#whereas if it's triggered by a medication that feels a lot worse

[thethingything]

anyway I guess if we suddenly start posting stuff that's extra unhinged or sounding really frantic or not making much sense or whatever, that'll probably be the medication side effects.

I'm saying this in advance just in case because I know sometimes when our psychosis gets really bad we start saying weird shit to people and not being able to tell how weird any of it sounds but still freaking out thinking everything we say must sound completely insane and I also know that if we try to be like "I'm manic/experiencing this delusion/having a really bad psychotic episode" while in the middle of experiencing it, that mostly makes us freak out more because our paranoia makes us think everyone's about to shun us over it and we start to feel like we're in trouble for it

[chroniconic]

Hi all!

I made this blog as a diary, support and recovery blog for my chronic illnessess. I want to find other people like me, pratice acceptance, share what worked and any research you could also discuss with your doctor. I will talk about medication, good and bad days, and try increase awareness.

Diagnoses that affect me the most

- Chronic migraine

This began with 15-25 migraine days per month in 2021, with episodic migraine and migraine-related seizures being diagnosed around 2014.

I started Botox for migraines in 2022 which reduced my migraine days to 1-5 days per month.

However, since October 2023 I developed daily, non-stop migraines. I’ve been bedridden since then and I’m currently on Botox injections, occassional nerve blocks, Ajovy, and sodium valproate as preventatives.

- Endometriosis

I’ve had severe pain, prolonged bleeding, etc since the beginning of puberty, but it got worse each year until I was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2022 via ultrasound and a physical exam after multiple ER visits where I was bleeding out.

Coincidentally, that’s also the time where my migraines became chronic.

I don’t have access to a good surgeon right now or a second opinion, so I’ve had to manage symptoms on Mirena (the breakthrough bleeding and cysts made it worse), then standalone dienogest (it was great for endometriosis but I’m assuming it triggered worse migraines for me, however I gave it 4 months), and now I’m on NuvaRing continously.

Finding relief for chronic migraine and endometriosis is an unequal balancing act, but there’s so much we still don’t know and can do to make our lives better.

Other diagnoses and issues I’m pursuing help for

- Breathing and sleep quality issues

I’ve progressively had issues with shortness of breath, especially after exercise and before sleep, or in bouts where I feel like I have no oxygen at all. I assume this could also affect migraines and muscle pain. I wake up during the night a lot, and can’t breathe before falling asleep.

Strong allergies, heart problems and structural issues with the nose are ruled out except a slightly deviated septum but my ENT doctor doesn’t think septoplasty would be beneficial so I don’t know.

I had turbinate reduction surgery a year ago and now I’m constantly using hormonal nasal sprays because I feel like I have chronic sinusitis otherwise, air literally doesn’t pass through one of my nostrils at least.

I am currently on asthma treatment (Pulmicort and Berodual for a week first, now Symbicort) after inconclusive spirometry, but I will be working with a pulmunologist to figure it out. But the medication has helped me immensely, as I’ve never felt like I could breathe as well as I do now, and I sleep like a baby. The pulmonologist thinks that if asthma medication helps, then it’s asthma.

So all of my breathing issues are under investigation and inconclusive.

- ADHD and Autism

I was diagnosed with autism as a child, but ADHD was a late diagnosis. I struggle a lot with uni and work in terms of understanding requirements, or sensory overload, etc but it’s been much better since starting medication (unsure yet if lisdexamfetamine or methylphenidate is better). It’s not my main issue whatsoever at the moment since I’m not working or studying at a traditional university, but I struggled a lot when I was working or wasn’t able to study everything from home. So I won’t talk about this as much at the moment.

However, I’m interested in research relating gut issues, autism and immune system issues (e.g my breathing problems, inflammation from endometriosis etc could also fall under that) and biologics like Ajovy, but that’s another fringe topic.

Disclaimer about linking research

I will sometimes make posts that link several research articles or literature reviews (all from reputable sources) together after carefully examining them and discussing my questions with my neurologist. I will always provide references and links or DOIs. Whereas I studied some medical statistics, I’m not a doctor and my advice, experimentation on myself, etc is not medical advice but something you should always discuss with your doctor.

[cloudyestcat]

The toxicity of the "that girl" trend + lifestyle to my particular brand of neurodivergence

(possibly yours too; can you relate?)

I have some major issues with routines. I've discussed this before but basically what with medical and other types of trauma, even "basic" self-care is hard to do without flashbacks and so I already used to avoid it a lot (not really as much anymore; I have more tools now to cope).

But I'm also neurodivergent. And that comes (for me and many other people) with executive functioning issues of its own. In my case, sensory issues get in the way a lot, and I used to have a lot of trouble transitioning from one task to another (I'll tell y'all more about that in another post).

But basically:

Moralizing/placing moral values on habits and executive functioning skills

Same for a lot of content that falls under the "productivity" and/or "academic motivation" content

Emphasizes consistency when fluctuation is part of the human condition and nobody can be at 100% all the time (most people can't even be at 100% most of the time)

Puts a lot of pride in productivity and tends to shame people for resting or relaxing in any way (besides a self-care day, which is fine, especially if it's aesthetic) when neurodivergent people may need more rest than neurotypical people do when following similar schedules

Praises early birds and subtly shames night owls (honestly this happens in society in general and I don't like it)

Very easily misinterpreted and applied out of context

A specific routine with specific time slots and foods and aesthetics makes it very hard for this literal thinker to incorporate the routines

Not to mention that these routines are incredibly unrealistic for most people going to school or working during regular school or business hours (which was impossible for me to understand at the time due to time-nearsightedness)

Also, back when I was into That Girl content, there were a lot of time-based routines that I tried, but time-based routines give me massive anxiety and ended up triggering me really badly to the point where I regressed

Promoting a consumerist mentality

Most of the people doing That Girl content are wealthy and can afford for everything to look aesthetic whereas when I tried to do that I went broke 😭

It seems you can't be That Girl when you can't afford/don't want to live somewhere super aesthetic and have everything look a certain type of way

Subtle yet still toxic promotion of hustle culture

Resting, especially rest involving screens, is subtly (and not so subtly) shamed

When this neurodivergent person struggling with

sensory issues

fatigue

executive dysfunction

mental health issues

tried to do the That Girl stuff, it ended with me not getting anything done because I hyperfocused on That Girl videos and forgot to shower. It made me feel SO MUCH WORSE about myself! This was before I knew that I'm neurodivergent, so I didn't have the tools I needed to build a routine (which I was massively and desperately struggling with) and I was just looking for some inspiration. But that was the wrong place to look.

[productsreviewings]

Have you ever ever been peed on by your cat? Maybe they had been in your lap and also you found a suspicious moist patch in your garments afterward, or perhaps they jumped onto your lap and did slightly little bit of kneading and fidgeting earlier than crouching right down to pee on you? Fast Overview 01 Cats spray urine to mark their territory with their scent, however may also cross urine in inappropriate locations when they're harassed, anxious, or scared. 02 Cats may not really feel ready to make use of their litter field if they're unwell, frightened, or in ache, which can lead to them peeing on their proprietor. 03 In case your cat is peeing on you, seek the advice of a veterinarian to rule out medical causes and determine behavioral causes. It’s not very nice to be lined in cat urine, however earlier than you get upset together with your cat, bear in mind that this cat habits can happen for a lot of totally different causes, and it may even be an indication of a well being downside. Additionally Learn: The Final Information To Cat Pee Why Do Cats Pee On Their House owners? To assist work out the trigger, first attempt to decide in case your cat is peeing in your intentionally or involuntarily. Cat homeowners would possibly suppose that their cat is being spiteful after they pee on them, or that they're being slightly obnoxious and don’t care about their homeowners. Nonetheless, there are many explanation why your cat would possibly cross urine on you, and it’s unlikely to be as a result of they don’t such as you. #1 They Are Marking Their Territory Cats use a number of strategies to mark their particular folks, together with rubbing their faces on them and, much less desirably, peeing on or close to them. In addition to scent glands on their physique, cats additionally use their urine to mark their territory. If you happen to’ve owned an unneutered male cat you’re extra more likely to have seen your cat spraying, however any cat would possibly cross urine in uncommon locations if they're feeling insecure and need to be surrounded by their acquainted scent whereas warning off different cats and predators. In case your cat feels that the bond they share with you is beneath risk, or that they aren't getting the time with you that they crave, they could select to mark you with their urine to point out that you just belong to them. Though it’s not nice, the sentiment behind it's fairly candy! You would possibly discover this habits if you happen to’ve lately had a brand new child or welcomed one other pet into the house. If you happen to suppose your cat may be feeling slightly needy, attempt spending extra one-on-one time with them someplace calm and quiet, away from any new additions to the household. The extra high quality time you spend with them, whether or not it’s playtime or cuddle time, the extra they need to really feel reassured. In case your cat is spraying they usually aren’t neutered but, getting them neutered may assist scale back urine marking. Additionally Learn: High 11 Finest Cat Urine Removers #2 They Are Pressured Cats would possibly urinate in your soiled or clear laundry, or instantly in your garments when you’re nonetheless sporting them. When cats are harassed, one of the crucial frequent indicators is inappropriate urination. This might imply passing urine within the bathtub, in your laundry pile, on the carpet behind the tv, or in your lap. Wherever the situation, this usually causes stress amongst pet mother and father, too, which might make the unique downside worse, so attempt to keep calm. You probably have issues together with your cat peeing in uncommon locations, take a look at Why Do Cats Pee and Poop in Footwear? and High 5 Causes Why Your Cat Retains Peeing on Your Husband’s Issues. Stress in cats could be triggered by a lot of various things, from a brand new cat on the town to a brand new child within the dwelling. You possibly can’t management all the things in your

cat’s surroundings, and preserving all the things the identical is unimaginable, being aware of potential triggers could be useful in case your cat is delicate to modifications in routine. Nonetheless, if you happen to discover that your cat has signs that may be stress associated, attempt anti-anxiety or calming pheromone merchandise, and take the recommendation of a veterinarian and certified feline behaviorist. Additionally Learn: 5 Visible Indicators Of A Pressured Cat And How To Assist #3 They Are Afraid If one thing has scared your cat away from their litter field, they could have an accident as a result of they’re holding all the things in. In case your cat is scared, they may not really feel protected going into the room with their litter field. If they're an out of doors cat and normally cross urine and feces exterior, when one thing exterior your property scares them they could select to remain inside for some time. This might depart their rest room habits slightly out of whack. In the end, in case your cat feels extraordinarily scared and one of many solely locations your cat feels protected is curled up with you, it’s doable that they might find yourself peeing on you. This kind of worry in cats is normally short-lived, and your cat shouldn’t dwell on it in the long run. Nonetheless, in case your cat is continuous to pee in locations the place they shouldn’t, you need to get an appointment on the veterinary clinic. Additionally Learn: 8 Methods To Assist a Scared and Fearful Cat Be Assured #4 They Have Cystitis Or A Urinary Tract An infection Cats which might be having frequent accidents ought to be evaluated for medical points in regards to the bladder. In case your cat has cystitis, the place the bladder wall is infected, or a urinary tract an infection, they could have the urge to cross urine instantly. Equally, the fixed irritation of their bladder lining would possibly trigger them to pressure rather a lot. Subsequently, it’s doable that they might have a one-off urinary accident whereas in your lap. Telltale indicators of cystitis or a UTI are fixed straining, passing small quantities of urine, or blood within the urine. If you happen to’re unsure whether or not your cat is straining, learn Inform if a Cat is Straining to Poop or Pee. Cystitis indicators in cats could be attributable to stress, urinary crystals, an infection, or, often, a tumor or progress. Your veterinarian will be capable of decide the probably reason behind the indicators with the assistance of a urine pattern and would possibly suggest antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, surgical procedure, or calming and anti-anxiety merchandise. Extra sophisticated feline stress circumstances would possibly require the enter of a veterinary behaviorist. Additionally Learn: The 7 Finest Dietary supplements For Cat Urinary Well being #5 They Are In Ache In case your cat is feeling too painful to make their approach to the litter field, they could go wherever they're mendacity. In case your cat has an damage or is in ache, they may not really feel like transferring from the place they're to get meals, water, or cross urine and feces. After all, some accidents and causes of ache are apparent, like a damaged leg or a big wound. Nonetheless, different causes of ache, like arthritis in older cats, can have extra delicate indicators. Ache in cats would possibly trigger them to not transfer a lot and to go off their meals. They’re additionally more likely to withdraw and may be grumpier than regular. If you happen to suppose that your cat may be in ache, whether or not or not you'll be able to determine the trigger, it’s vital to get them checked by a veterinarian. Additionally Learn: 10 Methods To Inform If Your Cat Is In Ache #6 They Have Misplaced Bladder Management Cats would possibly lose bladder management for numerous reasoning, together with outdated age and tail-pull accidents. Some well being situations or traumatic accidents could cause incontinence (an absence of bladder management) in cats.

If the nerves controlling your cat’s bladder and sphincter muscle tissues are broken or aren’t functioning correctly, your cat would possibly develop into incontinent or unable to cross urine. An instance of it is a tail-pull damage, the place a cat’s tail will get trapped someplace and partially separates from the vertebrae of the decrease backbone. The nerve injury attributable to such a damage could cause a flaccid, floppy tail that doesn’t transfer, and a bladder that may’t empty. Some cats regain their bladder perform because the damage heals; nevertheless, many stay unable to cross urine or leak urine as their bladder overflows. If you happen to suspect that your cat has misplaced management of their bladder, whether or not they’re unable to cross urine or they’re leaking urine, you should take them to a veterinarian. Additionally Learn: How Typically Do Cats Pee? #7 They Are Unwell With sure well being situations, cats may be consuming a lot water that they'll’t maintain their bladder lengthy sufficient to make it to the litter field. In case your cat feels poorly, they may not be capable of get to their litter field or go exterior and they also would possibly pee on you. Some medical situations, like diabetes mellitus, and kidney and liver illness trigger a rise in thirst and urination, so your cat may also have to pee much more, making an accident extra probably. In case your cat shouldn't be appearing like their traditional self and has handed urine on you, it’s a good suggestion to get them an appointment with the vet, particularly in the event that they produce other signs. Additionally Learn: 10 Delicate Indicators Your Cat Might Be Sick #8 Their Litter Field Is Soiled If the litter field isn’t clear sufficient to your cat, they could find yourself peeing elsewhere, together with on you. Cats hate having a unclean litter field, particularly if it’s shared with one other cat. You probably have an indoor cat who normally makes use of a litter tray, however the tray is soiled or smelly, they’ll keep away from utilizing it and go some place else as a substitute! In case your cat pees wherever sudden, it’s price checking for any apparent explanation why they didn’t use the spot they usually would. A little bit of detective work would possibly simply provide the resolution! To forestall inappropriate urination as a consequence of poor litter tray hygiene, a great rule of thumb for multi-cat households is to supply one cat litter field for every cat you personal, plus one further, and ensure they’re cleaned often. Additionally Learn: How Typically Ought to You Change Cat Litter? Ought to You Fear If Your Cat Or Kitten Is Peeing On You? In case your cat is peeing on you, and in addition visiting their litter field ceaselessly, or straining within the field, schedule an appointment together with your vet. Beneath are some conditions the place try to be slightly extra involved about your cat peeing on you. In these conditions, it’s greatest to contact the vet instantly. 1. There’s No Apparent Set off If not one of the causes listed above appear to elucidate why your cat is peeing on you, it’s a good suggestion to get the recommendation of a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist. 2. There’s Blood In Their Urine If there's blood in your cat’s pee, they could have cystitis, bladder stones, a urinary tract an infection, or a tumor. Subsequently, it’s a good suggestion to move to the veterinary clinic with a pattern of your cat’s urine, in order that the veterinarian can discover and deal with the issue. 3. They Have Been Straining In case your cat has been straining to cross urine, they could have cystitis, a urethral spasm, or a blocked urethra. It’s vital to hunt veterinary recommendation as quickly as doable, particularly if you happen to haven’t seen them cross any urine lately. 4. They Can’t Transfer Their Tail In case your cat isn’t holding their tail within the place that they usually would, they'll’t transfer it, or it feels chilly to the contact, contact a veterinarian instantly.

The veterinarian can verify for indicators of trauma and nerve injury. Additionally Learn: What Your Cat’s Tail Can Inform You 5. They Aren’t Shifting Round In case your cat isn’t transferring from the place they're laying, even to eat, drink, or cross urine and feces, there might be one thing extra critical incorrect. 6. They Have Different Signs Or Indicators Of Harm In case your cat passes urine on you however is appearing regular, it’s far much less of a priority than in the event that they produce other signs of being injured or unwell. If one thing isn’t proper then you need to converse to your veterinarian. Additionally Learn: 11 Indicators That You Must Get Your Cat To the Emergency Room Remaining Ideas It’s simple to get annoyed in case your cat pees on you, particularly in the event that they often pee in locations the place they shouldn’t. Keep in mind, although, inappropriate urination could be a signal of many alternative medical issues and behavioral issues, and a powerful adverse response from you might trigger your cat much more stress and make the issue worse. Additionally Learn: The 5 Finest Carpet Cleaners For Cat Urine Ceaselessly Requested Questions Why would my cat instantly pee on me? Cats would possibly pee in uncommon locations as a result of they've medical points like cystitis or diabetes, or habits issues like stress and nervousness. Nonetheless, cats additionally use their urine to mark their territory, so they could simply be letting different cats know that you just’re all theirs. Why do cats pee on their proprietor’s garments? Cats will acknowledge their proprietor’s scent as a result of their sense of scent is so good. When your cat smells you on the garments in your laundry pile, they could spray urine to mark their territory. How do you self-discipline a cat for peeing exterior the litter field? It’s essential to not self-discipline your cat for peeing exterior of their litter tray. First, verify the litter field is clear and doesn’t scent strongly of cleansing chemical substances, then use optimistic reinforcement like treats and a spotlight to reward them for being close to to and, finally, utilizing the litter field. #Cat #Pee #Widespread #Causes #Conduct #Cats.com Cats might pee on their homeowners for numerous causes, together with marking their territory, feeling harassed, fearful, in ache, and even as a consequence of medical points. It's important to seek the advice of a veterinarian to rule out any medical issues and determine behavioral causes. Spending high quality time with the cat and addressing potential triggers may also assist alleviate the issue. 1. Why do cats pee on their homeowners? - Cats would possibly pee on their homeowners to mark their territory, when they're harassed, anxious, scared, unwell, in ache or have misplaced bladder management. 2. How can cat homeowners assist stop their cats from peeing on them? - Spending extra one-on-one time with cats, getting them neutered, figuring out and addressing potential stressors, utilizing anti-anxiety or calming pheromone merchandise can all assist stop cats from peeing on their homeowners. 3. What ought to cat homeowners do if their cats are peeing on them? - They need to seek the advice of a veterinarian to rule out medical causes and determine behavioral causes for the habits, and take acceptable steps to deal with them.

[maaji-maji-majima]

some kissing hcs for Majima?(if u can make it nsfw)

So I'm in a weird place with this. I don't want to leave you unanswered but I know you won't like the answer that I give. It has been a long time since I was active on tumblr and I'm not sure when along the timeline headcanon became synonymous with fanfiction. I appreciate fanfiction authors for their creativity, but I am not one myself. I use headcanon in the older definition of "this isn't in the source material, but it is true in my brain". They are either random things my half asleep mind thought of while walking home from work or a character analysis. At the same token your ask had crawled into my brainmeats and won't leave. So again, I apologize that this most definitely is not what you're looking for, but I hope someone out there finds this to be an interesting read.

Without further introduction, here is a character analysis of our favorite pansexual, gender fluid, emotionally stunted goblin in regards to relationships and why the he desperately needs therapy as brought to you by a different pansexual, gender fluid, emotionally stunted goblin who got therapy but probably needs more.

Trigger warnings: Abuse, self harm, mental disorders, poor coping strategies, unhealthy relationships, random tense changes, not fanfiction

Spoilers for the whole franchise, but very specifically for 0, K1, and 5.

Abuse does weird things to people's brains. In Yakuza 0 Majima has barely been out of the hole for a year. He might no longer be suffering the actual physical torture he had been subjected to the year prior, but he is still directly in the hands of his abusers and being watched every moment. He is still in a cage even if it doesn't look like one. He is depressed and likely suicidal, but doesn't follow through with those thoughts because he is determined to make sure Saejima has a home to come back to. He is willing to endure just about anything to allow Saejima a chance to exact that final moment of retribution because Saejima is the one who deserves it and Majima doesn't feel that there is any possibility for forgiveness. In all likelihood he hasn't sought out anyone for a hookup or paid company for an evening due to a combination of not feeling like he deserves anything that feels good and the fact that he's constantly being watched. The year in hole means he no longer really has a concept of privacy, but he's worried that getting close to someone, even for a few moments, could put them in danger if Sagawa or Shimano feels like holding something else over his head. It isn't worth accidentally dragging someone into his own personal hell. He no longer lives for the present, he is only living for that far-off future that he hopes isn't just a pipe dream.

Enter Makoto. At first she is a stand-in for Saejima's sister Yasuko, but it morphs rapidly from there. She is the light and kindness and hope that he hasn't seen in years and she's being dragged into his bullshit. He knows in his heart of hearts that she doesn't deserve what she is being forced into, so his mind snaps into the immediate and does everything he possibly can to save her. This is is the hill he wants to die on. Maybe, just maybe, he can end his miserable existence with a final act of good and he feels that Saejima might just be able to understand. But because he no longer has any relationships in his life that are not strictly professional or the abusers he cannot escape, he has little recollection of what a nuanced relationship or even friendship is any longer. Due to circumstance she is also the only person that he cannot keep at arm's length, no matter how desperately he tries. So he falls for her and falls hard. But in the end, after everything they go through he does the impossible. He lets her go. She has a life and a future, whereas he has neither of those. What would she do? Become his ane-san? Have some temporary happiness before she realizes she has a target on her back for the rest of her life? No. Majima believes she deserves so much more than that even though it hurts him deeply. What is one more hurt on top of everything else? He's gotten extremely good at burying his pain.

Getting to Tokyo flips a switch in Majima's brain. Like many people with mental trauma who don't have access to therapy he falls into excess as a way of self medicating. He fits virtually everything on the hedonism checklist. Drinking? Yeah. Violence? Hell yeah! Promiscuity? Yeah, but I ain't judging. Drugs? Probably, even though it isn't explicitly stated in game. Everything from his shift in personality to his wardrobe has become, intentionally or not, a defense mechanism. He has escaped from all of his abusers except for Shimano and he refuses to allow anyone to gain that kind of power over him again.

It is a double edged sword, however. His depression and PTSD are running unchecked. In all likelihood he hasn't fallen hard on vices as a way to reclaim ownership off his own body. Instead it seems more probable that he is dissociating. After everything he has been through he doesn't care what happens to his body in the long run because it isn't actually his anymore. Risky behavior, which is practically Majima's middle name, is also frequently used as a passive form of self harm because the end result is either temporarily feeling better thanks to endorphins and adrenaline or permanently feeling better after embracing death. He could achieve a similar feeling by taking up jogging and chasing a runners high, but that takes more time and energy than chugging a handle of whiskey or goading some chump into throwing hands. Sadly even now admitting to mental problems by seeking help is fairly stigmatized in Japan and it was only worse in the early 90s. Can't have a problem if no one tells you it's there, right?

Then he meets Mirei. She's intense but not wild like Majima. At that moment in time she is everything he needs. Head strong, domineering, and very, very determined. She knows exactly what buttons to press to wrap him right around her finger. And he lets her take the reigns, lets her run his life because he realizes he was doing a terrible job on his own. Better her than Shimano, right? Doing something wrong results in the cold shoulder instead of a vicious beating, and doing something right leads to more than simply the relief of avoiding a beating. He decides that making her happy is enough to make him happy. Until suddenly it isn't. He never wanted to be a father, but even the idea that he could have been was enough to cause a fundamental shift in his entire outlook on life. He could have had someone to live for, instead of just survive for. But he had no say in the matter and didn't know until the decision had been made for him. When Mirei told him she had an abortion he snapped. He hit her. The one and only time he raised his hands against her. Disgusted with himself, and wounded by her decision, he left. If he was capable of that, he knew couldn't be the person she had been trying to mold him into. He realized he was nothing but a weight around her neck dragging her down. And so that day signals the end of their short marriage. He spends the next several decades drowning in guilt for his actions while still resenting her for her choice.

That leaves us with Kiryu. Poor, oblivious Kiryu. Majima's fixation is multifaceted but in no small part due to the fact that Kiryu is one of the few people strong enough to hurt him, but is the only one that doesn't want to. And Majima just doesn't understand. After everything, he only deserves to hurt, right? Saejima, Yasuko, Makoto, Mirei. Everyone who gets too close to him ends up worse for it, so why won't Kiryu and his sense of honor seek justice on their behalf? So he does everything he possibly can to wind up Kiryu enough to Pay Attention Damnit, Fight Me. But Kiryu's response is always just flustered awkwardness because he doesn't want like fighting, it's just a part of his job, like wearing a suit or answering a phone. To Kiryu fighting isn't a thing done because it's enjoyable, it's done because it has to be. But he's still the only one who doesn't flinch when Majima brandishes a knife inches from his face.

And then Kiryu is arrested and in jail for ten years. And ten years is a long time to build someone up onto a pedestal. Like only wanting to talk about the best of a person after they've died. The same thing happened with Saejima. Build them in his mind to what he wants or needs them to be since they are not there to actively correct it. The decade is pretty miserable, going through the motions and trying to not make waves with the bigwigs while terrifying the minions into obedience. When he hears Kiryu is being released it is like waking up again. He all but waits at the taxi stand at the entrance of Kamurocho on the day of Kiryu's release, all but vibrating with excitement. It's a fight he has been waiting on for a decade, too bad it was little more than a disappointment.

So Majima decides to bring him back up to spec in that very Majima flavored way. Small fights, big fights, surprise fights. Kiryu is still reluctant because he doesn't have a reason beyond Majima's dreamed up training program he doesn't actually want to be a part of. Of course this only leads Majima to do everything possible to get under Kiryu's skin, including sharing his personal vulnerabilities while disguising them as jokes just to cause fights, but Kiryu just kind of rolls with it which leads to confusion and frustration on both sides. After a while Majima starts to get into Kiryu's hobbies, like pocket circuit, ostensibly as another form of picking a fight. And he discovers he actually enjoys a lot of it. And they are both too dense and emotionally stunted to realize they're basically dating at this point. At multiple points Majima takes potentially lethal blows meant for Kiryu and the excuse that he is the only one allowed to kill Kiryu is very, very thin. He just can't quite admit out loud that he doesn't want to see Kiryu truly hurt because that's weakness and he is Not Weak (tm).

Shimano's death and Kiryu's departure from the clan come as a whirlwind that destroys him all over again. He's left directionless. So he leaves the Tojo in an attempt to find his own way in the world, for the first time in over twenty years.

I think I need to call it here for now. I know I've left out Saejima and Daigo, among others, but I've been working on this for days and my progress has been eaten twice and I just don't have the energy to keep going right at this time. Maybe some day in the future I'll find the time and energy to write out the rest for all the other games.

tl;dr What Majima wants and what he needs are two different things. He wants to fightfuck, but he needs to be bear hugged into submission so that he can have that mental breakdown he's been carefully bottling up for over thirty years. He needs a good, ugly cry. And therapy. Lots and lots of therapy.

[christianfamilytherapist]

Anxiety Therapy - Controlling Anxiety Without Anti Anxiety Drugs

It is popular that annually, millions of average individuals are prescription anxiety therapy medicines to curb feelings of anxiety. These medicines have a huge list of unfavorable adverse effects. So exists an anxiousness treatment that manages anxiety without these antianxiety medications?

ST.JOHN'S WORT ...

St.John's Wort is recommended in Europe preferably over prozac or any kind of other SSRI clinical depression drug. Due to the fact that depression and also anxiety go together, physicians often recommend regular SSRI antidepressants likewise to modest as well as treat anxiousness. St.John's wort has a tried and tested track record. Regardless of any type of unfavorable evaluations you may have checked out anywhere, this natural herb has actually been proven as a reliable methods to treat anxiety as well as anxiety. As a whole, results for European patients using St.John's wort has been 80% beneficial whereas conventional SSRI's just 60% for treatment of anxiousness and also anxiety.

What's even worse, standard SSRI's and also benzodiazepine tranquilizers typically trigger adverse effects such as unclear reasoning, tiredness, amnesia, hair loss, sleep disruptions, loss of sex drive and so a lot more! Benzodiazepine tranquilizers are also notorious for being highly addictive and commonly over used. Daily exercise and also a low-fat, healthy diet plan rich with fruits, vegetables as well as organic foods help fortify the body versus the results of stress and anxiety.

If you are experiencing unwanted negative effects from your present stress and anxiety therapy after that consider talking to your physician regarding herbal solutions. St.John's wort helps rest disorders also and also reduces levels of cortisol as well as enhances the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a naturally occurring tranquilizer in the mind.

So what's the only downside to St.John's wort as an effective stress and anxiety treatment? The antianxiety impact can occupy to 4 weeks to start. The advised everyday dose is 300mg, 3 times daily. The only noted side effect that's common is skin sensitivity to sunlight. People with fair skin must make use of extra sunlight security and try to prevent the sunlight as long as possible while on this organic anxiousness treatment.

Do not take St.John's wort within 4 weeks of taking an SSRI antidepressant medicine. Taking St.John's wort with an SSRI has been recognized to cause ecstasy.

VALERIAN

Valerian has actually been a frequently practical anxiety therapy natural therapy when stress and anxiety disrupts the capability to drop off to sleep or remaining asleep throughout the evening. Valerian works by minimizing the quantity of time it takes to sleep, just as with normal harmful sleep medications such as Ambien. Unlike these medicines, valerian generates a completely "natural" rest, is non-addictive won't make you feel drugged-up, so to speak.

Typical dosage of valerian is 900 mg one hr before bedtime. If you have extreme insomnia, valerian can occupy to a week to provide alleviation, nonetheless, without any hazardous adverse effects as with suggested drugs. Pick only standardizes organic removes, which will certainly provide the energetic ingredient in exact quantities. With St.John's wort, look for a product with 0.3% hypericin as well as Valerian 0.8% valerenic acid.

If you've gotten on typical stress and anxiety therapy I make certain you've seen a few actually undesirable side-effects, which is why this herbal alternative should be taken into consideration more often as an efficient means of regulating anxiousness and also offering all-natural stress and anxiety treatment without the unpleasant side effects.

[keepingthehopealive]

K (psych) 8.17

I go into every appointment with my psychiatrist with the goal of being open and honest and communicative with her and to let her in, and yet every appointment, my walls shoot up and i struggle to communicate and talk. It feels like a losing battle because I am trying my hardest, but can’t seem to be successful, and then I still seem to “lose” either way after our appointments spiraling with shame. If I don’t open up, I feel shameful and bad and like I need to do better and try harder because I’m wasting her time, but if I do open up, I feel shameful that I’m not getting better, i’m failing her and my team, I’m wasting her time and she hates me etc etc. The anxiety and shame (with everything) is out of control. I’m trying to separate it from our appointments, since I’m dealing with similar spirals in regards to work, therapy, and my entire life, but the appointment do trigger certain spirals. They are still helpful and necessary, but usually more-so after the fact, and that makes me feel bad because I don’t want to burn my psychiatrist out, I want to do better for her and I care about her and what she thinks of me, but I just keep failing. She says none of this is true, but I can feel it and sense it and it feels real and intense and awful. 

I think there are many compounding factors, like that we meet virtually, only for 30 min (which I know is a lot that i see her every week, but 30 mins is short when I have to work through so many defenses and walls), it’s always after work so I’m exhausted and drained because of the anxiety and spiraling that is happening at work,  I’ve never actually met her in person, she reminds me of my old therapist in her approach, I struggle with resistance to medication in general, and I haven’t made any *positive* improvements with her. She has a tough love approach, although she always says it’s not tough love, it just is what it is. I know that I need those pushes and that approach, especially since my therapist is much more gentle in approach. I know that I can benefit from both sides and that it’s good that they work with me in different ways but both are able to help me. I feel shame that my psychiatrist has to deal with a lot more resistance from me and that I don’t always show my appreciation and how she does help me, only in writing emails after our appointments which helps me to communicate but also makes me feel needy and like an awful patient. She reassures me that it’s fine and that she’s choosing to work with me because she cares about me and has hope for me, and every time I tell her she could just leave me and it would be easier, she thanks me for caring about her feelings and what she deserves, but that she isn’t giving up on me or going anywhere and that we will keep pushing forward and get through this. I worry so much that my anxiety and projections are going to push her away and she’s going to abandon me, and yet those same defenses are what I feel I need to mount to protect myself from the abandonment. What a twisted spiral that becomes. 

She challenged me a lot this week:

She asked if I struggle this much with my therapy sessions, and asked me if she was intimidating to me. I struggle to stay on the camera with her (because shame) and that is something she pushes me on, that she needs to be able to see me in order to have a conversation, whereas my therapist lets me turn my camera off after we say hi, so I can talk easier. I understand my psych’s view on it, but the shame is so hard. This often becomes a topic of conversation, but in the moment I can’t put words to the shame, just that “i cant do it” when she asks me to show her my face and stay on the camera.

She challenged what makes me show up each week- and talked about how there is hope “Deep deep deep down” and we need to channel and connect with that hope to push forward.

When she asked how I was and the how the week was, I said bad and she pushed me to talk about things. I felt like I was opening up a lot because I was talking about some of the spirals and she challenged that and said “there’s a lot to say and you’re not telling me anything”

She said she knows for a fact things can and will get better. I challenged that and said things just keep getting worse and she said “I didn’t say they can’t get worse, I said they can get better”. She said she’s never seen anyone not get better and we will find something that’ll help me and that I was in a better place when we first met in March so she knows I can get back to that place and feel better. She continues to insist that she has hope for me still, even though I feel I’ve proven I dont. 

At some point towards the end she did seem a little frustrated, probably that I wasn’t opening up (even though I felt like I was because I was at least talking, and kind of showing her my face), and I brought it up/half projected that she was mad at me. She said she wasn’t mad but that she was trying to understand the defenses better and that she did need me to meet her halfway in the appointments. So then in the last few minutes of our appointment, I talked a lot more openly, told her how bad things are, not so much in behaviors (although that too), but in the thoughts and motivations behind things and in the intensity of it all.

She pushed that I need to go back to the hospital which I shut down. We did go back and forth a bit and eventually she agreed that she wouldn’t hospitalize me that night like she wanted to, but said we are spending our next session focusing on safety and safety planning and spending the whole 30 mins talking about it versus just at the end. I told her that would make me shut down and struggle and she pushed back and said it was what we needed to do and that we needed to have a plan to move forward because we can’t continue like this. I know she is right and I know she is concerned and right to be concerned (and I should probably be more concerned than I am but im not because apathy is real), but it is all so hard. I appreciate and know that she is working really hard to help me and work with me and keep me out of the hospital, and I hope she does see that I am trying my best. 

After I tried to open up to my mom the day after our appointment and that went terribly, my psychiatrist emailed me and told me that she was sorry my mom wasn’t supportive but that I have her and my therapist and we will push forward and get through this. 

I know I am lucky to have her and I’m also dreading our next appointment. 

[ajokeformur-ray]

May I get a matchup? I am 5’6, dark blonde hair and green eyes. Chronically ill, i have a condition that causes widespread pain and inflammation mainly in my legs; i walk with a limp and a cane. I also have chronic fatigue and memory issues. I am always cold so layers are a must. Im a very calm and nurturing, some call me an empath; and i amcurrently in college to become a teacher for younger children 😊 i go by Sunny cuz i love sunflowers~ thank you for your time! I love reading your posts

asdfghjkl omg thank you nonnie sksksk this is really kind of you 💜 this is another request which has been in my drafts for a while, so I hope you’re still around to see this! 💙

Total word count: 1, 775.

Arthur // wc: 881.

Arthur absolutely adores you. There is a two inch height difference between the two of you so it’s really easy for Arthur to tuck his face into your neck when he’s embarrassed, unknowing is he of some social rules, or if he’s having a laughing fit in public. You protect him and you keep him safe even from his own self just by being you and Arthur does everything that he can to return the favour. The fact that you are similar heights means that it’s easier for Arthur to look into your green eyes as a way of grounding himself, especially when his anxiety is at an all-time high. Arthur loves to run his hands through your hair, especially when you have just come out of the shower. If you allow him to, Arthur likes to brush your hair, his fingers lingering in the strands as he carefully runs the brush or comb through your strands, or braid it for you; though you had to teach him how to do this. Eager to please is he, and so is he quick to learn. Anything for you and it largely depends on what you allow him to do. No matter what, Arthur loves you for all of you. You are his one and only person who understands him and there’s nothing he won’t do for you. 

Arthur knows more than anyone what it means to have a condition which affects your everyday life, and there is nothing that he will not do to help you with yours. You walk with a limp and a cane and Arthur always makes sure that he does everything he can to help you; he will hold your hand or give you space, he’ll hold your cane or help you to walk… the entire world is yours if you ask it of him. Nothing angers Arthur more than injustice so if anyone ever says anything when you are out and about in public he can and will give and receive punches in kind if it means defending your honour. He always understands you and there’s nothing that he won’t do for you. When Artur has to go to Helms Pharmacy for his own multitude of prescriptions, he often orders generic pain medication for you; he prefers to have it on hand if you need it. When you first got to know one another, Arthur asked a few questions which enabled him to fully understand how he can help you in your day-to-day life; he lives for you so completely. 

Despite the numerous challenges in your lives, the two of you somehow manage to seamlessly run his mother’s apartment. You both have memory issues, so it isn’t unusual for Arthur to suddenly make a small noise of realisation and scribble something down in his government issued battered brown journal. Used is he to insomnia and being awake at all hours of the night so Arthur uses these sleepless hours to get chores and the like done. You often wake up to an empty side of the bed and cold sheets, Arthur having not slept yet, and movement coming from the kitchen or the living room. You have chronic fatigue and Arthur makes sure that you get lots of rest as often as you feel the need, and it isn’t unusual for him to tell you to take a nap while he cooks dinner. He is a natural caretaker and knows what you need even before you do, so well does he know you. You are always cold and Arthur makes sure that there are ample blankets scattered around the apartment so at any given time do you have extra layers. Arthur prides himself on taking care of you, just as you take care of him, for in every way are the two of you equal.

The two of you are perfect for each other. You are calm and nurturing, which Arthur needs in his daily life, so cold and so uninterested are the other people in his life. You are an empath, which means that you possess the emotional intuitiveness needed to provide Arthur with the emotional support that he so desperately needs, and in getting to know and love you is Arthur able to be everything that you need for him to be! Furthermore, Arthur takes very good care of you. There is nothing that he won’t do for you, and this includes supporting you in your ambition to become a teacher for younger children. As a tenth grade dropout, Arthur never received the education that he needed to forge a career path in his life, which makes him extra protective of yours. He won’t allow anyone or anything to get in the way of your future and this includes himself. He so often worries that he is holding you down or holding you back, just like his mother used to do with him. You love sunflowers and your nickname is Sunny, and when Arthur misses you he wears bright yellow as a constant reminder of the warmth you brought into his life. Arthur loves you for all of you and there is nothing he won’t do for you. In time, you will come to find out just how far he will go to protect you.

Joker // wc: 894.

It didn't take long for you to find out the lengths that he will go to protect you, and you found yourself wishing that you had been enough to stop him from having a mental break, though of course was it inevitable even from before the two of you had met, so tried and so tired was Arthur. One night, when he came home bloodied, disheveled and looking rather worse for wear, you were greeted with someone you had not yet met. "It's Joker now, darling," was all that you were greeted with, and though you were scared of the things that he had done, the things which you had seen on the news as Arthur’s recent odd behaviour became clear in your mind’s eye, you looked into those sea green eyes which you knew and loved so well and you found the same man he had been all along. He just no longer cared. Your green eyes, so similar yet so different from his own, continued to ground Joker, and he often cupped your face in his hands, his fingers splayed behind your ears, just to meet them with his own. Changed though he may be, one thing remained the same, and that was his undying and unconditional love for you, his one and only person who understood him. 

By this stage in your relationship, Joker knows exactly how to help you, when to help you, and what you need of him. Intuitive is he and he always knows what you need even before you do; it's written all over you, he says, by way of downplaying his own emotional intelligence. Whereas Arthur used to take and receive punches to defend you, now Joker is the one people need protecting from, for he can and he will kill people if it means protecting you and keeping you safe. Concerned is he about the pain and inflammation which can be felt in your legs and he does what he can to minimise your pain and to increase your comfort in your daily life. Joker lives for you, and because of you. When you go out in public together, Joker stays by you like glue and he makes sure that everything is as you need it to be, or at least, as far as he can control outer elements. You are so strong and so brave and he is always so proud of you. You inspire him and he admires you so greatly for your continued strength. 

Though there are difficulties, it has never been any different that Joker will do anything for you. You have chronic fatigue and Joker is gone all hours of the day and night doing who knows what, and it is safer for you to remain unaware of the crimes he commits in the dead of night. Having said that, the two of you still find time to be with one another without disturbances from the outside world. Once he comes home for the night and the chain is drawn across the old door, he is yours and nothing and no one will take him from you. You have memory issues, as does Joker, and his old journal is still used by way of remembering things which are important for the both of you. It isn't perfect, but it's functional and rarely do either of you forget anything. When you are cold, Joker will offer up his red blazer, his body having warmed it, and he’s always ready with open arms for you, too. Blankets are a must in apartment 8J, the central heating is too expensive and the walls of the apartment complex are too thin. As such, the two of you often cuddle if only to keep warm. Everything about you grounds Joker, and he does everything that he can, even with the status that he didn't want or ask for, to look after you in kind. It’s what you deserve and Joker will do anything to give you such a gift!

You are very calm and nurturing, which works well with Joker's unpredictability. Angry and hurt is he and lashing out is common, for even he knows not what can trigger his anger, and you keep him on this side of the line. Joker may be angry but he will not werewolf a second time, not now. You give him a reason to try, you give him a reason to fight and you give him a reason to not give in and he offers you the same. You are both emotionally intelligent and there's nothing either of you won't do for the other. Joker uses his new found connections and status to further your career as a teacher and he is more protective of your future than you are. He cares not what happens to him but he cares a great deal about you. When you wake up in the morning, Joker likes to coo, and he will say something like, "There's my sunshine" or "the day's good now, the sun’s up," and other such variants. Anything to make you smile, for it's his most favourite sight in the entire world and there's nothing that Joker won't do to see it. His favourite sound is your laughter, too, and he cherishes that above all else, especially if he's the one who caused it in the first place.

[banthiasid-blog]

The Stress of Quarantine Is Triggering skin disorder Flare-Ups. Here's What Derms advocate

One 23-year-old shares the truth of getting associate response skin condition amid coronavirus pandemic panic. Read more: top10tally.com Schroeder’s undoubtedly not the sole one. people with skin disorder square measure sharing their imprisonment skin stories, like 23-year-old Hannah Williams, WHO lives within the kingdom. She announce a graphic facial icon on Instagram and wrote within the caption, “If anyone is curious however my imprisonment goes... not well… however a minimum of nobody will see however dangerous my skin appearance.” “All the uncertainty immediately and being in imprisonment has inflated my stress levels, that has created my skin flee,” Hannah tells Health. She was 1st diagnosed with skin disorder at age thirteen. “It started on my scalp and eventually cosmopolitan down my body,” she recollects. “Over the past few years, I’ve gone from being clear to coated head to toe. At the instant it’s in the main on my face.” Hannah treats her skin disorder with a mixture of moisturizers, a topical steroid hormone cream and Dovobet, a prescription medication. She additionally gets comfort and stress relief through connecting with people with skin disorder on Instagram. “It’s nice to check the sense of community; everyone seems to be willing to share the guidelines and tricks that job for them,” says Williams. “Seeing everybody bear their own cycles whereas attempting MEasure} through this moment in time makes me feel less alone.” Connecticut-based medical specialist Rhonda Q. Klein, MD, tells Health that a lot of of her skin disorder patients square measure experiencing flares immediately. “It’s not a surprise, given our heightened stress levels,” she explains. though scientists still don’t understand precisely what causes skin disorder, stress could be a well-known trigger, per the National skin disorder Foundation. At constant time, a skin disorder flare will cause stress, leading to a frustrating regeneration. If you can’t see your medical specialist immediately for facilitate attributable to the imprisonment, that too may increase stress levels. Dr. Klein says she’s in the main seeing patients by telemedicine, however she's able to supply in-person consultations once necessary in accordance with social distancing pointers. Rather than stress regarding not having the ability to check your derm in the flesh, try and see the advantages of a virtual visit, if your doctor offers it. California-based medical specialist Ava Shamban, MD, tells Health that skin disorder patients usually simply would like "confirmation of a flare and a prescription, or a recommendation of product we will ship or they'll obtain pavement,” says Dr. Shamban, adding that this could be done via telemedicine. To help skin disorder patients cut back stress levels normally, Dr. Shamban recommends meditation and relaxation respiration exercises. however avoid a protracted soak in an exceedingly hot bathtub, as appealing as which will sound. For your skin’s sake, the less time in predicament, the better. “Have a relaxing bathtub with oatmeal however build it fast,” she says. “Go for shorter and a lot of warm showers and baths.” Meanwhile, try and do all the items you are doing beneath traditional circumstances to assist ease your skin disorder symptoms and avoid a flare: follow the treatment set up counseled by your medical specialist, get lots of sleep, wear loose cotton consumer goods, and forgo food in favor of whole, unprocessed foods like fruits and veggies. Dr. Klein recommends operation inflammatory ingredients like sugar, alcohol, and farm and upping your intake of medicament decisions like berries, salmon, and turmeric. The additional hygiene precautions we’re all active to stop the unfold of COVID-19 can also be taking their toll on individuals with skin disorder. “Take care with the additional handwashing,” advises Dr. Klein. “A light preparation used befittingly (at least twenty seconds with heat water) can do the task. Avoid alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which may very dry out compromised skin like skin disorder.” Wearing face masks and gloves and victimization chemical disinfectants within the home may also worsen chronic skin conditions and increase xerotes, which may build skin disorder worse. to stay skin wet, Dr. Shamban recommends employing a thicker moisturizer on your body each day and night. “After your bathtub or shower, ‘seal’ your skin with a salve, like associate aquaphor ointment,” she says. “If you don’t have one, or can’t get one quickly, build your own with petrolatum and oil. Apply this to affected areas at the hours of darkness before bed and canopy them with something—even plastic wrap—to retain wet.” Read more: top10tally.com

[thethingything]

I keep randomly remembering that the reason our brain is especially fucked and a bunch of our symptoms are worse right now is because of like, an avoidable external thing that's chemically affected our nervous system instead of either our symptoms flaring up on their own or some specific stressful event triggering it, and for some reason that keeps making us feel especially bad about it.

like our mental health being bad because of stressful stuff going on and our mental illnesses randomly flaring up both suck, but I can handle our brain just doing its own thing and/or reacting to what's going on around us.

but something about it being a medication that someone else prescribed that's changed the way our brain functions is significantly more distressing in a way I can't put into words properly. a lot of the symptoms we've got (apathy, brain fog, alexithymia, memory problems, etc) are very typical depression and dissociation symptoms, but they're like a weird version of them that feels very different to how we normally experience them.

the only way I can describe the difference in feeling is that it feels more "artificial" but I can't even really describe what I mean by that. if normal brain fog is looking out the window on a foggy day, this is looking out of a window that's been covered with those frosted vinyl sheets. you can't see shit either way, but the feeling is very different.

I just desperately want it to go away. I'm finding it hard to be enthusiastic about things I'm normally excited about no matter how bad our depression gets, and our usual coping mechanisms for getting our brain to register positive things aren't really working because it's not the same underlying mechanism.

it feels like any control I did have over our symptoms and anything I could do to help with them has been stripped away and all I can do is wait it out and hope it fixes itself, and the whole "being given a drug that changes how your brain functions and takes away your control over what your brain is doing" is pretty much the exact phobia I was trying to learn to figure out how to deal with before we get dental work done, and for the dental work it'd be like... idk probably an hour at most, whereas now I'm just stuck dealing with experiencing it 24/7 for an undetermined amount of time

[viostormcaller]

Y'know? I'm starting to think I'm a bit... emotionally worn down.

I think its bc I'm anticipating this move and I'm just... dying to get it over with already, you know? And because I'm moving I realize just how sick I am of my current apartment.

I wake up aching every morning because my mattress is broken so half of my body dips downwards instead of lying straight. I don't really feel at home or comfortable living here because of dangerous neighbors and the roaches that no one bothered to exterminate (and the program that was helping us stay here had the nerve to charge us for extermination even though it's been two years since anyone came in). The space is extremely small and cramped, the bathroom is tiny, the plumbing is absolutely godawful. And I really need my own space so I can have some privacy.

I just... its a lot. I have a lot on my mind. Aside from the move I'm worrying about getting all the cats spayed and neutered, I'm worried about getting my debit card set up (they're making the process really difficult, I just wanna see if I'm getting a stipend jesus christ). I'm worried about finding a therapy place and I'm not looking forwards to that process. And then theres the whole stuff with my gender that I'm stressing about, bc I need to get a tape measure to size myself so I know what binder to get, and on top of that I still need to really be up front and tell my mom about this and I'm scared about her reaction, but she has to know if I'm gonna get myself a binder and a packer because if I order something online she's gonna check what it is I bought anyways and will find out. And I still need the adapter for my computer so I can use that tablet. And I was supposed to get my glasses adjusted and I'm not sure I'll have the time for that now so I'm gonna have to find a new place. And on top of all that I have to finish all my schoolwork before sunday and I have a project that I have to do next week, and I'll have less time because on monday and some of tuesday I'll be without internet until it's set up. And then I know I'll have to change my address on everything. And then the landlord wasn't there to let the gas people in like he was supposed to be so we'll be without gas in the apartment until thursday, meaning no stove or hot water or heat (not that the heat will be on, we dont need it really). And then tomorrow I have to go with mom to get two more carriers for the kittens and then i have to clean and finish packing on that same day

It's just a lot. I have way too much on my mind. And I've noticed I've become so much more emotional lately, not having much tolerance for things that are upsetting. I've been feeling depressed a lot more, and like every little thing that could go wrong would be like the world is ending. Every little thing that upsets me puts me in such a foul mood and just makes me so deeply depressed. And I'm triggered by things a lot more easily now, whereas before not a lot of things would make me that level of upset. Even worse, I feel suicidal a lot easier now, and even after those moments pass, just the fact that I have them at all to the frequency that I am is worrying in and of itself. Even if I don't pursue those thoughts, still, you know?

It's just... yeah. It's a lot. I just want everything to go smoothly. I want everything to be okay. And as soon as I move I really have to ask for a medication adjustment... I don't feel nearly as stable emotionally as I used to. I don't feel as bad as I did before meds, but I don't feel as good as I did when I started my meds, either. I have either a lot more bad days, or moments during the day (or night) where I feel depressed that pass, but during those moments I feel so shitty and tired and empty, like when does it stop, you know? When does it end? Will it ever?

Right now there's nothing I can do about any of these things, so I try to tell myself not to worry about it since I can't do anything. But telling myself that doesn't provide much comfort. It's like I'm caught between telling myself "it's all gonna be okay, it's all gonna work out" and "there's so much to do and so much I gotta get done and what if something goes wrong?" And I'm just really spread thin, I think. Which makes me feel guilty since I'm not that busy, I'm not doing much of anything at all.

It's all just... a bit too much.

[o177-blog]

[ long disability + mental health related vent below the cut, triggers for weight talk and mentions of suicide and self harm (I’m safe, don’t worry) ]

[ bc of how much my mobility has declined in the last few years, I’ve been feeling... frustrated. helpless. I can’t do a lot of things I used to love. I used to love hiking, basketball, volleyball... it’s hard to even walk to the pool in my area. I can (most of the time) manage to take siri on walks but that puts me out of commission for the rest of the day. stairs? hard. making my bed makes my heart rate skyrocket and puts me at risk of passing out. any outings I do are impacted directly by whether or not there will be somewhere for me to sit. I doubt I’ll be able to do university without a heavy mobility aid- either a wheelchair or siri, my service dog, doing mobility.

the main problem with the second option is that because of one of my medications, I’ve gained 30 pounds in two years, which makes me too heavy for siri to be able to safely do mobility work for me. I need to lose weight, and to do that, I’ll have to go off this medication. which, of course, has to be the one that’s kept my mental health more stable than it’s been my entire life- I have borderline personality disorder, ptsd, and a suspected dissociative disorder and ocd (and possibly psychosis). my unstable is... bad. very bad. before this medication I was constantly actively suicidal and self harmed every other day. oh, and I have an ED so losing weight could make that get worse again! :)

a wheelchair is a hard resource for me to access because a) I don’t have a diagnosis yet, and I don’t know when I’ll hear back from the specialist who can diagnose what we think I have (I’ve been waiting almost two years, and the wait list is pretty long. I’m not considered an “urgent” case because I don’t have a life threatening genetic disorder) and b) because I’m still able to walk. just not for very long or without painful fallout from doing so. it also doesn’t help that I have more issues with my shoulders, elbows and wrists than I do my hips and knees. and c) because wheelchairs are really fucking expensive and I’m on welfare.

so my options are very limited and I can’t move forward with my life until something is done to resolve this stupid situation. I’m so frustrated and I’m honestly losing hope that I’ll ever be able to make something of myself. there were things I wanted to do with my life. places I wanted to go, things I wanted to try. I thought that getting my mental health stable would allow me to do those things, but now that my physical issues are becoming so obvious whereas my mental instability used to cover it all up.

I’m just. fuck. I needed to get that off my chest. ]

[hull22kappel-blog]

When Cleaning Your Face, 7 Typical Blunders You Make.

In 1851, the British government finally introduced some control over the sale of arsenic, otherwise known as the ‘inheritor's powder' due to stories about impatient heirs using it to dispose of inconvenient relatives. Making use of products consisting of alcohol during treatment with BUTRANS may cause you to overdose and pass away. Rosemary oil: This oil is and has astringent properties said to improve blood circulation and skin elasticity. While there is no clear-cut evidence yet that bed pests could send conditions, their attacks could exude or swell with microbial infections if they come to be filthy. Dr Yannis Alexandrides, British as well as American board certified cosmetic surgeon and also Owner of 111 Harley Road, added: 'The skin around your eyes is extremely delicate as well as it is where the skin is the thinnest. Why it happens: The skin under your eyes gets thinner with every death year, making the blood vessels underneath ended up being more noticeable, Wu clarifies. She declares she could instantaneously identify when a lady is consuming alcohol too much wine as she's most likely to be puffy as well as have obvious lines or redness between the eyes. When the skin is exceptionally completely dry, the extreme itching can trigger you to lose sleep, and also succeeding scratching can cause open sores or ulcers. Creases create when your skin's connective cells and the fat stores underneath it begin to weaken, triggering voids to develop where damages has actually happened, describes CNN Wellness. To clarify the scans (visualized), the external black line stands for the skin - the layer of skin you could see and touch. Salicylic acid removes dead skin and can boost the texture and also shade of sun-damaged skin It permeates oil-laden hair roots openings and also, therefore, also aids with acne There are lots of skin treatment items readily available that contain salicylic acid. If wrinkles show up, after that it could be essential to attempt a laser treatment, chemical-peel or wrinkle-filler - all of which promote collagen production. The results show that makers might do a whole lot more to make our products more secure. In addition to keeping the wetness degree of the skin on the right track, the cosmetic impact of glycerin on skin is that the skin looks healthier and also a lot more appealing with making use of glycerin. www.invaloaredecumparare.com of the mandibular nerve is principally motor and also supplies the muscle mass of mastication, whereas the posterior department is primarily sensory as well as provides the skin and also mucous membranes overlaping the jaw and also skin anteriorly and above the ear. Constantly use a high-factor sun block, preferably with a sun protection aspect (SPF) of 30 or above, to safeguard your skin from sunburn as well as long-lasting damage. Patients ought to not make use of capsaicin until the blisters have actually completely dried as well as are diminishing the skin. Tomatoes are abundant in lycopene, which safeguards your skin from damages triggered by totally free radicals. Although little details is currently readily available, particularly concerning the effect of local rates of drugs on general efficient therapy expenses, the research studies mentioned in this phase indicate that the monetary worry of skin conditions within family members could well be substantial which generating a collection of robust evaluations of the expense implications of both treatment and also failing to supply appropriate administration strategies for these common conditions is crucial. If that's an overstatement, I can say this with utter certainty - it made my skin really feel no better or even worse than the ₤ 27 option I maintain in my bathroom cupboard.

Dr Rita Rakus stated: 'Thermage is a radiofrequency skin firm therapy that heats the inmost layers of your skin to help tighten existing collagen and stimulate the body's all-natural revival of collagen. They're not unsafe, claims Dr. Peredo, but to see significant skin advantages, one would have to consume megadoses of the vitamins, a lot more than just what is really in the supplements. Side effects consist of skin breakouts, state of mind swings or ideas of suicide, frustration, dizziness, sleepiness, swelling, and also upset stomach. Lew et al enrolled 29 research study participants from 45 screened clients in a double-blind, randomized regulated test to establish the effectiveness of BTX-A in treating neck as well as upper-back discomfort of myofascial origin. Since it is qualified of both moistening and also cleaning, mix skin will receive the best benefits from safflower oil. I received a gorgeous hardbound final edition copy of The Natural Way of Points by the UK branch of the publishers Allen & Unwin in exchange for a sincere testimonial! In immunosuppressed clients, cutaneous sores have been connected to sticky medical facility products such as the tape made use of for keeping intravenous devices or tubes in place. Those with completely dry skin can make use of most oils, according to the medical expert, as their skin requires its hydration factors one of the most. The treatment includes a soak in a remedy of 75 percent grapefruit juice, water and a dash of vodka (a natural disinfectant). Fillerina Lip Volume Gel, from ₤ 40 (Marks and Spencer) This hi-tech therapy not just plumps lips instantly, but after 14 days lips are left fuller and extra hydrated - with the effects lasting 3 months. For instance, individuals who deal with severe acne are generally hefty customers of milk and also milk products. For when body butters will not do the technique, apply this cult appeal item from Australia as a salve anywhere your skin feels inflamed. Over the counter products are offered to treat acne outbreaks, but they can be pricey. See your doctor or skin doctor for any skin inflammations or issues that arise. Skin lesions could be eliminated if they are malignant - to avoid the spread of the cancer cells - or to help diagnosis of a condition. There are only 8 easy steps to Successful Self Dentistry, as well as there is a rejuvenating dental care Drink for every single step: brush, gloss, floss, and also rinse with invigorating plant-purity for the cleanest as well as happiest mouth ever. The pain most frequently begins in the glutes and rejects the back of the leg, and it could aggravate over time if you do not stop to care for it. Apply sunscreens generously (about 2 tsps for neck, face as well as head as well as about 2 tablespoons for remainder of the body ). The oil as well as sweat glands are bathing the skin with just the correct amount of all-natural oil as well as dampness, which then keeps the skin's all-natural acid mantle. Dr David Agus, anti-ageing professional, teacher of medicine and engineering at the College of Southern The golden state Keck Institution of Medication and also writer of The Fortunate Years: How To Prosper In The Brave New Globe Of Health has actually attempted it. The bags under my eyes vanished quickly, I looked rested and also people were telling me I looked fantastic," he keeps in mind. If your skin isn't really exposed to the sunlight, there's an enhanced threat of vitamin D deficiency. This all-natural as well as functional oil could be used in numerous means to help safeguard you from infection by harmful bacteria.

[llamasgotoheaven]

Ok while it is true that there is a lot of manipulative horseshit in the health and whole foods side of the discussion as well, this thread is rife with willful ignorance so y’all can convince yourselves the cheap food market in combination with the expected sedentary lifestyle corporations are behind isn’t killing us early in a psychopathic fashion just to make their humongous exploitative profit worldwide. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

It’s really troubling to me that people are willing to ignore decades of scientific evidence to feel less bad about eating kfc and pizza. I understand why people want to live in denial, the truth is painful, but unless we wake the fuck up we’re going to remain corporate pawns.

Yes, whole foods cost more than twinkies and soda, but the latter will be expensive as FUCK when it manifests as medical bills in the future, or worse, as the death of you or your loved ones. YOU ARE NOT SAVING MONEY LONG TERM BY EATING FAST FOOD. You’re pretty much signing a guarantee form that you’ll have to spend heaps in the future on medical treatments, and that you’ll function less well day to day due to the troubles you develop, and ostensibly have funerals to pay for. It also damages your day to day wellbeing and makes you less effective at work and school and can make general life quality degrade if you are primarily eating in an unbalanced or addictive fashion.

Dicing or mincing fresh produce by hand isn’t nearly the same as mincing it into liquid destroying all fiber as well as chucking added sugar in in for the sake of customer manipulation and shelf life. Do you know that American fast food chain spread throughout asia has been studied? It found that the arrival of ie. Burger king, McDonald’s, A&W, Pizza Hut, etc. was completely correlated with the widespread arrival of cancer, a disease which the natural diets of said countries had never caused before, and people of these nations had in extremely low frequency. Are you aware that food can be nutritious and still make you addicted due to druglike bloodsugar reaction which by extension works as neurological manipulation hijacking your body’s reward system into overconsuming calories that are copious and can become damaging? Fast food may be “energy”, sure, but it has a terrible effect on your hormones, your pulmonary health, your body’s ability to deal with cellular oxidation, and not least of all your gut health and the healthy bacteria in your body, which are essential to your wellbeing. Fast food is associated with higher levels of inflammation, they are also associated with a higher prevalence of mental health issues among their consumers.

The term “processed” doesn’t rly mean “cooked” or chopped like the harvard article is trying to insinuate for the sake of readership and the sake of a provocative article, not in today’s cultural landscape. Not as it is used in health discussions. It is most often used to describe food that shoots straight into your blood in an unnatural and addiction causing manner due to the destruction of fiber, which normally acts as a little bubble that needs to be broken down to get to the energy inside as you digest your food. In whole foods hese tiny “bubbles” stack together kinda like honeycomb to contain nutrients in a way that is economic about energy absorption to your body when consumed. Fiber makes your food last longer in terms of its usefulness to you while you go about your day, and doesn’t make your feelings of hunger spike and then drop dramatically. Instead feeding you bit by bit constantly throughout digestion. It slowly and gradually gets used by your body as it passes through your digestive tract, whereas processed foods give you a hit of euphoria in a similar way to the way a stimulant drug or alchohol does. This triggers your feelgood hormones in a manner that makes you crave additional hits of the same food. This is what white flour, sugar, and liquidized fruits (and sometimes vegetables) do. It’s a trick a lot of American chains use to create cravings in their customers. It was not how traditional cuisine worked prior to the growth in popularity of white flour, white rice and processed, concentrated sugar. And even when these ingredients became popular, people used to exercise far more day to day than is standard now. Which meant that these fast forms of energy would be used up fast enough not to cause major damage, while people increased oxidative flow throughout their body by raising their pulse and creating more benefits for themselves like lower stress, creation of serotonin, the list goes on. Basically to balance out these “health sin” diets you have got to exercise quite a lot in order to not take damage, and even then... Workout recovery and performance is way better if you eat in an educated way meant for your individual needs, with care.

Fiber is essential to some of the biggest organs in your body: The small and large intestine, where you have trillions upon trillions of bacteria helping you to exist as a larger being. They feed on fiber as it passes through the digestive tract, and it allows them to multiply in number, helping stave off pathogens and even aiding in breakdown of your food.

Please stop acting like everything is fine about the contemporary food market. Especially american friends. Knowledge is power, and your medical system is fucked up on top of this dystopian food opioid crisis. Take care of yourselves whenever possible. I know it’s not always an option when your salary is shit, and I’m not here to shame anyone. But please don’t spread misinformation and ignorance, it actively hurts people when you do so and it is exactly the type of shit companies marking super sugary yoghurts as “low fat”, or who make so called “stevia coke” in which half the sweetener is regular sugar want you to believe. It’s a whole fat load of manipulative scamming that we are in the midst of. And it’s really fucking insidious sometimes.

That’s not even touching upon the damage sugar and acidic drink does to your teeth, (by the by sugar is hidden in most fast food sauces) , or upon hormones and antibiotics they chuck into factory farmed animal foods, which do enter your own body and make you sick. In fact the prevalence of hormonal disorders are also linked to consumption of fast food and processed groceries.

I can go on and touch upon the chemicals which are used on grains in the usa, which has lead to horrible reactions to gluten in people. Basically some of the stuff they spray on your wheat can be likened with window cleaner. “leaky gut” is a buzzword on health forums for a reason. (You can google the concept)

I personally have dealt with candidiasis following a disease recovery, a condition exacerbated by sugar and white flour consumption whereby an opportunistic fungus in your body overgrows due to so called processed foods, my immune system got knocked completely out of whack from eating ramen, potato chips snd sugary/deep fried snacks in university and let me tell you. It’s a hell you do not want to set foot into.

I also may never have biological kids due to PCOS, despite being very physically active, my hormonal balance gets perpetually disrupted by modern diet and I struggle constantly with acne because of this. There is a big chance that this condition is caused in large part by the way we generally eat and live today. It’s essentially a form of pre diabetes. The only cure that doesn’t involve manipulating my body w hormone pills to do what it’s supposed to is to eat clean and exercise. As someone who has made significant changes in their habits to do precisely that I can say I am never going back, because once you realize how much better your life gets from eating in a way that makes you run optimally, you won’t want to have it any other way.

Sugar literally keeps me from ovulating and has contributed to significant depression, inflammation and anxiety for me as a result... I can guarantee. Healthy lifestyle is not a fucking conspiracy

Things food snobs are wrong about

“Organic” isn’t better for you or for the environment. It actually means nothing of any significance at best and is sometimes even the more wasteful, more hazardous option.

A shitload of “natural” food including a lot of imported produce is grown and harvested through slave labor in inhumane conditions.

Pizza, fried chicken, french fries, fast food, candy bars and chips ARE nutritious. They are loaded with good things. Just because they have an abundance of excess fats and might not be healthy as a staple doesn’t mean they are “nutritionless” or that their calories are “empty.” Those are hokey buzzwords pushed by the people in charge of how much you pay for the alternatives.

Eating healthier costs more. Much more. Looking down on people for their reliance on cheaper food is extremely classist and expecting everyone to be able to live off fresh veggies and cage-free meats is insultingly unrealistic in the modern world.

“Processed” literally only means the food went through some kind of automated process. This can be literally the exact same thing a human being would have done to the food for it to be labeled “unprocessed.” Being processed does not make something less healthy.

Chemicals with long, scary names are part of nature. An apple is full of compounds you probably can’t pronounce. A shorter ingredients label only means they didn’t bother listing all 300 things the product is actually made of and HAS to be made of.

Preservatives, artificial flavors and other additives are not the devil. Most are harmless and in general they are part of the reason you haven’t already starved to death or died of a food borne illness.

MSG is not bad for you at all.

The fact that something might be made of “scrap” meats like pig snouts or chicken necks only means one thing: that we didn’t waste perfectly normal, edible meat.

I DON’T KNOW HOW I FORGOT THIS IN MY FIRST VERSION OF THIS POST BUT GMO’S ARE NOT DANGEROUS TO EAT. GMO’S ARE SAVING LIVES. YOU’VE ALREADY EATEN GMO’S BEFORE YOU EVEN KNEW THE TERM. IT’S FINE. EAT THEM.

[simmer-for-hire-blog]

Why I haven’t been around.

Hoo boy, this is gonna be a Longpost™ so I’m probably gonna put it under a cut, just so you guys don’t have to look at the whole thing on your dash. But this is basically just gonna be me outlining why I haven’t been around on Tumblr, and more broadly just kinda everywhere. Also, there might be some darker themes and stuff, so I’ll make sure to put in the appropriate trigger warnings in the tags. And before any of you rush to judgments, no I’m not making this post to garner sympathy or for notes or anything like that. If anything I’m just trying to provide an explanation to those who follow me and are disappointed by my lack of posts, and potentially raise awareness for what I’m going through and provide some basic information. So hold on to your hats, because here we gooo! (There’s also gonna be some TMI in here about periods and stuff so if that kind of thing grosses you out then you probably shouldn’t read this tbh)

So I’ve had a few health problems - both physical and mental - that I’ve been trying to  overcome over the past couple of years or so. Most of my problems concern the endocrine (hormone) system and reproductive organs, so if this is TMI, then it might be better for you to not continue reading as I will probably go into some detail.

For about a year or so, I’ve had the official diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, but I’ve been suffering from it for a good five years or so idk? For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, it is a condition that is related to abnormal hormone production in the body, which results in characteristics such as excess hair growth, weight gain, irregular or no periods and - the main focal point - fluid-filled sacs growing in the ovaries, which can cause a lot of pain if they burst. I’d just like to make a note here that I am in no way an expert, so the information here may not be completely accurate, so I urge you to do your own research on this if you wish to find out more, rather than taking what I say as fact. My personal experience with this has been less severe than a lot of cases, I would say. I first started showing symptoms around 2014/2015, when my periods became irregular, and eventually stopped altogether over the period of about 4 months. Naturally, I went to see a doctor, and had maybe the worst experience I’ve ever had with a medical professional. It took him two years (still with no periods) to finally admit that something was wrong, and I ended up having to enter each medical appointment with the attitude that I would need to fight tooth and nail to get him to admit that I could have a problem. But eventually he agreed to send me for an ultrasound, and there it was found that I had a borderline amount of cysts (not enough for a certain diagnosis, but too many to say that there was nothing wrong), leading to a diagnosis being given, as I had a lot of other symptoms. There is no treatment for PCOS, as it cannot be cured, so all the doctors can do is suggest options to manage the symptoms. One such option is the contraceptive pill, which they put me on. I had such a terrible reaction to this that I stopped taking them because it was impossible for me to function as a human being while I was on them, as they worsened the disorder that I will tell you about next. However, when I came off the pill, I actually started getting periods again, which seemed like a miraculous recovery, until something worse happened...

So I was thinking that everything would be magically better when I started having periods again. Unfortunately for me this was not the case. After coming off the contraceptive pill, I had regular (yet very light) periods again. So this meant that the cycle of hormones was continuing normally. For the week or so leading up to my period until a couple of days into the period, where people would often experience PMS, it’s like I became a different person. I’d have episodes where I’d be so sad that I couldn’t get out of bed, and would sometimes barely be able to move. Obviously this caused me to miss a lot of school. I think my attendance at the end of this school year must have been like 50% or something. I’d also experience fits of violent rage, and overwhelming thoughts of self-harm and suicide. In February of this year, it all became too much for me, and I was admitted to the hospital after a suicide attempt. Luckily for me and everyone around me, I survived and was discharged a couple of days afterwards. My memory of the event is terrible due to the nature of the attempt so I couldn’t really tell you very much about my experience. It was a very strange period of time, because about halfway through each period, these symptoms would fade away, and I’d be left wondering why I’d ever had these thoughts and feelings, because they wouldn’t even cross my mind when these ‘episodes’ weren’t going on. It was during this time that a family member sent me a link to an article. This article was about a woman who, like me, suffered an almost complete personality change for a few weeks per month, in a seemingly cyclical nature. Like me, this started when she first got her periods and didn’t affect her all the time. The only difference is that her periods were always regular, whereas I had barely had any due to the PCOS. This woman was diagnosed with a disorder called Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder, or PMDD. A lot of the information is on the website that I have linked, but feel free to do your own research if you’re curious. To summarise, it is a disorder caused by sensitivity to normal hormone fluctuations that causes extreme mood swings, depression, anxiety, bursts of rage etc. between ovulation and bleeding (which basically means the week or two leading up to your period). For me, this disorder is crippling, and has destroyed any chance of a life I could have had. I cannot continue any form of education, I cannot work (I had a job for about an hour before I couldn’t take it but that’s another story), so there’s not much to do with my life. Lately I have been thinking long and hard about some information that I’ve recently come across. According to the Equality Act of 2010 (this applies to me because I live in the UK, but it’ll be different in other countries), a disability is defined as ‘having a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long term negative effect on your ability to do normal day to day activities’. According to this definition, my PMDD is a disability, but I haven’t fully read up on the legislation, so I couldn’t whether legally it would count or anything like that. I also don’t know how I feel about being defined as ‘disabled’, because mental disorders aren’t typically seen as being disabling in our society and there’s a stigma around people with disabilities being ‘helpless’ and I’m certainly not that, and I don’t want to undermine people who suffer from physical disabilities by calling myself ‘disabled’, so there’s a whole host of reasons why I don’t want to jump to that.

Contrary to what I’ve been saying here, there is actually hope for me. PMDD and PCOS are not completely curable per se, but there are ways to manage and educe symptoms, so I can live a normal life (PMDD is more curable than PCOS however, which has been touched upon in the article I linked earlier, and I will briefly discuss in a second). However, so far my GP has been of absolutely no help, and I fully intend to complain officially because the way they have treated me is appalling and has basically ruined the current state of my life. That is why I decided to see a private specialist. I am so lucky that my family have the financial security needed to be able to afford a private healthcare consultation, because I received so much more help from them in the half hour consultation than I ever received from my GP in the four years that I have been going to them for help on these matters. The private doctor listened to the timeline of events that I laid out for her, and the full extent of what is currently going on, and recommended that I take vitamin supplements, as they have been proven to slightly manage PMDD symptoms, and prescribed a five-day contraceptive which would hopefully get my periods kick-started again, as I have missed the last four months with no sign of them returning. I’m currently on the last day of this contraceptive, and I’ve been suffering with really bad PMDD (didn’t really help that I was out drinking on friday which usually makes my symptoms worse, but oh well, it was a good night), so hopefully these will yield results within a couple of days. The consultant is also following up with a colleague in London who is an expert on this kind of thing, and will shoot me an email if she finds anything else out. Treatment options for PMDD can include inducing menopause early or even a hysterectomy (removal of the female reproductive organ), but I have been told that hopefully it will not come to that.

So yeah, that’s been my journey so far. During this time, it’s been difficult, even impossible, to keep up with this blog. I hope that you understand why I haven’t been able to update regularly. If you have any questions, please ask me, and I’ll try to the best of my ability to answer all of them. If you’ve read this far, thank you for sticking with me, and by the way, thank you for 738 followers! I really don’t deserve that much love and support considering I haven’t made a post in months, but it means a lot. I hope this post informed you all about what I’ve been dealing with and all that, and I’ll try to make some sort of recovery in order to keep posting here. I love you guys xx

[mangohealth]

Is it Allergies or a Cold?

Springtime is long gone, and flu season is around the corner. So a stuffy nose probably means you have a cold, and not allergies, right? Not so fast! Colds and allergies can both happen year round, meaning you may be left in a state of congested confusion. Health writer Christina Vanvuren shares how you can tell which is plaguing you — so you can treat it properly and get on with your life.

CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, CATCHING A COLD DOESN'T ONLY HAPPEN IN COLD WEATHER. THOUGH IT MIGHT FEEL LIKE LONGER, COLDS TYPICALLY ONLY LAST ABOUT A WEEK.

Before trying to decipher your symptoms, it’s important to understand the difference between allergies and colds. Colds are contagious viruses that can be passed through the air, usually from the presence of the virus in another person. And, contrary to popular belief, catching a cold doesn't only happen in cold weather. Though it might feel like longer, colds typically only last about a week.

Allergies, by contrast, are your immune system’s reaction to different substances, like pollen or pet dander. Like colds, allergies aren’t limited to a single season. Pollen is a common trigger of seasonal allergies, but mold, food, and dust mites can also cause symptoms to pop up. Here are 5 differences that will help you tell when you have allergy symptoms, not a cold:

1. Your eyes are itchy.

Nearly every type of allergen — from dust to pollen to pets — can make your eyes look red or feel swollen and itchy. But colds, no matter how they’re caused, typically do not make your eyes itch. If your eyes feel dry and you want to rub them often, you probably have allergies.

2. Your mucus is clear and watery.

Sneezing and runny noses are shared symptoms and can be present whether you have a cold or allergies. However, the type of mucus you have is a good indicator of what’s going on. When you have a cold, your immune system works to fight off the virus, which can make your mucus become thick and green. With allergies, you may still have to blow your nose just as frequently, but your mucus should be clear and watery.

PAY ATTENTION TO WHERE AND WHEN YOUR SYMPTOMS APPEAR — THIS COULD BE ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST CLUES TO WHETHER YOU HAVE ALLERGIES OR A COMMON COLD.

3. You’re not exhausted (just annoyed).

A cold will usually make you feel run down — eager to go to bed early or lie down and rest in the middle of the day. You may even experience a low fever or mild body aches. Allergies don’t tend to cause fatigue or body pain. The symptoms of allergies are generally limited to your eyes, nose, and throat, making allergies annoying, but not exhausting.

4. Your symptoms stay the same.

As a cold progresses, the symptoms tend to change every few days. You may start out with a cough but, as the virus moves through your body, you develop a sore throat, a fever, or sinus pain. When you have allergies, on the other hand, your symptoms tend to stay the same. If you notice that the symptoms you had a week ago are the same ones you have now, there’s a good chance you have a case of allergies.

5. Certain situations make your symptoms worse.

Allergies are generally triggered (and worsened) by something in the environment, whereas with a cold the severity of your symptoms will remain consistent even as your environment changes. If you have seasonal allergies, for instance, you probably experience more symptoms when you’re outside than when you’re at home. If you have pet-related allergies, however, spending too much time inside around a cat could trigger your symptoms. Pay attention to where and when your symptoms appear — this could be one of your biggest clues to whether you have allergies or a common cold.

The takeaway? Next time you’re under the weather, try to determine whether you have a cold or allergies before you reach for over-the-counter medicine. Allergy meds and cold meds work in different ways, so you’ll want to be sure you’re making the right choice. Drinking lots of fluids is a good idea in either case. And of course, talk to your doctor if your symptoms persist and you’re still not sure whether it’s allergies or a cold.

About the Author

Christina Vanvuren is an Atlanta-based writer and consultant for digital health startups. When she’s not writing, you can find her traveling or on her yoga mat. You can read more of her writing at christinavanvuren.com.

If you liked this post, you may also like:

• 3 Ways to Make it Through Allergy Season (with Minimal Misery)

• What To Do When the Common Cold Overshadows Your Chronic Illness

• Snuffing Out Your Allergies

The posts on this blog are for information only. They are neither intended to substitute for a relationship with your doctor or other healthcare provider, nor do they constitute medical or healthcare advice of any kind. Any information in these posts should not be acted upon without consideration of primary source material and professional input from one’s own healthcare providers.