#symptom neutralizer

[ix-c-999]

symptom neutralizer

another term we use for our system that hasn't been coined yet to our knowledge!

a symptom neutralizer is, in essence, the opposite of a symptom holder. this can look like the following: -a system member who, in contrast with a system who are entirely or largely affected by a particular condition, does not seem to have any symptoms of it. -a system member who does display symptoms of a condition that affects the rest of the system, but their symptoms are much milder/more manageable for them than for the rest of the system. -a system member who experiences a symptom to some extent but is notably better at managing it than other system members are who have the same symptom. -a system member who is in some way "immune" to the symptom in question (e.g. an aromantic system member who does not experience hyperromantic symptoms) -a system member who is not bothered by symptoms that bother the other members of the system (e.g. intrusive thoughts that distress most of the members of the system do not upset a symptom neutralizer for them.) however, anything that lessens the impact, extent, or distressing nature of a symptom, or any system member who experiences notably less or none of a symptom that much of the rest of the system experience, can fit under symptom neutralizer.

the colors for the flag are adjusted from inverting the symptom holder flag.

simplified version:

this post has no DNI other than not to start discourse on it.

[warm-autumn-evenings]

*through tears* I BELONG HERE. ON THIS EARTH AMONG OTHERS. I BELONG JUST AS MUCH AS THE NEXT PERSON. I DESERVE TO BE ALIVE. I AM JUST AS GOOD AND BAD AS EVERYONE ELSE. I DESERVE TO BE LOVED. I DESERVE TO BE FREE.

[aroaceleovaldez]

in your most recent tyson post, you said something about leo being distinctly autistic-coded and I was wondering if you could elaborate on that? it sounds really interesting (sorry if you've already posted something on this, I couldn't find anything though)

Of course! I do have a specific tag for talking about Leo's autistic-coding/traits - [here], and [one for Nico as well].

The main aspects with Leo being autistic-coded actually have a lot to do with Nico being autistic-coded, because it's the comparisons between the two that most clearly indicate Leo is autistic-coded rather than it just being his ADHD or etc.

So with Nico being autistic-coded, it's very clear in the Titan's Curse that he's intended to be autistic. First, the first series has a repeating pattern of secondary characters being very distinctly neurodivergent-coded in different ways (Annabeth's adhd/dyslexia, Tyson's down syndrome-coding, Nico's autism-coding). With Nico's introduction, he's pretty stereotypically autistic and we're given a lot of descriptors about him that are notably not attributed to him being ADHD, like it would be for other demigod characters. He doesn't register social cues such as people getting annoyed at him, he's asking/making inappropriate or impolite questions/comments, he gets particularly upset about change (such as Bianca joining the Hunt) and generally gets emotional, and one of his most notable traits he's introduced with is the fact that he has a special interest (MythoMagic) - and we're shown that this special interest particularly colors how Nico navigates the world. While ADHD has hyperfixations, we don't really get much acknowledgement of hyperfixations with demigods usually - Annabeth gets a little, but most others don't and it's not nearly as focused-in on as Nico's is.

Then as the series continues we see these traits stick with him and him start to show or voice more traits that similarly indicate he's autistic: He regularly mentions how he doesn't understand living people and prefers the company of the dead (social issues). He has more notable stims than other demigods (twisting his ring, fiddling with bones, etc). He's indicated to have strong sensory preferences (usually wearing mostly black/aversion to bright colors, usually wearing layers/his coat, multiple times he's described as wearing loose/baggy clothing or clothes too big for him). He has specific comfort items (his ring, likely his jacket(s) as well). We later get even more information about his special interests (Mythomagic/mythology/history and an older interest in pirates - the latter he specifically notes likely heavily influenced his feelings towards Percy). He struggles with emotions and facial expressions and tone. He struggles particularly with ostracism and feeling like he doesn't fit in and has something distinctly different about him from the people around him (who notably, all have ADHD, which indicates it isn't the ADHD that's making him feel that way), and other characters regularly describe him as being off-putting because of his strange behaviors - again, different from specific ADHD traits they recognize. And that last point is kind of notable because we have Hazel and Bianca for comparison - we know people are off-put by both Nico and Hazel because of being children of Hades/Pluto and their powers/aura, but other characters get past that general feeling of discomfort way faster with Hazel. And even after characters get past the death stuff with Nico, there's a second thing that they aren't moving past that isn't a factor with Hazel (Nico's autism).

So that brings us to Leo - Leo is paralleled to Nico a lot. And there's some very specific traits about him that we know are autistic-coding because of how they're used with Nico: He similarly struggles with social cues/etc, and in a very similar parallel to Nico describes how he prefers the company of machines to people because machines make more sense to him. He has similar types of clothing/sensory preferences (again some stuff with layers but also - pockets! He likes having pockets and things to put stuff in! He's even introduced as having a jacket with lots of pockets), and he has a distinct special interest (machinery) that we specifically know heavily influences how he views and navigates the world (constantly comparing things to machinery, describing things with machinery metaphors/terminology, etc etc). He even describes his entire general worldview to Hazel and it's a machine metaphor. He also similarly struggles with ostracization like Nico does, the only difference being that Leo specifically puts on a persona to compensate for areas he knows he's lacking in and very explicitly describes it as a means to make people like him, because without it he normally struggles to fit in (He's masking!). We also see notes of characters describing that similar discomfort with Leo's behaviors that they do with Nico, except without the aura of death this time. And when we're in Leo's POVs we see a very stark difference between his masking and his actual personality/behaviors such as his internal dialogues or how he behaves when he's alone. Also, like Nico, he stims more than other demigods, though for Leo it's more attributed to his ADHD. Leo also, more often than most, similarly struggles with tone and reading the room, such as making misplaced jokes/comments or etc.

But yeah! It's really interesting. Also it's just a fun thing that ADHD/dyslexia and autism have comorbidity, so it makes sense that we see demigods who are also autistic. It's also really fun to look at how other characters are coded in the series, what coding looks like in the riordanverse specifically (usually it's tied into the mythological stuff - like Chiron being in a wheelchair but he's actually a centaur, Grover being introduced as having a muscular disease but he's actually a satyr, demigods having adhd/dyslexia, Tyson being coded as having down syndrome but he's a cyclops, etc etc - it's a lot of specific metaphor stuff that I've talked about a bit before), and to look at how characters are compared to one another.

[kindnessoverperfection]

Lately, when I talk about someone I strongly disagree with, I think about my friends.

When I interact with someone who regularly rants about people, and tends to take things in the worst ways (without any attempts at self-reflection or grace), I feel more on-edge. I'm nervous to voice opinions. I'm always over-thinking everything I send them, worried about how they'll receive it.

On the other hand, I feel much safer during conversations where someone is speaking neutrally about those they feel at conflict with. When they feel upset about a situation, but without talking aggressively about the other person. Because I know that if we're ever in a disagreement, or have some sort of conflict or misunderstanding, they won't hurt me or suddenly hate me*.

I used to speak much more aggressively about people. My personality disorders, combined with online toxic environments, were big factors in that. I was stressed and angry constantly, and I felt justified, and I felt afraid and ashamed to respond with anything but anger. But to make a long story short, I had several big painful interpersonal experiences where I realized how my attitude was impacting my friends.

I remember the nervousness in my friends' eyes. I remember the people I've met who are much older and never grew out of that reactive communication style, and I don't want to be that person. I want my loved ones to feel safe around me.

So nowadays, I do my best to speak compassionately (or at least neutrally). Because I want to signal to my friends that I'm not going to be cruel to them, or to automatically believe the worst of them, during a conflict or misunderstanding. I try to vent about situations and my fears instead of people.

I wish I'd realized this before.

*(I discuss splitting in the tags)

[headmate-ideas]

we r an adult! a member based on the term "pellic", nonhuman (any species!), and is apart of a cluster who helps with the systems hypersexuality & general sexuality, the cluster worships a goddess of sex (who is also the leader of the cluster). tysm!

[Brought to you by: Mods Venn and Ash!]

🕯️ HEADMATE TEMPLATE ⛓️

✦ Name(s): Zokian, Mel, Oleander ✦ Pronouns: they/them, it/its, xe/xem/xyr/xyrs/xemself ✦ Species: succubus ✦ Age: ageless adult ✦ Role(s): symptom neutralizer, spiritual headmate, love holder (optional), trauma holder (optional), kink headmate ✦ Symptoms neutralized: hypersexuality ✦ Labels: pellic, omni, queerplatonic, oriented aroace, agender, xenogender ✦ Xenos: kink, candles, love ✦ Interests/likes: cuisine, video games, fantasy literature ✦ Dislikes: annoying sounds ✦ Music taste: darksynth, dream pop, industrial metal ✦ Aesthetic(s): devilcore, dreamcore, art deco ✦ Objectum attraction(s): buildings, figurines ✦ Kins: goats, dragons, roses ✦ Emoji proxy: 🕯️⛓️ ✦ Details:

Zokian is a pellic succubus who feeds off of non-sexual kink rather than sex (which are the types of acts that a person who identifies as "pellic" prefers over sex). It is part of a cluster in the system that help to manage hypersexuality. In Zokian's case, they do so by being asexual and thus not experiencing hypersexuality. However, it sees kink as holding the same role for it as sex has for most allosexuals, so it worships the sex goddess of the cluster but with kink instead of sex in its practices. In addition to worship, Zokian also likes doing protective rituals, love spells, and divination. If the system have any partners, Zokian is a holder for their love for them, although they experience that love queerplatonically. If the system have any trauma that affects their engagement with sex or kink, or with which they use kink to cope, Zokian holds that trauma and copes with it using non-sexual kink.

[These can be edited and changed as needed, and headmates will almost definitely not turn out EXACTLY as described.]

[MINORS: you are forbidden from reblogging or liking this post and discouraged from trying to introject this headmate. However, you may use elements from this template that do not relate to adult themes.]

[juliamccartney]

it's so goddamn tiring to see "leftists" use words that are connected to more stigmatised mental illnesses to talk about 'evil' people or 'evil' behaviour

[sysig]

Giving nicknames, testing boundaries (Patreon)

[thelastspeecher]

Being at work is a lot of trying desperately to beat back my rejection sensitive dysphoria with a stick

[trans-axolotl]

having a lot of thoughts about eating disorders + how some of us end up developing chronic illnesses directly because of the physical effects of our eating disorders and how Cruel doctors can be about that and just trying to untangle so much shame and blame from that experience rn

[theramblingvoid]

Sometimes a person will make you feel bad or uncomfortable without doing anything morally wrong and you will feel bad and you will also not be doing anything morally wrong by feeling that way. Do you understand. There are bad situations that do not involve fault or wrongdoing.

[sidhewrites]

Still thinking about how my best friend figured out I was autistic thirteen entire years before I did tbh

[ix-c-999]

system role blinkies, part 1/?

[this post has no DNI other than not to involve it in discourse or mockery]

[one-winged-dreams]

I feel so fucking shammy when I talk to my psychiatrist because he's always asking me how I'm doing (because he's a psychiatrist) and I'm always like "Not well. I can't gauge how my meds are working because I'm going through a lot right now, I'll have to see how things go when everything calms down." but it NEVER calms down and it's just one fucking thing after another and this poor man has to deal with my uncertainty.

[spushii]

why are leftists on this website unironically complaining about Feminist Killjoys gently reminding everyone that a movie on a corporate IP is trying to sell you something. The movie being good or fun does not mean that it's primary purpose is not to create or increase cultural awareness and good will with consumers so that they can sell something to you

[cherrysnax]

hello hi howdy what do u do when feel ur like brain deteriorating asking for a friend

[headmate-ideas]

hello! could we get a headmate pack for a member who helps the body eat/remeber to eat? specifically due to depression n ADHD and perhaps works with Iggy from this pack https://www.tumblr.com/headmate-ideas/770612009388720128 , nonhuman. tysm!

[Brought to you by: Mods Static and Landrix!]

🥘 HEADMATE TEMPLATE 🐑

✦ Name(s): Ryliel, Rylie, Yervi ✦ Pronouns: they/them, it/its, ix/ixs/ixself ✦ Species: eldritch angel ✦ Age: ageless adult ✦ Role(s): symptom neutralizer, chef, consumanaut, caretaker, spiritual headmate (optional), socializer ✦ Symptoms neutralized: depression and ADHD ✦ Labels: aroace, luxine, baph, juxtaneu, othellic ✦ Xenos: magic, light, food ✦ Interests/likes: cooking, moodboards, folklore ✦ Dislikes: being inside for too long ✦ Music taste: classical music, folk pop, indie pop ✦ Aesthetic(s): angelcore, tenshi kaiwai, cozycore ✦ Kins: sheep, dolphins, clouds ✦ Emoji proxy: 🥘🐑 ✦ Details:

Ryliel is an eldritch sheep angel with tentacles, wings, and multiple faces. It looks similar to Iggy, a demon in the same system. Where Iggy is a demon of knowledge, specifically of food, Ryliel is an angel of motivation and energy, particularly the motivation to take care of oneself. While the system have depression and ADHD that make it difficult for them to eat, Ryliel finds that ix does not experience these disorders. It is interested in food and likes learning about it from Iggy, and since the system struggle with motivating themselves to eat, ix applies that knowledge to help motivate them to eat by trying new and fun things for them. If the system have any spiritual practices, especially involving angels or deities, Ryliel follows them (although does not necessarily have to follow the same practices as Iggy). They are very friendly and always make a point of checking in with the system's friends. While preparing and consuming food is Ryliel's main caretaking task, it also takes care of the system in any other ways they need.

[These can be edited and changed as needed, and headmates will almost definitely not turn out EXACTLY as described.]