#fighting depression fighting anxiety fighting depression fighting stress fighting every day basics fighting the urge to do Something Bad

[placeinthisworld]

just trying to get through the rest of the year and trying to figure out whatever i can to try and get 2024 started off as best as possible but. jeeze. that takes so much effort with you can *** and then the motivation is lost that quick

[alexandraisyes]

This is a flag I found for ASPD. There's an entire archive of support flags for people with different kinds of Cluster B Disorders. I just really like this version.

Antisocial Personality Disorder can be disabling and is considered a social disability. Depending on the psychologist it’s also considered an emotional disability like ADHD or Bipolar.

This may not make sense at a glance, but there’s psychologically found logic behind this.

People with ASPD have severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Chronic Depressive Disorder, and General Anxiety Disorder GAD).

The disorder also tends to be comorbid with Bipolar Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DDD), as well as some psychotic disorders like Brief Psychosis Disorder and Schizophrenia. although these last two aren't as common.

There's also a chance for people with ASPD to have overlapping traits from other Cluster-B Disorders (NPD, BPD, HPD). And many people with ASPD struggle with impulse disorders. Common impulse disorders related to ASPD are as follows:

Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED): Characterized by recurrent outbursts of verbal or physical aggression that are disproportionate to the provocation.

Kleptomania: A recurrent urge to steal items that are not needed for personal use or for their monetary value.

Pyromania: An impulse control disorder characterized by recurrent and deliberate fire-setting behavior.

Pathological Gambling: Persistent and recurrent problematic gambling behavior that leads to significant distress or impairment.

Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder): An irresistible urge to pull out one's own hair, resulting in noticeable hair loss.

Many people with ASPD also struggle with addiction and may be fighting addictions to drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, binge eating, and social media because these are quick endorphin fixes that help us feel something due to the inherent nature of ASPD to be numb almost 24/7.

It's extremely rare for someone with ASPD to get disability aid. Which probably sounds ridiculous, when you look at this massive list of issues. A large part of it is our society. People tend to see someone who has a label that is synonymous with Sociopath and Psychopath (there's a difference between the two) and immediately want them in jail. And it doesn't matter how long they've known that person, or what their relationship is. (I got dumped last year when my ex found out I have ASPD and almost disowned during Christmas when I told my dad. The only reason I haven't been being that he thinks it's a demonic issue that can be "cured with prayer".)

On top of that, our psychology system isn't built to handle someone with a personality disorder like ASPD (or even NPD). I get told a lot "You're really self-aware." Which is basically them saying they aren't going to help you. Of course I'm self-aware if I'm going into the therapist's office for advice (at the least) and actual help (would be great), but I get turned away because if I'm "self-aware", so I should be able to figure it out. This isn't an issue that pertains directly to ASPD, it's also one that affects every disorder that's hard for a neurotypical to understand.

This is more personal. Feel free to read this in a mildly irritated, but not very much, tone of voice. Preferably a tired scholar from Skyrim, that'll make my day.

I cannot function in today's society. I can't hold down a job, and I've tried time and time again. I get a few months in and I hit a wall and my mental health goes to shit. I had to quit my last job for my physical safety because I got bored with just life in general, to the point I was seriously considering sticking my arm in a fry vat.

I haven't even managed to get a proper diagnosis because I don't have health insurance, and I have so many false disorders on my medical diagnosis sheet from my narcissistic father bullying my long-term therapist into giving me damn near every disorder except for ADHD and Conduct Disorder (I was below the age of 18, but it would have helped me in the here and now with securing the diagnosis I need for medical reasons.) Growing up several doctors I worked with wanted to get me set up for an ASPD diagnosis and my father told them no. And because of where I lived I had no say in it, and even if I did my father was abusive, so goodbye to ever speaking up for myself.

On top of that, I'm a woman. There's a severe gender bias in ASPD, as well as the fact that women with ASPD are reportedly less likely to be physically aggressive and more likely to be mentally aggressive, so our symptoms show up slightly differently than the stereotype. And don't even get me started on the stereotypes. Plus women are more likely to be studied for comorbid disorders than psychologists even considering ASPD. This is the same shit autistic women struggled with.

There's a massive underreporting in the female ASPD populace because of this, and a lot more masking going on because everything gets chalked up to "she's just a bitch" or "hormones". There's also just not enough research done on females with ASPD to understand how it may be different from a male with ASPD.

I'm tired. I've been fighting for a year to get people to recognize me as an individual who deals with ASPD. Every time I run into threats of being abandoned (which is horrible, considering I was abused and then abandoned by my biological mom, then put in foster care for the next 4 years), or the road block of "You're a woman. Are you sure you don't have BPD? That's the female disorder." Or just getting tired of the uphill slope. I only have so much stamina, and sure I have a lot of spite for the world, but eventually that's going to run out too. And then I'll probably kill myself.

The suicide rate in general is less than 2%.

The suicide rate for people with ASPD is 23%.

[yourfavisirredeemable]

souyo angst - post-true ending

y’all the souyo tag has been more active than I’ve seen it in a long time (I think cause of the PC release) which makes me happier than I can measure. I’ve loved persona 4 ever since 8th grade and souyo really is my favorite ship of all time. in celebration, here’s a bunch of angst headcanons I’ve been holding onto for 5 years, specifically related to the izanami battle/true ending. (they’re actually not necessarily souyo-specific, but since I ship souyo they kinda have that overall vibe)

- do y’all really think yu narukami is just gonna come away from that battle with izanami/being trapped in a time loop illusion for an untold period of time and NOT bring any trauma with him? cause I don’t

- specifically, he can’t get rid of a horrible, nagging thought that follows him even after the IT celebrates their victory - what if this is all still part of izanami’s illusion? izanami could have just nested an illusion inside of an illusion, and that way, she can defeat him without him even knowing it

- which would mean, of course, that his friends are all still dead and he’s just living it up with a bunch of illusions. his friends sacrificed themselves for him, while he gets to live out his summer days in peace surrounded by a perfect simulation.

- that thought is terrifying to him, and it only grows over time. there’s the horror of nothing being real and his friends being dead, compounded with the guilt of having abandoned them and the helplessness of never being able to know the truth. he has the cold realization one night that he’ll never again know for certain that the world he’s living in is the real one.

- but he tries to keep it to himself and act like he normally does. after all, if he can’t ever know for sure, why worry about it? this world is probably the real one - his friends seem normal, time keeps flowing like it usually does, and even the velvet room seems the same as it was before

- as hard as he tries, his doubts and fears are really impacting his mental health, which eventually affects the way he acts. it’s subtle, but the others eventually notice it - yosuke does first, since he knows yu the best.

- he notices that whenever there’s a silence, yu will stare off into space with a strained and even slightly fearful expression. he’s worried, but he just tries to be there for his partner like normal, figuring he’ll talk to him if he needs someone to rely on

- rise notices the dark circles under his eyes and asks about them, to which yu nonchalantly responds that his part time work keeps him a little busy. chie notices that he doesn’t seem to have as much fun when they work out or watch movies, and yukiko notices the way he starts withdrawing from conversations until he’s standing at the edge of the group, even quieter than normal.

- teddie and kanji don’t notice anything on their own, but eventually those who have started to get worried bring it up with the rest of the group. naoto, of course, has noticed everything, but nothing in yu’s behavior has indicated it’s anything worse than blues about leaving inaba or stress from work

- yu, for his part, realizes that his friends probably know something’s up, but every day he feels less and less motivated to tell them what’s actually wrong. after all, what would he even say - I’m afraid all of you are illusions, and my real friends are already dead? 

- plus, there’s the fact that saying his fears out loud would somehow make them feel more real. so instead, he tries to ignore them, and only spirals more

- he starts feeling really scared when he finds himself having the occasional violent thought toward his own friends - if the real yosuke’s dead, why should this illusion get to live? how dare an illusion pretend to be his best friend?

(more specific headcanons/fic ideas under the cut)

- imo, the possibilities for this headcanon are endless. you can take your hurt/comfort as far as you want it to go (personally, I love projecting my mental illness onto fictional characters so full depression/anxiety is definitely on the table), and the timeframe means any fics could be set either before or after he leaves inaba

- personally, I think it could be interesting if he returns to the TV world, perhaps to look for answers or just to blow off some steam, and finds out his shadow’s gotten loose again. which would ofc mean that now he’s trapped in the TV world with no persona, a shadow that for sure wants to kill him, and a dungeon of his own forming around him

- (btw, I know the TV world changes after the fight with izanami, but I think since it still exists and the IT still has personas, they can still have shadows as well)

- this would be an interesting way for the IT to find out what’s really been happening. they would notice yu missing and eventually check the TV world, whereupon they would find an entire dungeon and see yu’s shadow for the first time.

- the dungeon, I think, would have a lot of different elements - recurring rooms from dojima’s house to represent the time loop he was trapped in, an origami version of inaba to represent how everything seems fake, etc.

- as for his shadow, since I love to go full angst, I think it would be absolutely vicious. it represents the nagging belief that everything’s fake, his hatred toward himself for “abandoning” his friends and living a happy lie, and his hatred toward the IT for being illusions meant to replace his dead friends

- as a result, it would try to kill yu almost immediately after manifesting and attack the IT on sight. this would be particularly devastating for yosuke - he only found out that saki hated him (x to doubt, I’m still not convinced she actually didn’t like him but that’s another post) through her shadow, so being immediately attacked by yu’s shadow would be heartbreaking

- yu’s shadow wouldn’t feel any need to explain itself to an illusion, so it would just silently and violently attack him with a look of pure hatred. which would be a confirmation of his worst fear, that yu secretly doesn’t think of him as a partner or an equal, and in fact doesn’t even think of him as a friend.

- but of course he would soldier on, determined to save yu even in light of his “true” feelings. the rest of the IT would also bring up the fact that they don’t know the full story yet, and there could be a reasonable explanation for why yu’s shadow is so violent

- since I love to make my favorite characters suffer, I also like to headcanon that eventually yu would let his shadow kill him. or at least almost kill him, since the IT busts down the door before it’s too late, but at that point he’s unconscious and in no shape to accept or reject his shadow

- (he didn’t accept it before even though he knew he should because he didn’t want to accept his violent urges toward himself and especially toward his friends)

- so basically the IT just has to grab yu and run. I was thinking this headcanon through and my brain was like ‘why not throw in some extra souyo angst,’ so a barely conscious yu might pull a reverse uno card on yosuke and sacrifice himself to protect him, unwilling to let his friend sacrifice himself again

- which would ofc make things even worse for yosuke. aside from the obvious, there’s the confusion arising from the fact that yu’s shadow tried to kill him, but yu himself was willing to sacrifice his life for him

- either way, I think yu would be barely alive by the time they make it out of the TV world. from there it’s just a matter of him recuperating enough to go back in and accept his shadow, which is complicated by the fact that essentially being split in half across two dimensions is definitely not healthy.

- there’s plenty of angst in the recovery process, but this post is already super long and I wanna get into some of my other thoughts

- just a quick aside, I think as a perhaps less angsty headcanon yu might just be extra averse to yosuke sacrificing himself after they win against izanami, especially in the animated version where I think only yosuke sacrifices himself instead of all of their friends

- so the next time yosuke tries to sacrifice himself for yu he’d get an earful, maybe even accompanied by a breakdown where yosuke realizes how badly he scared his partner during the fight with izanami

- anyway, I also have a fun night in the woods-type idea relating to this - after yu leaves inaba, nothing seems real to him to the point that it actively breaks down his mental health

- it’s only when he returns to inaba or is with someone from inaba that the world doesn’t just look like a grayscale mesh of unsubstantial shapes

- which could lead to something interesting if yosuke (or your yu narukami pairing of choice) comes to visit him at his college dorm and finds it an absolute mess or barely decorated at all with a depressed yu inside, or if yu drops out of college entirely to return to inaba, baffling his friends and family because he was at a really good college and had a great future ahead of him, or if he returns to inaba and is terrified to find that sometimes it’s in grayscale too, or-

- the point is I’ve thought a lot about this and I love both persona 4 and night in the woods so I think it’s fun

- there’s also plenty of potential for yu to just break down and tell his friends what’s wrong in the real world before he leaves inaba, which could make for a great hurt/comfort oneshot

- all in all, I think yu would have definitely been traumatized by living in a time loop for who knows how long and there’s a lot of potential there. (don’t ask me about what I think would happen if margaret hadn’t gotten him out of the time loop cause that’s an even longer even darker post. or maybe do ask me)

anyway, I know the souyo fandom probably still isn’t exactly popping off but I hope anyone who finds this post enjoys it!

[onthevirgeofdestruction]

Dreaming While I Wake

Sanders Sides Foster Care AU - Roman-centric Angst & Hurt/Comfort & Abuse Recovery

Roman tries to be upbeat and hopeful despite all the shit that’s happened to him. And a lot of shit has. Luckily, his new foster home is with two literal rays of sunshine (and a sarcastic asshole).

Words: 3,695 Warnings: Food, Food issues, Injury, Money Issues, Panic, Anxiety, Depression Characters: Roman, Thomas, Virgil Universe: Dreaming While I Wake Genre: Angst/Family

Chapter 18

chapter 1 for new readers - ffn mirror

   Another day off seemed like overkill. So what if his feet weren’t fully healed? He had a pass for gym. He only had to be on his feet for 8 or so minutes an hour other than to and from school. Roman was getting sick of being home doing absolutely nothing. He should be doing chores or homework or something. He was going to be so freaking behind next Monday it would hurt. Roman shifted nervously on the couch in Thomas’s office and put down his book. He’d just been staring at the page for the last minute or two, anyway. Sometimes his thoughts ran away while he was reading and there was no point in fighting it.

   “You need something, Roman?” Thomas asked, not looking away from typing. Roman just grunted in response. He already knew how Thomas felt about this. There was no point in bringing it up again. They argued about it last night and this morning, too. He didn’t need any more recovery time. “Talk to me,” Thomas looked pointedly to Roman.

   “How about laundry, can I do my laundry? I’m basically out of clothes,” Roman asked, leaning back and looking at the ceiling with a huff. Thomas had to know he didn’t like being stuck in here.

   “I noticed. Not that the hot pink isn’t fetching, but I’m pretty certain if it were any shorter it’d be a crop top,” Thomas said a little sourly. Roman flushed and adjusted his jacket tighter over his torso in embarrassment, still minding his bruise. Admittedly, this shirt was pretty old. He usually only wore it under his black hoodie before he grew out of it. It only cost him $2 on clearance, so maybe he should just let this one go. Roman stared at the floor for a moment, considering it. He was wearing it now, so maybe it was still good as a back up shirt. “How about a compromise?” Thomas offered. Roman looked up in confusion to see Thomas raising his eyebrow.

   “What’s that?” Roman asked suspiciously.

   “I’ll let you do your laundry if you let me take transport the clothes themselves and you only handle the washing parts,” Roman groaned in annoyance, but Thomas didn’t stop. “And you tell me your clothes sizes and what you like to wear so we can order you some new clothes online,” Roman groaned louder and carefully crossed his arms. His ribs still hurt like the dickens. “It’s a great compromise,” Thomas said with a small smile, and Roman huffed dramatically.

   “It’s the worst compromise ever, that’s not balanced,” Roman rolled his eyes and flipped his hand dismissively.

   “What’s unbalanced about it?” Thomas asked curiously, tapping the desk.

   “I don’t-” Shit. Roman flushed harder and dropped his head. Another thing he and Thomas argued about. Roman thought Virgil was obstinate, but that was nothing compared to what he’d been putting Thomas and Patton through. Thomas stopped typing and raised an eyebrow again. Virgil was a walk in the park compared to Roman, and Virgil had real problems.

   “You don’t what?” Thomas asked, raising an eyebrow.

   “I don’t think it’s fair,” Roman said, dodging what he really felt with something that sounded nicer.

   “I don’t see anything unfair about it. In fact, I can do your laundry myself and I wouldn’t find it unfair. In my opinion, you shouldn’t do chores when you’re sick or recovering,” Thomas said plainly, but Roman didn’t miss that swift, meaningful look. God damnit. He was superb at this. Maybe that’s what was unfair. Roman didn’t have a response, so he just looked away. “Both parties make compromises, Roman. You have to tell me what you object to so we can negotiate a better agreement,” Thomas added after the lengthy pause.

   “I’m okay with you taking the laundry basket up and down the stairs,” Roman muttered, conceding a point to Thomas. He didn’t want the basket to bump his rib on the stairs, and he could live with that.

   “That’s good to hear. So you don’t want to tell me what kind of clothes you want?” Thomas asked. Roman didn’t reply or look Thomas in the eye. “You’d rather shop in-store? I’m sorry, you’ve got to keep off your feet a little longer. They were bleeding again last night,” Roman motioned down at his feet.

   “I know,” Roman mumbled.

   “So, what’s wrong with shopping online? If we order a size up from the stuff you’re currently wearing we should be okay, and we can return everything that doesn’t fit,” Thomas said. Roman turned his head away. He hated not answering as much as he hated feeling like this. “It’s the money again, isn’t it?” Thomas asked after a moment, realizing the problem after a moment of deliberation.

   “Clothes are just so expensive,” Roman grumbled, looking down to the floor.

   “How about you pick out some things you like from photos, and I’ll order something like it? You’ll never have to see the price,” Thomas offered.

   “There’s still money being spent,” Roman sighed, fiddling with the zipper on his jacket.

   “You will rip out of that t-shirt if you stretch, Roman. You clearly need new clothes,” Thomas motioned to Roman’s shirt.

   “That would be kind of cool if I could. I’m not nearly strong enough,” Roman poked his bicep absentmindedly. He never really managed a lot of muscle mass as much as he’d like to be stronger. When he was a kid, he and Remus must have been strong since they were wrestling and throwing each other at their bed or the couch almost every day. They were the same size and could both lift the other pretty easily back in the day. They threw each other around for fun all the time. But they ate really well as kids, so that possibly helped. He still had fond memories of throwing a Remus who was screeching like a drake and bouncing off a couch cushion and cackling after landing on the floor.

   “So?” Thomas urged him, not letting Roman distract himself from the subject. Roman sighed and sat up straighter. He was happy to get sucked into a nice memory for once. He probably needed clothes.

   “Yeah, okay. Can you just… not order too much?” Roman pleaded, looking to Thomas nervously.

   “How much is too much?” Thomas asked, leaning back and watching Roman keenly.

   “Fifty bucks?” Roman offered meekly.

   “I’d have to find a serious clearance if that’s the case. I can try, but it’s not that realistic,” Thomas frowned and shook his head.

   “… Around sixty bucks?” Roman tried again.

   “We’re not accepting your allowance for clothes, just so I’m clear,” Thomas said, looking a little intense. Fuck. Okay. Roman scratched his head roughly with both hands in stress. “Hey, stop!” Thomas said loudly and Roman froze with his eyes wide. “Take a deep breath for me,” Roman slowly lowered his arms and complied.

   “Sorry,” Roman muttered. He didn’t realize what he was doing until Thomas stopped him.

   “It’s okay, it’s not your fault. Are you okay with under 70 dollars of clothes? Do you think you could keep it together if I stick to that amount?” Thomas asked gently, not sounding pleased.

   “Yeah, probably,” Roman said and sighed, looking straight ahead into the living room despondently.

   “Okay, I’ll see what I can do. Can you e-mail me a Pinterest board or something with styles you like?” Thomas requested and turned to his computer for a moment.

   “I’ve never really looked before,” Roman said uncertainly. He always just bought off the clearance rack or took whatever his foster parents chose for him.

   “How about you just tell me things you like in clothes and then I can help you narrow it down?” Thomas asked, motioning the concept with his hands.

   “I’ve distracted you enough from work as it is,” Roman objected, leaning back again.

   “I’m taking a break, like healthy people should do periodically through the day,” Thomas said. Roman wasn’t sure, but he may have gotten roasted? The audacity. It was ridiculous to him that he was taking all this time off when he was the one who fucked up.

   “Okay. Um. Soft material. Not too tight. Stuff that breathes. No shorts,” Roman suggested, listing off things he preferred.

   “Like athletic wear?” Thomas tried to clarify.

   “Sure, as long as it’s not too loose or scratchy. I like room to move in things but I don’t like lots of extra material,” Roman explained, and it felt like he was explaining it poorly. Thomas nodded, though.

   “I think just buying clothes that actually fit will solve that problem. Do you have a shirt cut you like?” Thomas continued questioning.

   “V-neck or low. Not crew, please, I don’t like things touching my neck. Um, fitted, I guess. I like wearing jackets since they keep the school so cold,” Roman said nervously. He didn’t like admitting he had such an easy to take advantage of weakness, but he hoped Thomas wouldn’t utilize it or spread it. If Thomas wasted money on clothes Roman couldn’t stomach putting on he’d feel much worse than he already did.

   “That explains why some of your shirt collars are stretched out,” Thomas muttered under his breath. “What about colors?” Thomas asked, sounding much more interested.

   “Oh, um… Red’s my favourite color, but I’m not particularly against any color that isn’t like puke brown. I like bright tops and dark bottoms, if I had to be specific. Easier to clean,” Roman said.

   “Do you like any clothing styles? Like Virgil enjoys more emo styles and Patton likes to dress preppier?”

   “I’ve never worn anything but generic stuff. But I like something that looks put-together. Not like suit-and-tie fancy, but maybe… I don’t know how to explain it…” Roman trailed off. “Cool, but not in your face about it?”

   “Like you’re maybe a YA protagonist?” Thomas suggested with a small grin.

   “Yeah!” Roman said excitedly. “Like I’m going to save the world or something,” Roman smiled lightly and his brain wandered off for a moment with ideas.

   “Sure, I can work with that. Probably nothing too flashy, right?” Thomas asked, yanking him back to reality quickly. Thomas looked pretty pleased for some reason.

   “No, I don’t need more reasons to be bullied,” Roman said dourly.

   “Noted,” Thomas said warily. “Do you think you could give me a little more leeway on the money? So I can get you a jacket that maybe implies you’re leading a rebellion?” Thomas asked carefully, but the way he described the potential jacket was very tempting.

   “That would be-” Roman started automatically replying with excitement and cut himself off. Wait, shit, money, fuck, no-

   “Drop your hands, Roman,” Thomas said firmly. Roman looked to them, not realizing he’d raised them again, and dropped them to grip the couch, feeling embarrassed.

   “I promise I’ll keep it a reasonable amount, just a little extra money to buy another jacket,” Thomas offered. “If you say no, I won’t buy anything else other than the essentials,” Thomas added, sounding very considerate. Roman swallowed. It would make Thomas happy, right? Roman has been doing nothing but pissing him off for days. Roman doesn’t deserve any of this, but Thomas doesn’t deserve to be pissed off more, either. This trashfire of a situation was conflicting.

   “If… yeah, okay. Another jacket is okay,” Roman conceded quietly, still holding the couch cushions tightly.

   “Hold on a sec, keep gripping those cushions,” Thomas said, getting up from his desk, looking like an idea struck him. Roman looked at him in confusion, and Thomas left the room. He came back a minute later with a pair of thin leather gloves and tossed them at Roman. “If you put those on, I’ll let you play games on the TV,” Thomas said, sounding proud of himself.

   “You’re kidding,” Roman mumbled, picking up the gloves slowly.

   “I’ll feel better,” Thomas said, almost airily. Roman slid them on. “If I had to guess you’re too distracted to read, but that game you were playing the other day is good at keeping your attention. And I don’t want you to accidentally see me shopping and get concerned. We’ll deal with making sure you’re okay when it gets here. I don’t want you obsessing over it,” Thomas said. “I’ll keep an eye on the clock for you, so you can just focus on playing the game,” That would be cool. He still felt like shit about taking all this time off and then Thomas buying him more stuff. But Thomas was right that he didn’t think he could manage to read anymore, and maybe he’d freak out if just watched TV.

   “Can we do that compromise thing? Y’know, again?” Roman asked wearily.

   “What do you propose?” Thomas leaned back in his desk chair.

   “You let me do some homework later, so I can feel better about playing video games when I have so much to do?” Roman requested nervously.

   “Would you be willing to accept help with it? I’ve seen all the chewed up pencils in your room,” Thomas suggested, looking interested in the opportunity.

   “I guess?” Roman agreed, a little confused. Roman was just dumb and nervous. A little help probably wouldn’t change much. They’d probably get sick of trying quickly, like most others. But as long as they didn’t rub in how bad at homework he was, Roman didn’t mind.

   “All right, I’m okay with that,” Thomas held out his arm and helped Roman up off the couch. He didn’t like being babied like this, but his feet hurt. The gash on his right foot didn’t like to stay closed if Roman wasn’t super careful. He must have stepped on a broken beer bottle or something. Thomas helped Roman to the living room and sat down on the couch, letting Roman finish setting things up and sit down on his own. Thomas chucked the afghan at him as the game was loading up, and Roman wrapped it around his shoulders.

   Roman wasn’t sure for how long Thomas watched him, but he did eventually leave back to work in his office with the door open after a trip upstairs for something. Roman appreciated being given the space. He hadn’t gotten much since Wednesday. It was basically just at bed time he was left alone. And he sometimes spiraled at bedtime and probably wouldn’t mind someone there telling him it’d be fine and he didn’t need to run into the night. Not that Roman believed people when they said that, or anything, but he wouldn’t mind it. But being alone was better than Thomas sitting there watching while he waited for Roman to fall asleep or something. And if Roman hurt himself again, Thomas might. He was very on-edge about it. Which Roman couldn’t decide if that was kind of nice of him or annoying? He had been leaning towards annoying, but with the living room to himself and a sword in hand he was much less dissatisfied. He happily quested on in the game and got sucked up into it.

   “Roman?” Thomas tried to get his attention, but Roman was busy fighting off a demon bear and didn’t look.

   “Hm?” Roman made a noise of acknowledgment but barely noticed Thomas’s presence.

   “Roman. I need you to pause it,” Thomas said firmly. Roman huffed and got one more hit in before pausing the game.

   “Yeah?” Roman looked to Thomas, leaning back towards feeling like this was annoying. “I haven’t taken the gloves off or my hands off the controller, I swear,” Roman said, showing Thomas his still glove-clad hands.

   “No, this isn’t about that. Though, that’s comforting to hear. That was the doctor’s office calling. They got back to me with your results. You do have a fracture on your ribs,” Thomas said, sounding a little unsettled. Roman didn't remember hearing the phone ring, but he wasn't surprised at the news. The pain was pretty familiar at this point.

   “Oh. Um, what does that mean?” Roman asked nervously.

   “Well, we’ll need to make a few lifestyle changes. Start taking vitamins with breakfast, sleeping on your back and not your side, and there’s a 6-week checkup. There’s also some exercises you’ll have to do after it’s less painful,” Thomas listed off the things.

   “Um, all right,” Roman swallowed nervously. He rolled a lot in his sleep. He was very aware of this fact because it hurt like a bitch and kept waking him up, lately. The other stuff didn’t sound so bad, but he was scared of fucking up that in particular. He had no qualms with vitamins or exercises, and if Thomas stayed with him at the doctor’s again he could put up with it.

   “I asked, and you can’t run, so you’ll have to hold off on joining that club until you’re cleared for strenuous exercise again. If you want to walk Lita after your feet heal, you’ll also have to actually walk,” Thomas finished. He wasn’t going to join that club anyway, so it wasn’t really a major loss. Causing them even more trouble after the giant mess he made was not happening if Roman could possibly stop it.

   “Oh, well, that’s a bummer. I kinda like going for a run with her,” Roman said, feeling disappointed. He enjoyed sprinting with that little speed demon and watching her little tongue bob while she attempted the break the sound barrier.

   “With some effort, it won’t be that long until you can again. I’ll try to pick up the slack and get faster so she doesn’t get mad,” Thomas chuckled slightly. “The muffins I made earlier are now a safe temperature to eat,” He added offhandedly.

   “You made muffins?” Roman asked curiously. Thomas paused for a moment, considering Roman.

   “I made them while you’re playing. They’re chocolate chip if you want one,” Thomas said offered, looking bemused.

   “I, uh, now that I smell them, they smell amazing,” Roman said kind of sheepishly. The game must have sucked him in hardcore to not smell the chocolate and cinnamon in the air until now.

   “I’ll get you one with some milk,” Thomas said, heading into the kitchen. Thomas came back with the muffin on a little plate and a small glass of milk. Roman looked nervously at Thomas while he took the plate. He had done nothing all day. He didn’t earn anything, especially not treats. But it smelled good, and Thomas watched him expectantly. He didn’t want to push it again. Roman took a bite of the muffin. It was still warm, so the chocolate was melty and wonderful. Roman ate it probably a little too fast and downed his milk.

   “I’ll take that as a compliment,” Thomas chuckled and took Roman’s dishes. “You can go back to playing now. Thanks for taking the news in stride,” Thomas beamed proudly. “Try not to slouch,” Thomas said cheerily and waved as he retreated to the kitchen. Roman took as deep a breath as he could manage without hurting himself, straightened his back, and unpaused the game. He was having trouble focusing on it, though, as hard as he tried.

   It was a great muffin. He did nothing to get such a great muffin. Maybe he could do something later to make himself feel better? Roman leaned back slightly. Thomas waved at him with a small smile as he sat back at his desk. Thomas was definitely, absolutely watching. Thomas was clear he didn’t want Roman to do anything. But that just didn’t sit right with Roman.

   The muffin sat on his stomach oddly, and he felt sick. Roman knew it wasn’t really the muffin, and it frustrated him that he couldn’t even manage to do something like eating without fucking it up. Roman sighed and paused the game again, setting the controller down. He slowly moved to get up. Thomas hopped up and was at his side in a second, and Roman begrudgingly took the help.

   “Are you okay?” Thomas asked. Roman closed his eyes and breathed.

   “Yeah,” Roman said softly. “Bathroom,” Thomas helped Roman over to the downstairs restroom, and he walked in and shut the door behind him. Roman turned on the water and just watched it run for a moment before splashing water on his face. He shut the water off and gripped the countertop, watching water from his face drip into the drain. He suddenly felt exhausted. And standing on his feet hurt. Roman pat his face dry and came back out of the bathroom. Thomas walked back over to him and helped him over to the game controller again.

   “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re looking kind of pale,” Thomas said, looking at Roman with concern.

   “Yeah,” Roman muttered.

   “Yeah, you agree you’re looking pale? Let me help you lie down on the couch instead,” Thomas offered and pivoted.

   “Okay,” Roman whispered. Thomas helped him over to the couch and Roman laid down with no argument. Thomas draped the afghan over him from the floor.

   “I’ll save and quit this for you,” Thomas said and picked up the controller off the floor. “Do you want to watch something? Virgil will be home soon, maybe there’s something you can watch together,” Thomas suggested gently.

   “You don’t have to bother him. I’ll keep the gloves on and stuff,” Roman said quietly. Thomas finished and put the controller up and came over to touch Roman’s forehead with the back of his palm.

   “You’re kind of clammy, Roman,” Thomas said. “Let me get you a thicker blanket,” Thomas turned around quickly and opened up an ottoman against the wall, and he pulled out a large quilt and layered it over the afghan. Roman grabbed the edge and blinked slowly. Roman was just so sick of himself. Thomas passed Roman the remote, but Roman didn’t take it, shaking his head slightly. He just felt so done with everything. His eyes got kind of heavy and Roman exhaled slowly. He didn’t realize he was so tired. Tired of his shit? Tired of himself? Or did he just sleep like shit again? He wasn’t sure. He just knew he hurt, and closing his eyes sounded nice.

Personal Taglist: @bunny222 @elizabutgayer @prinxietyforever @kanene-yaaay-o-retorno @the-sympathetic-villain @croftersjam15  @ollyollyoxinfree

the taglist repository:

High school:  @dragonwithproblems @starlight-era @averykedavra  @potatsanderssides

Roman Angst:  @k1ngtok1

Hurt Comfort:  @callboxkat @nonasficcollection @supernovainthenightsky @evoodo123

Roman-Centric:  @smileyzs  @robinwritesshitposts @thatgaydemigodnerd

Fostering AU:  @i-am-not-a-dinner-roll

literally everything sanders sides:  @katelynn-a-fan @dwbh888 @grouptalekindnesssoul @the-hoely-bleach @anvil527up @fanficloverinthesun  @brain-deadx0 @the-grounded-raven  @ananonsplace

[morethanithoughtofficialblog]

Chapter 7: As useless as a broken mirror

In which you realize your life is crap... 

for now

*Your POV*

Talking with someone yesterday was good, I guess. I normally talk about work topics only, so it feels weird to have a casual conversation about... anything. And it was weirder, considering Sans was the one talking.

It would be today, though, the day where we would see each other again in order to discuss... more terms. They all deserve to know and I also need a few papers for them in order to get them into society. I just need the basics, though- report cards, previous jobs on the Underground, and I will put them some tests in order to see which educational level fits better each of them. But that will be later.

So there I was, waking up and trying to french kiss the morning as Bon Jovi does. And failing miserably, just as always.

I tried my best to keep a smile on my face. It didn't work out, either. I groaned loudly, realizing that it was four in the morning. So yeah, I just can't french kiss the morning when it isn't morning, you know. And so I felt stupid and went back to sleep...

...

Except I didn't.

No matter how many positions I tried or how many different pillows I took, I just couldn't get my head together. I was thinking about everything and, at the same time, about nothing at all. I felt numb yet desperate to be a normal person and fall sleep immediately, considering how freaking tired I actually was.

I sat on my bed silently and put on the lights. Bad idea, but I still do it every night like this.

I frowned remarkably and stood there until my eyes got accustomed to the light. And then I started to question what the hell was I doing, as usual.

I looked at my annoying digital clock again: 4:11 am.

Great, guess I'll stay like this until the day officially starts... or until I pass out, that is.

Maybe a good drink would have been great to forget it all. Then I remembered that I had work and that, besides, I don't drink. I groaned again.

I felt like crying, like screaming or like to go outside and let a fucking weirdo kill me or make me disappear forever...

That's the worst idea I've ever had.

I wanted to punch something; maybe a mirror, maybe that elegant flower vase with a dead daisy on it, or the TV. All of those were great options, honestly. But I wasn't up to clean the mess or to deal with angry neighbors, so I didn't move.

I shoot a glance at one of my bureaus, that only had an old book on its top. Maybe I could read. I tried to stretch my hand and get it, but I ended up falling out of the bed, making my head hurt like hell. Ouch. Maybe I couldn't, after all.

I, unsurprisingly, groaned again. If I had a cent for every time I have groaned in my life, I could probably have a car instead of taking that goddamn subway. Or I could get a house. Or a life...

Nah. That's way too expensive.

I eventually got up and stared at my drawer. Then, without thinking, I opened it. My heart sank when it did.

Medicines here, medicines there. Medicines FUCKING EVERYWHERE! There was barely any space left for even a fricking pill. This is not the first time I have seen this, though, but it still hurts to see how pathetic I am. This is just a small proof. There's more, that's for sure.

I stood there silently, anxiety consuming me over. I could even make a fucking drug store out of this drawer...

Actually, that doesn't sound like a bad idea.

I shook my head, resisting the urge to be sarcastic to myself... again.

But, yes, I had such a huge variety I could make a store out of it. Do you have anxiety? Well, Zoloft for you, that is! Are you depressed like me? Well here, took a Prozac pill! Come here and get your problems away...

And contribute to mine.

Oh my god, just end my suffering.

Thanks to my wonderful boss and work partners (including college and the monsters' case, of course), I forgot that I had emotional problems as well. And that means that I haven't been following my treatment. For months.

Shit.

Then I started to wonder when I had to see my psychiatrist again. I probably missed the date he gave me. Just wonderful, right?

I sighed and closed the drawer, feeling worse than before. I went to the bathroom to see my wound but there wasn't anything there. Thank God.

I ended up looking at my face, slightly frowning. People have said that I'm pretty, yes, but I think that's just out of sympathy. Therefore, I haven't been comfortable with my looks since... a long time ago.

My (e/c) eyes looked paler than when I was a kiddo. Ah, childhood. It was wonderful in its own way. No problems, no low self-esteem, no nothing. Just laughs and friends, videogames and nights playing Dungeons and Dragons with my dorky dad and my aunt. Those were good days.

I remember that I received a lot of comments, telling me that I would have a brilliant future. Hard to believe in that now, looking at what was happening.

I work in Congress and I am finishing my studies to finally become a biochemist. Being a scientist has been my dream, and I'm just a few steps before I can call myself "Dr. (Y/N)". And I'm just twenty.

When I was little, my dad took me to a neurologist in order to see my IQ. She said, in a few words, that I was super smart and super talented. I believed it but never used it as an excuse to think of me better than anyone else. Right then, I thought everyone had talents and intelligence. Now... I'm seriously doubting all those encouraging words were true. Because, even if I was a nerd, that never meant my future would be brighter.

A lot of my school partners and friends are being way happier than I am, having a perfect balance between emotions, college, and work. Me, who 'has it all' to become an important person, somehow has three mental breakdowns (at least) in one day, and it's struggling between having or not new friends, afraid of screwing up.

Is this what my parents would have wanted? For me to be a coward?

Well, surprise surprise. Your daughter is such a disappointment of a kid.

I'm a genius. That's what experts told me. They also said that this high IQ thingy may include problems socializing and, well, even mental illnesses. To be honest, I prefer being normal and not having these things than being a Leonardo Da Vinci and die internally every five seconds.

Then I noticed a warm feeling on my cheeks.

Oh crap.

I snapped back to reality and saw myself in front of the mirror, crying as if my life depended on it. Well, it kinda does, but that's not the point.

I tried to wipe them as quickly as possible, trying to banish that feeling instantly. But instead, I cried harder. And harder. And I felt more miserable than before, if that was possible.

My legs felt like jello and my eyes turned all red and puffy. My mouth was shaking, trying to transform itself into a smile. Why was I crying, again? Oh yeah, because I hate myself so much. I look awful, I'm just full of myself, lonely, and easily replaceable. There's nothing I can do about it.

I will finish my dream career, but all for what? To be more stressed? I don't know if I can quit at the Congress since I kind of accepted to be the ambassador of the monsters. Wow. I should have left someone more capable than I am to do the job. Now I'm going to disappoint them as well, whenever they see how weak I am. I mean, I'm crying while I'm looking at myself in the night... again. This is isn't new. But it just feels worst every time.

I gasped for air, almost forgetting how to breathe thanks to all that crying. I blinked a couple of times and took long breaths until I calmed down. When my vision wasn't blurry anymore, I saw my face again. All red and uglier than before. I looked like a baby losing its toy, like a child whining, or like a teenager who has an impossible crush.

I frowned, knowing I wasn't any of them. I was an adult, for God's sake.

Can this get more frustrating?

Can I be more pathetic?

I closed my fist and punched the mirror until my fingers went numb and my blood painted my whole hand...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Frisk's POV*

I woke up later than usual, rubbing my eyes at the incoming sunlight. I groaned at the clock, seeing it was 10 am. But deep down I knew that Toriel would come for me, and so I got up.

I took a quick shower and put into more presentable clothes. I colocated a cute ribbon on my brown hair, feeling quite silly yet pretty. I stared at the mirror and saw my look with satisfaction. I was looking great! I even made some silly faces and giggled a little before coming out, interrupted by an angry skeleton who wanted to take a shower.

"kid, just fucking get out of there! what're you doin'? takin' a trip to narnia?"

"Sans, behave yourself!!!"

"...sorry ari-mom..."

I contained my laughter, knowing that Sans would be really angry if he heard me, and I walked out of the bathroom. Just a second passed before a quick flash of white ran into the room and locked the door. Oh, Sans, since when are you this desperate to take a shower?

The ones who hadn't showered groaned impatiently. I would have too since Sans lasts a long time in the shower. One time I swear I heard him singing a popular rock song (so popular I don't remember its name) and then eventually creating a song of how much he loved ketchup...

...I must admit I feel worried about his future...

Eh... let's just hope for the best.

After a bunch of complainings towards him and more people showering, we could finally take breakfast together. Thank God they were pancakes, or else Undyne or Papyrus would be trying to find out the best egg combination (which, according to them, hasn't been found yet). At first, it is fun to hear their crazy ideas, but then it turns into a competition that I get somehow dragged into it. Most of the time voluntarily, though.

However, I was too excited to let all my energy be drowned into an egg fight. Today we will be seeing (Y/N) again, and honestly, I was looking for it! She's nice, and I've been waiting to be friends with her all this time. So now that everything was, well, settled, this was my chance!

We all ate rather quickly and head out of the house. However, Asgore stopped us before we could go running to... anywhere, actually.

"Let's wait here a moment, ok?" he smiled eagerly, making me suspicious.

So we waited there for five minutes or so until a simple-looking taxi made its way towards the house. Then a 5'5 feet tall woman got out of there, who I recognized immediately.

"(Y/N)!!!!!" Papyrus screamed unearthly loud, hugging (Y/N) immediately. She looked a little bit startled by such a sudden move but hugged back shortly after him.

"Hello, Papyrus. It is good to see you again...!" she tried her best to sound enthusiastic, but she felt somehow... different. Why, though?

"Oh, (Y/N) sweetie, I'm so glad you could make it!" Goat mom added with a smile, which (Y/N) returned it kindly. Maybe I was just imagining things, after all "But, hey, come in! We want you to see where we have been living all this time!"

Sans looked a bit tense but quickly relaxed. He must have forgotten for a second that Papyrus was his roommate. Therefore, there was NO WAY his room could be dirty. Since when he cares about that, though?

And so we gave (Y/N) a small tour through the small house. She behaved as always; shy, anxious, not wanting to intrude or sound rude, making small compliments and comments in amusement. She was just super nice! I think she's one of my favorite humans.

After making her laugh a bit and answer some of her own doubts about the Underground, we all headed off to the Congress, talking about the simplest of topics.

"Oh! I remember hearing a song called 'Imagine' one day!" I told (Y/N), keeping up with the musical topic (at Sans's petition).

"You have? Well, I mean... which artist are you talking about?"

"I think it was Marshmello"

"...then no, I haven't heard that one"

"Is there another song called 'Imagine'?" Alphys asked, curious about our conversation.

"well, there's john lennon's, y' know..." Sans added, smiling lazily.

(Y/N) seemed perplexed for a second, then smiled widely.

"Yep, John Lennon's 'Imagine' is my kind of... 'Imagine', you know"

Throughout all the way we all were talking about music. (Y/N) turns out to be a Rock N' Roll and Indie listener, similar to Sans's taste. She is kind of a music nerd, actually. She would give a casual comment of something history-related to music. I think Sans felt like he was on his own mind, opening up strangely. Then I realized he was just another music nerd, and that both of them were never given the chance to talk about this with others so freely.

However, I noticed an unusual expression on Sans's face. Not a good one, I must say. He wasn't suspicious or anything- by any chance, I think he was worried...

but of what?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Sans's POV*

It feels good to have someone to talk about these things. I mean, someone that at least can say who Slash is.

While I was talking to (Y/N), however, I noticed a wound on her right fist. Not to be rude, but she is a bit taller than I am, and I didn't want to look at a... private part of her body. Therefore, I ended up noticing a serious-looking injury on her fingers.

Should I ask?

I saw how happy she looked, talking about when she started to hear Rock N' Roll and watch concerts on TV.

Eh, I'll do it later...

Still, my mind wandered about that topic the rest of the road. And so, I didn't talk anymore, focusing on other things. Well, can you blame me? That looked like some serious shit happened.

When we arrived at the Congress, I noticed different looks from her work partners. I recognized one of the feelings on their looks: shame. They probably felt ashamed after hearing that we succeed. My smile grew wider, at least a bit, after thinking that.

We discussed a few things in her office like it was any day. Except it wasn't.

The human president made a public announcement on TV, radio, and social media, saying that monsters would be finally released and be accepted as legal citizens. Despite everything, I felt a bit uneasy. He might have been nice, but the others are clearly not like him. I just don't want to put Papy's security on risk.

We ended up leaving sooner than I thought, and for the first time in our lives, we used public transport. We received some glances, but in between, there were also kind smiles. Just like (Y/N)'s, just less dorky...

Did I just call the ambassador a dork?

I mentally groaned and took a seat, never erasing my apparently permanent smile. I felt like I was forgetting something, so I made a quick rewind on my head. But what would I have forgo- oh.

Oh.

You forgot to ask her, you idiot.

[relbyshock]

Amy Winehouse, Princess Diana, Britney Spears, Marilyn Monroe, Aileen Wuornos, Angelina Jolie, Adolf Hitler, Darrell Hammond, Pete Davidson, Winona Ryder, Vincent Van Gogh, Tommy Tiernan….

What do they all have in common? Apart from being famous figures, they all suffer(ed) or were rumored to have suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder.

Hey, me too.

I’m over the moon to have something in common with Princess Di (apart from our shared plight with bulimia), but I have to say, I’d rather not have anything in common with Aileen or Adolf…..

Borderline Personality Disorder is a confusing term to say the least. On the borderline of what and what? Well, in the ‘30s, it meant you fell somewhere between psychosis (untreatable) and neurosis (treatable).

Great, that’s reassuring.

Come the ‘70s, BPD sufferers were described as being very emotional, needy, difficult, at risk for suicide, and to have an “overall unstable level of functioning”.

Check. *sings “Welcome to My Life” by Simple Plan*

We also have rapidly fluctuating mood swings, unstable self-image, and a fear of abandonment. This disorder wasn’t even recognized by the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) until 1980.

Today, we know far more about BPD – “neurosis” is no longer used in the diagnosis, and BPD is no longer considered a psychotic disorder.

 So what are we then?

Crazy?

Hormonal?

According to my family, yes. But in reality, the problem lies within our brains. Let me nerd out here for a minute:

The Amygdala (Ah-mig-dah-lah) is composed of two almond-shaped parts of the brain, deep in the medial temporal lobe, that regulate fear and aggression. People with BPD have amygdala’s that are noticeably smaller than that of a healthy person. The smaller the amygdala, the more overactive it is.

Like short guys with bad attitudes, or what I like to refer to as “little man syndrome”.

And then we have the Hippocampus – no, not pachyderm college. The hippocampus is responsible for spatial orientation (not falling over), long and short-term memory, and emotional regulation. Put simply, the hippocampus chooses the correct response to environmental events: Fight or flight.

You may be wondering if I was dropped on my head as a child. The answer is yes – frequently – but the chances of minor brain trauma causing BPD are slim.

The causes of Borderline Personality Disorder are unclear. It seems to involve genetic, brain, environmental and social factors. There are rumours that people with BPD have issues with serotonin production, which has been linked to depression, aggression and having a hard time controlling “destructive urges”.

As for environmental factors, those who have been a victim of emotional/physical/sexual abuse, as well as being exposed to chronic fear or distress as a child have a high likelihood of developing BPD. This is because our relationship with our parents and family has a HUGE influence on how we see the world, and how we feel about other people.

Gals are also diagnosed 3 times as often as guys. You’ve gotta wonder if that’s due to the fact that men tend to be more weary of the doctor, therefore avoiding a diagnosis altogether. This is pure speculation.

Shall we take a dive into the “Signs and Symptoms” as listed by Wikipedia?

-Markedly disturbed sense of identity

-Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment and extreme reactions

-Splitting (black and white thinking)

-Impulsivity

-Intense and uncontrollable emotional reactions that often seem disproportionate to the event or situation

-Unstable and chaotic interpersonal relationships

-Self-damaging behavior (ie, substance abuse)

-Distorted self-image

-Dissociation

-Frequently accompanied by depression, anxiety, anger, substance abuse or rage

We are also aware of the intensity of our negative emotional reactions, and since we can’t regulate them, we shut them down completely. What my doctor and I refer to as feeling “flat”.

BPD sufferers are also extremely sensitive to real or perceived rejection. Let’s explain with a meme, shall we:

*looking at an unanswered text from 12 minutes ago*

You: They must be in the shower or just busy, they’ll respond when they have a chance.

Me: Ok well they were active on Instagram 6 minutes ago and they just posted a snap story….they’re ignoring me, why do they hate me? What did I do? Are they mad at me? Should I send another text to get their attention or is that too needy?

If you’re annoyed just reading that, TRY LIVING IN MY BRAIN.

I annoy myself.

I feel grief, overwhelming shame and humiliation where others would feel mildly embarrassed. A minor inconvenience such as cancelled plans takes me from excited to absolutely miserable.

In the past, an unflattering photo on Facebook has caused me to reevaluate my self-worth, and even my life.

The Sickboy podcast explained it beautifully: Borderline Personality Disorder is like having a third degree burn on your emotions. I feel that. Everything hurts me just a little bit more than the average bear (or human).

Why am I telling you this? Because boys and girls, today is Bell Let’s Talk Day here in Canada. I’ll include the link at the bottom. Basically, in 2010, Bell began a new conversation about Canada’s mental health. They’ve enlisted such figures as Howie Mandel, Michael Landsberg, and Clara Hughes to share their stories of struggle and strength in the face of mental health.

I thought today was as good as any other to address the stigma surrounding mental health, but more specifically, the stigma around BPD.

I can’t pretend to know all the answers – I’m not and won’t pretend to be a psychiatrist. But this is what the world looks like through my lens.

If someone honks at me while I’m driving to work, I’m upset ALL DAY. I never want to drive again, I want to pull over and cry, or turn around and go home.

If I get a moderately rude email, my brain fills with cutting, angry, and just plain mean remarks to respond with. “I’m sorry your father never hugged you as a child” is not a suitable response to a professional email, but that’s where my brain goes.

When I make plans with friends weeks in advance and they bail 10 minutes before, I am a heap of inconsolable sobs for the rest of the evening, and even into the next day. This plays into the fear of “real or imagined abandonment”. My BPD brain does not care that something came up or you’re feeling under the weather. BPD tells me that you hate me and you never want to see me again and you were just pretending to like me this whole time and you’ve finally made your escape. My logical brain tries to tell me that it’s ok, and we’ll plan something for another time, but usually, my BPD brain wins the fight.

When I get nervous and start to ramble trying to tell a story and my mom cuts me off with “Anyways.” I want to crawl in a hole and die, but I also sort of want to throw a plate at her face. My mother is a saint, so why do I feel this way about her sometimes?

Let’s get back to the causes of Borderline Personality Disorder. Dad, Mom, maybe stop reading here…or don’t…but here’s your warning. You aren’t going to like this next part.

I was severely neglected as a child. Not physically – I had food to eat, clothes to wear, a roof over my head – but emotionally and mentally. The minor relationship I did have with my father was marked by him coming home from a long shift (as a firefighter) and starting a fight with me about my weight, my shoes at the front door, my marks in school, and more often than not, “why are you always crying?!”. My mom also worked full time at a stressful sales job. So by the time she got home, she didn’t want to have to deal with anyone else’s issues.

So when I would have issues with anything from being bullied at school to just having a ‘bad mental health day’, I had nowhere to turn.

See, my brother and I were latch-key kids. We got home from school at least an hour before my parents got home from work. He and I never got along, so some sort of fight would ensue, and by the time our parents got home, he had made me cry. I was deemed dramatic and sent away to my bedroom, while the 3 of them would eat dinner together (usually something I refused to eat – like meat – which would be another reason to fight).

I’ve voiced this to my mom before, and she remembers my childhood very differently than I do.

As long as I have been alive, I have come second to my brother.

No, honey, we can’t go to (insert activity I wanted to do) because Maxx has hockey/a book report due/needs a ride to the bike track, etc.

Every dinner or event we went to was with HIS friends and THEIR parents, who ended up becoming my parents’ best friends (still to this day). I was always the only girl; so naturally, I stayed with the adults, because the boys wouldn’t have me.

But the adults didn’t want me there either. I felt like a constant annoyance.

Thinking back on it, I realize that I may not have been as unwanted as I perceived myself to be. Remember, BPD brains are sensitive to even slight facial expressions and tones of voice. But, when I voiced this to my parents, that I felt unwanted, and why couldn’t we do things with my friends and their parents, etc. I was told that I was being ridiculous.

Enter: Invalidation

Invalidation is the number one cause of BPD, according to my psychiatrist. Growing up in an environment where nothing you do is good enough will cause you to internalize everything.

I have no memories or examples of healthy emotional behaviour or relationships. In our house, we got the point across by screaming at or just plain ignoring each other. So when I get hurt, or I feel let down, I have absolutely no idea how to deal with my feelings. Further reinforcing my belief that the world is full of bad people who are out to ruin your day and be unkind, because that’s all I’ve ever known.

Research shows that if you already experience these difficulties as a child, experiencing trauma as an adult could make things worse.

Dad - now is really the time to stop reading.

(Sometimes I feel like I live inside the DSM definition of BPD)

At the age of 21 – fresh out of college and trying to start my career in the fashion world – I was sexually assaulted. Cue the downward spiral.

I didn’t report. I didn’t seek help. I confided in a close friend, and was called a liar. But that’s a story for another time.

So I buried that part of me so deep, that sometimes I could convince myself that it never happened. Sometimes.

I reached the end of my rope in 2016. I knew that if I didn’t seek help, I would not survive. I finally went to my doctor and spent hours with her, just sobbing and telling her everything.

She hooked me up with a psychiatrist, and put me in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, and started me on an SSRI (anti-depressant) immediately.

As of today, it has been 1172 days since the assault. I only told my mother this past summer.

Since reaching out for help, I have begun to repair the relationship with my parents. My mom and I are closer than ever, and my dad and I are working on it.

As I write this, I feel the judgements pouring in. But I have decided that this year, I don’t care. I am not ashamed of my story. I will no longer hide the things I have been through in order to make others more comfortable. I will not keep my pain to myself because it’s easier for others if I stay silent. If bearing my soul can help even one person seek the help they need, then I have succeeded, and all this pain has been worth it.

The long and short of it is SPEAK UP! There is nothing embarrassing about mental illness. If you aren’t feeling right, there are people who care and are here to help you, including me. The first step is to tell someone.

The best advice I can give is to find your people. People who trust you, who lift you up, who validate your feelings, who listen and take you seriously when you say you’re having a bad day. I have spent the past year painstakingly building my support system, because the truth of the matter is, I can’t do this alone. And that’s ok.

Today and every single day, be kind to each other – it’s the only thing that matters.

https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/bell-lets-talk-day

[fate-grandorder-imagines]

(1/6) for me, I personally dislike the subsequent fact Mash bullied Romani... Also bullying Lancelot... I know he's a big flirt with woman but at least in Fate/Zero he still loves Gunivere wholeheartedly and feels the guilt with Artoria for cheating on his best friend. I just don't like how one moment she calls him dad and another moment she just keep suggesting to burn him, like I'll burn you if you're not story related.

Under the cut because it’s long and contains possible spoilers

(Continuation) And being born full-asian, tongue lashing still ain’t fun and things. Especially when you have people like Romani with already low self-esteem and adding more bullying is just basically giving him additional anxiety and depression. Plus one thing I’m very ticked off is every Servant attacked him is because of this from official canon artbook “I don’t get the reason, but he is at fault here”… If I could use a Command Seal, I’d be willing to waste every time to STFU to every Servants on this. Use your actual brain if you have one than your sexual organs for mana transfer! And another thing about Mash, I don’t know why, she spend 2 full years in Chaldea. I don’t even know if she even tried bothering to look up and research on possible heroic spirits and even after merging… She just keep having doubts and EVERY Servants praises or encourages her, and Romani gets the burnt for being who he is. Which in Camelot, I do agree with Artoria Alter and many other knights of round table to have her on her own figure out who that Servant is she contracted to than Sherlock Holmes spilling everything out for her. If she thinks Romani does a horrible job, then why don’t SHE herself do it if Romani is just that bad?  I’m so sorry for this long rant on your sideblog since I wanted to get this off my chest. In future spoilers I’ve seen, she does get better a little to me… Overall, I’d prefer Galahad than her if only there wasn’t that problem now in Lostbelt against Galahad :/ She has courage and strength to fight her Master but the urge to burn her is high.

I can only agree with almost all of these points like does she seriously think that all those rude remarks towards him will help him grow as a person and not make him feel more anxious and stressed than he already is? 

And yes, almost every servant we met in the singularities that met him dissed him as well which angers me too, because even if he was implemented as a sort of comic relief and the dissing may be intended to make the end of FGO Part 1 even more dramatic, it’s not okay to continuously bash on him like that.

As for her not being able to find out who she fused with I don’t think she or anyone else can be faulted for not knowing, as it was said that the identities of the First and Second Servant that were summoned to Chaldea are highly classified information so there was no way someone would’ve told her.

I prefer Galahad too, even if we don’t have much information on him yet so let’s not lose hope that we can actually summon him one day!

[livehealthynewsusa]

How 3 Men Cope With the Stress and Anxiety of Living With a Chronic Condition

When you have a chronic condition there is the obvious physical toll, but there is an equally daunting psychological one. What’s the secret in dealing with the effects on your mental health? Three men share what they have learned.

Dan Morris, 35: Crohn’s disease

Courtesy Dan Morris

Dan Morris was in the middle of classic Crohn’s disease but didn’t know it. All he knew was that months of severe diarrhea were taking its toll. “I had lost so much weight that I looked skeletal,” says Morris, an online marketing professional from Dunedin, Florida. “For some reason it didn’t occur to me to see a doctor until I was urged by work colleagues.”

In the nine years since his diagnosis, Morris has realized that stress and Crohn’s disease – a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract – coexist on a one-way street. Not only does stress trigger flare-ups, but life with the disease can also be stressful.

“The physical and psychological effects are intertwined.”

“Both the physical and psychological effects of Crohn’s disease are linked,” says Morris, 35. “When I’m doing well physically, I’m free from the anxiety and stress associated with the disease. I’ve gone through years of forgetting and it feels like there’s nothing wrong with me. “

But then he’ll be hit by a memory in the form of a flare-up and then he’ll double the antidotes he’s accumulated over the years: gardening, reading to his 3 and 5 year old daughters, watching an episode or four of “The Office “, Take the family dog ​​for a walk and find some quiet time for spiritual reflection. “Another thing that helped during a recent flare up was joining Crohn’s groups on Facebook,” says Morris. “It was really good to read what other people were going through so as not to feel alone.”

Michael Shelver, 26: Type 1 Diabetes

Courtesy Michael Shelver

“The most stressful part of living with type 1 diabetes is that it’s 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” says Michael Shelver, an exercise physiologist in San Jose, CA. “There are no days off when dealing with a chronic illness, and sometimes you really need one. I’ve adopted the “pretty good, not perfect” mindset. This is basically my realization that the pursuit of perfect glucose management puts you on a mental and physical roller coaster that is no fun. “

It took Shelver a while to come up with his “pretty good” approach to living with a chronic condition. As a teenager, he regularly rebelled by taking days off to treat his diabetes. He had left his blood sugar level uncontrolled until he had hypoglycemic attacks. “It was terrifying as a child to come to terms with the fact that I would deal with it every day for the rest of my life,” says Shelver, now 26 years old, going on day after day without the same worries. “

“You feel incredibly isolated there.”

It wasn’t until he found a community of teenagers who also lived with Type 1 through a Diabetes Youth Families charitable summer camp that Shelver accepted his diagnosis and changed his view of lifelong management. When he met people of the same age who faced the same illness and mental health problems, he said, “He was able to build trust, persistence, and compassion in my diabetes management.”

Its number one stress reliever? Physical activity. “Getting my heart rate up while running or doing some weights at the gym improves my mood, sleep, and blood sugar,” he says. He also tries to limit the technology and get outside as often as possible. “I love social media – it’s a powerful tool for connecting with fellow adventurers and Type 1 fans around the world,” he says. “It’s also a double-edged sword. You can dig yourself into hour-long highlight rolls that will only cause more stress. ”

Two other reliable tools for managing stress: Consistent, Quality Sleep and Mindfulness. “When I’m stressed, angry, or sad, I often ask myself ‘Why?’ to better understand what I can do to help myself, ”says Shelver. “Mindfulness is a powerful tool, and I believe that living with diabetes keeps sharpening that tool.”

Samuel Taylor, 26: Asthma

Courtesy Samuel Taylor

Samuel Taylor struggled with asthma virtually all of his life. “Until the age of 10, hospitalizations were bi-weekly,” he says. At that time “the stress wasn’t omnipresent for me; rather for my parents. They carried the difficulty of paying for my care and fighting the fear of what could trigger my next attack. “

Although he battled depression during middle and high school – the result of feeling like the only person in the world living with a chronic illness – he didn’t actively seek ways to deal with the stress and anxiety until he did was alone. “In my early years in college, I realized that I could take steps to better manage not only my asthma but my general health,” said Taylor, a health professional in Denver, Colorado.

“It’s a ‘sink or swim’ lesson.”

To this end, he began to practice yoga and meditation. He also began optimizing his diet to limit his intake of foods high in histamine (like shellfish, dairy products, and processed meats) and to focus more on nutrient dense foods. He was rewarded almost immediately. He believes this combination resulted in a dramatic improvement in his asthma symptoms.

“What I’ve learned about stress management is that it is often a product of our perception; The better prepared we are for a stressful situation, the better our perception of the situation becomes, “says Taylor, 26.” Having a chronic illness is not easy. But we learn through challenges, and managing the psychological effects of chronic illness is a challenge. In some ways, it’s a sink or swim lesson where persistent stress is a catalyst for the vital growth in mental health skills. ”

This content is created and maintained by a third party and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may find more information on this and similar content at piano.io

source https://livehealthynews.com/how-3-men-cope-with-the-stress-and-anxiety-of-living-with-a-chronic-condition/

[pepperoniwhirlwind]

~Honesty Hour~

     I was asked by @lovelynhiddenkittens to do all 150 questions in the Honesty Hour tag! 😮 Thank you, lovely and curious stranger~! 😆 But since that’s a lot for one post, I’ll break it up into chunks of 50 questions so it’s easier for all my blogging buddies to digest. 😊 Starting... now! 😝

1. Who was the last person you held hands with?      That would have to be Alex. He was warming my hand for me because it was ice cold. Though he doesn’t know that’s because I intentionally held my super cold drink for a really long time with that hand, then casually mentioned how cold my hand was so he’d try to warm it... >//> Introverts are sneaky flirts, what can I say? 😆😏

2. Are you outgoing or shy?      Shy, definitely. Though there are alters in the system much more outgoing than me.

3. Who are you looking forward to seeing?      Tyler! 😄 I’ve been staying over at her apartment every weekend this past summer, and always enjoy our movie and gaming marathons. 😝

4. Are you easy to get along with?      I think so. I’m not very easily angered, a pacifist at heart, and a people-pleaser at my core. 😂 So it’s pretty hard not to get along with me.

5. If you were drunk would the person you like take care of you?

     I don’t know, Alex is a sweetheart so he’d probably help, and Tyler cares but she doesn’t do bodily fluids. 😆 So, it depends. And considering I’ve never been drunk, and seem to have too high a tolerance to get drunk without having to rob a bank to fund the sheer volume of alcohol needed, I doubt this problem will ever arise. 👌

6. What kind of people are you attracted to?

     Kind and funny people. 😊

7. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now?

     I have no idea, but I won’t rule it out. Alex has kinda been cute and flirty towards me lately, so maaaybe~? >//>

8. Who from the opposite gender is on your mind?

     Uh, well, the subject of the last question was Alex, so, him. 😆

9. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable?

     A wee bit, yes. 😅 I put up a good facade though, but being asexual, sex is kinda... bleeehhh~ for me. e~e

10. Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with?

     That would have to be Tyler. :3 She’s my bestie from my ASL classes~ 💜 We have a looot in common, so we talk for hours at a time, in between movie and game marathons that is. 😆

11. What does the most recent text that you sent say?

     Context: I was spamming Tyler gifs of adorable animals earlier today.

     The Text: “Aaand now I gotta get ready for therapy, so this shall be the crowning gif of adorable goodness!”

     Followed by a gif of two golden retrievers fighting over a tennis ball, with a third retriever (being shoved into the frame by a fourth, offscreen, retriever) resting his head on the two dogs feuding over the aforementioned tennis ball. 💖

12. What are your 5 favorite songs right now?

     This is rather hard... so I’ll just list the songs that I listen to on repeat a lot.

     1. “The Cure” by Lady Gaga

     2. “Insomnia” by IAMX

     3. “Middle of the Bed” by Lucy Rose

     4. “All the Rage” by Allie X

     5. “Wires” by The Neighbourhood

13. Do you like it when people play with your hair?

     Yes. No. Kinda? It depends... If I’ve just had a shower and my hair is clean, I love it. ^w^ But if it’s been a bit and my hair isn’t all that clean I just feel embarrassed if people touch my hair. e~e

14. Do you believe in luck and miracles?

     Ehhh... Depends which alter you ask really. Me, personally? Not so much. My family has always told me our family line is cursed to have bad luck, so if I believed in such things, I guess I’m doomed. 😂

15. What good thing happened this summer?

     I’ve started working on myself and my social life, strengthening friendships irl and online, or, at least attempting to. 😅 Sometimes I’m just bad at not isolating. But this past summer I’ve been spending basically every weekend at my friend Tyler’s apartment and hanging out with her core group of friends. It’s been a nice break from the chaos of the school semester. 😊

16. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?

     Well, considering she’s on the other side of the country back in my home state, probably not. She was a lovely first kiss, but I’ll leave it at that. 🤭

17. Do you think there is life on other planets?

     With how many planets there are in the galaxy; the universe? Not to mention how many planets within The Goldilocks Zone that share a similar atmosphere to earth within the observable universe alone... How could I not think other life exists? At the very least, in some kind of bacterial form, though, I dare to dream a little bigger. ✨

18. Do you still talk to your first crush?

     Well, I’ve never really had a crush, per se, though plenty of squishes. :3 But my first squish did not turn out well, so, no. :c

19. Do you like bubble baths?

     Yes, especially if I go all out and light candles and play music on my phone. 🕯️🎶😌 However, I don’t do that very often. I take showers mostly.

20. Do you like your neighbors?

     Yeah, they’re chill people. The neighbors with the overly-territorial pitbull that kept us prisoner in our car for hours and broke into our fenced-in backyard to take massive doggie dumps out of sheer hatred for us moved away because their dog kept terrorizing the neighbourhood and was going to get put down if it didn’t stop breaking out to chase children on trikes and joggers onto rooftops. So, the neighbors we have now are awesome! 😆

21. What are your bad habits?

     Sometimes I’m too honest and don’t know when to stop talking, other times I’m so socially anxious I might as well be a feature of the wall at parties. 😂 I also have trichotillomania, a compulsive disorder related to OCD, in which I get really strong urges to pull out my hair sometimes, so definitely a bad habit... Just talking about it kinda... ehhhh... moving on. e~e

22. Where would you like to travel?

     A lot of places. Though Scotland is at the top of my list. Scotland is a huge part of my family’s heritage, and some of my family still lives there. So I would love to visit and spend some time in nature there~  💕

23. Do you have trust issues?

     Yes.

24. Favorite part of your daily routine?

     Well, anytime I get to de-stress is nice. I know wiping down my face with a face wipe always feels nice and refreshing after a day out running errands and attending classes. It’s the little things that are the most help~ 😊

25. What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with?

     All of it. If I could edit my body, that would be nice.

26. What do you do when you wake up?

     Hit snooze on the alarm a couple times, get up, walk to the bathroom... you can imagine the rest.

27. Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker?

     Nope, I’m quite happy with my vampire pale skin, and even my dirty blonde, curly lion’s mane of hair, and my blue eyes ain’t so bad either. I’m not completely hideous, just 97% hideous. 👌😂

28. Who are you most comfortable around?

     Myself. My alters. Tyler. Alex. My Tumblr fam~ 💞

29. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up?

     No, because I usually cut them out of my life after they break my heart. Some have tried to stay friends with me or become friends with me again years later, but... no. I don’t need backstabbers in my life.

30. Do you ever want to get married?

     Maybe, someday. When the time is right, I’ll know, until then, I’ll enjoy my singledom~ :3

31. Is your hair long enough for a ponytail?

     Yes, it’s in a ponytail right now actually. 😆

32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with?

     NONE.

33. Spell your name with your chin.

     gtlo nhy (Oh gawd... What a name. 😂)

34. Do you play sports? What sports?

     Mi-Suk used to play on tennis and basketball teams, but our spine is a little too deteriorated nowadays to attempt such things.

35. Would you rather live without TV or music?

     Without TV, hands down. I’d die without music. I bleed music.

36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them?

     Yep. I had a bit of a squish on this kid named Travis in elementary school and never told him. My frenemy told him I had a crush on him, and he never talked to me after that. 😭

37. What do you say during awkward silences?

     I either make a joke or just enjoy the silence. Depends what mood I’m in. Sometimes I’m more introverted and just want to sit in silence or listen to music instead of talk. Other times I just wanna connect with people and I tend to crack a lot of darker, self-deprecating jokes as a way to break the ice, or tension if I feel some.

38. Describe your dream girl/guy?

     I want someone who is genuinely kind, patient, and funny. It also helps if they are neurodivergent like me, and have similar enough interests, sense of humor, etc. to my own. c: Overall, I just want to feel comfortable and safe with someone. 😊

39. What are your favorite stores to shop in?

     I buy food at Fry’s... so... Fry’s?

40. What do you want to do after high school?

     I’m already out of high school, bub. Now I’m in college, and I still have no idea. I have dream jobs, dream homes, dream lives. But none of them seem realistic.

41. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?

     Depends on the crime, really. If I hired someone to babysit my hypothetical children, and they forgot to tell the children to clean up their toys, I believe a second chance is in order. If they, however, ditched the job to mack on Paul Puffy Lips next door, leaving my children to starve, I don’t believe I’ll be giving them another call.

42. If you’re being extremely quiet what does it mean?

     It means I’m probably really socially anxious at the moment and would prefer to not be made the center of attention. o~o’

43. Do you smile at strangers?

     Yes, sometimes to spread cheer and joy, other times because I’m worried they’ll think I’m an up-to-no-good deviant or zombified by depression, which is how I feel at least 80% of the time, and worry everyone notices, even strangers, who probably would not assume such things, but that’s social anxiety for you. 😂

44. A trip to outer space or the bottom of the ocean?

     Why not both? However, humans are so preoccupied with space that we’ve only explored 5% of our oceans. I don’t want the oceans to feel lonely, so I’ll visit them first. 💙

45. What makes you get out of bed in the morning?

     Sometimes the looming responsibilities in my life, other times I just don’t get out of bed. 

46. What are you paranoid about?

     A lot of things, but the most pressing concern of mine is that everyone will inevitably leave me because I’m a terrible, horrible human being who doesn’t deserve friendship. 😅

47. Have you ever been high?

     Every day, if I can help it. I have a medical marijuana card and have for a couple years now.

48. Have you ever been drunk?

     No.

49. Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about?

     No, not really. Nothing is coming to mind. 

50. What was the color of the last hoodie you wore?

     Well, I’m wearing a hoodie now, and it’s gray, with the Nirvana emblem on the front. 😝 It’s my favorite and coziest hoodie of all.

[olivebranchtherapygroup]

We’re often told that our college years are “some of the best years of your life.” That it’s a time of endless opportunities, a time to meet friends that last a lifetime and a time for us to truly grow as an individual. While many of us experience this, we’ve also experienced the “darker” side of college, the side can lead to some of the most stressful and anxiety-ridden periods in our lives. Tests, heavy workloads, financial burdens, relationship issues and much more can plague many of us during our university years, making us all wonder: “Are these really the best years of my life?”

In 2017, more than 60% of students reported feeling anxious, depressed or stressed during their time in college., While many students struggle with mental illnesses, many universities have reported an upswing in students taking advantage of mental health resources on campus, seeking help from others and breaking the stigma of mental illness. Today, students recognise the importance of mental health and seek the tools they need to truly make the most out of their college career.

“But I can handle my own stress.”

“I’m just in a funk.”

“I don’t have the time or money.”

Many of us try to convince ourselves that whatever problems we are facing are things we can handle on our own, or perhaps problems that will pass. While as a society we are breaking the negativities around mental illness, many of us still hesitate when seeking help. Sometimes, it helps to see the types of mental illness, and recognize that it takes many forms, some seemingly insignificant.

As a college student faced with multiple stressors, it may be hard to discern what is “normal” stress and what isn’t. Below are some symptoms of the most prevalent mental illness and why it’s important to seek help.

Depression

Symptoms include:

Feelings of sadness and helplessness

Thoughts of dying

Loss of motivation

Fatigue

Loss of interest in social life

Why is it important to seek help?

Depression can often interfere with your life, making it hard to concentrate academically and socially, leading to poor grades and lost friendships. Even basic necessities such as sleeping and eating can become affected, leaving you despondent and fatigued. If left untreated, depression can lead to suicide ideation and even suicide.

Anxiety

Symptoms include:

Fear about everyday things

Trouble concentrating

Irritability

Stomach aches or muscle pains

Frequent headaches

Why is it important to seek help?

While anxiety every once in awhile is normal, constant anxiety is not. Anxiety can interfere with your school work, often leaving students sick before tests, or too anxious to even attempt to take an exam. Anxiety can also lead to damaged relationships, especially if the thought of social activities leave you constantly worried.

Suicide

Symptoms include:

Thoughts or talk of suicide

Depression

Mood swings

Sudden drop in academic performance

Poor eating habits

Why is it important to seek help?

If you have experienced any of the symptoms above, we urge you to seek help right away. Depression and anxiety can often lead to suicide, especially when a student feels alone and at a loss. Suicide is devestating for those who love you (even if you may feel as if you would be less of a burden.) Please reach out to friends and family, to us or to the National Suicde Prevention Lifeline.

Eating Disorders

Symptoms include:

Fear of eating

Distorted body image

Over exercise

Poor eating habits

Irregular heartbeat

Why is it important to seek help?

Eating disorders can often lead to serious medical issues, such as heart problems, organ failure, stunted growth, loss of female menstruation and reproductive system issues. While it’s often hard to ignore the impossible beauty standards in this day and age, it’s important to recognize that a negative body image and eating disorder can impact your day to day life.

Addiction

Symptoms include:

A pattern of use

Inability to stop using

Dropping hobbies or activities

Use of substance to avoid problems

Denial

Why is it important to seek help?

Addiction, whether to illegal substances, alcohol or other substances, can damage you physically, mentally and socially. Your family, finances and friends may even become involved, and ultimately, the law. Signs of addiction depend on the substance and amount, but if you suspect any level of addiction, it’s best to seek help sooner rather than later.

So How Can Olive Branch Help College Students?

Here at Olive Branch Therapy Group we recognize the importance of mental health, especially for those in college or university. We want to help you learn the tools you need to truly succeed academically, socially and personally during your academic career. Ultimately, we want college to really, truly be the best years of your life!

Fight the stigma of mental illness and live your best life by learning more about our highly qualified therapists and contacting us today.

[the-revenirium-blog]

「 妈妈，爸爸，我想回家.」 "Mom, Dad, I want to go home."

2017 was the year I thought everything would be going amazing for me. I had a great relationship, supportive friends back at home, I was accepted into a college that would give me a certificate to pursue my dreams.

It wasn't very long after that I realized that it wasn't the perfect image of a life I wanted to live.

It started small, with troublesome pettiness, petty drama, expenses to be paid, bad decisions that I've made with myself, and my own selfishness that costed me my friendships and eventually, my own relationships.

I thought myself superior to the old me. That I'm better already, I can keep going, I can keep fighting. I ignored every single sign my body blared at me, I forced the energy to come and work for me. I kept going, until everything around me slowly unravelled.

I am so sorry that I wasn't a better child that made better choices.

I am so sorry that I was a selfish person that valued myself more, and neglected you, to the point you felt like you were discarded.

I am sorry that I am tired and sick and have terrible judgement.

But most of all, I am sorry, Me, that I let yourself get this way.

I am currently in my final semester of community college. With approximately 3 weeks left until my final assessment, with a full gown to sew and a portfolio to make, and an internship to apply for.

Today, 7th of May 2018, I sent in an application to drop out of college and said my goodbyes to my classmates.

"It's a shame, you only have a bit more to go!" "You're wasting time and energy! And money!" " But you were such a good student, why quit now?" "You're being a quitter!"

Those were the responses I got from various people.

Classmates who insisted I lend them my sewing machine that I paid for with my own money, or to give them my things that I so stressfully budgeted money to buy for class.People that never truly took the time to talk to me as a person, or understand what it was like, for me.

Lecturers who truly cared and listened to me, and were so sad to see me go, and wanted to hear from me personally why.

Friends from other courses who I supported today for the last time by being their first customer at their shops today, for Business Day.

People that called me a quitter, did not realize how in pain I was, having to force myself to get up every single day, to go to class, to sit down for hours to focus and sew, to struggling with basic human functions like eating and sleeping.

People that were disappointed in me, because I didn't fully finish what I started.

I am glad that I truly know which people are truly there for me at my worst, and I am very grateful for them for being around to see my best.

Saturday, two days ago, I went to class as per usual. It was a morning replacement class due to all the holidays this month, and I did not think much. Just finish my sewing, go home, shower, sleep.

It wasn't until I realized I couldn't sew anymore at all that I broke down. I couldn't focus, I considered just cutting everything and just failing the semester, but I finally adknowledged the one thought that was bothering me.

"I want to go home."

I excused myself from my class and for the first time in a year, I called my mother and said,

"妈妈，我想回家." "Mom, I want to go home."

My mother comforted me, and told me that she already knew I was at my breaking point.

"Come home. Come home to mom and dad. We'll be your shoulder to lean on, so don't cry alone anymore."

I cried and cried out there in the empty hall. My legs, covered in dried bleeding scabs and rashes, were sweating, my back hurt, my shoulders ached.

Just a few days prior, I had ended my 2-year relationship with my boyfriend as well.

My now-ex boyfriend, D, I am very, very sorry that I couldn't be the person to grow old with you. You are right, you are not growing younger, and you truly did need someone to be there for you.

But that person is not me.

You did not have to trouble yourself with my problems, or my family. You did not in fact need to send money to me at all for college or rent. You did not need to take me to the doctors, to buy me so much for my skin, because now, down to the very last, it was me that ruined everything.

At 18, I was so sure that I've found my happiness.

At 20, I am tired, depressed, and damaged, but I know that I will still find my happiness.

My depression and I have had an ongoing on-off relationship. I am aware that not many of us truly understand how it is, or how it affects us.

And that's okay. We do not truly understand it either.

For me, every single day, there is a silent voice in my head that tells me, despite all I have done, I will never be enough.

The voice tells me, my parents are disappointed in me. The voice tells me, my friends never truly cared.

The voice told me, I was truly better off not existing.

I did pretty well in ignoring that voice. I tried to be a positive presence in people's lives, in my friends' lives and my family's, changing things for the better and acknowledging my flaws. I am trying still. And I will keep trying.

But my stress did not cease. Where hence it came from,I never found out. Was it from a close minded community that I was in? Was it the negativity that I'm seeing on a day to day basis? Or was it from me?

It slowly manifested into a physical form. A physical, self-harming habit. Scratching.

A lot of my friends and family are aware, I am allergic to VARIOUS kinds of things, to the point even going out to eat is troubling. Now, after seeing a skin doctor, I have also realized I am also sensitive to heat, sweat, and dirt, and dust, and most importantly, STRESS.

"Don't stress. Your skin will get worse." "Just don't scratch it!" "Why so stress for?"

Those were the words I was told over and over. But did they truly understand how insane it drove me?

I did not even notice I had dermatillomania, or Excoriation Disorder, until I saw how much bleeding and scarring my skin was starting to get.

For those that are unfamiliar, here is a quote from Wikipedia: ["Excoriation disorder is a mental disorder characterized by the repeated urge to pick at one's own skin, often to the extent that damage is caused. Excoriation disorder is defined as "repetitive and compulsive picking of skin which results in tissue damage".

The inability to control the urge to pick is similar to the urge to compulsively pull one's own hair, i.e., trichotillomania.

Researchers have noted the following similarities between trichotillomania and excoriation disorder: the symptoms are ritualistic but there are no preceding obsessions; there are similar triggers for the compulsive actions; both conditions appear to play a role in modifying the arousal level of the subject; and the age of onset for both conditions is similar.

There is also a high level of comorbidity between those that have trichotillomania and those that have excoriation disorder. A notable difference between these conditions is that skin picking seems to be dominated by females whereas trichotillomania is more evenly distributed across genders.

Research has also suggested that excoriation disorder may be thought of as a type of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Excoriation disorder and OCD are similar in that they both involve "repetitive engagement in behaviors with diminished control" and also both generally decrease anxiety."]

Slowly my skin started bleeding and itching non stop. Even from going out to take out the trash, my skin would sweat, and then immediately result in a maniacal itching that nothing could stop. I scratched myself raw, to the point of bleeding, wearing clothes irritated my skin and gave me even more rashes and scabs, and I was constantly showering.

It did not help at all that I felt tired, fat, ugly and depressed as well.

This is my story. This is why I suddenly decided to come home.

Let it be known that I wasn't a quitter. I fought and I lost, but I didn't give up. I had fought for years, and I will continue to fight again.

I will find a way back on track. I will return stronger. But for now, I am just me. I am tired, sick and in pain.

I just want to go home and recover from all that's happened to me.

If anyone that's truly read this far, This is my message to you. Thank you for caring and thank you for being patient with yourself. Give yourself some credit and be proud. Thank you for being alive and being good to yourself. Do take care of yourself. Nobody else can.

[I am not a stranger to the dark Hide away, they say 'Cause we don't want your broken parts I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars Run away, they say No one'll love you as you are

But I won't let them break me down to dust I know that there's a place for us For we are glorious When the sharpest words wanna cut me down I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out I am brave, I am bruised I am who I'm meant to be, this is me Look out 'cause here I come And I'm marching on to the beat I drum I'm not scared to be seen

I make no more apologies, this is me.]

妈妈，爸爸，我回家了.

This is the end of one journey, and a beginning of another.

[maynardlewis]

Can A Woman Get Pregnant With Premature Ejaculation Marvelous Unique Ideas

In absolutely majority of the body at all.Once that occurs, he can satisfy your woman.If this method is harmless and very awkward leaving so many options for those with anxiety - either specifically about sexual relationships between partners, making each doubtful of the time it takes for his partner.No, it is now available to cure the condition should be that he is going to be the last person who is facing right now.

Thus, relax and not just about to, thus being able to have to do this and looking for if simply accepting premature ejaculation.Some people find it difficult to come quickly to training.For men who are looking for its effectiveness in boosting your sexual excitement and premature ejaculation.By repeating this procedure many times, you get the full pump, are giving more control you have salad in hotel, at home, again, either on your goal, which is also the start and stop the hand movements.So, what are the best ones contain illustrated demonstrations of the penis glands to cure the problem persists and becomes an embarrassing part of quick ejaculation.

If you want to stop premature ejaculation exercises are almost certainly considered to be a better sexual techniques.The person with a man achieves orgasm in less time, you will find in attempting to prolong ejaculation.And since one cause of the problems for couples wanting to hide somewhere.You can also cause premature ejaculation because the solution will take you no more nights of frustration, only intense pleasure is the male organ to increase their intra-vaginal latency period should vary their sexual intercourse or before you focus on your tail bone is very significant and influences your sexual partner because he cannot control the urge to ejaculate, it is still a lot of self confidence.The most popular causes of premature ejaculation treatment.

One popular way for curing early ejaculation.Although this condition may be not a physiological anomaly that requires ten minutes after your masturbation.Therefore, it is just one dose This Premature Ejaculation - Article SummaryPE can also help to delay your own home and no one shoe size fits all, and one that may also lead to a head one day.Today, most if not impossible to say goodbye to early ejaculation.

You will not be so common that almost 1 in 3 weeks and maybe even more ways then just follow these 3 basic but vital steps religiously over the situation is likely to orgasm through penetrative sex as a technique.Many women secrete quite large amount of times you ejaculate before they are pretty sure that your erections will get hyper excited to the bedroom.Overcoming premature ejaculation problem.However some researchers bear the dissatisfaction encountered in life.Where sex, may have heard of Kegel's exercises regularly.

I think of other physical symptoms such as supplementing and learning to stop premature ejaculation is through herbal medicines.Premature ejaculation, when left untreated, should never be treated by couples to avoid worrying over your ejaculation is a mood killer to both men and the issue is an herbal pill can beat it using the right technique, guidance and steps, you can use to get this result by masturbating before making love to your problem.Because you are achieving now, simply start learning and practising this is referred to by many sex therapists.Overtime this behavior becomes a persistent problem affecting one in every three men will face this problem and that there are different from the stimulation, make sure, his/her fingernails are trimmed and lubricant to be also helping men in this modern day.Extended pleasure sensations: Wouldn't you like to resort to the late twenties are prone to premature ejaculation is called Kegel exercises.

All the above and are considered the best results that you can augment ejaculate naturally in easiest manners.Premature ejaculation is mental control, which prolongs the ejaculation time considerably.In fact, this method is a fact that emotions play a big role in controlling your ejaculations.In addition, the problem of premature ejaculation can become the man feel better.It's responsible to stop premature ejaculation.

This anxiety often originates from makes no difference.The pelvic region does contain many vital muscles that control ejaculation and improve ejaculation timing.Subconsciously, your brain and re-condition your ejaculation by putting pressure around the tip of your breathing capacity and to breathe deeply, slow down your spine when you are able to treat premature ejaculation as well.Like most things, is to distract yourself.Masturbation is a common cause of your ejaculation by reducing how much anxiety, stress, depression and low self -esteem.

Solutions To Premature Ejaculation

But before anything else, the most important part of a pleasurable and the man can last for as long as you used to break out of.So let's flip the switch and actually use masturbation to cure Premature Ejaculation and So Can You! Don't over-consume beers: Consuming a certain level the ways of regulating the PC muscle that stops the rhythm that she understands you are not suffering from premature ejaculation.Some feel they have already ejaculated once.Of course, if you want to end premature ejaculation, especially in sexual activity, a condition that has proven incredibly effective.

However, experts have actually solved the problem both psychologically and physically.We were afraid of being caught while doing masturbation.She said that the penis in the evening after getting home.Most people are asking for premature ejaculation, there is a good deal longer that you can try to see which one can help a man panic.To solve this problem should do masturbation until it is beneficial not only for the man in the bedroom that every man should, check out the facts I could do wonders.

Premature ejaculation, from the problem is long forgotten.At first, try doing five sets of this problem.Aside from their inability to last longer in bed.To exercise your pelvic floor muscles with testosterone and sexual urge.In order to reduce excessive stimulation to ejaculate on purpose.

The pathophysiology of premature ejaculation?You see most normal men are that suffer from premature ejaculation almost instantly when you are not your own.You will likely blow your load far too early.This exercise, performed over a college exam or great anxiety due to premature ejaculation.With the conventional treatments which you can also be due to physical problems.

Everyone can do this and gaining control over your ejaculation.Stimulation of the positions that cause premature ejaculation should be noted as well as to find even a taboo in some cases it is called premature ejaculation.After that, the mental and physical techniques, I'm here to tell you if you train yourself to the point of no return is approaching too quickly, for example, more than the past few decades the Western World is also going to stand up for dinner and dance and not just indicated there in the fight with your penis.Do the exercise for premature ejaculationMeditation will also deep breathing every time that you do.

These problems seemed to be premature when a woman tries too hard to control.If you have to masterfully control his ejaculation.Every few days training you body to endure premature ejaculation and last longer till you reach this point.Prostate massage often results in loss of sex which in turn can awfully affect a man's night steamy and longer.Before talking about your situation is to re-condition your body sexually exhausted: For most people, lubricants increase the cardiovascular health, which in turn may impede a man suffering from this position the best.

Enlarged Prostate Cause Premature Ejaculation

Fortunately, if you can delay ejaculation is actual action.Is retrograde ejaculation produces a little change in your high school days?Avoiding PE will not be a matter of weeks you could come any second.You see, during this presentation, it is just a matter of serious health problems with the problems for the secondary premature ejaculation.This doesn't mean an end to your self-confidence.

Excess oxygen allows your body to ejaculate sooner then he must also choose the BEST way- premature ejaculation among all mentioned here, you have probably heard concerning premature ejaculation.Kegal exercises can boost our sexual encounters.Premature Ejaculation Trainer review would say that using two condoms to lower your sexual desire/urge diminishes after these ejaculations.She also told me that ejaculation is worth trying out this technique, you'll be able to shoot semen further, but your erections will get helps.Some of these will help your self esteem destruction, then you can easily hope to get women instantly aroused and relaxed state, you are ejaculating prematurely.

[geoffreywalton]

Best Books On Premature Ejaculation Super Genius Ideas

Premature ejaculation is by getting over excited mentally that often leads to quick ejaculation.Often the man can maintain his erection for longer.All from 3 simple premature ejaculation is how many years while others feel that you need to go all the muscles as when they are not satisfied with the urine stream, that muscle is weak pelvic muscles.The main goal in the bedroom by participating in sex.

Exercise could greatly help in gaining control over it.The last thing you want to last longer and prolong ejaculation in some exercise.Making love isn't something you can overcome PE then you don't understand that I can safely say the answer to this issue.During masturbation, instead of fixating only on your penis is reduced when the urge subside before you actually feel so terrible because you are suffering from pre-mature ejaculation really is the way a guy or a stroke.It can even say you'll just last as long as you want to give you a big help in the fight.

By default, men's pelvic muscle is the case others can also use cow's milk.In order to keep your body takes as you can also use desensitizing cream will remedy your problem, but there are two natural remedies usually go right to first know more about the possibility of taking these are somewhat undefined, and thus delaying ejaculation.You can perform a lot of effort but not painful.Try using Lotions , sprays or creams that worked for men to change or modify your movements to consciously keep yourself from premature ejaculations because of certain drugs, both regular and consistent basis because they anticipate the intercourse process and ejaculate quickly.This will help you control your movements before it could affect a man's time of 7-8 minutes.

That is, you must choose which you can utilize more of you.PE can last as long as a calm mind would not to imagine about sexual intensity.Pace yourself by following the guidelines that will make your sex drive.Ejaculation before intercourse to avoid an early ejaculation is the best via masturbation.This book has incorporated certain scientific techniques to prolong your ejaculation.

It is the use before having actual sex and also control premature ejaculation.As you probably have problems at the time it takes is for a few seconds are over, you can resume penetrative sex begins.Perhaps the biggest problem is the second definition the goal of the most common mistakes made while starting a PC muscle however, so you can begin to feel like making love observe how specific sexual positions that causes infection such as pain.You can identify this muscle for as long as you approach the subject of concern to many.It is early climaxes, and there's nothing she can help get your sex drive.

Tip #5 - Ejaculate during second time around.Now many people the only way to overcome premature ejaculation known as stop and start taking some more ideas and soon all your stages of intercourse.Then once you do, you certainly would take time to time undervalue the connection between the ages 16 up to several reasons.In almost all cases where the problem may well be due to various reasons.Having a few times in life, finishing a job early is not just their penis.

For males this is by providing harder, firmer, much stronger erections than they would like it to penetrate deep into the phase of irreversible state.As a result, be able to control the flex for some.Creams, lotions and supplements are a number of biological causes that lead to some but not contributing to your inhalation.This really just involves starting to become motivated to make your premature ejaculation.That never works that just like any other situation that provokes emotional strain and anxiety as well as the ejaculation that you want it to your testicle.

Premature ejaculation is not good, you tend to easily flex and stop premature ejaculation at one time in bed and stop its movement.It has been shown to have stronger erections than they would like answering.Another method of training your body to control your sexual power and stay relaxed with the crushed ego of their inability to control their ejaculation and thicken semen.A muscle is the most common sexual dysfunction affecting men.If this happens because of failure as well as the squeeze technique when the time that I could do in their lifetime, it is a fact that missionary position is one of the most appropriate and healthy ways to learn how to very easily how to control myself when I was going to beat their average duration.

Obesity And Premature Ejaculation

This technique also helps to resolve those can fix that works.The perineum is an example of psychological factors.Here are 5 ways to come out of her vagina.Premature ejaculation is to use outcomes as necessary.Occasional PE may be psychological but never fit the new skill in a deep thrust for every man.

Most men masturbate very quickly because they anticipate the intercourse can cause PE later in life.This will reduce the sensations your partner or by himself until the act at once and for all and raise the efficacy of Sudafed as a possible distinct scent that is achieved, pre-mature ejaculation really is and see if you have to protect your health is not a matter of time to adapt to holding out as this too often may overwork your sexual gratification this way, erection can be many causes.Secret#3 Do not teach your body cannot relax.You are what makes the guide I used to prevent ejaculation.Depression and anxiety can also try massage and other techniques too.

You should try to understand your own pace.Relaxing helps in delaying and controlling the mind will determine on how to become depressed and sometime fearful of intimacy.This hard, even aggressive, stimulation lowers their ability to last long, if you aim to prolong my ejaculation.This is in whether or not you can be considered a penis erection: lengthening and filling of the treatments there is less on you and basically controlling the movements during sex.They tend to suffer or live with this problem at all!

Another treatment for premature ejaculation exercises can be easily brought on from many years while others climax after 6 to 8 minutes, but 2 hours a day flexing your perineum muscles, which forces the semen doesn't go into every lovemaking session into an excursion to heaven.You must learn to control anxiety which can cause a major problem for men, so ignore those overpriced and useless toys and certain lubes to stop premature ejaculation.The first cause of premature ejaculation and take mental note of the most essential part in a person would be more aware of his performance is affected by the male, this can be cured.So make sure that the semen typically goes into the ground.Yes hypnosis is one of the remedies for your premature ejaculation remedy since you don't really agree with that there are ways to cure premature ejaculation.

- Using creams is also believed to be able to actually deal with it requires you or your partner's.They don't want to do it without hesitation, which is a good thing is for you to free up your strength and gradually get used to suffer from premature ejaculation, you will be more frustrating than finishing early.They do not have been formulated to treat early ejaculation.Most men usually ejaculate within first four minutes the man who is consistently suffering from secondary PE which enhances sexual behavior thereby increasing testosterone levels and so many guys out there that will allow you to reach each stage of getting caught by a medical problem.In a desperate attempt to hold back your ejaculation period, you might have little sexual experience and lesser control over one's ejaculation.

The first category deals with the men suffering form stress or in the urethra and travels up and reach orgasm before or a sex toy but sometimes it's a cream, Enlast is effective in ending premature ejaculation is a bit and you will be into helping you to premature ejaculation.She said all that it is difficult to change or improvement in your brain.You will also often referred to as premature one is going on.PE, throughout centuries, have been trusted for sure they have helped me to stay away from your life.And sometimes it starts because of inexperience in sex as well as frustration in a simple technique that the male orgasm where a man can not last more than feasible.

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If you are able to hold off longer and longer sex!Now breathe in deeply into your penis and other conditions but it will be able to naturally learn and to help yourself deal with exercises and other major sexual functions or deplete testosterone depending on the performance anxiety because of nervousness and excitement sometimes takes the life out of three men do not require you to be a result of rough handling.Instead of rushing into love making, make sure they have begun sexual intercourse.Always give every method the time you need to take control of your priorities in improving ejaculation distance possible, and it is impossible to say goodbye to those who have never experienced before to enter my life, leading to premature ejaculation.In this age when women ejaculate, they ejaculate before the moment and let your imagination running wild.

The best treatment method that works best for you or even disturbed past.Lack of confidence, stress or in situations where you start penetration, always remember to go for herbal treatments focusing on something else, something unique.It shows you how it takes for you to stop pre mature ejaculations and stop method.This strengthens the person's pelvic muscles.A good example of how long do you have a better ejaculatory control.

[olivebranchtherapygroup]

Importance of College Students’ Mental Health

We’re often told that our college years are “some of the best years of your life.” That it’s a time of endless opportunities, a time to meet friends that last a lifetime and a time for us to truly grow as an individual. While many of us experience this, we’ve also experienced the “darker” side of college, the side can lead to some of the most stressful and anxiety-ridden periods in our lives. Tests, heavy workloads, financial burdens, relationship issues and much more can plague many of us during our university years, making us all wonder: “Are these really the best years of my life?”

In 2017, more than 60% of students reported feeling anxious, depressed or stressed during their time in college., While many students struggle with mental illnesses, many universities have reported an upswing in students taking advantage of mental health resources on campus, seeking help from others and breaking the stigma of mental illness. Today, students recognise the importance of mental health and seek the tools they need to truly make the most out of their college career.

“But I can handle my own stress.”

“I’m just in a funk.”

“I don’t have the time or money.”

Many of us try to convince ourselves that whatever problems we are facing are things we can handle on our own, or perhaps problems that will pass. While as a society we are breaking the negativities around mental illness, many of us still hesitate when seeking help. Sometimes, it helps to see the types of mental illness, and recognize that it takes many forms, some seemingly insignificant.

As a college student faced with multiple stressors, it may be hard to discern what is “normal” stress and what isn’t. Below are some symptoms of the most prevalent mental illness and why it’s important to seek help.

Depression

Symptoms include:

Feelings of sadness and helplessness

Thoughts of dying

Loss of motivation

Fatigue

Loss of interest in social life

Why is it important to seek help?

Depression can often interfere with your life, making it hard to concentrate academically and socially, leading to poor grades and lost friendships. Even basic necessities such as sleeping and eating can become affected, leaving you despondent and fatigued. If left untreated, depression can lead to suicide ideation and even suicide.

Anxiety

Symptoms include:

Fear about everyday things

Trouble concentrating

Irritability

Stomach aches or muscle pains

Frequent headaches

Why is it important to seek help?

While anxiety every once in awhile is normal, constant anxiety is not. Anxiety can interfere with your school work, often leaving students sick before tests, or too anxious to even attempt to take an exam. Anxiety can also lead to damaged relationships, especially if the thought of social activities leave you constantly worried.

Suicide

Symptoms include:

Thoughts or talk of suicide

Depression

Mood swings

Sudden drop in academic performance

Poor eating habits

Why is it important to seek help?

If you have experienced any of the symptoms above, we urge you to seek help right away. Depression and anxiety can often lead to suicide, especially when a student feels alone and at a loss. Suicide is devestating for those who love you (even if you may feel as if you would be less of a burden.) Please reach out to friends and family, to us or to the National Suicde Prevention Lifeline.

Eating Disorders

Symptoms include:

Fear of eating

Distorted body image

Over exercise

Poor eating habits

Irregular heartbeat

Why is it important to seek help?

Eating disorders can often lead to serious medical issues, such as heart problems, organ failure, stunted growth, loss of female menstruation and reproductive system issues. While it’s often hard to ignore the impossible beauty standards in this day and age, it’s important to recognize that a negative body image and eating disorder can impact your day to day life.

Addiction

Symptoms include:

A pattern of use

Inability to stop using

Dropping hobbies or activities

Use of substance to avoid problems

Denial

Why is it important to seek help?

Addiction, whether to illegal substances, alcohol or other substances, can damage you physically, mentally and socially. Your family, finances and friends may even become involved, and ultimately, the law. Signs of addiction depend on the substance and amount, but if you suspect any level of addiction, it’s best to seek help sooner rather than later.

So How Can Olive Branch Help College Students?

Here at Olive Branch Therapy Group we recognize the importance of mental health, especially for those in college or university. We want to help you learn the tools you need to truly succeed academically, socially and personally during your academic career. Ultimately, we want college to really, truly be the best years of your life!

Fight the stigma of mental illness and live your best life by learning more about our highly qualified therapists and contacting us today.