biggestangstlover

[biggestangstlover]

TALKING ABOUT BSD CHAPTER 123‼️

"Ueda Akinari'

Chapter 111 - 123 spoilers

In the new chapter, a new appearance has been made and I want to talk about this character, specifically who they are and a few theories.

SWORD:

Like Akinari said, they're the ones who created the sword. First I didn't know which sword, cause there are two. The Holy Cross and the Amenogozen. So I researched about the origins, and I think the sword Akanari is talking about, is Amenogozen.

Nobody has visited them since 1500 years, meaning they have been stuck there since then or even longer.

It's been said that the Amenogozen was created 1500 years ago by a gifted swordsmith. What if they were that swordsmith? The time fits and maybe around that era, they got locked up in this realm, after creating this sword.

The reason why I don't think it's the Holy Cross, is because it's said it only has been created since hundred years and not 1000. Akinari's been stuck longer than 100 of years, so she could have not created that sword.

"A sword of my own creation, acting so uncouth."

They talk as if the sword is a real person and chooses to do these things. Can it be that maybe that sword kinda has their own mind, but it's been in control of Fukuchi and now it's combined with the Holy Cross sword? It can be because of this Akanari is disappointed, that their sword is letting that happen.

Why is Ueda Akanari in this realm?

We know nothing about them yet. We don't even know if they are really locked up or if they choose to stay there. But my theory is that they have some kind of connection to Fyodor. What if they are both enemies and know eachother?

I saw 2 people saying "What if that's the person, Fyodor was talking about in the past?"

"Dazai was my most definitely greatest foe since that man."

It can be that this is the person Fyodor was talking about. Maybe Akinari almost defeated him, but Fyodor locked them up?

Reminder that Akanari is around 1500 years old, they were born in the Kofun Era (300 C.E. ー 538 C.E.) We don't know how old Fyodor is yet, we only know he has been alive in the 16th century. So there isn't any proof yet, where we can say they have met eachother and that Akanari is Fyodor's past foe. They also couldn't have met in those 1500 years because, Atsushi is the first visitor since those years.

I hope in the next chapters we'll find out more about Akanari and if they have connections to Fyodor.

That's all! Bye!

[biggestangstlover]

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd)

What is OCD?

What are the symptoms?

What causes it?

How is it treated?

What is OCD?

I'm pretty sure you have heard of people mentioning OCD before since it's popular in social media as minor personality quirk, maybe you've even heard of kids saying "I'm little bit of ocd" but, despite being portrayed like that, obsessive-compulsive disorder is serious debilitating mental health disorder that affects people of all ages and occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions.

Just to be clear, you don't have OCD if you just have few obsessive thoughts, are neat freak or bit of compulsive behavior from time to time. This disorder is extremely serious that impacts person's every day life and gets in the way of important activities.

I mentioned that ocd has obsessions and compulsions. So what are they exactly?

Obsessions are unwanted thoughts, images or impulses that occur over and over again and feel outside of person's control. Obsessions are typically accompanied by intense and uncomfortable feelings such as fear, disgust, doubt, uncertainty and/or a feeling that things have been done in a way that is just right. Obsessions are time consuming and as mentioned from earlier, gets in the way of one's important activities.

People often mistake OCD's obsessions with obsessive personality traits so I'll take the chance and speak about this as well. Nowadays, we can be "obsessed" with anything due to how often we use the word "obsessed". It even became a word to express your positivity about something. For example: "I'm obsessed with Billie Eilish's songs, they're so good!" and/or "I'm obsessed with gothic culture, I find it so interesting!" However, that is not the obsession we are referring to when mentioning OCD. OCD has more serious obsessions such as:

Fear of acting on an impulse to harm oneself or others

Excessive concern with violent or horrific images in one's mind

Fear of coming in contact with germs, dirt, household chemicals, body fluids and etc

Fear of being responsible for something terrible happening

Fear of offending God and/or committing blasphemy (if you're religious)

Excessive concern with morality

Fear of harming others due to not being careful enough

Excessive concern with the need to know or remember

Fear of losing, or forgetting important information

Obsessions about life and death

Fears of sexually harming children/relatives or others

Fears of acting on your hormones

Excessive concern with performing tasks "perfectly" or "correctly"

Fears of making mistakes

"Was it real or false memory?" Obsession

Fear of catching personality traits of other individuals

Relationship related obsessions (no, not the romantised one that is used in booktok but the ones where one obsessively worries about whether or not their partner is really the one for them)

So, obsessions aren't just worrying about your loved one's safety or worrying about getting sick. While these are also part of ocd obsessions, it can be also everyone's obsession.

Now let's move on to compulsions. Just what are they?

They're repetitive behaviors or thoughts that person uses to neutralize or counteract the obsession - essentially to try and make their obsession go away. People with OCD realize this is only a temporary solution, but without a better way to cope, they rely on compulsions nonetheless. Compulsions can include avoiding situations that trigger obsessions. However, not every repetitive behavior is compulsion in the context of OCD. You don't have OCD if you're just repeating your activity to develop new skill, or it's your bedtime routine, your morning routine or religious practices. These are usually positive part of our daily lives. You aren't with OCD either if you just like to stay neat and clean. In the context of OCD, compulsions are something that people with this disorder rather not do but feel driven to do these often torturous acts. Rather than because of pleasure and likability, people with ocd perform compulsions because they think it's necessary. Common compulsions in OCD are:

Checking that you didn't and will not harm others or yourself

Repeating body movements (e.g blinking, tapping)

Checking that you did not make a mistake or nothing bad happened

Putting things in order or arranging things until it feels right.

Avoiding situations that might trigger your obsessions

Telling, confessing or asking to get reassurance

Washing hands excessively or in certain way

Excessively showering, bathing, tooth-brushing and etc

Mentally review events to prevent harm

Praying to prevent harm

Counting while performing a task to end on a good, right or safe number.

Replacing a bad word with good word to cancel it out

To help people differentiate everyday thoughts/behaviors from OCD, I'll elaborate further.

People with everyday thoughts/behaviors do "compulsions" that aligns with their identity, their values, core, beliefs and desires.

People with OCD are ego-dystonic, hence their behavior/thoughts are seperate or opposite of what they agree with, believe in and value. People with OCD are distressed by the content of their intrusive thoughts and would truly prefer not to do the compulsive behaviors or have compulsive thoughts that keep their distress at bay for a moment.

What causes OCD?

Unfortunately, scientists aren't exactly sure what causes it and are uncertain about it but plenty of researches has been done that gave us ideas of what could cause OCD in people.

Genetic: studies has shown that ocd can be inherited. Between 10%-20% of children who have a parent with ocd will develop the same disorder themselves. (But 80%-90% will not). However, we must be careful to not assume that such serious disorder is simply caused by genetics, since researchers believe that a combination of genetics and environmental factors play a role in the development of OCD. (There is no definitive evidence that OCD is a learned behavior or is solely caused by environmental factors. A study with twins showed that genetics had stronger role and that shared environment did not significantly impact OCD expression. However, non-shared environments did have small effect).

Imbalance of Neurotransmitters: There is no conclusive research evidence that OCD is caused solely by a dysfunctional serotonin levels, or of Other Neurotransmitters (chemicals found in the brain and other systems of the body). The idea of chemical imbalance being the only cause of OCD is too simplistic. However, an imbalance in Neurotransmitters can play a role in OCD, with strong evidence that serotonin is implicated. Research has also shown that differences in the neurotransmitters dopamine, glutamate and GABA can also contribute to the progression of OCD.

PANDAS/PANS: Pediatric Autoimmune Neurophychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections and Pediatric Acute-onset Neurophychiatric Syndrome are disorders related to OCD that occur in childhood following the body's reaction to an Infection. PANDAS is associated with Group A Streptococcus- the bacteria responsible for step throat and other serious infections. PANDAS and PANS look very different from other forms of childhood OCD, with the most obvious difference being that they happen very suddenly; the child develops symptoms seemingly overnight that have a very severe impact on their life. It is important to understand that because of the way PANDAS/PANS are diagnosed based on retrospective self- (or parent-) reporting, it is not possible to know for sure that the OCD symptoms were caused by an infection.

How is OCD treated?

The most effective treatments for OCD are Cognitive Behavior Therapy. More specifically, the most effective treatments are a type of CBT called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which has the strongest evidence supporting its use in the treatment of OCD, and/or a class of medications called serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SRIs.

Exposure and Response Prevention is typically done by a licensed mental health professional (such as a psychologist, social worker, or mental health counselor) in an outpatient setting. This means you visit your therapist’s office at a set appointment time once or a few times a week.

Medications can only be prescribed by a licensed medical professional (such as your physician or a psychiatrist), who would ideally work together with your therapist to develop a treatment plan.

Other recommendations from the APA Practice Guideline,1 cite research showing that ERP delivered in a group format, as well as ERP therapy delivered via videoconferencing (teletherapy), might be effective. Also, there is some promising new research showing that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy may be helpful for OCD. You can search for any of these treatment types in the Resource Directory.The IOCDF embraces and actively supports researching and advancing mental health treatments, and acknowledges the potential of Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT) as an emerging intervention. The early evidence provided by its developers and anecdotal reports from clinicians that support I-CBT are promising. That said, there is a need for more large-scale, rigorously controlled, independent, and diverse scientific studies and data to validate its efficacy, mechanisms of action, and performance compared to more established treatment approaches. The evidence base for ICBT is not yet at the point where the OCD scientific community can consider I-CBT to be a first-line treatment for this disorder.The IOCDF will continue to monitor how these clinical studies unfold, and provide up-to-date information to our community as it becomes available.

OCD treatment can be difficult and requires a lot of courage and determination. Having a support network to talk to during treatment can make all the difference. Consider accessing a support group in your area.

The following lists therapy options from least intensive to most intensive:

Traditional Outpatient – Patients see a therapist for individual sessions as often as recommended by their therapist generally one or two times a week for 45-50 minutes. (Most Therapists in the Resource Directory as well as “Specialty Outpatient Clinics” offer this type of treatment).

Intensive Outpatient – Patients may attend groups and one individual session per day several days per week. Clinics designated as “Intensive Treatment Programs” in the Resource Directory offer this level of treatment.

Day Program – Patients attend treatment during the day (typically group and individual therapy) at a mental health treatment center usually from 9am – 5pm up to five days a week. Many clinics designated as “Intensive Treatment Programs” in the Resource Directory offer this level of treatment.

Partial Hospitalization – Same as the Day Program but patients attend the treatment at a mental health hospital. Several clinics designated as “Intensive Treatment Programs” in the Resource Directory offer this level of treatment.

Residential – Patients are treated while living voluntarily in an unlocked mental health treatment center or hospital. Clinics designated as “Residential” in the Resource Directory offer this level of treatment.

Inpatient – This is the highest level of care for a mental health condition. Treatment is provided on a locked unit in a mental health hospital on a voluntary or sometimes involuntary basis. Patients are admitted into this level of care if they are unable to care for themselves or are a danger to themselves or others. The goals of inpatient treatment are to stabilize the patient, which generally takes several days to a week, and then transition the patient to a lower level of care.

When severe OCD proves resistant to standard forms of treatment, there are other options available. However, it should be noted that all of the following procedures are still currently being researched. While there is evidence to suggest that they could potentially be helpful in reducing OCD symptoms, they are not concretely proven to do so. These should be utilized as a last resort when all of the evidence-based treatment methods for OCD (outlined above) have already been accessed:

Brain Surgery

Gamma Knife

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

The Importance of Glutamate and Potential New OCD Medications

[biggestangstlover]

Rare mythology creatures that you could use in your fantasy book!!

Selkies.

Selkies are mythological beings, capable of therianthropy i.e. changing from seal to human by shedding their skin. Many of the folk-tales on selkie folk have been collected from the Northern Isles (Orkney and Shetland). The folk-tales frequently revolve around female selkies being coerced into relationships with humans by someone stealing and hiding their sealskin, thus exhibiting the tale motif of the swan maiden type. Some legends say that selkies could turn human every so often when the conditions of the tides were correct, but oral storytellers disagreed as to the time interval. In Ursilla's rumor, the contacted male selkie promised to visit her at the "seventh stream" or springtide. In the ballad The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry, the seal-husband promised to return in seven years; the number "seven" being commonplace in balladry.According to one version, the selkie could only assume human form once every seven years because they are bodies that house condemned souls. There is the notion that they are either humans who had committed sinful wrongdoing, or fallen angels.

Basilisk

In European legends, basilisk is a legendary reptile reputed to be a king serpent, who causes death to those who looks into its eyes. According to the Naturalis Historia, the basilisk of Cyrene is small snake, being at least only 12 inches in length that is so venomous. It leaves a wide trail of deadly venom in its path and its gaze is just as much lethal. According to Pliny, the basilisk's weakness is the odor of a weasel. The weasel was thrown into the basilisk's hole, recognizable because some of the surrounding shrubs and grass had been scorched by its presence. It is possible that the legend of the basilisk and its association with the weasel in Europe was inspired by accounts of certain species of Asiatic and African snakes (such as cobras) and their natural predator, the mongoose. Pliny The Elder describes basilisk in such words: "There is the same power also in the serpent called the basilisk. It is produced in the province of Cyrene, being not more than twelve fingers in length. It has a white spot on the head, strongly resembling a sort of a diadem. When it hisses, all the other serpents fly from it: and it does not advance its body, like the others, by a succession of folds, but moves along upright and erect upon the middle. It destroys all shrubs, not only by its contact, but those even that it has breathed upon; it burns up all the grass, too, and breaks the stones, so tremendous is its noxious influence. It was formerly a general belief that if a man on horseback killed one of these animals with a spear, the poison would run up the weapon and kill, not only the rider, but the horse, as well. To this dreadful monster the effluvium of the weasel is fatal, a thing that has been tried with success, for kings have often desired to see its body when killed; so true is it that it has pleased Nature that there should be nothing without its antidote. The animal is thrown into the hole of the basilisk, which is easily known from the soil around it being infected.The weasel destroys the basilisk by its odour, but dies itself in this struggle of nature against its own self."

Cyclopes

Cyclopes is one eyed giant in greek and roman mythology. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's Theogony, the Cyclopes are the three brothers, Brontes, Steropes, and Arges, who made Zeus's weapon, the thunderbolt. In Homer's Odyssey, they are an uncivilized group of shepherds, the brethren of Polyphemus encountered by Odysseus. Cyclopes were also famous for being the builders of the Cyclopean walls of Mycenae and Tiryns. In Cyclops, the fifth-century BC play by Euripides, a chorus of satyrs offers comic relief based on the encounter of Odysseus and Polyphemus. The third-century BC poet Callimachus makes the Hesiodic Cyclopes the assistants of smith-god Hephaestus, as does Virgil in the Latin epic Aeneid, where he seems to equate the Hesiodic and Homeric Cyclopes.From at least the fifth century BC, Cyclopes have been associated with the island of Sicily and the volcanic Aeolian Islands. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished: the Hesiodic, the Homeric and the wall-builders.In Hesiod's Theogony, the Cyclopes are the three brothers: Brontes, Steropes, and Arges, sons of Uranus and Gaia, who made for Zeus his characteristic weapon, the thunderbolt. In Homer's Odyssey, the Cyclopes are an uncivilized group of shepherds, one of whom, Polyphemus, the son of Poseidon, is encountered by Odysseus. Cyclopes were also said to have been the builders of the Cyclopean walls of Mycenae and Tiryns. A scholiast, quoting the fifth-century BC historian Hellanicus, tells us that, in addition to the Hesiodic Cyclopes (whom the scholiast describes as "the gods themselves"), and the Homeric Cyclopes, there was a third group of Cyclopes: the builders of the walls of Mycenae.

Leprechauns

Leprechauns are most often thought of as those little men who hoard money and hide their pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. They are sometimes naughty, sometimes a little evil, and many times a bit mean. It is said that anyone who finds that pot of gold and can trick it away from the leprechaun keeps the gold. However, leprechauns are very smart, and the human usually ends up the one who is tricked. The classic version wears a three-cornered hat, has pointed ears, green eyes, wiry red hair and beard, and wears green. They are rotund and have a prankster’s sense of humor.Stories abound as to the origin of the leprechaun. The word leprechaun comes from the Irish “leipreachán" or "lucharachán,” which comes from the Middle Irish "luchrapán, or lupra(c)cán,” which is originally from the Old Irish ”lúchorp(án),” meaning "small body." Leprechauns became associated with gold through a story dating back to the Danes’ invasion of Ireland. Legend states the Danes left the leprechauns in charge of their plundered wealth, which the little men put in crocks and pots and have hidden throughout Ireland. Leprechauns carry two pouches. One holds a silver shilling—a magical coin that returns to the pouch each time it is paid out. The other holds a single gold coin which the leprechaun uses to try to extricate himself from difficult situations. Once the gold coin has been paid out, it usually turns to leaves or ash. A leprechaun will reveal the location of his gold if questioned and if the person questioning him keeps an eye on him.Looking away from the leprechaun guarantees his disappearance as they can vanish in an instant.Interestingly, leprechauns have never been the subject of myths themselves but rather one of the supporting characters. They are not the hero of a story but a helper (or hindrance) to the hero. Leprechauns are closely related to the cluricaun who steal and borrow nearly everything and are much surlier than leprechauns.With spring rains approaching, keep an eye out for rainbows. This and the sound of a cobbler’s hammer will give away the location of a leprechaun, and where there’s a leprechaun there is sure to be leprechaun’s gold.

Ogre

An ogre (feminine: ogress) is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. Ogres frequently feature in mythology, folklore, and fiction throughout the world. They appear in many classic works of literature, and are most often associated in fairy tales and legend.In mythology, ogres are often depicted as inhumanly large, tall, and having a disproportionately large head, abundant hair, unusually colored skin, a voracious appetite, and a strong body. Ogres are closely linked with giants and with human cannibals in mythology. In both folklore and fiction, giants are often given ogrish traits (such as the giants in "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Jack the Giant Killer", the Giant Despair in The Pilgrim's Progress, and the Jötunn of Norse mythology); while ogres may be given giant-like traits.Famous examples of ogres in folklore include the ogre in "Puss in Boots" and the ogre in "Hop-o'-My-Thumb". Other characters sometimes described as ogres include the title character from "Bluebeard", the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, Humbaba from the Epic of Gilgamesh, Grendel from Beowulf, Polyphemus the Cyclops from Homer's Odyssey, the man-eating giant in "Sinbad the Sailor", the oni of Japanese folklore and the ghouls of pre-Islamic Arabian religion.