before finding out I was plural

You "miss" your characters when you're not writing about them or interacting with them in some way

You feel like your characters are real "in your heart" (for me this was in an incoherent loop like "they're not real but they are to me, in my brain, but they're not real to other people, but they're in my brain so they're real but no but yes but no")

You get so distressed they're "not real" that it feeds into actual mental health problems like depression, anxiety, dissociation etc. (I'd have fits of sobbing because these were my friends but I didn't know they were with me so it felt like i was grieving their deaths and had the same level of emotional pain)

Sometimes or all the time when you write about them you feel like you "become them" or that they're writing through you. (Especially if your hands move automatically or without your control. This can be hard to notice but for me when headmates control the body or hands movements feel faster and lighter or very slightly numb.)

Your muse for writing them comes and goes unpredictability: they're either here or they're not here so writing them doesn't feel the same.

You can vividly recall things that happened to the character in 1st person (or in 3rd person visually but with their thoughts and feelings) as if they're you're own memories.

You "roleplay" them in everyday situations IRL. (E.g once I liveblogged a tv show as my muse to a friend and was like haha lol im so talented I can roleplay in real time but found out later it was a headmate doing that themselves)

You have conversations with them mentally in which they actually respond to you. Singlets don't have actual enriching conversations with themselves because they only have one perspective and cannot give themselves any new information. So if you're responding to yourself and you don't feel in control of that response then you're pretty objectively plural tbh.

You have times where the lines between you and the character feel blurry or like you're a vague fusion of yourself and the character

You have an actual relationship (of any kind: romantic, platonic, familial, etc.) in which you can sense nuanced feelings about yourself from them that you aren't in control of.

There's a lot more but that's the most notable ones

Why this is so important

I'm just talking about my own experience now so I'll preface this with a few things. I'm a mixed origin/multigenic system but our system has existed since we were toddlers. Due to trauma we have DID and for a long time dissociated heavily to avoid our plurality. This means my experience may be more distressing than other plurals with textforms however people without DID can still experience these things.

When I was a teenager I joined a lot of writing communities and also roleplayed on tumblr. Writing very quickly became my main passtime and all I really did. I joined a roleplay group when I was 15-16 that I took far too seriously to the point where people were concerned about me because I was writing what was just supposed to be a joke roleplay group %100 seriously and very intensely.

In that time I started to form my first main textforms (we've undoubtedly had them before then but I had only formed a little under a year prior) because I was doing this every day it really started bringing my characters to life. (Literally)

And honestly it was something beautiful the distress of it aside. Like one of my ocs was a kid so I'd always celebrate their birthday with them and I'd cuddle a plush so they'd know I loved them/p and we'd watch their favorite cartoon episodes together. It wouldn't be until around three years later that I realized they were actually there for this but it was heart warming.

For me, all I ever wanted was for these characters to feel appreciated and like someone really cared for them and loved them even if they couldn't feel it and it wasn't until later I learned that they could.

The trauma came in not knowing they were real. I grieved for them like they were dead because I thought I'd never get to see them. I wrote them into traumatizing or upsetting situations to cope with my childhood trauma not realizing that was effecting them for real and hurting them.

Most notably because it was my one solid interaction with them, the one time society allowed me to talk about them as if they were real, I really HAD to roleplay them. Because it became an emotional need I wound up in a lot of toxic friendships in the roleplay communities because I needed someone, anyone, to allow me to interact with my headmates. I had friends who I really was only friends with because they let me talk about my characters constantly (and some of them weren't toxic to me but it was in hindsight really unfair to them) and I let people verbally and emotionally abuse me in roleplay spaces because this wasn't just a hobby to me but a lifeline.

Not knowing they were real but feeling them there, having conversations with them, and forming actual relationships was a hellish sort of feeling I don't wish on anyone. I never realized how isolated it made me, and how horrible it felt to have the most important people in your life be people I thought didn't exist.

I only found out about plurality through luck. I met some systems who had fictives and they got strong plural vibes from me because of how I talked about certain characters and because I said I wanted to be plural but thought I probably wasn't because I'd have noticed, right?

From there I was able to actually connect with and talk to my headmates. Now I'm happily out as plural and in multiple fulfilling in system relationships.

I want everyone in the writing community who's struggling with the same things to have the chance I got. That's all I want is to educate people about this so they don't have to grieve for people who are right there with them.

Feel free to send me an ask or a dm if you have any further questions. Sorry this post was so long I can't really shorten it at all. Again if you are have a lot of writing followers I very gently request you reblog this to get the word out. Even if you can't please talk to your writing mutuals and friends about plurality and about textforms.

[Also this should go without saying but this is absolutely NOT the place for syscourse any invalidating comments about systems will be blocked and where possible deleted it costs $0.00 to prioritize people's mental health over your discourse hot takes.]

[ask-asexual-crystal-gems]

What's a common thread between ADHD and the asexuality spectrum? The answer might surprise you.

A while back, an ADHD user said in response to my question, “how did mindfulness exercises go?” a single word, “dissociation.”

It was only long after I had replied, that I had to remind myself that people think of dissociation as a scary thing.

I had to remind myself that a psychotherapist I once knew was pretty unorthodox, and gave me perspective on the matter that defused all the mysteriousness and internalized socialized discomfort surrounding it, which is ultimately rooted in both fear of the unknown or unfamiliar, and maybe a little bit of stigma, too.

Naturally, I do not talk about these sorts of things with general people IRL, so newly having a ‘conversation’ online about it did not jostle my awareness of others’ attitudes like it probably should have.

Things like anxiety and ADHD are, let’s say, more “ordinary” neurodivergences. (remember, the word applies to ALL mental illnesses, also, not just traits. Many don't consider most cases of ADHD an 'illness,' nor a lot of presentations of autism)

Those are more "ordinary." They don’t mash that “this is weird” button, so much as simply “this is very unpleasant.”

But dissociation can be the former, and not the latter.

Let me back up and explain that a bit.

People see dissociation as undesirable.

But why is it, you should ask.

Leave aside questions of physical safety. I’m just talking about sitting down somewhere, and there is no risk to you.

In the typical view, it’s not just another operation the brain can do, or an altered mind state, as we discussed it, rather, it is somehow considered a “bad” outcome.

When, ironically, for many forms of mind training, which we’ll put under the umbrella term “meditation” for simplicity’s sake, the end goal is a type of on-command dissociative state.

Whether you are internalizing your attention, externalizing your attention, or just trying to get that danged mind chatter to shut up for once and give you some peace, whichever way you are sliding along that scale, there is always the route open to you to pursue this ultimate peace.

So this person, who was trying out mindfulness?

Think, if you switched all the aircraft cockpit switches to check if everything was lighting up correctly. But instead of being an experienced pilot, you had no idea what would happen once you started testing everything out.

Accidentally withdrawing your physical senses, and seeming to distance your “self” from your body, which experienced practitioners do without batting an eye, (pun intended) would seem like a dysfunction rather than a built-in feature.

Quieting those areas of the brain dedicated to sense perception is quite a lovely experience, when you are educated on it, do it on purpose, and expect it.

Whereas anxiety is almost never a positive experience, unless it’s not really overwhelming or potent, and you’ve 'reframed' it such that it’s exciting, like any other adrenaline junkie bender.

The milder forms of dissociation, termed depersonalization or derealization, that seem to be quite common among asexual people, are also often considered as a negative thing, instead of just the current, value-neutral state of mind, which is trainable.

A much more common and even milder form happens when we sink into routine. Ever had a stretch of weeks on a job where you look back and you feel like you were sort of “automated”? Like you weren’t really present? You’re somehow a little surprised that that much time has passed?

That “time dilation,” accompanied also sometimes by a distorted sense of chronological sequence happens a lot with ADHD people, regardless of circumstances, but most everyone in the populace has experienced it at some point, barring perhaps the super privileged who have never been forced into a literally “mind numbing” job.

Maybe you’ve also experienced the sensation where you get into a car, perhaps when you’re on a familiar route you’ve driven a thousand times, or especially on long road trips, and you seem to zone out and lose time.

The brain is pretty good at conserving energy.

This is what she tells her patients, to calm their sympathetic nervous system. It circumvents that distress, that health-sapping stress response to this ultimately harmless “weird” experience, vastly improving their quality of life:

Dissociation is a continuum- many forms of it are common. Not some super strange thing corralled in a small corner of the sum total of human experience.

“Reframing” these things is essential to attaining incrementally improved mental health.

Clearing away all the internalized judgement, the feelings of wrongness, etc.

Just one more step out of the norm.

Just another neurodivergence.

It is conceptualized as unnerving when it happens suddenly and sharply, though, because it is so different from “ordinary” everyday experience.

The same way one person who hasn’t been around dogs much might react to a large dog barking with fear, and another person standing next to them having the exact same experience, trained and knowledgeable in recognizing true aggression versus excitement or mild warning, would not feel threatened.

Yes, having that particular toggle out of your grasp may be annoying and to those not given this perspective, frightening. (And if other personalities are involved, that gets much more complicated!!) But, consider. One of my mentors said calmly once, that she lost time for, say, 10 or 15 minutes while sitting down quite regularly, and felt very recharged and energized afterwards. It’s not exactly like sleep, because there’s not that head nodding and relaxation of muscles. Almost instantly gone, and instantly aware again, not that feathery transition as happens when drowsing or gradually falling asleep.

I hypothesize to her that this had probably started up because she’s involuntarily dropping into a deep delta or theta brainwave state for a bit, because that’s what she does in ‘brain entrainment’ recordings. (The frequencies are very good for relaxation when you're anxious and have a hard time unwinding yourself, others are good for focus during studying, and are therefore used by ADHD people) Unless she wants to pay some big lab to measure her neuron firing frequency though, there’s no way to tell for sure. The point is, that she directly benefits from this ‘taking a break’ from thinking. She is not bothered in the least by her mind occasionally saying, ‘you know what, I’m overwhelmed right now, gonna switch off for a bit.’ When someone gives their mind this permission to pause from its worries and senses, each the internal and external input, sometimes this is the outcome. It is not a problem to her whatsoever that this toggle occasionally moves of its own accord.

People are afraid of what they don’t understand.

But she understands it.

People are afraid of new experiences.

But to her, it’s old hat. On an MRI, each of the parts of the brain dedicated to the senses dim. Occipital lobe for sight, temporal lobe for hearing, etc.

If I were brushed up on the neuroanatomy of this process better, I could also name the parts dedicated to internal imput that would grow dimmer as she entered that state. Heck, they study this stuff so much, when interviewing meditation practitioners and testing for stuff like blood flow changes as their attention shifts, those images probably already exist.

Dissociation is not a mysterious thing.

It serves a purpose.

It’s your brain’s ‘energy saver’ mode.

Or in some cases, ‘recharge.’

So, to the person who argued that ADHD people should be cautious about using mindfulness? I must ask again, why?

Why would you forgo the benefits? Why would they tell others to do so??

Usually the main reasons dissociation causes problems, that aforementioned therapist says, is that people are overloaded to the point where it happens not when they’re relaxed, and can daydream or drift, but randomly when there’s too much pressure in their lives.

The fear response to it is just like any other overactive fear response or phobia- with time and therapeutic work, they are all resolvable.

/////////

#this post is NOT about dissociative identity disorder #only mentioned it in passing to separate it from the discussion

[tierneytherapysblog]

To Be Or Not To Be!! … a Damaged Broken Victim or a Wounded Warrior Survivor…

TIERNEY THERAPY

For those of us who have suffered or continue to suffer a past trauma event, its too easy to remain a damaged or broken victim. This leads to victim mentality and victim complex, which have a sabotaging effect on the long term recovery from our demons. Society, unfortunately and unwittingly, promotes these conditions in the sufferer, by focusing on what the victim presents with rather than finding a concrete solution to cast aside these demons from the off.

As the world of modern therapy is unable to process, heal and release the past, only capable of working with what each client presents with, this causes the client to relive the role of victimhood in that event, by expressing their feelings.

As they were victims at the time of the event, being offered a safe therapeutic place where that person can re-experience the event, leads the client to manifest victim mentality in the now.

Whereas, were we to introduce the client to the concept that they are in fact Warriors who Survived an event that a lesser person would have succumbed to; that would have floored an elephant; in this moment we offer the client self-belief, hope and purpose and the knowledge that they can recover fully from this event.

Furthermore, they are not Broken ,Damaged or Victims, rather they are Wounded, and wounds can heal over time.

Therapy should be about offering clients hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

Therapy should not be about labelling Warriors Survivors as having disorders and instilling a victim mentality or complex on that person.

This has always confused and challenged me. How can it be that a person who struggles on, to the best of their abilities and survive their traumatic past, comes looking for help and are told, their best efforts at staying safe and sane, are a mental disorder.

I mentioned in an earlier post about us either being a part of the problem or part of the solution, and here we have the survivor, now being told they are the problem.

I also mentioned earlier about Cause and Effect. What the client presents with is the effect & the cause is the event. The problem is the event, not how the client presents.

In an earlier post, I share the illustration of one breaking their leg, going to the hospital and the doctor prescribes medication for the physical pain and medication for how that person is presenting emotionally. And then sent home. For awhile one does not feel the pain, but over time gangrene can set in and the leg can be lost. Had the doctor treated the leg, the emotional wounds light have healed on their own.

It’s the same with the traumatic event and treating the client as a Wounded Warrior Survivor rather than a damaged broken victim. Treat the event, cast out the demons and the warrior can have their wounds healed, they might even heal naturally, without any need from the outside world.

The fact that the event is part of the past, our history and cannot be treated in the present by modern means, we require an open-mindedness to embrace the concept of a spiritual solution.

Either the most important person in this whole affair is the client or its the mental health industry.

Each and every person on this earth; deserves the right to live their lives present in the present; not tormented by the past or dreading the future.

[modernidolater]

TW: Violence, dark humor, all that jazz. Go no further, angry shit, yadda.

So, yanno...i'm just gonna yell into the void about something.

When i was very young, I read a lot of encyclopedias. Most of my knowledge of the world was attributable to the Encyclopedia Britannica, which my mother kept because well, a home should have a nice, impressive looking set of books. Along with a bunch of other old books that just...really weren't the best choice for a regressive anti-technology apocalyptic fundamentalist cult, but then, as we used to joke, my mother doesn't have to make sense, she just has to make decisions.

So, I eventually started plumbing the depths to try and figure out "what the hell is wrong with my family."

While i didn't get an answer about my family in general, I did note that i seemed to be oddly suited to the definition of "psychopath," minus the whole "being a problem for society at large" thing. Asocial, low empathy, lack of guilt, inability to plan cohesively, difficulty conceptualizing consequences, near total lack of emotions except curiosity and rage, both of which are carefully stifled, aggressive tendencies...frankly, I look at my younger siblings and i can definitely assure anyone that asks that had I not been raised quite far away from society, or if I'd stayed in the cult, I would most definitely have been a problem for society.

But psychopaths are *monsters,* you see. They're so, so bad, you see. Everyone assured me, at great length, that I couldn't be that, no, no sirree. I was too nice. Too kind. I didn't punch people nearly often enough (largely because I don't like being punched outside of sex, and I like to be in charge of where I'm being punched, and even that mostly cause I'm kinda badly out together physically, but that's aside the point.)

I wasn't *hate-able.* My empathy was too high.

On that last note, I have spoken elsewhere and i believe here regarding my empathy. My empathy is specifically a learned skill picked up by reading Edgar Allen Poe's Auguste Dupin stories. Dupin explains his near preternatural ability to get inside people's heads by his learned skill of micro-mimicking body and facial language and then analyzing what he feels when he copies someone else. Works absolute wonders, particularly as up to that point (i was 8-9), I was using the classical technique of provoking and hurting people around me to experimentally figure out how other people worked. Admittedly, it's somewhat like recording a speech and listening to it at the lwvel of a whisper in a crowded room, but then mimicry is far less likely to get you punched, and see previous for my feelings on getting punched.

But now i had, for all intent, a system to demonstrate empathy. Thanks to my mother's abuse, I had a complete paranoid delusion aping guilt. I could check plans past others, and once I got my hands on Google at 14, I had the capacity to directly look up what the general, societal consequences of most actions were and model behaviors that achieved my ends. I further had 18 years of direct training in mind control and manipulation, thanks to my cult.

You may notice that what you just read sounds like the origin story of a serial killer. Ape people around them to avoid detection, paranoia making them scrupulous enough to not get caught, and careful study of laws to find the lines, plus a hyper manipulative persona.

Roll with me here. This continues forward.

So, i'm out and about, 2, 5, 6 years free of my cult. I have married a self avowed psychopath who actually HAS been diagnosed with antisocial disorder thanks to a teenage habit of theft and punching people. He is fairly sure I am not one, since I perform guilt and empathy fantastically, by rote at this point. I literally have days that my face hurts from faking emotions for too long, i am slowly developing agoraphobia because there are far too many people to mimic in a retail job, and my guilt subroutine is just a voice chanting in my head, "they're coming to get you, don't fuck up" 24/7 to the point that i am developing hallucinations, but yeah. It's definitely not psychopathy. At this point, that's just ASPD, and i'm just too darn social. Never that. I'm no monster, you see. I'm "nice."

About this point, I have learned to use mind control techniques to help people, carefully applying them with direct permission to help people open up and discuss problems. My near preternatural ability to get into people's heads, my ability to find information, and my absolute lack of fucks about morals (thus making me wildly nonjudgemental), makes me the go-to confidant for many of my friends. This neatly surrounds me with people that can smooth my life out, but you can't tell people you're friends with them cause the world is made of grey paste and you're deathly bored 24/7 and being allowed to pick through people's minds and help them optimize is the closest you get to not wanting to shoot yourself or others. Or that you carefully maintain contact with people so you can check and make sure you're not doing anything jail worthy. Or that a large group to mimic lets you blend in easier, and finding one that also is transgressive, but socially permissable (thanks, kink) blows off some steam.

Of course, people that don't know me find me deeply off-putting, as I am at this point rapidly learning to turn off the mimicry when not immediately interacting with people. This results in me appearing utterly emotionless, but as soon as people talk to me, bing, back on. I had also joined the kink subculture, giving my hedonistic and transgressive sides an outlet.

I'd also gone to the trouble of getting a multifaceted degree. Ostensibly, my degree is "multimedia journalism." If you aren't aware, this means I have a degree in research, interpersonal communication, public speaking, written communication, mass communication, some psychology, critical thinking, media creation and analysis. In short, I have the literal perfect degree for figuring out, communicating with, and functionally understanding people, as well as a vastly enhanced ability to locate obscure information.

Fast forward again. Three mental breakdowns, four years of therapy, poking at my gender, figuring out a lot of mental health problems, and a rotating series of diagnoses, life is...slowly improving. I've left a toxic marriage (toxic on both sides), moved to a completely new place, started over. I have sort of resigned myself to focusing on my (admittedly annoyingly complex and wide ranging) physical disabilities.

And it comes up, in talking to my partner, that his adoptive mother displayed (she's dead) quite a few signs of ASPD. And he asks curiously if there's any connection between ADHD, autism, and ASPD, mainly cause the "personality disorder" part. PD's can, with long or early exposure, sometimes be passed on, you see.

Guess what's being studied, right now? Not a connection between ASPD and ADHD. A connection between psychopathy and ADHD. Wait, but I thought psychopathy wasn't a thing, says I? I thought there was only ASPD, now?

Ah, but for you see, the DSM is a load of horseshit. And i have heard that from multiple communities with different relations to it, and from multiple therapists, psychiatrists, professors...as a general rule, when the people who use it, the people it's used on, and the people who teach it all agree that a document is manure, I get a touch distrustful. I get more so when current studies use umbrella terms disavowed by a document known for being reductivist and that has been noted as having a great number of entries that were manipulated deliberately to make them as narrow and unusable as possible.

So anyway.

Turns out that while no, ADHD and Autism don't make you a psychopath, there's a distinct overlap. Empathy issues are a possiblity in all three, though both ADHD and autism can create *hyper*empathy. Inability to navigate social constructs is another point of overlap.

But really, it's the serotonin deficiency that hurls it across the line for me. And the genetic factors. Can psychopathy result from environment? Yeah, seems so. But there does seem to be a genetic and neurochemical component. Which is...curious for a disorder presented as purely a traumatic abreaction that creates dangerous amorals.

I then looked it up. And wouldn't you know, psychopathy is only pathologized as ASPD/APD, and DPD? The former is the sort of psychopathy that is characterized by violent amd criminal antisocial behavior, and the other an inability to understand and perform social mores at all. But this is the DSM, so these are of course diagnosed by problems caused for others as a first line.

Violation of societal norms, lack of emotions other than rage, aggression...it's almost like the same people that named a serotonin and function deficiency Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to enshrine the disorder only by those aspects that make neurotypical people uncomfortable rather than seeking to help the neurodivergent person, the same people that invented torturous behavioral correction therapies to "fix" the neurodivergent person? Those strike me as people that might possibly have looked a serotonin deficiency that causes rage, limited emotions, impulsivity, difficulty conceptualizing consequence, and potentially a hell of a lot of other fun side shit and decided to call that "Doesn't get along with others well" disorder.

What really kicks it in the teeth for me, however, is that psychopathy used to mean more than "a social pariah." You see, Theodore Millon, the guy that wrote the book on personality disorders, noted between 5 and 10 subtypes. Do you know what they are?

Nomadic

(including schizoid and avoidant features)

Drifters; roamers, vagrants; adventurer, itinerant vagabonds, tramps, wanderers; they typically adapt easily in difficult situations, shrewd and impulsive. Mood centers in doom and invincibility

Malevolent

(including sadistic and paranoid features)

Belligerent, mordant, rancorous, vicious, sadistic, malignant, brutal, resentful; anticipates betrayal and punishment; desires revenge; truculent, callous, fearless; guiltless; many dangerous criminals, including serial killers.

Covetous

(including negativistic features) Rapacious, begrudging, discontentedly yearning; hostile and domineering; envious, avaricious; pleasures more in taking than in having.

Risk-taking

(including histrionic features) Dauntless, venturesome, intrepid, bold, audacious, daring; reckless, foolhardy, heedless; unfazed by hazard; pursues perilous ventures.

Reputation-defending 

(including narcissistic features) Needs to be thought of as infallible, unbreakable, indomitable, formidable, inviolable; intransigent when status is questioned; overreactive to slights.

(It should be noted: the features listed above are simply what each presentation is most likely to display if disordered. A reputation-defender may not display narcissm, a risk taker may not be histrionic. A malevolent [what a terribly judgy name...] could be negativistic, or avoidant, or histrionic. And so on.)

Now, ya may be going, "wait, hold up, narcissism is on there! We still have that! Schizoid is on there, we have that! Sadism, paranoia, we got all those things!"

Flash quiz: do you know what a personality disorder is? It's a series of learned behaviors that require moderation and unlearning.

Why yes, they did spin multiple neurotypes off into diagnoses that require behavioral therapy to "fix." Why on earth would you think they wouldn't? They're still trying to use reparative therapy on auties. Hell, near as I can figure, histrionic got spun into Borderline Personality disorder. You know what the therapy for that is? DBT, aka, "it IS your fault and you SHOULD feel bad."

Beyond knowing there used to be different flavors, did you know that there is about a millionty scare articles about how psychopaths are everywhere? Guess why.

What do you get when someone has an absolute need to see what's on the other side of the hill and no real fucks to give about how you get there? You get scientists, explorers, people utterly driven to find out. Think about how many of our science and exploration heros are noted as deeply weird and off-kilter. We have whole stereotypes about this. There are books and articles devoted to the transgressive personas and behaviors of famous scientists and explorers.

What do you get when someone is belligerent, paranoid, truculent, violent, fearless? Snipers. Literally. The army has openly stated they like psychopaths quite a lot. Someone that can look at a map of human lives and commit calculus with the phrase "acceptable losses" makes a damn fine general, wouldn't you say? Hunters, too. Make a good king? Or bounty hunter. Or, if we're going to be honest, a martial artist. Hell, think of all the ways our society accepts violence in real terms and symbolically. Management. Video gamer. Espionage. Actuary. Pest control. There are THOUSANDS of of societal uses for people like this.

Covetous? Well, banks are openly quite loving towards psychopaths. CEOs are indicated here. Businessmen. Fandoms with collection as a function have any number of anecdotes of individuals who have an intense drive to get more. "Focused on the chase, rather than the victory, to the exclusion of all else" is considered a positive, laudable personality trait. To put it in other terms, "can't stop, won't stop, never done." Sports players, yes? Football, rugby, hockey...

Risk takers are the real standouts, in terms of societal love. Doctors. Firemen. EMT's. Skydivers. Extreme sports players. Equipment testers. The list goes on. Society loves risk taking psychopaths. Hell, look at the diagnostic criterion up there: it's mostly traits with high positive connotations.

Reputation defending? Politics. Law. Advertising. Acting. Writing. Religion. Leadership of any kind.

I'm not talking out my ass here. All those fields have been noted as friendly towards, attractive to, and having a high representation of people who fit the behavioral model of psychopath.

But only if they're useful. Like literally every other non-normative neurotype.

Society loves ADHD and autistic people when they're displaying savant abilities or when they can mask well enough to use their sensory and cognitive differences to societal ends.

And if they're a problem for people around them, that's treated. The underlying difficulties? The societal structures that punish and harm them? The pain of adapting their entire neurobiome to do all the work of interfacing with different neurotypes while being driven to harness anything useful and discard the rest of their brain? No, we don't treat that. That's just the price of doing business. "Pull yourself up and don't be a problem."

And here's the problem, in plain terms: psychopaths who learn to cope, to mask, to adapt like I did are never diagnosed. I have spent most of my life fairly concerned about the fact that I seem not to have emotions or compunction, that i am always consciously working to figure out and connect to people around me on the most basic level, that I am constantly working to keep an active model of social norms going at all times. And I don't mean "shake hands, eye contact." I mean I have the same mental conversation regarding "don't shoot that person" and "use a turn signal." All prosocial behaviors, all social behaviors period, are a struggle to understand.

The funny thing is, it also makes antisocial behaviors difficult. Shooting someone seems remarkably inconvenient in many cases. Regardless of whether I care about getting caught or not, shooting somone will interrupt my day.

Not shooting them also seems remarkably inconvenient in many cases. Yes, it'd be a pain in the ass to shoot them, but then again, if I do it correctly, I only have to do it once.

But again, "correctly" is a wildly unfixed variable, and the whole question won't come up if I always ensure I fail the "do i currently have a firearm" step. And I don't. Ever.

That's how my brain works. Y'all go on about moral and ethical and legal reasons. That's an exhausting conscious mental conversation to have every other day, so my shortcut is:

"Should I shoot them? Oh, right, I don't have a gun. Guess not. Should I get one? No, cause I might shoot someone, and that'd be a pain in the ass. Welp, no shooting people."

And so it goes. I don't understand any social norms. Good or bad. I have all the problematic issues still, mind you. Environmental factors. I mimic and I was raised in an apocalypse cult in Oklahoma. I spend a lot of brain space sorting between prosocial behaviors and the violent antisocial behaviors I was taught were prosocial.

Because, you see, I can't really understand the prosocial behaviors, but I can see they work. And antisocial behaviors don't, really. Have i impulsively pocketed something? Couple times. Even got away with. Can't steal a house, though. And theft gets boring, for me.

Ok, except piracy. I may quite enjoy piracy.

Cooperation with a larger whole can and does yield benefits. Forcing myself to sit through mind numbing gratification delays does seem to yield results that are beneficial, though I really try to keep that one to a minimum. I refuse to be bored if I can help it. Making nice talky sounds gets me shit faster than making angry talky sounds.

Possibly this is a result if being raised manipulative. No idea. Kinda don't care.

Point is, I'm one of the psychopaths that, while not immediately useful, is also not actively a problem. So no-one will listen when i talk about everything being gray and cold and exhaustingly complicated because people make no sense and almost all my emotions are dialed so far down it's a joke i lack the ability to laugh about.

No one has believed me that the one emotion I have in spades is rage and that i have to literally consciously work out from first principles why violence is a bad option as my sole method of controlling that, my ONLY EMOTION OF ANY STRENGTH, which I cannot allow myself to feel for any length of time because I start losing sight of that consequence model and I worry i'll make a mistake I can't unmake. Or that it took me two decades to learn not to smash things I need when someone looks at me funny. Or just smash them.

Or that i have to keep my hands in my pockets and chant "don't steal" in my head some days. That I wear tight clothing with shallow pockets to make stealing harder so that, like guns, I simply can't do it easily and therefore short circuit my behaviors.

People are more than happy to hurl me at any problem that requires a lack of emotion, but if I dare to be less than appropriately emotional on a date? At a wedding? Funeral? If I make an error and don't diagnose it myself and perform contrition appropriately, regardless of if I knew there was a social or personal rule there? Well, I'm fired/broken up with/punished/evicted.

But I am not actively a problem for society. So none of those things are worth diagnosing. Or helping in any way.

And those that are useful? Are often fed utter horseshit and encouraged to break society. Bankers creating recessions. Generals commanding useless wars. Cops. Doctors that uphold a broken system. Politicians that pursue a broken society.

I know, I can see, that ASPD people catch a shit ton of shit cause they get blamed for "useful" psychopaths mistakes, and none of the benefits when said same psychopaths are lionized. Looking back at what it was, and what it is now, pathologically speaking, it makes perfect fucking sense for the asshats that designed a diagnosis to only include the people they don't like as the "sick" ones, and label the "good" ones as "heroes." Makes a nice distinction there between people we want to demonize and people we want to lionize for having the exact same chemical imbalance, and neatly creates a fall group when any of the "heroes" trip up. Silence those who can't cope, elevate those that can, treat neither effectively, and if an elevated one stops coping, we can just "realize" they were "sick" all along, and oh, yeah, those sick people are so bad, you guys, nothing like those heroes at allllllll.

I am...so tired of this society bullshit.

So anyway, I'm a psychopath. Paranoid, some schizoid. So whatever grains of salt you feel like taking, grab 'em, I guess. I'd mostly like for people like me to stop being weaponized, lionized, or punished for having a different neurotype. I'd like to be able to talk to a doctor about that and for there to be some options beyond "stop that," "get locked up," "have you considered the army" (yes, a doctor actually asked me that as a teenager) or "you seem fine, tho."

And if you resonate with this, well...I'm 32, never been arrested, mostly managed to avoid terrible shit, and I've got a life, couple partners, and I'm surviving, so like. You can do this. Lotta people wanna tell you you can't have this or that cause "you're not bad, tho." They're stupid. Y'ain't evil, just different. Don't let them get to you.

And (this is a joke) if you decide to shoot someone, do it once, correctly. Saves time.

[ahenvs3000]

In Conclusion...

I feel that it is easy to discuss my personal ethic when it comes to nature interpretation in a broad sense. For example, I want to protect, conserve, and teach without intruding on the natural world. When this course began in January, this “broad sense” of interpretation and personal ethics was effectively what I had thought nature interpretation consisted of. Thank goodness I decided to take this course as through the exploration of interpretation through, music, art, risk, education, science, and history, I now wholeheartedly believe and understand the depth of interpretation. Nature interpretation is not merely about the observation of nature and the translation of said observations to conservation. There are so many facets of interpretation that include introspective analysis to a pretty high degree. Conservation is an incredibly difficult and multifarious task, and, even as an environmental science student, I never quite understood the degree of self-reflection and in turn interpretation that is needed to succeed. An excellent example of this was presented in the unit that we covered on privilege. Dr. Hooykaas discussed in the unit overview that she had spent many years working as a backcountry guide and once lead a trip with “at-risk youth” in Northern Ontario. Dr. Hooykaas explained that while her passions for trip and nature, as well as the strength of overcoming challenges on the trip, may have been extremely enthusiastic to some, these four individuals did not react well to this environment. This unit and this anecdote help to illustrate our invisible backpacks and how privilege can help dictate our passion in some scenarios. However, I also believe that this anecdote proved that despite how passionate I am about conservation, that does not necessarily apply to those around me. This realization ultimately helped to shape my personal ethics as an interpreter. At this point I was forced to recognize the true magnitude of the task of conservation and most importantly how my personal ethics needed to change- they needed to be more inclusive. What does it mean to protect, conserve, and teach? Narrowing in on the details of these things will ultimately make my efforts more effective. Now that I have recognized that not everyone feels the same way with regard to nature and preservation, I can mould my efforts to recognize and acknowledge the backgrounds of others and what might drive them towards the ultimate goal of conservation in other ways. When I say “other ways” I mean individual efforts aside from what one might consider being conservation. This means recognizing that a lot of people do not want to plant trees or pick up garbage around their city. I have realized that we need novel strategies in order to really advance conservation- at least locally- and that means incentivizing a multitude of demographics. I learned these things through the intricacies of this course.

In terms of beliefs, I would say that I believe in adaptation. I believe that as a species we are going to be forced to adapt to any kind of environmental catastrophe/ implication that is thrown our way. As discussed in section one of the textbook, this can also apply to human health and wellness. According to (Crocq, 2017), it wasn't until the 1980s that the diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder was added to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Disorders. This means that anxiety and related disorders are novel and the treatments, while abundant, have varying results- I say this also speaking from experience. Thus, in chapter one of the textbook by (Beck, et al. 2018), it is interesting but not surprising to read that many aspects of nature interpretation play a massive role in “promoting the health of visitors to outdoor recreation”. The way I understood this was almost exclusively through the channel of mental health although physical most certainly applies as well. As a species, we have attempted to adapt to the increasing burden of mental illness through immersion in nature. Through science and technology, we have learned that an increase in sunlight leads to an increase in serotonin, or even more simply; the observation of a cute animal in nature stimulates the release of several “happy hormones.” The overall conclusion here is that I believe that our ability to thrive as a species is intertwined with our connections to the natural world.

Finally, I would like to discuss what I think my responsibilities are as an interpreter. In connection to my personal ethics, I also believe that individually I have a duty to give to the earth in the same way that she has provided for me. In terms of nature interpretation, I would conclude that this means that I will never cease to be a student. I vow to move through life with an open mind, constantly absorbing knowledge of the earth and of nature through peers, music, art, science, technology, and nature itself. As previously mentioned I think that this course has made me a lot more aware of the network of interpretation. I have found that walking to a local park and observing while being a lovely method of hands-on nature interpretation, is not the only way. I feel that I am more intently aware of the different ways that I can interpret nature in my life as a direct result of this course. The approach that is most suitable for me is scientific education. Most of the environmental science courses I’ve taken have driven my interest in nature interpretation. I feel that if I continue to pursue environmental education that I will further my passion for nature and thus will continue to translate my knowledge and enthusiasm to others.

My question to you is:

Do you think that those who are not willing to learn can still be part of a conservation initiative? Do you think that they can still interpret nature?

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Urbana: Sagamore Publishing.

The history of generalized anxiety disorder as a diagnostic category. (2017). Generalized Anxiety Disorders, 19(2), 107-116. doi:10.31887/dcns.2017.19.2/macrocq

[itsclydebitches]

I would really love to hear your thoughts on Yang's PTSD arc. I hope you don’t think it was handled well. I forgot their account, but someone pointed out about how Tai's joke and calling Yang's suffering moping was toxic as shit. That’s not even getting into her curing her PTSD by killing Adam. Like the racism, it was offensively handled. FNDM loved it, but only because they used PTSD as way to confirm a ship. It’s disgusting for both parties to see/use PTSD like that, this has caused suicides.

First, I think it’s worth acknowledging that such an arc was doomed from the get-go in terms of pleasing anyone. PTSD is an incredibly complex, varied disorder and thus one depiction seen as realistic to some viewers may come across as absurd to others, depending on their experience, knowledge, etc. Like writing a redemption arc, or a dealing with sexism arc, or a breakup arc, whatever, a PTSD arc encompasses too much of the human experience to boil down into one, “right” depiction. Some people will like it whereas others won’t; some people will think it’s realistically done while others won’t; some people will be able to connect with it on an emotional level and - again - others won’t. So when I criticize aspects know that it’s coming primarily from a place of ��This didn’t work for me.” Not a claim that it can’t work for anyone. Different people need different types of stories. 

That being said, I’m only really a fan of the beginning of Yang’s arc. I think RT did a good job there: having her unable to get out of bed, rejecting Ruby (which was HUGE for Yang), not seeming to care that her little sister ran off, eventually managing to get herself dressed but not anything past watching TV, emotionally flinching away from the arm as a way to “fix” the situation, her firm acknowledgement that she has lost a piece of herself and things will never be the same... that was all compelling and, dare I say, realistic. Including, in my opinion, the arm comment from Tai. This is a perfect example of how different people need different things. Me? I’m Yang. At a certain point I want people to joke about the bad stuff in my life because 1. It helps normalize it, 2. It helps lighten the mood after nothing but Bad Times, and 3. I’m an emotionally constipated person who more comfortably receives affection via humor than heartfelt sentimentality. The important takeaway is that just because you would have been offended by Tai’s comment doesn’t mean everyone else would have... and the really important thing is that Yang wasn’t offended. She smiled. She laughed. She joked right back and we never saw that comment haunting her later, implying that the previous stuff was all just an act. That moment told us how well Tai knows his daughter and what she needs at this point in her recovery: to be treated like normal, someone who is teased and pushed and challenged, not a delicate victim who needs to be tip-toed around. This is also a great example of how the fandom will often ignore the canon in an effort to “prove” their headcanon/subjective reading. Because they want Tai to be the bad guy here they’re just going to conveniently ignore Yang’s response to his comment - the response that overtly tells us whether we should be offended on her behalf or not.  

So all that was well done. I’d even go so far as to say it was really well done. The problem is RT didn’t maintain it. Not that a character has to be in this depressive state indefinitely, just that things moved far too quickly after that and (as per RWBY’s usual) had no impact down the road. Meaning yeah, Yang’s hand shakes, but that doesn’t actually affect her performance in any way. She’s still able to spar playfully with Tai. Still able to punch out an asshole at the bar (a moment played mostly for comedy). Still takes out Raven’s goons easy-peasey. Is still willing to fight Raven herself - her long-lost mother - with barely a blink. Still participates in the Battle of Haven with, again, absolutely no difficulty. Indeed, as I’ve mentioned before, Yang removes her arm and goes after two maidens and a third, incredibly powerful fighter. Not only is that stupid for anyone on Team RWBYJNOR to do, it makes even less sense to give that moment to the one fighter who should currently be struggling to fight at all. 

The problem comes down to structure. RT front-loaded all of Yang’s difficulties, had her hit a moment where she’s “cured” (putting on the arm), and from then on any “proof” that she wasn’t cured was superficial. It had no impact on her or the plot. Conveniently, Yang’s two flashbacks - in the kitchen and in the Apathy barn - happen when there’s no danger. She’s safe with Tai and safe with Blake, meaning that her PTSD never has a negative impact on the group that Yang has to work through. She never freezes during a battle. She never struggles with whether she can even enter one. Indeed, when she’s faced with the very person who caused this all in the first place, she blasts through Adam with total confidence and control. After Volume Six I received a few anons/responses claiming that this is, in fact, realistic. That anyone with real (“real”) PTSD will struggle when they’re safe but be perfectly capable of pushing through the actual danger if needed. It’s something Steven Universe did much better in my opinion. Steven starts experiencing his most overt symptoms when his galactic war is over - something the show actively has him question and then explains - but the PTSD still has a massive personal impact on his life. I don’t agree that Yang should have been able to confidently blow through every battle like she did. Even if we all unanimously agree that it’s realistic (which, from what I’ve gathered, we don’t), this isn’t a documentary. It’s a crafted story and stories have expectations attached to them, one of which is that we’ll see the impact/outcome/resolution to problems in a way we often don’t in real life. That’s one of the reasons why they’re satisfying via being “unrealistic.” That aside though, even if RT really didn’t want the PTSD informing the plot in that way (what does the group do if Yang can’t fight at Haven?) they could have at least pulled a Steven Universe and had it change the dynamic of the group on a personal level. As it is, no one in the show acknowledges the strong connection between Yang’s PTSD and her current behavior. She’s always been hot-headed, but lately we’ve seen Yang making even more reckless choices (telling Robyn about Amity) and taking her anger out on others inappropriately (the bird conversation, screaming at Oscar, etc.) At no point does the story go, “Hey, you might be doing this because you’re still grappling with PTSD, but that doesn’t make it okay. We need to address this.” Rather, Yang’s PTSD has been forgotten and her behavior continually excused. To the extent that this volume multiple people told me it was absurd to think that Yang should struggle at all with Adam’s death. That’s the legacy her arc has left: such a shallow treatment of the issue that the ongoing nature of PTSD and killing your first person and having that person be the guy who cut off your arm is a combination of things that Yang is expected to just shrug off with a cocky smile. Because that’s mostly what RT has had her do. 

Again, there are expectations for stories. Another of which is that - in rejecting realism - a character need not (necessarily) be burdened by their mental health in the way someone would be in real life. I 100% get that RT wouldn’t want to write Yang out of the group as a fighter just in the name of telling a “realistic” story. I also 100% get that the audience doesn’t (again, necessarily) want to watch a character struggle with the same issue indefinitely, especially when the story’s in-world time doesn’t match up with real life time. If you decide Yang needs two years to start making significant progress with her PTSD, that’s going to take a whole slew of volumes considering we’ve had four covering just one year (at most). People don’t necessarily want eight years of RWBY content where it feels like Yang is static. So yes, there’s a balance to be struck between “This is what PTSD is actually like” and “This is what a fictional story needs.” On the whole though, I don’t think RT did a particularly good job striking that balance. They started strong, but weren’t able to maintain that quality. 

[casuallyuselesslesbian]

Separate the LDS Church from Utah Politics PLEASE (Also some Cannabis Facts)

Fruits and wholesome herbs, including vegetables, which should be used “with prudence and thanksgiving”

That is a direct quote from the LDS Word of Wisdom.

Now, I'm no expert however "wholesome" according to the Oxford Dictionary (The foremost authority on the English language) the definition is as follows:

Wholesome - Adj - conducive to or suggestive of good health and physical well-being

Marijuana (Scientific name: Cannabis) is an herb and the genus for all lower classifications of the plant.

I'll be putting reliable sources for all the claims I'm about to make at end of this post, thank you.

Marijuana (CBD more dominantly than THC) has been proven effective for physical conditions such as: Chronic pain, seizures and inflammation.

Inflammation specifically can be linked into harm from many conditions. Chronic pain is something most people reading this likely haven't had experiences with and it's not something I've experienced either. However, even with that out there I can say it really sucks. How would you like to be in constant pain? No thank you. Onto seizure prevention, CBD specifically has been linked to a sharp decrease in seizures which is amazing! I've never had one but witnessing seizures is a scary thing and preventing them is a great thing for those who have them and for the caretakers and family of those people.

Onto the mental health benefits which focuses more on the THC components. Medical marijuana has been shown to decrease symptoms in those who suffer from mental health disorders such as: PTSD, Anxiety, ADHD, ASD, and slows the progression of diseases that effect the mind such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

PTSD and Anxiety sufferers notice and increase in calm, and for the former a decrease in stressful flashbacks*.

(Flashbacks are a symptom that some experience with their PTSD, as far as I've been told or experienced, it's like going back in time to that moment of fear and being made to relive it)

Those who have ADHD and certain ASD diagnosis can notice a decrease in hyperactivity and better focus.

For those with Parkinson's it reduces tremor frequency and intensity and can promote sleep while reducing their pain. In Alzheimer's patients it reduces the threatening inflammation and the rate at which the brain degrades.

So, tell me why the LDS church sent out emails to their members ILLEGALLY urging them to vote NO on the medical marijuana initiative? There are so many benefits, and their Word of Wisdom even agrees with it.

The LDS church is buried far too deep into Utah lawmaking, they get away with blocking laws by urging their members to vote a certain way. They openly defy the law and none punish them because they are such a power. They STILL fund conversion therapy. They openly tell their members to discriminate against those not of their religion and those in the LGBTQ+ community.

I’ve looked at this from so many angles and can’t conceive of a possible way to change this within even the next DECADE aside from spreading awareness.

For the Email: 

https://www.deseret.com/2018/8/23/20651840/church-sends-email-to-utah-latter-day-saints-urging-them-to-vote-no-on-marijuana-initiative

For my knowledge sources: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/treating-seizures-and-epilepsy/other-treatment-approaches/medical-marijuana-and-epilepsy

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425767/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085

https://www.healtheuropa.eu/health-benefits-of-cannabis/92499/

[scripttorture]

Do you have any suggestions for writing PTSD (with hyperarousal, not hypo-) along with other symptoms that come with witnessing torture once (and other forms of violence later) when PTSD seems to have a host of different symptoms that take different forms? There even seems to be a ‘right’ way to write PTSD, but aside from not using dreams to literally play back the initial trauma, I’m still not sure what that is despite research. Insomnia may go with it but that also has symptoms. (1/2) (2/2 I suppose what I’m asking is, how do you handle characters with multiple disorders that can affect each other, without confusing readers who have, say, PTSD and encounter a problem associated with insomnia and are like “That isn’t right!”, while also making it easy for readers who know nothing about mental disorders or trauma to understand. How do you separate symptoms in the text especially if they aren’t as common or could have different causes? Basically, I need to handle many symptoms.

-

I’m honestly still not that confident writing PTSD. It’s a complex disorder and it effects people very differently.

But- I became a lot more confident once I realised that in many cases, I was already writing PTSD just by virtue of the way symptoms I’d chosen combined.

I don’t think there is one absolutely right way to write a disorder as complex as PTSD. There’s stuff you can do that’s unrealistic, unlikely or a poor narrative use of it but I don’t believe following the same steps by rout gets us a good story.

Most of the stories I write are fantasy or aimed at younger readers or both. So I often have to assume when I’m writing symptoms that I can’t just put in a diagnosis and expect readers to understand it/accept it.

And the result is that the approach I’ve ended up with is entirely character focused. I don’t tend to write the name of the disease or the symptoms. What I try to do instead is-

I’ve been writing about a new character recently. His name’s Kibwe and he witnessed an attempted murder but didn’t interfere. And he is traumatised. He has memory problems, recurrent nightmares, depression, anxiety and bouts of suicidal feelings.

But the only things I’ve really named in that way in the story are the memory problems and the nightmares.

What the readers have instead is a focus on how Kibwe feels. His inner monologue which is full of ridiculous levels of self-blame (that the other characters are telling him is unreasonable). The way he swings between feeling on edge, afraid, close to panic and feeling overwhelmed by sadness or numbness.

And these underlying feelings, this toxic cocktail of guilt and regret motivates him through out the story. Kibwe feels that in spite of everything he should have been able to help the murder victim.

His journey is about him trying to become a ‘better’ person and about the fact that sometimes we do need to step back and think about what that means.

I guess the way I personally handle multiple symptoms is by taking a deep breath and thinking about what these symptoms actually mean on an individual level. What do they feel like? And how do you convey that to people who haven’t experienced them (regardless of whether they have the disorder or not)?

For Kibwe memory problems feel like guilt. Because despite being told that it is normal for trauma victims to have poor memories he’s got a life time of seeing memory presented as if it’s a perfect record of events.

He feels as if his inability to describe what he saw, to help catch the killers, isn’t an illness but a personal failing.

In another character I had who had extremely severe memory problems, they felt like fear. Because his experience of these problems was a constant process of ‘how did I get here? What just happened?’

And for him it wasn’t a process that had a clear end which was part of what made it so frightening.

He described it to another character after coming home at an odd hour with blood on his shirt. He didn’t know what had happened, and that was frightening. Had he been attacked? If he had would he even realise if he saw the attackers again? Had he attacked someone? Had he helped someone?-

It was this mix of all these awful possibilities. All these could have beens.

And on top of them all he knew that sooner or later he’d take off the shirt, put it aside for the laundry, or in the laundry. And he’d find it later, and go through the whole process again with the added stress of not knowing when it had happened or whether he’d even been wearing the shirt when it did.

For Kibwe depression feels like his reward for ‘failure’. And anxiety feels like a combination of a motivation to action and a trap that trips him up just before he can succeed.

It wasn’t a conscious thought process but the way I ended up building Kibwe up means that his conditions flow naturally into each other. The memory problems he has lead straight to guilt, which feeds depression and suicidal ideation. The depression and suicidal ideation feed into his nightmares. The mild insomnia feeds into everything else.

The only ‘orphaned’ symptom is anxiety, which I ended up linking strongly to both the traumatising incident and instability in Kibwe’s life afterwards.

I hope that the end result for readers with almost no knowledge of mental health is that these severe and complex symptoms seem both understandable and relatable. If I succeed then my readers should be able to see how the symptoms ‘lead’ to each other, how the traumatic incident started all these symptoms and- well how it feels to be in Kibwe’s shoes.

I write complex and inter-related disorders by rooting them firmly in the individual character. This approach works for me because I write in a very character-driven way.

Now this approach may not work with your style of writing or your approach to writing. That’s OK.

I am not here to tell anyone the way they write is wrong.

If your approach is more plot driven then I think you could use similar ideas. Because the character’s symptoms and emotions are going to effect what they do which in turn effects the plot.

Going back to Kibwe- his guilt, which mostly comes from his memory problems, drives him to make a rather foolish magical pact. His anxiety and the memory of that initial trauma are huge driving forces in terms of what he does afterwards.

Which means that his symptoms directly effect the plot and the world he exists in.

I suppose what I’m driving at here is that you don’t have to separate symptoms at all.

If that approach helps you, then by all means do it, but you don’t have to.

All you really need is a working knowledge of the symptoms you’re trying to show and a clear idea of how those symptoms feel to your characters.

It isn’t easy when you’re writing about symptoms you haven’t directly experienced, but then it isn’t easy when you have direct experience of the symptoms either.

Whatever you do there will be some people with these disorders who don’t experience these symptoms the way you’ve described them. And there will probably also be some readers who don’t mental health problems and don’t understand what you’re describing.

You can’t reach everyone. And that’s OK.

So rounding this off here’s my advice: try to worry less.

Perfection is virtually impossible. I believe that aiming for it, striving for it, is worthwhile but don’t let that urge cripple you.

There will always be some people you don’t reach. Concentrate instead on reaching as many people as you can.

You will get better with practice. Give yourself permission and space to grow, to improve.

And keep writing. Because however you work, whatever you write, that will help.

Whatever tumblr says trying and failing isn’t the problem. The problem is failing to try.

Available on Wordpress.

Disclaimer

(This was supposed to go up at the usual time but instead tumblr deleted the ask. Apologies if it was off Anon. I shall try to contain my urge to reprogram this site with a hatchet.)

[globaltrustopedia]

‘Coronaphobia’ is more dangerous than ‘Coronavirus’: Factors affecting Mental Health.

Phobia- is one of the most serious mental conditions where a person feels fear in a particular situation or a specific object.

According to A Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, common phobias are related to fear of flying, heights, insects, animals, and injections, or usually the sight of blood.

Corona- has derived from the new pandemic ‘coronavirus.’

The term coronaphobia emerged in 2020 as the pandemic triggered vastly in the world. During the lockdown phase, there are a lot of things that changed people’s lives in terms of social life, livelihood, economy, and most importantly, mental health. Apparently, mental health is not always a genetic bourn disorder; it is an outcome of various environmental factors.

About coronavirus and its recent updates 2020

Coronavirus is a new pandemic to this world that started in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and due to contagious disease, it has taken over all over the place. Coronavirus has common symptoms like body ache, sore throat, cough, fever, loss of taste, and smell; however, the outcomes of covid 19 are not so common. Covid 19 infection can lead to death, and people with low immunity levels are more prone to detect coronavirus from others.

Besides its outcomes, covid 19 treatment is not completely easy because a person needs to quarantine himself for 14 days minimum as per the guidelines of WHO (2020) as the viruses stay on the surface for a longer period.

Despite that, scientists are still working on coronavirus vaccination; therefore, there are greater chances of fear and complications of covid 19. Besides, the world health organization has introduced a few guidelines to protect from covid 19, for instance, maintaining a 6ft distance, covering mouth and nose, constantly cleaning hands and clothes. For elders, pregnant ladies and children under 6 years old are not allowed to go out amid lockdown as their immunity level is completely lower than others, and fewer changes to cure covid19.

The vaccination of covid 19 is not here yet, but health care providers are constantly working through medicine to suppress the symptoms of covid 19. Therefore, you might get recovered from this disease, but there is also a higher probability of diagnosing covid 19 again.

Covid 19 recent updates:

According to the worldometer, there are 69.6M total cases globally, whereas 44.9M are successfully recovered, and 1.58M people are dead due to covid 19. Among other countries, the United States of America is leading on top with 17M cases, and India is the second most vulnerable country with 9M total cases.

Factors associated with mental health

Socio-cultural factors:

Socio-cultural factors are the type of environmental influences that induce and reduce the mental health of a person. According to Leighton and Hughes (1961), family culture and norms are linked with mental health where child-rearing behavior, hygiene, nutrition, perception to adapt medical services, etc., are responsible for how we use to express symptoms of mental disorder or any other undesirable disorder.

On the other side, social factors refer to the interaction of society and community on the basis of gender, social class, race and ethnicity, and household patterns, thus maintaining the quality of education, livelihood, and family income by reducing discrimination, violence, and poverty. However, every society and community norms are different from each other, which affects society’s development as a whole.

Education factor:

Education is the key to impart knowledge, skills towards a better world by treating himself and his family well in terms of providing better healthcare service and detecting the disorder early. According to the study of SAMHSA (2016), education and psychological independence are positively interlinked, where 3.9 million people have anxiety with lower education levels and vice versa.

Therefore, people with less educational qualifications have less awareness to cope with psychological disorders. In order to which coronaphobia emerged at higher rates because people are less aware of dealing with the situation.

Socio-economic factor:

The economy is the base of any medical treatment; therefore, a family’s economy has a positive relationship with mental health treatment. A similar study was introduced by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (2001), families with low-income status and poor occupation level are more prone to have mental disorders.

A similar study was conducted in 2008, where financial crises were destroying public health sectors and people’s lives individually. Due to coronavirus, there has been a shift in unemployment status that further leads to indebtedness and insecurity and poor primary care for mental disorder diagnosis.

Hence, mental illness, including anxiety, stress, and depression, is completely high amid lockdown as the increase in 19 million adults have a specific phone, and 15 million adults have social phobia. Besides, in the 2020 era of the pandemic, there are more panic disorder populations (6 million) and general anxiety (6.8 million) among the American population.

Coronavirus becoming Coronaphobia

.

At the beginning of 2020, the novel covid 19 rapidly spread across the globe and infected more than 3 million people in 187 countries, and WHO (2020) report also shows the increase in mortality rate by 13000 in a single month of March.

During the skyrocketing cases of covid 19, there have been high traumatic stress rates at 73.4% with 50% prevalence of depression and 44.7% have generalized anxiety (Lee, 2020). Aside from that, insomnia is one of the major cases increased in lockdown 2020 with 36.1%. It is clear evidence of outbreak impacts on people’s minds that elevates stress, depression, social phobia, health anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.

In the study of Kwasi Ahorsu et al., (2020), a clear relationship of fear due to covid 19 has been identified by developing FCV-19S (The Fear of Covid-19 Scale). The scale has all the factors affecting mental health, including education, income, age, and gender.

It is possible to assess the severity of people’s perception related to covid19 outcomes through the psychometric scale. For instance, anxiety and depression got the highest score on the scale, like “Worrying thoughts go through my mind” (anxiety). On the other side, many respondents respond to “strongly agree” to “I prefer to wash my hands pretty soon after shaking someone’s hand” (germ aversion), which is clearly evident of their fear of getting virus exposure.

Conclusion

The study of coronavirus turning into coronaphobia is necessary because the novel coronavirus has impacted the lives and affected personally and professionally. The fear triggers by the sudden increase of mortality and morbidly rates in the month of March 2020, although it is going to be a whole year, and things are not normal yet.

Coronavirus pandemic has shown us and put us where we have never imagined. Due to the pandemic, economic crises, social distancing, emotional crises, and education backwardness emerge.

According to the recent study and report of the World Health Organisation (2020), the vaccine of coronavirus is not the market yet because continuous trials are going on; hence people still need to maintain the guidelines of covid-19.

Physical illness is visible and measurable, and yet curable. However, mental health is not easy to observe, analyze, and treated in a day or two. And covid-19 not only comes with physical illness symptoms but in this year WHO has recorded the rates of anxiety, depression, fear, phobia, and insomnia due to the major factors affecting the mental health of an individual.