starlitcompassion

[starlitcompassion]

I wanted to tell you three things along with this post:

There are new meds out there, and some can be covered by Medicaid or Medicare. Private insurance, depending on what you’ve got, will usually influence what’s available to you. I’m only mentioning this so you know you’ve got choices!

You’ve chosen to love yourself as you are. And hey, there are always going to be people out there who judge. I seriously can't stand TV shows that make fun of people because of how they look. If joy and weight gain come hand-in-hand for you, you’re absolutely crushing it!

I bring this up because I was on a medication that caused weight gain. For me, it was a health-related issue, so I switched to an atypical medication. First-gen drugs tend to be prescribed more often.

As long as you feel good about yourself, that’s all that really matters. And you know what? I love me some crawfish! Haha, yeah, I’m a Southern boy—down here in the bayou, we all talk like Senator Kennedy, right? 😆

Just kidding… I don’t really like him.

Loved your post!

If T makes you gain weight and E and antidepressants do it too, and so does enjoying good food and not being hungry all the time, then perhaps maybe sometimes joy & weight gain come hand in hand and that's good

[starlitcompassion]

I’m in college, and I play one or two computer games a day (though, obviously, they can last anywhere from an hour to just a few minutes... it’s my secret how much time I actually spend playing). But the point is, you’re right. Video games are incredibly impactful because they create their own universe. The stuff you encounter that chips away at your sanity is arguably influenced by how mental health is portrayed in games. You learn to dissociate, which basically means you become numb, and every bit of the crap out there sticks to you like dog shit on your shoe.

It’s worth mentioning that the gaming industry has started to recognize this issue, and they’re creating games that focus less on stigmas and more on promoting sequences that are actually good for your mental health.

While many people use games as a form of coping, the outcome is ultimately complicated—it really depends on the person. If you notice your "sanity meter" flattening, it often suggests that while games provide temporary relief, they can also have long-term effects.

I thought you had an interesting point and an amazing analogy.

While it's important to recognise that depictions of mental health and mental illness in video games are often dogshit, and a "sanity meter" flattens understanding of the impossibly complex issues of mental health into a single metric

We also have to acknowledge that sometimes you do just encounter shit that causes your sanity meter to decrease

[starlitcompassion]

I just want to acknowledge that what you're experiencing is a struggle. For example, the people who work hard every day to stay in great shape still face their own challenges, just like you have your own to deal with. Your blog shows wisdom because you understand that what matters to some people isn't always the same for you, and you don't have to be everything that everyone else wants you to be. I really appreciated your reflection.

One thing that has made me a much more well-adjusted person is a clip I once saw of Hank Green saying that anyone can be in amazing shape as long as being in amazing shape is one of their top three priorities.

(This is obviously a generalization that isn't true for everyone. But it is true for most people and I'm proceeding from there.)

This "top three priorities" framing has genuinely reduced my tendency toward jealousy and self-comparison a lot. Now when I feel envious of someone’s spotless, aesthetic home, I think to myself, “Having a spotless, aesthetic home is probably one of their top three priorities. It’s definitely not one of mine, so I shouldn’t expect my home to look like that.”

Or when I see an influencer with a body that takes a ton of work to maintain: “Maintaining that body is obviously one of her top three priorities, because it’s her livelihood. My livelihood is my brain, so I’m never going to prioritize my body like that.”

It also helps me to identify areas that I actually DO want to prioritize more. I realized in recent years that my envy for my friends who prioritized writing more than I did was NOT going away, so I started to prioritize writing more. (Not top three, but higher priority than it has been in the past.)

[starlitcompassion]

I empathize. One day you will have a chance change. I know it's corny to say fake it till you make- and I corny shit like that but I will say is that you are in control of your life and things will change.

[starlitcompassion]

I've been thinking about this for a long time. My aunt is a successful artist. While she doesn’t align herself with any political party, she’s very outspoken about her beliefs—and I admire that. I believe that having and expressing beliefs adds value.

The reason I’m sharing this is because I’ve also maintained an apolitical stance in my field. But lately, I’ve been considering breaking that silence—not in a way that would alienate my audience, but enough that people understand who I am and what I stand for.

Interestingly, my field leans almost entirely Democratic. So when something appears apolitical, it often isn’t—it just reflects the dominant viewpoint. That’s worth thinking about before we assume neutrality.

This author brings up an excellent point

If you want to appeal to more people and sell more art, you kind of have to be apolitical but not so apolitical that your work ends up saying nothing. Buyers like images and objects that make them feel good, that seem to reflect their beliefs in some way. But if you take a clear stance, you risk alienating other groups. So your art ends up meaning almost nothing, but it sells really well because it has broad appeal. This is what it means to be an artist who sells.

Do you really want to be an artist, or do you just want to be adored?

[starlitcompassion]

There are restraints placed on people who belong to religious organizations—many of them are intended for good, and often the outcomes are positive. But to me, this is a sad story about someone who deeply admired you and was genuinely attracted to you, yet his ties to religious institutions are ultimately harming him mentally and affecting his happiness. On top of that, he was suspended.

I don’t believe guilt is a side effect of God; rather, it’s a product of upbringing and societal influence. Guilt arises from our personal understanding of what is right and wrong. He did something he believes was wrong, and he’s suffering because of that belief—not because of God, but because of how he was conditioned.

[starlitcompassion]

Timothy, whether your picture was the sexiest picture to hit the net, or the biggest to flop, you got to understand your value as a human being. We are led to believe that it is the outside that matters, when in fact, it your pursuits life, your admirations, and your ability to have empathy. Ultimately, what matters is that you keep healthy mindset.

And yes, I look sexy in that picture. And sometimes, that's a good moral boost- but it's everything my friend.

:)

#mental health #sexy #Life

LMFAO

[starlitcompassion]

I am a student ASU and I did an internship this summer with a mental health organization. My relationship with the company looks like it will continue after the internship is over. I plan to bring advice and comfort to those who suffer. Also

I am LGBTQ+ friendly

[starlitcompassion]

Do you ever feel like everyone else has it all together? We often look around and assume others have their lives figured out. But here’s the truth — no one really does. Everyone’s just trying to look like they’ve got it under control.

This is a safe space that combines honesty and mental health. I empathize with those who have personal struggles, I’ll detail my own struggles, and insights that might help you through your own challenges. We’ll talk about everything — from mental health to substance abuse — with the goal of offering support, guidance, or sometimes just a new way to see things.

I have no ulterior motives. Sometimes, doing the right thing is enough. And like all things good in life, I support — and am proud to be part of — the LGBTQ+ community.