#that does not give me dopamine or serotonin

[wormieapple]

i very, very genuinely do not understand y people h8 the actor men so much??? or by association the characters the actor men play???? does this enhance your enjoyment of the show, is that why??? does dividing yourself from others to fight them on relatively menial things bring more dopamine to people and that’s why they get up in arms abt j2 and hellers and all these other things that i just genuinely cannot see a meaningful goal to????

it is inch resting

[newwave-lesbian]

they really did just give me all of the dogshit mental illnesses, huh

[puppys-rhythm-heaven]

assuming rhythm heaven 5 is announced at the e3 adjacent thing nintendo will probably do in june then it'll be the first rhythm heaven to not be released in summer in japan. :3 assuming it doesn't take a full year to release after-

[raan-miir-tah]

My dsmp tarot deck finally arrived and,,, fuck it actually made me so sad. I miss that era so much man but now I almost forgot the name of Mexican L’Manburg and Sam Nook. I forgot that clingy duo was their duo name. I’m about to cry to the L’Manburg music box

[k-marzolf]

Affection & Attachment.

Roommates to lovers, touch starved Billy Russo, fluff & angst, fear of attachments, abandonment issues, mentions of Arthur, fem!reader.

An old fic I wrote in early 2022 under cigarettesandqueens, and decided to do some editing and post it again.

1,057 words.

Billy woke up to a warm body pressed against him, he paused wondering if he brought someone home and didn't remember, but then he realized you occupied the penthouse now, as a favor for Karen, your best friend. He nudged you, thinking maybe you had walked in your sleep. But you didn't budge. Only scooted closer, mumbling in your sleep, fingers curling into his shirt.

You were a strange girl, Billy thought. He'd never had someone in his bed just to sleep. He laid back down, watching you for a moment, before going back to sleep.

&&&

The next night he caught you crawling in with him again. "What're you doin'?" He asked, annoyed, looking at you through tired eyes.

"Don't like sleeping alone, can I stay with you, Billy?" You asked, sweetly. His bed was his safe space, the one place he could relax completely, without fearing an attack or assault. But he couldn’t turn down your pleading.

"No blanket hoggin'," He grumbled, as you slid beneath the blankets, pressing against him, your fingers touching the scar at his hip, playing with it. He shivered, craving more of your affection, your touch.

You smiled, eyes fluttering, sleepy already, "Promise, Billy." You slurred.

He watched you settle in, curling against him.

He felt something stir in his chest.

&&&

"Pretty girl, you can't keep sneaking into my bed." Billy grumbled the next night, as you slotted your soft body against his. It made his blood burn with desire, desire to settle between your thighs, to taste you.

"We could be a comfort to each other, Billy." You said softly, looking at him with those sweet eyes of yours.

He didn’t want to admit he needed comforting, but rarely was Billy given something without having to give in return.

“What do you want in return?” He asked warily.

“Nothing. Does everything have to be tit for tat?” You asked, fingers reaching out for him.

He groaned, snaking an arm around your waist and pulling you closer. "Sweet girl," He murmured into your hair.

You sighed, burying your face in his neck, fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

He was hard pressed to admit how good it felt.

&&&

In the morning Billy took a call, usually from Frank. You were laying curled against his side, fingers touching his chest and torso, running over his scars, and kissing them. His fingers absentmindedly played with your hair, and you scooted closer purring with the way he touched you.

He looked over at you with a smile playing on his lips, as his nails scratched along your scalp, you whined quietly.

You made such pretty sounds.

When he got off the phone, you reluctantly moved away so he could shower. But he pulled you back, kissing your forehead, fingers stroking your spine. You kissed his cheek, his beard scratching your lips. He stayed like that enjoying the casual affection. Enjoying the way you made him feel, with your fingers squeezing his hips. He’d never had casual intimacy. Women wanted him for sex, and that was all they wanted, never wanted him, never wanted to love him.

Eventually, he moved back to take a shower, your kisses lingering on his skin making him crave for more.

Crave to consume you and be consumed by you.

&&&

That night you were both sitting on the couch, watching shitty television. You played with his hands, kissing his wrists, and his arm all the way up to his elbow. You looked up at him, "Did you know that touch can release oxytocin, the love hormone? It can also help with serotonin and dopamine. And lower stress hormones like cortisol." You told him, lacing your fingers in between his.

He smiled, impressed by your knowledge. His hands reached out, placing kisses on your fingers, tickling you with his beard. "Yeah?"

"You make me feel safe, Billy." You said, pressing into his side.

His heart ached at that. Karen hadn't told Billy much about your situation, but he knew it had to be a difficult one. That you hadn’t felt safe, that you’d left someone very volatile.

His fingers squeezed yours, feeling protective of you in the week he’d known you.

&&&

He was getting some coffee creamer out of the fridge. He liked a little bit of it in coffee.

You came into the kitchen, and squeezed his hips, making him hum trying to hide how much he enjoyed your affection. “Mornin’, Billy.” You said, putting on your shoes. Your hair was wet from your shower, “Have a good day at work!” And then you were gone, leaving Billy missing your presence already.

Billy swallowed his mouthful of coffee. He couldn’t wait for tonight, if only to have an excuse to feel your touch. And then scolded himself for his attachment. He knew better, nothing good ever came of it.

&&&

You came home late, and he paced the living room frustrated at himself that he cared. He hated attachments, yet here he was, attached.

Had you left him? He wished he could exorcise that little boy in him who’d been abandoned. He haunted Billy more than he liked.

He looked out the rainy windows. It was five pm and already dark out. Had something happened?

And then his stomach eased as you came through the door, looking tired. “Sorry, I’m late, Bill. Some asshole wouldn’t let me close, until I gave him my number.” You said, taking off your shoes, and shaking the rain off.

“You didn’t give it to him, did you?” Billy asked anxiously.

“I gave him a fake number. Men can never take no for an answer.” Billy inwardly agreed thinking of Arthur, “Hopefully it’s not someone’s grandma.” You paused, looking at him. “Can we cuddle early tonight?”

Billy raised an eyebrow, hands in his pockets, looking out the penthouse windows amused. He rolled his bad shoulder, “Is that what we’re doin’?” He asked, looking back at you.

You smiled shyly, “Maybe.”

Billy chuckled, he kissed your forehead. “Sure, sweetheart.”

&&&

You were snuggled against him that night again, your fingers in hair, stroking him there. His eyes fluttered, and his last thought as he fell asleep, arm wrapped around your waist, hugging you to him was that he was afraid to hope.

Because it seemed for the first time, he was genuinely wanted.

x

Tags; @idaofinfinity @e-dubbc11 @rosaleenablack @firexfate @aoi-targaryen

[eponastory]

Okay, besties... I've got a serious question for you? No worries, it's all anonymous, but I am genuinely curious as to why Zutara makes you happy?

There is no wrong answer to this and you are completely free to say why if it's not on the poll.

I really want to prove to the antis we are smart enough to realize who we are and what makes us happy isn't going to keep us down.

Also, the brain ninja part of me wants to compile data on this for validation that we are not crazy.

[red-umbrella-811]

Okay, so I wrote this on reddit to a depression doomer, but I want someone who might have an iota of openness to considering it to read it, so I'm posting it here. I assume there will be doomers here too, because depression is depressing. All of these things are things that I've tried, and all of them are things that have made my life better than it was before. All of them I have started in an incredibly janky way and they've still helped. If anyone is interested (or I receive the same combination of depression-based hostility and intense focus), I'll make separate posts on how to actually do the thing.

Things that might make a person's depression improve that don't involved going to a therapist:

Aerobic exercise 4x/week

Membership in a community/close relationships/human touch/human interaction. I'm bundling these together, because in a practical sense, you're making about the same decisions yourself, and the interactions with other people will follow. I recommend finding a "Third Place," such as a sports league or dance community (see exercise), game/knitting/metaphysical store, bar, cafe, meetup group, adult learning class, regular volunteering gig, music venue, RPG group, book club, brunch group...you get the idea. The best ones are open to the public if you're socially isolated or looking to date, because you'll meet a greater variety of people, but anywhere where the same amorphous or literal group of people shows up at a place and time will help you build relationships.

Omega 3 Fatty acids, Vitamin D, Vitamin B-complex, Magnesium: I'm not a doctor and this is not medical advice. They might give you energy and run your body more smoothly.

St. John's Wort: I'm giving this its own thing because the above are supplements that the body gets in its diet, this is a drug™, but you can purchase it over the counter. It inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, for which there is some evidence that it helps depression on a chemical level. It has mad drug interactions and PLEASE do your research before taking it.

A lot of things in the cognitive behavioral therapy realm. Gratitude practices, affirmations, I'm sure there are CBT workbooks for depression that one could find. The idea is to reframe your thoughts to make sure they are a) true and b) priming you to feel emotions and take actions that will make your life suck less.

Going outside. Living in a suboptimal space is depressing, and so many of us do it. We do better when we see and hear trees. We do better when we see and feel the sun. We process things when our brains run electricity back and forth between the two sides, as happens when walking (drumming is also good for this, or bilateral stimulation from something else).

Accomplish things. I know. This, even more than the many difficult things I've listed, probably feels impossible, but I'm writing it anyway, because it really does help. If you have small tasks you've been putting off, try and get one done. Break up big tasks into accomplishable steps. Not like "Clean the house" to "Clean the bathroom," like "Clean the house" to "throw all the trash on the couch in the trash can" or "get out all the products to clean the bathroom" (the second kind doesn't vibe with me but some people like it)

You'll notice none of this is going to fix the world, except for the shitty little corner the person doing it is sitting in. That's the point. There is so much wrong with the world, and it asks a lot of us to fix it: our labor, yes, and also our joy. And also, our ability to get out of bed in the morning, our ability to send emails, our ability to check in on each other, our ability to keep ourselves out of entanglements with the state and other institutions. I'm not saying this because it's fair, I'm saying it because it's the way out I see in front of us.

[adhdapp]

YOOO I’m excited! I wanna respect your time and whatnot, but I’m curious about the app called forrest basically you grow trees by focusing for set amounts of time. never tried it but the app store keeps recommending it to me. from a cursory look at the reviews, some people said it helps with phone overuse (hooray??) it is four dollars, not sure that you want to start with that. anyways thanks for your consideration, hope this blog goes super well :DD

This is actually an app I paid for the premium version of years ago, by chance! So I can give it a pretty complete shake. Here's the review.

Forest: Phone usage control

Overall rating: Certified, with stipulations. Here's the tl;dr

App includes a disincentive for failure (tree death), so if you're sensitive to even mildly feeling like you've fucked up, this might not be your bag

Low on novelty, so if you need a variety of goals to pursue quickly, this might not be your bag (other plant unlocks take a lot of time, forest grows one 25 minute increment at a time)

Achievements and events are a big plus, with several relatively easy achievements to keep you going.

No Dark Mode

supports a charity so that's pretty cool

Diamonds shop even after a 1 time purchase: go no further if you are susceptible to impulse purchases, I respect them keeping the lights on with optional bonus content, but it can be easy to chase the Purchase Dopamine and we need to say No Thank You

Red Flags: None, this app has been going steady for a few years and for seemingly pretty good reason. I didn't find any red flags with the charity it supports either. It's not on a subscription model, and nothing in it seems to be ridiculously priced.

Dopamine hits: Okay so the main drive for using this app is growing the big old garden of trees, collecting different trees, and seeing the physical space of that garden grow. With this said I have One Major Concern I'd like to get out of the way.

Are you the kind of person that's going to feel like shit if you let a plant die? Will you accidentally tab out, kill a tree, and be miserable out it? Do not use this app.

It DOES let you clear the dead trees out of your garden (see above) but personally I don't find disincentives like that as compelling as positive reinforcement. The app is encouraging about it (as you can see) but personally I'm wary of things where I can receive what feels like a punishment because I was only productive for five minutes and not the allotted ten I needed in order to keep the tree alive. the stopwatch mode reduces this, somewhat, but again, you need over 10 minutes. Make sure you allow texts or calls in allowed apps in settings so if something comes up you don't have to feel bad about killing a tree.

Features: Forest provides you one or two different tree types you can grow as you focus, and a nice little plot of land. I'll be honest, I don't think the free version gives you very much to work with, but the premium version gives you different kinds of trees you can grow, events, social connections, tracking, custom tagging system so you can track what you're spending your time off your phone doing, and best of all, achievements. Forest also comes with both a count-down and a stopwatch mode so that if you'd like to just study or work as long as you can you don't have to just do it in increments, which is nifty, and a change from some other pomodoro counters/timers. If using the app to just do poms/increments, there's a switch to keep the app on while you work.

Price: This app is a freemium (on android), but honestly, if phone restriction usage apps are useful for you, just buy the thing right out of the gate. It's 3.99 (also the price of the entire app on the apple store) and what you get for that price is like 99% of the functionality of the app imo. 3.99$ for a one-time unlock is ridiculously cheap for what you're getting. However. The other trees do take a hot minute to unlock. So if you need that cheap and easy serotonin and you have an intense need for novelty this might not be the move.

I will add a stipulation here: Make sure that phone restriction apps are actually what you Need if this is what you're using. if you're the kind of person who can respond to messages and still be productive, this may not be your bag. If you're on a computer and you're going to end up scrolling through tumblr on your laptop instead of your phone, this may not be your bag. Phone restriction apps are useful mainly if what you need to do is get off tech and go do something physical, like read a book or do chores. I do Not recommend this if what you're trying to do is write an essay on your laptop. It is just as easy to procrastinate on pc as it is on your phone. However, For What It Is, this app is extremely functional.

This app DOES have a diamond store and in app purchases to make extra cash but frankly I don't actually begrudge them this. With a one-time purchase that cheap and regular events that seem to allow you to unlock other plants, they seem to have a good content balance and hey, whatever they have to do to keep the app running. I just launched it again and it reminded me I have the pro version even through I bought that like eight years ago.

Polish + Customization: I'm grouping these together because I really have the same quibble for both, there isn't a darkmode on the settings screen, which is an annoyingly bright white compared to the rest of the app. News is Also bright white, so is the store, generally a lot of the things off the main page are bright white with no option to change them. I do not love that. But everything is easy to find and adjust, and though the load times can be a little slow (which is annoying) I generally can't complain too much.

Roadmap: News tab indicates that the app is still being updated and having new plants added, despite the developers seemingly have a couple other projects going- they've got a to-do list app I'm going to have to check out and one to prevent you using your phone while sleeping.

So there u go: Proceed with caution and respect for your specific needs, but it's top of the line in its category, imo. You just need to make sure that category is what you're looking for.

[asteria-argo]

You ever read a fic that just hit the dopamine in your just so much that you wanna write fanfic of a fanfic? That’s what Jamie vs bedtime is doing to me

Just wanted so share how much I love it

THANK YOU SO MUCH??? this was so sweet, also if anyone does ever want to write fanfiction of my fanfiction please do forever all the time always please I will owe you my life. Also, in exchange for this ask giving me so much serotonin, here's a snippet from the next chapter!

when he spots Roy entering the hotel bar with this fucking look on his face that Jamie already knows means he’s being marched up to bed the second Roy manages to catch him thanks to weeks of experience, his mind doesn’t even give him the chance to think things through before he’s sliding off his chair and ducking under the table out of sight. Thankfully, Cockburn and Reynolds don’t seem to mind Jamie barging into their leg room, too enraptured in beating each other to notice. Sam and Dani, however, do notice. “Jamie, what on earth are you doing?” Sam asked, poking his head down and tilting it a bit to the side, watching Jamie curiously. “Aye, is it floor time?” Dani asked, smiling all bright and happy, “because if it is, there are better floors we can sit on than this one, it is sticky and unpleasant.” Dani was absolutely right about the floor being sticky and unpleasant, but it wasn’t like Jamie was hiding under a table for fun. He shushed both of his friends quickly, holding a finger to his lips sharply. Sam mostly seemed amused, and Dani mimed zipping his lips shut.

[sleepis4theweak]

Hi Sleepy!! Do you by chance have any tips for studying for a test with ADHD? I've been trying to study all day but I've gotten next to nothing done :c

I do actually!

Well... at least I do based on how I study... here are some of them!

1- I really love to study with friends because they can keep me on track! Either we go through the content together or we take turns teaching each other.

2- I like to separate up tasks (in this case it would be things like: go through the study guide, relearn what ___ is, etc etc) and then rank them in terms of important or what order I should go in. Then I write down time slots (often ill do 30 min study, 10 min break, but whatever works best for you!) and then before I start my slot of 30 min study I'll pick a couple of those tasks I want to get done in that time. That usually works pretty well for me...

3- Recently I've been doing my notes right before the test. A couple of nights before I comb through literally all of the content that's going to be on the test and write down every definition, equation or thing I need to remember. Then usually I remember it okay! And also I'm able to refresh my memory right before the test by looking at the sheet. (This one does involve staying up hella late sometimes tho...)

4- Create fun little tricks to help remember stuff!! When I was doing AP Psych, for example, I had to memorize all of the different chemicals in the brain like serotonin and dopamine. I created little characters for them. I still remember some of them. Like Serotonin (or Sero for sort) is moody and has a good memory (because Serotonin helps with that- moods and memory). Or for one of my most recent tests I used "AP CJ" - like an AP class about Casey Jones to remember the first letter for different parts of a digitalized customer journey!

Those are just what I do though! Some general stuff I also use is:

1- Reward myself! It can be food, or a walk. Recently I got a bunch of Cars stickers and I give myself those. I used to write down all my tasks on postit notes and then the reward was ripping up the postit note at the end haha.

2- Take breaks. ... oh my gosh please take breaks. I study so much worse without breaks.

3- Go to bed on time!!! (Yes I know how this sounds coming from me. But sleep improves memory, and we, as people with adhd already struggle with that. No sleep makes it so much worse- and then you can't remember anything the day of the test...)

GOOD LUCK!!!! <3 <3 <3

[jellyluchi]

I know a lot of selfshippers feel some particular sense of possessiveness towards their f/o but does anyone else feel a deep devotion for them??? like idk how it happened but the singular emotion of devoting myself to one f/o gives me so much dopamine? and it turned from something negative where I felt insecure before to something wayyyy more positive and fulfilling???? i sound fucking crazy but it's just me getting serotonin from thinking about one dude all the time without fail and it makes me happy that it's him every time because it gets me excited and giddy

[th3dailyoverload]

Self-Care

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

My self-care routine is my saving grace. When life feels like a bit too much, I retreat to my cozy space and do things that refuel my soul. Here are a few of my go-to self-care practices:

Journaling

I find journaling to be incredibly cathartic. I pour my feelings onto the page without judgment. I work through challenges, find clarity, and relieve stress. Even 15 minutes of journalling leaves me feeling refreshed and recharged. It doesn't even have to be written words, I have an 'everything page' and this could include sticky notes with words or symbols, a polaroid picture, a sticker that I got for free, a slip from a coffee date and more. It doesn't always have to make sense to the next person. Give it a try!

Yoga or light exercise

Moving your body is essential for your wellbeing. I usually breakout into the few you poses that I know by heart and just do that for a quick 15 minutes or go for a walk around my neighbourhood, peaceful and scenic. Exercise releases feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin that boost your mood and reduce anxiety. Go touch grass! Literally, reconnecting to nature is a grounding experience which can bring you back from a stressful day.

Call a friend

Talking to someone who cares about me always makes me feel better. I call up a close friend or family member and chat about whatever is on my mind, or whatever my day held for me. Laughter and social interaction are vital for health and happiness, try it out.

Do something creative

Tapping into my creative side is rejuvenating. I paint, bake, write stories or whatever sparks my inspiration. This blog is actually a form of outlet for me too, I just get a topic and start typing without any thoughts or direction and by the end the tension in my shoulders is less and I've got something others can learn from, or not. Creativity takes my mind off of worries and leaves me with a sense of accomplishment. You don't have to write, even finer painting does wonders.

Pamper yourself

A little pampering goes a long way. I give myself a skin care day; I deck out all my skin care products from cleanser to serum and more. Go get your nails done, nothing like a new set of claws to make you feel fierce. Taking a long bubble bath with bath salts and essential oils usually relaxes all those tense muscles. Do small things to spoil yourself and boost your confidence. You deserve it!

My self-care routine helps me decompress and renew my positive outlook on life, and if you knew me you'd know that I barely have a positive outlook at all. Make the time for yourself and the things that fill you up. Your health and happiness depend on it. What are your favorite ways to practice self-care? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

[pearwaldorf]

I would like to know where people like this get the serotonin to deal with "the screaming heaving fuckery of the world". I would be unable to actually do things that help if I did not have my blorbos giving me little hits of dopamine throughout the day.

Life is bad right now. Maybe not personally, but in the wider world? I'm watching a genocide happen in real time across the hell portal I also use to keep up with my friends. I have not even begun to process the fact that it's an election year and the Fascist Yam is running again.

If anybody is able to squeeze out a little bit of joy or pleasure, I say grab it with both hands. You need to take care of yourself before you can help other people, whether they're next to you or across the world.

There is nothing noble about abstaining from things that give you joy to concentrate on the bad things in the world. It's stupid and if you do it enough, actively harmful*.

Like, I can't tell people how to live their lives, but I can tell them to knock it off when they think other people should be doing the same things they are to no benefit.

--

* I have Thoughts on how people use "being informed" as a way to self-harm, because it's socially acceptable to fuck yourself up over the terrible things in the world. All it does is make you feel guilty. And guilt is not activism. It is the furthest thing from it.

[deviant-dveloper]

Hypno.exe in 2023!

Read on: Subscribe Star | Itch.io | Tumblr | GitHub

See all my stuff on AllMyLinks

Like a good time in the night, the new year has come and gone.

I have taken the liberty of getting some rest from focused development through January, so now with the turning of the month I return again to continue working towards a better application for better mind-melting, brain-washing, awareness-annihilating, goodness.

So what does this mean, exactly?

Firstly: Dedicated development time each week, set aside from the standard, full-time work I am engaged in. This will be accompanied by social media posts about the work done that week, available in four flavors: Twitter, Tumblr, Mastodon, and Hive Social (which has nothing to do with the dronification fetish collective of the same name). This way you can keep an eye and/or ear on me and the work I am doing, and can immediately call me out should a week pass without an update of some kind.

Secondly: Hypno.exe itself is getting a major overhaul. While I am not entirely re-writing it from the ground up, I am giving it heavy restructuring as part of upgrading it to Unreal Engine 5.1, so the next release will be slower coming than in the past, but when it does arrive it will have the same amount of features as it currently has, while having a completely reworked UI and better handling of large data like images and audio, as well as the general upgrades to stability, usability, and under-the-hood goodness. Maybe even proper VR support too, if the stars are right.

Thirdly: I will be taking a more proactive approach to both social media and whatever kind of community can be fostered around Hypno.exe; the more who use it and share their experiences, the better for everyone. Interacting with the people who use Hypno.exe in their hypnotic hi-jinks will better help to shape and guide its development as time goes by. Likewise, a healthy community provides avenues for people to request from, and make Programs for, other users.

To these ends, here is how you can help and/or be involved:

You can help by supporting development on Subscribe Star! This will help fund source control and automated build pipelines, which will drastically improve my production process, as well as generally supporting me and the work I am doing. With enough support I could even bring on a real UX designer to make a real UI not designed by me (a programmer). As a supporter you will also get you perks like exclusive discord channel access (more on that below), early builds, direct influence on development, and even priority support.

You can help and keep updated by following me on any social that you prefer, or all, or some. In order of my preference/favoritism: Subscribe Star, Twitter, Tumblr, Itch.io, Mastodon, and Hive Social. The serotonin and dopamine that your encouragement provides is no small thing, so it helps production.

You can get involved by joining the Discord! It is early days yet, but a major part of how Hypno.exe is being built is to have Programs and experiences be easily sharable, be it via .hypno files or exported videos, and Discord is a perfect test-bed for such features. Likewise, a community of other users is a great way to learn how to better make use of Hypno.exe's features, and meet other people interested in hypnosis generally.

Finally, you can keep informed by checking out the GitHub! It may seem boring (and it is) but there you can find information like: known bugs, planned features, how-to documentation, systems diagrams, and possibly more.

I am going to make 2023 be a big year for Hypno.exe, and those of you who are already providing support and encouragement are deeply appreciated, you have made the road to this point far more enjoyable than it might have been, and I look forward to your continued support in the year(s) to come!

[tarabyte3]

I've been in deep denial for a few weeks, but whew boy does summer seasonal depression have me deep in its clutches.

So have some David Robey memes because those always cheer me up a little.

More mental health shit behind the cut

The really frustrating part of depression is being unable to do the things you know you enjoy and will make you feel better. I want to write or paint. Or work on Halloween decor crafts and my home improvement projects, but all I can muster the mental energy to do is sleep and stare at the wall. I also can't go hiking for dopamine because it's been miserably hot (100°+) and humid. And all of my weekends are full of family and social obligations (and with my family—particularly my mother—that's a fun extra layer of stress 🙃 it's giving me pre-anxiety).

Rewatching Andy movies, thinking about the blorbos, and working out with my trainer are basically the only things keeping the last cobweb thin, fragile thread of my sanity intact while I hope life doesn't come at me with a broom.

I feel like those "Hang in there" posters if instead of a kitten grabbing a rope, it's a raccoon trying to get out of a dumpster. And also it's 103° inside the dumpster.

I feel like an ant under god's magnifying glass, and baby it's high noon.

When the first real fall day finally hits, the serotonin rush alone is going have me running a marathon. Or cranking out 20k words of fic. (Pls be that last one, I hate running 🙏)

Don't worry, I will get through this. I know I will. It's just going to suck and I'm going to complain the whole time. ✌️

[classicintp]

Hey Tumblr, you guys typically have great advice for the most inane of personal problems no one otherwise ever has good solutions to, so help me out. What are the best ways to stop songs repeating in your head? I will go weeks and weeks repeating the refrain or chorus of a song I like and it drives me mad.

Suggestions cannot include listening to the song in question (does not work, whether it's listening to the whole song deliberately or repeating it over and over until I get sick of it), nor listening to a different song (I don't want another song stuck in my head either).

It's an ADHD thing. If I'm not particularly restless and assuming I've properly taken my medication I can sit and clear my mind and meditate a little bit and the music will stop, but when I'm trying to work or focus on something, the most recently listened to catchy song will play on repeat and I hate it. Especially when I'm trying to focus on a physical task, it distracts me; it causes forgetfulness to ramp up and I am using enough mental energy on singing the song in my head or outloud that it causes me to make mistakes in the work I'm doing. I definitely have clear periods where I am working and think "No music stuck in my head, great!" and my tasks are practically flawless, but when a song is stuck in my head? Constant mistakes.

I've been told it's understimulation: that my brain is trying to reinforce the stimulation my task is giving by artificially injecting easily-created superficial stimulation. I've been told it's overstimulation: that my brain is trying to relieve the pressure of stimulation by dampening what it receives by forcing itself to play a physically silent, easy to repeat loop. I've been told it's from low dopamine, I've been told it's from high serotonin.. I don't really care why, I just want to be able to acknowledge I've been repeating a catchy song for long enough to upset me and be able to stop as soon as possible and as reliably as I can when it causes problems.