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yeetmeoutthewindowdaddy · 1 month ago

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Rolan's lisp headcanons:

Inspired by this post [alt]

A/N: I am not a doctor. I am not claiming that Rolan's voice actor has a lisp IRL, nor am I speculating on the causes of his lisp IF he has one, this post is nothing more than me reaching for angst for one of my blorbo's. Does Rolan have a lisp in-game? It sounds like he does to me, but maybe he doesn't have a lisp and that's just how his accent sounds to my uncultured US American yee-haw ears. --- This specific post is not a lore breakdown, it is pure speculation and conjecture. Some actual lore-breakdowns are linked to provide the canon sources that led me to these headcanons. I posited the information below as though it is factual because it is true for my headcanons, not because it is actually canon.

Content: Angst, a nonmedical-professional speculating on medical things.

TW: physical trauma, brain/head injury, anxiety/stress, child abuse, species-targeted violence*, orphans, homelessness, real-world parallels to discrimination.

*A/N: I am taking a page from WotC and using the term "species" instead of "race" because of the real world connotations that "race" has. And frankly using real-world terms like "racially targeted violence" when discussing a fictional world seems disrespectful to the very real people who must contend with it in their actual lives. And such terms hit too close to home— I'm ethnically ambiguous and pale enough that I don't have to worry about racially motivated violence in my day-to-day life, but many of my family members and loved ones don't have that privilege.

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A/N: (Hard facts are in green, information bookended by green * is info that I'm fairly certain is factual— everything else is headcanon.)

● (Section 1) Possible reasons why Rolan has a lisp:

Rolan was was born with an articulation disorder:

Rolan's speech impairment was much more pronounced (pun unintended) when he was younger.

He taught himself how to speak Common despite his disability because he wanted to be a wizard, who needs to be able to properly pronounce the verbal components of a spell, and because he was severely bullied about it as a child— as it was yet another thing that othered him.

---

Rolan has a forked tongue that makes it difficult for him to speak Common:

(A tiefling specific physical reason why he has trouble speaking.)

A/N: (I don't think that any of the tiefling character models in game have a forked tongue. But based on what I know about tieflings, at least some of them should have a partially or fully forked tongue.)

"The speech of subjects with bifurcated tongues, while intelligible, shows a higher proportion of perceptibly atypical fricatives and significantly greater variance than seen in the control group." Source *Translated into layman's terms: While having a spilt tongue makes it noticeably harder to clearly enunciate and correctly pronounce words, people with a forked tongue are still able to be understood when speaking.*

Keep in mind that the test subjects in the above study were adults who had already learned how to speak. They already knew where and how to position their tongue when speaking, they just needed to adapt to speaking with their newly forked tongue.

Rolan had no one to teach him how to speak common with his naturally forked tongue.

A forked tongue is required to properly speak Infernal , so his lisp serves as yet another reminder of his infernal heritage.

---

It was caused by an improperly healed injury:

Unfortunately, prejudice against tieflings is very common in the realms. *Rolan grew up in* Elturel, a city that tolerated tieflings better than most (until the Decent into Avernus). *A combination of moral superiority and* strict laws enforced by the Hellriders meant that Elturel had a very low crime rate.

In a city where cursing in public could get one into legal trouble, who could ruffians take their aggression out on without penalty? Street children, specifically tiefling street children. Without any adults to look after or protect them, many orphaned/abandoned tiefling children have to resort to stealing to survive (like Mol)�� which unfortunately feeds into the stereotype of tieflings being criminals.

Committing a crime against tiefling urchin would be easy to get away with. Because who is the city guard going to believe— a purportedly good and upstanding citizen who was simply defending themselves, or a gamin devil-kin thief?

Before descending into the hells overtly hateful prejudice against tieflings was kept behind closed doors and away from polite company— it would be uncouth to be openly intolerant. The holier-than-thou people of Elturel looked the other way when injustices were committed against tieflings.

After Elturel was retuned from the hells openly displaying anti-tiefling sentiments became socially acceptable and widespread amongst the non-tiefling populace of the city. *Before the tieflings were banished violence against them had dramatically increased in Elturel. (Which sadly meant that the general levels of violence tieflings faced in Elturel now matched Faerûn as a whole.)*

Rolan was abandoned by his human parents because he was born a tiefling. Even if Rolan wasn't a street urchin and had instead been taken in by an orphanage or a temple; his prospects there weren't much better, maybe even worse, than being on the streets. (Rolan was, at some point, thankfully adopted by Cal and Lia's mother.)

Rolan would have suffered because he is a tiefling— either at the hands of the orphanage's/temple's care-takers and/or from the other unwanted children (Rolan is intelligent and magically gifted, jealousy is a hell of a motivator for school-yard bullies), or from criminals/assholes who wanted an easy target, or all of the above.

All of this to say: Rolan was, likely repeatedly, subjected to species-motivated physical violence when he was a child, causing him to receive an injury that never properly healed or that permanently damaged a portion of his brain that controls speech/speaking.

"Neurological disorders, such as stroke, brain injury, or dysarthria, can affect the brain regions and neural pathways responsible for speech production. A disruption in the neurological pathways can lead to difficulties coordinating and controlling the muscles involved in speech, including those of the tongue and lips. As a result, individuals may struggle to produce specific sounds correctly, potentially manifesting as a lisp." Source "Dysarthria can be caused by conditions that make it hard to move the muscles in the mouth, face or upper respiratory system... [which] control speech. Conditions that may lead to dysarthria include... Brain injury... Head injury." Source "An injury to the tongue or teeth can also cause a lisp." Source

---

Rolan developed it as an adult due to stress:

Everybody responds to stress differently, and sometimes our bodies respond in strange and unexpected ways— such as developing a lisp.

"...anxiety and stress can cause a lisp. This is more common in adults than children." … "Stress and anxiety can surprisingly trigger or exacerbate lisping..." Source 1, Source 2

Reasons Rolan has to be stressed TF out before the events of BG3:

*Abandoned by his biological parents because he was born a tiefling.*

Grew up in an abusive orphanage/temple, in the streets, or both.

He is a tiefling, a species of humanoids in Faerûn that look like devils and are heavily discriminated against because of it.

*Rolan is the oldest and most responsible sibling.*

*His adoptive mother died, either before or during Avernus— leaving Rolan in charge of caring for his younger siblings.*

*Rolan and his family grew up poor, he knew that his magical talents could pull them out of poverty* and he trained incredibly hard to hone his skills without a teacher.

*Due to his lack of proper schooling*, and because his lisp prevents him from properly pronouncing the verbal components of spells, Rolan had to make his own versions of common spells.

He feels responsible for Cal and Lia's wellbeing, and is willing to go to extreme lengths/endure extreme things if it means he can provide a better life for them.

He doesn't truly believe that they consider him their brother/family.

Elturel, his home, was pulled into Avernus for at least a tenday.

He and his siblings had to survive actual hell.

Tieflings were blamed for the city falling into the hells because they look like devils, *leading to violence against them.*

He, his family, and all the other tieflings were exiled from Elturel because they were tieflings.

*He had to leave behind almost everything he had worked so hard to acquire.*

Reasons Rolan has to be stressed TF out during the events of BG3:

He has been roughing it with the other refugees for gods knows how long.

If he takes too long to get to Baldur's Gate he risks his apprenticeship, *his one and (thus far/possibly) only chance to learn how to become a powerful enough wizard that he can support his siblings.*

The druids are threatening to kick them out of the grove.

If they are forced from the grove everyone will be slaughtered by goblins.

Some meddling adventurer convinced his siblings to stay and help protect the other refugees instead of making a break for it on their own.

Wyll is a devil now!?

They traversed through the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

Insane, murderous, cultists attacked the tiefling caravan intent on slaughtering them.

Zevlor (seemingly) betrayed them.

His siblings were captured by said insane, murderous, cultists *because he wasn't strong enough to protect them and the children at the same time.*

That asshole adventurer is back, and they save him and his siblings again.

Baldur's Gate is refusing the refugees entry into the city.

Lorroakan doesn't let Lia and Cal stay in the tower.

Lorroakan is an abusive fraud.

He has to help the Nightsong and the adventurer fight Lorroakan.

He is suddenly the master of Ramazith's Tower and owner of Sorcerous Sundries.

A Netherbrain is set to attack the Gate and take over the Sword Coast.

He promised his help in the fight against said Netherbrain.

He has to figure out how to get the tower's arcane cannons, *which Lorroakan had neglected and allowed to fall into disrepair,* up and running before the final fight.

Just to name a few.

● (Section 2) Rolan's lisp misc. headcanons:

Rolan's lisp gets worse when his is tired or stressed.

It is ironically easier for him to speak clearly when he's drunk (up to a point) because he's used to struggling to pronounce words.

His adoptive mother taught him where to position/how to move his tongue when speaking common with a forked tongue.

Part of the reason he speaks in such a haughty tone is because doing so makes his words more clearly pronounced/enunciated.

His siblings only teased him about his lisp once when they were children, Rolan was so distressed that they vowed to never tease him for his speech impairment again.

Lia got into several fights when she was younger with kids who made fun of Rolan's lisp.

He might as well be a wild magic sorcerer with how often his spells have gone awry because he mispronounced a verbal component.

He is deeply self-conscious about his lisp.

He holds the forks of his tongue together, even when his mouth is closed, which gives him persistent tension headaches.

Once he gets comfortable enough around a romantic partner he stops (actively) trying to suppress his lisp around them and his siblings in private.

● (Section 3) Rolan's lisp forked tongue NSFW headcanons:

Because he has adapted to speaking common with a split tongue he is able to independently control both sides of his tongue.

His tongue is strong because he constantly flexes it.

His tongue is long. While this makes it harder for him to speak, it also leaves his partner very satisfied.

You know you're fucking him real good when his begging words start to slur together.

His ahegao face is top tier.

The amount of time it takes him to recover his ability to speak after an orgasm is increased by how mind-blowing said orgasm was.

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manicpixiedckgirl · 25 days ago

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Okay, cool. Can you tell me how and why "it's genocidal to say you don't have to medically transition" makes sense, then?

i think maybe i did not word that post clearly enough, bc this is the not first ask I've gotten about this wondering if I'm a trans medicalist, which I'm absolutely not.

but cis people, specfically, advocating that trans people not medically transition, is not a position i will ever trust comes from a position of what is best for the trans person.

it often feels like the new form of 'why don't you just be a feminine gay guy?' - which was itself also a trap. they dont want us to medically transition, or nonmedically transition, or be queer. they want us to die.

there's a part of me that thinks it's because trans people (trans women especially) who do not medically transition are 'easier to spot' (and in their minds, easier to isolate, and abuse). a lot of medical transition is done for safety reasons - if you can pass, you will have an easier time, often.

obviously, a trans person who doesn't medically transition reassuring other trans people who ask them about it that their transition is valid and real and queer, is not genocide. it's a different experience to mine, but it's not bad. but if it's coming from a cis person, i just don't think it's ever good faith advice, and i don't like how often i'm seeing it from queer (but very cis) lefty circles! but i can see how this thought pattern wasn't immediately clear in that post

#asks

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apolloendymion · 3 months ago

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so op of this post blocked me, but this is incredibly misleading!

here's an article explaining the recommendations for lice, which came from multiple sources (not just the cdc). it basically boils down to lice being far less transmissible or dangerous than people assume.

"Children with head lice should not be sent home from school early. Students with head lice should receive treatment at home after school and may return to class after the first treatment has begun.

Head lice may be a nuisance to the people who have it, but there is no research that shows the parasite spreads any disease, the CDC said on its website. The parasites can cause itching and loss of sleep, but they shouldn't be considered a medical or public health hazard.

Lice cannot jump or fly, and can only transfer from person to person by crawling from one host to the next. Lice spread by contact with inanimate objects and personal belongings is possible, but it is very uncommon since lice feet are specifically adapted to hold onto human hair and not for smooth or slippery surfaces."

they also say kids don't have to be nit-free to return to school, because "research shows that nits are very unlikely to hatch, are not commonly transferred to other people, and nits are often misdiagnosed by nonmedical personnel."

as for the diarrhea, here are the cdc's recommendations:

children should be sent home if they have "diarrhea that causes ‘accidents’, is bloody, or results in greater than two bowel movements above what the child normally experiences in a 24-hour period."

children may return to school if "diarrhea has improved, the child is no longer having accidents or is having bowel movements no more than 2 above normal per 24-hour period for the child. Bloody diarrhea should be evaluated by a healthcare provider prior to return."

kids are prone to the occasional loose stools due to changes in diet. unless it meets the above criteria, it does not warrant missing school.

I'm not saying you should trust the government at face value, and i agree that the cdc grossly mishandled and continues to mishandle covid-19. you have every reason to side-eye their decisions! but side-eyeing a headline without getting the full story only causes further harm.

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butch-reidentified · 2 years ago

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Did top surgery really help with your dysphoria? How do you feel about comparisons between dysphoric people undergoing surgery to feel better about their bodies vs anorexic or other dysmorphic people opting for surgery to relieve their discomfort? Do you think some or even most dysphoric people could be eventually reach body neutrality or acceptance with nonmedical support or treatment? Asking with total respect as your posts are so thoughtful & I'm interested in your views

Hi! Thank you for this ask, it gives me a chance to consolidate some of my previous posts/reblogs about this topic. I'll include some links at the bottom to my previous content on this 😊

1. Did top surgery really help with your dysphoria?

Yes, it helped me immensely, but I had created a rigorous, multi-year-long gatekeeping process for myself prior to following through with it. I wasn't a TRA, I didn't have a gender identity and had zero desire to distance myself from womanhood (honestly I never have), I was very much conscious of and at peace with my material reality, had been seeing a non-affirming therapist and gotten a second therapeutic opinion, had read numerous detrans regret stories to compare my reasons, thought process, & experiences to the ones that resulted in regret/dissatisfaction, and much more. 50 layers of caution and redundancy has always been how I work, and this was no different.

2. How do you feel about comparisons between dysphoric people undergoing surgery to feel better about their bodies vs anorexic or other dysmorphic people opting for surgery to relieve their discomfort?

I think the term "dysphoria" has been watered down and is as extremely subjective as one's sense of humor. Many trans-identified people say they experience an exacerbation ("trigger") of dysphoria in response to gendered things like wearing certain clothing, makeup, or being called "sir" or "miss" or whatever. Some even claim to "feel dysphoric" about enjoying hobbies stereotypically associated with their sex. These examples are to my experience of dysphoria what boomer humor is to my sense of humor: I simply don't get it and can't relate.

You asked a question about "dysphoric people undergoing surgery to feel better about their bodies," but to be clear, that's not what I did. I didn't feel bad about my body in the slightest; in fact, I loved my body. I really loved my breasts - they were genuinely uniquely remarkable breasts. They were wonderful, and a joyful signifier to me of my femaleness and connection to nature and the goddesses - something I've always taken great pride in, and I knew part of me would miss them. But dysphoria, for me (and the dysphoric people I tend to associate with irl), was/is a literal physical feeling in the same way that pain, itchiness, pressure, numbness, and tingling are physical sensations. It has nothing to do with my feelings about my appearance or my psychological relationship to my body. No matter how intense that sensation could be, I never loved my breasts any less.

As I expected, a part of me did and does miss them from time to time, but honestly it's a pretty superficial part - sometimes I miss their appearance and almost unnatural symmetry, or my nipple piercings, or the aesthetic of breasts on butch women, or goofing around with female friends about/with them. I do miss the bra pocket the most. Truthfully though, I never think about those things unless some specific relevant context prompts me to, and it's a totally cognitive "feeling" rather than an emotional one. It's also very mild and brief, and has never led to feeling regret.

I had body dysmorphia and anorexia for a fairly short time as a teen, but recovered quickly and very fully (I couldn't relapse if I tried, and being a good scientist, I did test that), and was totally mentally at peace with my body for years before even permitting myself to truly consider pursuing surgery. It was crucial to me that I be fully at peace with my body psychologically before doing so to minimize potential confounds. The sensation of relief I experienced post-op was more like the feeling I get after my pain management doctor injects lidocaine & steroids into my sacroiliac joints than the feeling I got at 17 when I could see my bones sticking out - in fact it was nothing at all like the latter. The mental space/energy it freed up for me was not at all emotional distress, but more akin to the mental space/energy freed up when I finally was put on the right medication for my POTS, reducing my fatigue and uncomfortable cardiac sensations immensely.

I never bothered with binding or anything because how others perceived me/how I looked in the mirror was never a factor in the slightest. Actually, if anything, binding would've made me hyperfocus on the sensation. The only relevant thing was the physical sensation and the fact that every other treatment I tried did absolutely nothing to alleviate it. I was able to heal cPTSD from multifaceted childhood abuse entirely on my own. A few years of EMDR had me far subclinical for PTSD after surviving the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting in Orlando in 2016. 4 weeks of PHP cured me permanently from severe anorexia. But nothing ever made a difference when it came to my dysphoria.

At the same time, I don't think most other people who call themselves dysphoric experience the same thing that I do. I think many - likely most - people who say they have dysphoria are gnc and struggling with stereotypes and expectations, have body image issues in general and think transition will help because of the rhetoric around it treating it as a silver bullet, are struggling to accept themselves for any number of potential reasons we often discuss here on radblr, are aroused by "cross-dressing" or cross-sex fantasies, or other things I'm definitely forgetting in my current half-asleep state.

3. Do you think some or even most dysphoric people could eventually reach body neutrality or acceptance with nonmedical support or treatment?

I know I'm reiterating here, but just to be very clear - I did reach a high level of body acceptance prior to my surgery, and total acceptance below the neck. My face (particularly being babyfaced & my nose) were the only things I was still a little self-conscious about, but not dysmorphic or anything severe. That's been resolved for a while now, too.

Absolutely 100% yes. I think the vast, vast majority of people who call themselves dysphoric or are diagnosed with "gender dysphoria" have zero business being approved for medical intervention, particularly surgery. The intense urgency to go under the knife that so many trans-identifying people express is a massive red flag for mental illness and non-intractible dysphoria, yet that urgency is often used to "prove" the medical "necessity" of such "treatments." The way so many people "come out" as trans and instantly want surgery as soon as humanly possible with as little preparation or gatekeeping as possible is extremely concerning, and in my eyes very much a sign that person is anything but a good candidate for medical intervention. Throwing a tantrum on Twitter because you have to wait a few years to get a major surgery is not a mentally healthy behavior... obviously. Those people need psychiatric intervention first and foremost, and goddesses we need more research.

The people I know who experience dysphoria as a physical sensation like I described are anecdotally far more cautious and thorough in considering medical intervention, much less likely to subscribe to gender ideology, and much more likely to attempt every possible alternative before deciding on surgery - an oddly parallel approach to that of most patients with chronic pain: try everything other than surgery/experimental medical intervention first.

Dysphoria means a hundred different things to different people these days. Maybe it always did, idk. I firmly believe we need to start separating these "types" of dysphoria, or ideally even separate them in name and concept altogether (stop calling all these different issues/symptoms/experiences by the same name). What do I have in common with a man who steals his sister's undergarments for a sexual thrill? What do I have in common with a teenage girl who thinks she must not be female because she hates skirts and loves cargo shorts? My experience is one of neurological dissonance, not emotional distress. This presents a major issue when it comes to research, though... if we aren't differentiating these drastically different varieties of "trans" and definitions of dysphoria, how can any research on dysphoric populations be remotely meaningful? The treatment plan for the man stealing his sister's undergarments and the treatment plan for the gnc teen girl and the treatment plan for me shouldn't all look the same. That seems glaringly obvious, and yet nobody seems willing to admit it.

My original I Don't Regret My Top Surgery post

"Radfems Misunderstanding Dysphoria" meme post discussion

Response to an ask about alternative ways to treat dysphoria

Whiners Click Here

We really need research to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from medical intervention (and which are most likely to be harmed by it)

Response to an ask: sex dysphoria vs gender dysphoria, and rare dysphoria as neurological with possible genetic/epigenetic components

Response to an ask: neurological dysphoria vs brain sex, part 1

Response to an ask: neurological dysphoria vs brain sex, part 2

#mine #ntsd #neurological type sex dysphoria #neurological model of dysphoria #sex dysphoria #radblr #ask #anon ask #anon #detrans surgery

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interstellarsystem · 4 months ago

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so.. when you say "nonhuman" do you mean you reject your humanity?

i've never thought about it. i'm just 'curious' :))))

Hey! Happy to explain. Confused as to what the quotations around curious mean, but I'll answer anyway haha.

So, we're a system (multiple people in one body, ours is partially due to Dissociative Identity Disorder) of quite a few individuals. A lot of these people just are nonhuman concepts--animals, deities of all sorts, fictional characters, mythical creatures.. You name it. We have a lot of diverse personal identities in here, mostly because that's how our brain decided to manifest our plurality. Nonhuman headmates are fairly known in both medical and nonmedical presentations of plurality.

Aside from that, we're also collectively otherkin--meaning someone who identifies as / is a nonhuman entity of some sort. This has a lot of overlap with nonhuman system members, but the main difference is that a kintype (entity that the otherkin identifies as) is discovered and not immediately innate and/or known. We have several differing explanations for us being otherkin--some being spiritual, some psychological, and some don't bother to think about the "why". We are a crow collectively, as well as having Hunter from The Owl House as an identity too. Our body may look human and be biologically human, sure, but inside we are not, and this is our body, so as something nonhuman we also see our body as an extension of that regardless of the "actual" biology.

I suppose you could call it a rejection of humanity? But for us personally it wasn't a choice, and was just as strongly felt as our gender not alligning with our birth assigned gender. We reject our personal humanity because we are otherkin, not the other way around. We don't personally reject human society, or living in it, or those who do fully identify as human--and we don't like the misanthropic mindset, though that's for another post haha. We just aren't human, and in the limited spaces we can, prefer to be percieved as something other than that. Honestly we're all for the normalisation of it so that we can be open about this more often--and any other nonharmful personal identity is also included in this, mind you.

Hope that explains it well enough, haha. We just got back from a work meeting so our brain might not be working at 100% after spending a lot of focus on it.

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stalkersdiary · 1 year ago

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~I found you~

My dearest angel. My last hope. My shining light in the dark. I. FOUND. YOU. You have no idea how happy I am. For so long I wrote about you. I sang about you. I prayed to God thinking about you. My Dearest. My Darling. You don't know me, yet. You don't know about me, yet, but you will. You will know very, very, VERY soon. <3

It took me so long to update my diary, but I'm happy I waited. No one out there needs to know that I found you, but me. No one in this world needs to know what I did to find you. What if THEY look for you? That would be... tragic in every way possible.

Seeing the VERY PERSON I've been thinking about made my heart flutter, dive, and SINK into a pool of admiration. Now... I wait. I wait to see if they- no ... I wait to see if YOU love me back! I w i l l c a r v e y o u r n a m e i n t o m y f l e s h! I think my next plan is to get a special boxcutter. One that represents you. One that I can use to- Oh... No. No no no... That shouldn't be talked about juuuust yet. <3 You'll have to wait to see that message when I'm ready. I love you.

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bearwithmeshifting · 11 months ago

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Hi! I'm not a p-ahifter, I'm an alterhuman, but I read the post about Claire, about mermaids. She had some links there that were related to the p-s topic, but the page was probably deleted. So I want to ask: how to actually become a p-shifter? Or how to do shape shifting (literally physical, complete change of human form or parts). They say it takes months, years, not immediately, but how do you get into it?

Honestly? I kinda bumbled my way into shapeshifting, it's to the point where I consider it an innate quality of some people to do it. I can't point to a way for someone to become a shapeshifter or to nonmedically augment their body. It has a large amount of folklore and mythology that depicts it as a spell or curse, being something that is acquired. I think it might be difficult to replicate, but I have heard of some pshifters who have used magic of some sort to become animals. If you're dead set on this, and don't mind probably wasting your time, I'd suggest looking into magic. If you're not already well aware of magic, it might do well to become acquainted with it, but let it be known that the occult is a confusing mess to navigate. I don't think Claire had a method listed on how she did it besides listening to subliminals, which would go into a general Law of Attraction new age belief. I don't personally subscribe to that, but it may be worth looking into if you take Claire as an example.

#nonhuman community #therian #physical shifting #p shifting #pshifting

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onecornerface · 2 years ago

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Is safe supply too similar to opioid over-prescription? -A preliminary rebuttal

I am endeavoring to write a philosophy paper fleshing out the case for safe supply, which is (roughly) a call to make it much easier for drug users to get the drugs they’re seeking, largely in order to reduce overdose rates. Most overdoses in the US and Canada are now caused by unknown and inconsistent mixtures of fentanyl and other potent drugs in the criminalized & thus unregulated drug supply. Drastic and quick reduction in overdose is among the most ethically urgent priorities for drug policy reform, and there is growing evidence that safe supply (aka safer supply) is among the only viable proposals for doing so. For a bunch of presentations of summaries and discussions of the growing evidence basis for safe supply (particularly in Canada), and variants thereof, see the National Safer Supply Community of Practice.

Now, here's a fairly common criticism of safe supply: “The overdose crisis was started by making drugs too easy to get-- i.e. opioid over-prescription, throughout the 1990s-2000s. Now you’re saying we can solve the crisis by making drugs even easier to get, sometimes even by claiming medical professionals should give prescriptions for strong drugs on demand for nonmedical use. This is just more of the same, so it will make the problem worse." Here's my preliminary attempt at a summary response: 1. The argument relies on an over-simplified view of how the opioid over-prescription took place throughout the 1990s-2000s, ignoring many crucial distinctions and ambiguities. We should try to carefully distinguish patients taking drugs as prescribed vs. people using diverted drugs-- arguably the latter had the large majority of the problems (the specific causes of which need more nuanced discussion, e.g. regarding drug-mixing and interaction effects, etc.). We should also distinguish between people who would have avoided strong drugs otherwise vs. people who would have used other or more dangerous street drugs otherwise. We should take stock of the many flaws and uncertainties in the 1990s-2000s drug death statistics and drug use & addiction statistics. Moreover, some of the alleged problems with the opioid over-prescription have been distorted or exaggerated. (Among many other complex factors.)

For some interesting empirical (if also polemical) challenges to the standard narrative of opioid over-prescription, see the “Debunking Lies” page of the Doctor-Patient Forum, and the post “Dreamland’s Narrative is Wrong” on the blog Grokinfullness (Greg Sollenberger). 2. The argument ignores how the overdose rates did not skyrocket until after the anti-opioid crackdown began in the early 2010s. Arguably the crisis was caused by the conjunction, sequentially, of the over-prescription followed by the harsh widespread forced tapering from opioids-- and might not have happened if it had been only one or the other. Moreover, cf. Stefan Kertesz's argument "what started the crisis isn't what sustains it" (and for Kertesz’s balanced discussion of the harms of forced tapering, see this presentation). Even if making drugs easy to get might have been ill-advised in earlier (pre-fentanyl contamination crisis) decades, it may be the only viable way forward now, at least for countries facing such a crisis. Also cf. Jonathan Caulkins's papers arguing that preventing the rise of new drug markets is sometimes more viable than shutting down drug markets that already exist. 3. The argument ignores crucial differences between the 1990s-2000s opioid over-prescription vs. today’s safe supply programs and proposals. Among other differences, the over-prescription era involved heavy advertising, including false and misleading advertising, and shady backroom deals between marketers and doctors-- whereas safe supply need not have anything analogous to this. This is all very preliminary. As far as I can tell, a properly thorough response to the “opioid over-prescription analogy” argument has not been provided. So I think this is a task that safe supply advocates still need to spend a lot of time on. It won’t be the focus of my own paper, largely since I lack the empirical and statistical expertise to do a good job on this task, but I hope to raise awareness of the need for someone qualified to do it. In the meantime, my own paper will focus more on conceptual and normative issues of the sort that I may actually be able to make a decent contribution on.

#drugs #harm reduction #safe supply

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kizunacareblogs · 7 days ago

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The Easiest Way to Find Private Nursing Care In Home - Kizuna

This Blog was Originally Published at:

The Easiest Way to Find Private Nursing Care In Home — Kizuna

Why Private Nursing Care at Home Is So Important

Providing Personalized Medical Attention

Private nursing care in home allows families to receive customized nonmedical care tailored to individual needs. Unlike traditional care settings, in-home nursing enables one-on-one attention, with nurses managing medication, monitoring health conditions, and providing daily support that’s uniquely designed for the patient. Studies indicate that patients receiving in-home care show a 30% reduction in hospital visits, emphasizing the impact of personalized, attentive care.

Supporting Emotional and Physical Well-being

For many individuals, especially older adults, remaining at home fosters a sense of independence and emotional comfort that’s hard to replicate elsewhere. Nearly 90% of seniors prefer to receive care in their homes, staying connected to familiar routines and surroundings. Private nursing care in home makes it possible to combine professional healthcare with the comfort of home, reducing stress and improving overall quality of life.

Challenges Families Face When Looking for Private Nursing Care

Limited Access to Trusted Providers

With more families searching for home-based options, finding reputable caregivers has become more challenging. The demand for home health and personal care aides is expected to grow by 21% over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the supply of qualified caregivers may not keep up, resulting in long waitlists and competitive costs. Many families also struggle to verify credentials and determine which caregivers will fit best within their family dynamic.

Balancing Costs with Quality of Care

Private nursing care in home costs can vary significantly, often ranging from $4,000 to $8,000 per month, depending on location and required expertise. A recent report highlights that the average cost for in-home care in the U.S. is $4,500 per month, a figure that challenges many families’ budgets. Balancing quality with affordability is key, especially for specialized care like dementia care or post-surgical support, and transparency in caregiver rates is crucial for managing costs.

How Kizuna Makes Finding Private Nursing Care Easier

Access to Verified, Skilled Caregivers

Kizuna’s platform offers a curated selection of verified caregivers who undergo extensive background checks and skills assessments, ensuring they meet high standards for private in-home nursing. Families can choose from various skilled professionals, including registed CNAs and HHAs, based on the level of care needed. With over 56% of families concerned about caregiver qualifications, having access to thoroughly vetted caregivers on Kizuna’s platform provides families with peace of mind.

Transparent, Flexible Options for Every Family

Kizuna is designed to make private in-home nursing more accessible by offering families flexible options. Whether you’re looking for short-term recovery support or long-term care, Kizuna has caregivers looking for hourly, daily, or ongoing work.. The ability to choose flexible care options allows families to save an average of 20% in overall care costs, giving them greater control over expenses while ensuring quality care.

Dedicated Care Coordination for Peace of Mind

In addition to caregiver matching, Kizuna provides families with dedicated care coordinators. These professionals guide families through the process, answer questions, and resolve any issues, making the transition to in-home nursing smooth and supported. A Family Caregiver Alliance survey found that nearly 40% of caregivers lack adequate support, a gap Kizuna’s team addresses with their comprehensive coordination services.

What Sets Kizuna Apart in Private Nursing Care In Home?

Rigorous Screening and Background Checks

Safety is a top priority for families hiring in-home nursing care. Less than 10% of caregivers who apply to Kizuna make it onto the platform with the average years of experience on our registry being nearly 20 years.

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice reports that 60% of families worry about the reliability of caregivers. Kizuna addresses this concern by rigorously screening each caregiver, ensuring only the most qualified and dependable professionals are available on the platform. Every caregiver on Kizuna’s platform has passed extensive background and skill verifications.

Higher Earnings for Caregivers, Leading to Better Care

Studies have shown that when caregivers are well-compensated, they experience higher job satisfaction, which translates into better quality of care. Research indicates that caregivers who feel adequately compensated are 30% more likely to stay committed to a family’s care needs. Kizuna’s model focuses on fair compensation for caregivers, creating a motivated, compassionate workforce for families seeking private care.

Reliable and Accessible Support

Kizuna also provides ongoing support for families after they’ve selected a caregiver. A dedicated care coordination team is available to help address any concerns and ensure caregivers are meeting expectations, adding a layer of reassurance that’s often missing in traditional private care arrangements.

Why Kizuna Is the Easiest Way to Find Private Nursing Care In Home

Comprehensive Care Profiles for Informed Decision-Making

Kizuna simplifies the search process with in-depth caregiver profiles that include qualifications, experience, and areas of expertise. Surveys reveal that 78% of families consider caregiver personality and compatibility as key factors when selecting in-home care, recognizing that a good match can elevate the care experience. Kizuna’s transparent, detailed profiles make it easier for families to find the right caregiver.

Emphasis on Compatibility and Compassion

Beyond skills and certifications, Kizuna understands that compatibility matters. With detailed profiles and personalized support, families can connect with caregivers whose approach aligns with their unique values and needs.

Private nursing care at home combines professional medical support with the comfort of a familiar environment, offering a deeply personal alternative to institutional care. Platforms like Kizuna make it easier than ever to find qualified, compassionate caregivers who are not only skilled but also personally invested in delivering quality care. By streamlining the search, offering verified and flexible options, and providing dedicated support, Kizuna is making private in-home nursing care accessible, reliable, and stress-free.

For families seeking the peace of mind that comes with quality private nursing, Kizuna offers a solution that simplifies the process, placing trust, transparency, and compassion at the forefront of the in-home care experience.

Kizuna is dedicated to improving the quality of care in our local community. For those in Marin or Sonoma County, more caregiving resources can be found on this local guide and these helpful links.

Join Today

Additional Resources on Private Nursing Care:

How Much Does 24/7 In-Home Nursing Care Cost Per Month?

How to Find Skilled Nursing Care Near Me: A Practical Guide

#nursing care #elderly care #personal care #healthcare #kizuna care

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secondgenerationnerd · 2 months ago

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Are you a nurse?

I am a nonmedical caregiver!

I go into homes and assist elderly/disabled people with the daily functions of life 😁 so I help with cooking, cleaning, providing companionship, dressing, bathing, etc.

I am also a project manager for something my company does called “Be a Santa to a Senior”. It’s like the Angel Tree for seniors in our community, ones that are less likely to receive gifts due to isolation or financial challenges.

I was thinking about making an Amazon wish list with essentials and posting it here (if y’all would want to support it)

#be a Santa to a senior

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drpaulsinstituteseo · 3 months ago

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Post Graduate Diploma in Medical Trichology – An Overview

The world of medicine is moving ahead fast and there are new avenues that one can learn about indeed. The field of medical trichology has become quite popular in the past few years. This is particularly because the field explores what are the disorders associated with hair and scalp. Taking a post graduate diploma in medical trichology can help you enhance your career horizon.

There are quite a few options at the moment that offer you a professional post graduate diploma in medical trichology. As professionals, you will be able to learn more about the science behind this particular subject. Once you have completed the diploma you will be equipped to provide treatment as professionals.

What Does One Mean by Medical Trichology?

A lot of people do not already know this but medical trichology is a branch of dermatology. It is a specific domain which deals only with the hair and scalp of individuals. You will usually be taught how to treat the various disorders related to both hair and scalp. Some of the common problems that you will learn to address during this diploma are alopecia, dandruff, scalp psoriasis and even thinning of hair.

Once you have completed the degree you will be a professional trichologist who can provide treatment for the patient. The diploma course will also teach you about how to treat every patient differently. You will also have exposure to various diagnostic options and the ideal way to handle patients.

Curriculum of the Medical Trichology Course

Before you sign up for a Medical Trichology course, it's common to wonder about the curriculum. Here is a detailed overview of what you can expect to learn.

Anatomy and Physiology

The first and most important topic covered is the physiology and anatomy of hair and scalp. You will understand the structure and function of both hair and scalp. This foundation is crucial for diagnosing and treating various hair and scalp conditions.

Hair and Scalp Disorders

Once you have an insight into the anatomy and physiology of the scalp and hair, you will also get to know about the disorders. This element will encompass in-depth knowledge about how your hair and scalp react to various elements. You will also get to know about common disorders like androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, and alopecia areata. You will gain in-depth knowledge about disorders such as:

Androgenetic Alopecia: Genetic hair loss.

Telogen Effluvium: Stress-induced hair shedding.

Alopecia Areata: Autoimmune hair loss.

Diagnosis and Treatment

A postgraduate diploma in medical trichology will also help you to have a deep insight into the diagnosis and treatment of hair and scalp-related disorders. You will get to explore both medical and nonmedical treatments and advanced therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT).

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): A treatment using the patient's blood to promote hair growth.

Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT): A non-invasive treatment that stimulates hair growth.

Management of Patient

Finally, the course will teach you how to manage patients effectively. You will develop skills in patient consultation, history taking, and creating personalized treatment plans. This ensures that you can provide comprehensive care tailored to each patient's needs.

What Are the Career Prospects Associated with Medical Trichology?

Venturing for a diploma in medical trichology opens up a lot of career avenues. You can either choose to set up your private practice which does have a lot of opportunity and flexibility. Along with that, you can also choose to practice in a hospital or a clinic.

Some professionals complete their postgraduate diplomas and then move on to further studies. Research study is a very popular domain associated with the postgraduate diploma in medical trichology. You can also choose to work in centers that offer cosmetic treatment and hair restoration services.

Conclusion

This is a professional scientific course and hence it is always better to analyze the market and then choose the most credible option. You can also take up a post graduate diploma in clinical cosmetology which offers a lot of career opportunities. The best clinic where you can sign up for such professional courses is none other than Dr. Paul's Advanced Hair and Skin Solutions. With your experience and one of the best teams, you will have a comprehensive idea. You will also get to know more about how to network and put yourself in better career opportunities.

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