#the behavior alone might resemble the behavior of someone with ocd but it's not a compulsion for me

[lesbeet]

idk if anyone else does this but i love this thing i do that i'm now calling "autistic food math" where i take the childhood trick of eating the vegetables first to get them out of the way to its logical extreme, wherein i calculate the exact order to eat what's on my plate in order to return maximum sensory enjoyment and minimize sensory overload

example: i ordered sushi, which is one of my favorite foods, and i love opening the container and counting up how many i have of each roll so i can make a plan for the order i'll use to alternate them, and i need to take into account what's in each roll and what it's topped with to make sure i don't have too many similar flavors next to each other, or if one is spicier than others it can't go last or the spice will linger too long and it'll hurt, and usually i'll do it in order from least favorite to most favorite (even though i love all of them or i wouldn't have ordered them lmao) so my last bite is always the best one

this power can also be used for evil when i'm in a pattern of disordered eating, but at its best it's like beta testing the meal before i actually eat it sbsjskakssk

[maudsleyhealth]

You Shouldn't Ignore These 11 Eating Disorder Symptoms

What is the definition of an eating disorder?

Eating disorders are more widespread than many people realize. Lady Gaga, Zayn Malik, and Demi Lovato are just a handful of famous people who have struggled with eating disorders.

Recognize the signs and symptoms

Some eating disorder symptoms are obvious: significant weight loss, unwillingness to eat, and long lengths of time spent in the restroom after meals. Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, on the other hand, manifest themselves in subtler ways. 

How do you know if a family member or acquaintance is in danger? Because persons with eating disorders show a wide range of symptoms, there is no guaranteed way of knowing. (Not to mention personal characteristics: Eating disorders, which were historically virtually exclusively connected with adolescent girls, are now seen in younger children and adults as well.) 

These easy-to-overlook symptoms, on the other hand, may help you detect an eating disorder or a disorder in the making, earlier.

Body image issues

According to Cynthia Bulik, PhD, an eating disorders specialist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, negative or obsessive thoughts about body size, a critical element in all eating disorders, can emerge very early in the disease. 

Negative self-talk ("I'm so fat," "I have no self-control") and misinterpreting other people's comments are both warning signals of poor body image. "Comments like 'My, you've filled out well' can be misinterpreted as 'You look big," according to Bulik. 

She goes on to say that young girls' body insecurities might emerge or worsen when they compare themselves to idealized figures like Disney princesses and supermodels.

Excessive exercise

Excessive exercise behaviors, often known as "exercise anorexia," can accompany disordered eating and appear to be on the rise, according to Bulik. It can be difficult to define "excessive" exercise, especially when dealing with athletes or highly active young individuals. (Female athletes had a greater rate of eating disorders than non-athletes, 14 percent against 3 percent, according to a 2013 study of high school students.) 

Here are a couple of red flags: Does the individual become anxious if they miss a day of exercise? Is he or she a gym rat who works out even when wounded or sick? "These are really excellent indicators," Bulik argues, "that things have gone too far."

Fear of eating in front of others

Feeling uncomfortable or self-conscious about eating in public might be linked to body image concerns; for example, a person may believe that others are observing and judging them. 

However, it could simply indicate that eating has become stressful in general. "For someone with an eating disorder, eating can be extremely anxiety-provoking," explains Bulik. "Doing it in public only adds to the magnitude of the task." 

Although not wanting to eat in front of other people is a defining feature of anorexia, it can also be a symptom of other eating disorders. "Even persons with binge eating disorder would eat very little amounts in public and binge when they are alone," adds Bulik.

Fine Body Hair

People who have been starving their bodies for a long time acquire soft, downy body hair that resembles a thin film of fur on their arms and other regions of the body. Lanugo is a physical adaptation to the dangerously low weight and loss of body fat that some persons with anorexia experience. 

According to Bulik, author of The Woman in the Mirror: How to Stop Confusing What You Look Like with Who You Are, "it is a symptom of malnutrition and [an] attempt by the body to keep itself warm."

Preparing extravagant meals for other people

Even though persons with anorexia may avoid food themselves, they are often eager to watch others eat, and will go to great lengths to arrange sumptuous dinners for friends and family. This may be a type of vicarious enjoyment, or eating "through" others. 

The renowned Minnesota Starving Experiment, which took place in the mid-1940s, revealed similar results. Semi-starved volunteers who lost more than 25% of their body weight became fascinated with food and eating. Several of the males became cookbook and recipe collectors, a habit that has also been observed in anorexics.

Dry Skin

Dehydrated skin that is dry and blotchy can indicate chronic anorexia or bulimia. "Regular purging and laxative use might dehydrate you severely," Bulik warns. In persons with eating disorders, dry skin isn't the lone sign of dehydration. 

Dry lips, sunken cheeks, and eyes, as well as severe electrolyte imbalances, are all possible side effects. The formation of calluses on the knuckles is another skin modification that is a telltale indicator of bulimia. 

These lesions are known as Russell's signs (after the psychiatrist who first reported them), and they are created by continuously rubbing the back of the hand against the teeth while vomiting.

Feeling cold

Feeling chilly is more commonly related to anorexia than bulimia or binge eating disorder, as it is a sign of malnutrition and low body fat. People with eating disorders are more likely to complain about being cold or to wear sweaters and other heavy garments even in warm weather. 

Body fat conserves energy and protects the body from the elements. People with too little body fat may struggle to maintain their body temperature, and in some situations, hypothermia may result. 

Cheeks Swollen

According to Bulik, swelling along the jawline is most commonly related to bulimia, although it can also occur with any eating disorder that involves purging. (Some anorexics purge to maintain their weight.) People with bulimia, unlike those with anorexia, are frequently of normal or even above-average weight.) 

The enlarged salivary glands cause puffy cheeks (parotid glands). According to Bulik, edema can occur at any stage of the sickness and is dependent on the person and how often they purge. 

Getting fixated on'safe' food

The hallmark of the condition known as orthorexia is a fixation with foods thought to be "safe" or "healthy." According to Bulik, orthorexia can occasionally be a stepping stone to full-blown anorexia nervosa, even though it is not an official diagnosis. 

Although those with orthorexia focus on food quality while those with anorexia focus on quantity, the two illnesses can sometimes overlap. Anorexics, for example, have an extremely restricted diet and prefer to consume the same items over and over again. "Cutting out things they used to like, or even entire food groups, is one of the early indicators of people developing an eating disorder," Bulik adds.

Rituals in eating

Eating disorders can cause compulsive behaviors similar to those seen in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Food can be sliced into tiny bits or arranged in certain patterns as part of these so-called rituals. 

They're most commonly connected with anorexia (which frequently coexists with OCD), but they can also be an early indication of binge eating disorder. According to Bulik, rituals are "both a tactic not to eat and an element of the obsessionality connected with anorexia nervosa." "When eating disorders first emerge, people often try to make it appear as though they are eating by chopping things up and rearranging food on the plate to hide how little they are eating."

Unusual food combinations

Binge eaters are noted for combining unusual ingredients in recipes like mashed potatoes and Oreo cookies, or potato chips with lemon, pork rinds, Italian dressing, and salt. People who make their own food concoctions are more likely to binge than people who simply overeat, according to a recent study. 

However, this conduct frequently occurs in private and provides yet another source of shame for the individual with the illness. According to the study's authors, guilt and disgust might intensify the illness.

Maudsley Health Eating Disorder Service

At Maudsley Health, what services do they provide?

Maudsley Health an Eating Disorder Treatment Clinic in Abu Dhabi believes in providing gold-standard, evidence-based care, and all of the therapies they provide follow the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2017 recommendations. 

Dr. Victoria Mountford, our Joint Head of Eating Disorder Service, has spent the last 20 years specializing in eating disorder research and treatment in the UK and has been involved in the development of both CBT-ED and MANTRA (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy – Eating Disorder) (Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults). Our experts will discuss with you which treatment will best fit your needs during your assessment.

Family-Based Interventions for Young People with Anorexia Nervosa

They work with the young person and their family to help overcome anorexia utilizing family therapy combined with expert eating disorder knowledge, based on the Maudsley Model Family Therapy – Anorexia Nervosa (FT-AN) created at the Maudsley Hospital in London. They look at how the sickness has affected family life as well as behavioral changes. 

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy – Eating Disorder (CBT-ED)

CBT-ED can be used to treat any form of eating issue. It entails creating a tailored therapy plan that tackles any harmful thinking patterns, emotions, or behaviors that have emerged. It can also help with issues including low self-esteem, perfectionism, and having a negative body image. CBT can also be used to treat ARFID in children, adolescents, and adults.

Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA)

MANTRA is a modularized treatment for anorexia with a workbook to go along with it. It focuses on anorexia and explores sustaining elements such as emotional and relational challenges, problematic thinking habits, and parts of identity. 

What can I do if someone in my family has an eating disorder?

We understand how scary and difficult it can be to have a son, daughter, partner, or another family member with an eating disorder. You may be concerned about what to say or do at home as a result of your eating issue. 

Parents are sometimes concerned that they will be blamed. Families, we believe, do not create eating disorders, but they are critical to rehabilitation. We like to include family members or carers in the therapy process whenever possible (working with you and your loved one to decide how best to do this).

What can I do as a teacher or school counselor?

Because eating disorders usually begin in adolescence, teachers and school counselors may be in a good position to identify and raise concerns. Eating disorders can make it difficult for a youngster to focus and study, as well as participate fully in school or university life. 

They may isolate themselves and avoid mealtimes. People do not recover from eating disorders on their own, according to research, and the sooner they seek help, the sooner they can begin to recover.

Where can I learn more?

Maudsley Health will be delighted to discuss the next steps with you. Please call (+971) 2610 7777 to schedule an appointment to discuss your options.

[the-trans-otter33]

Sanders Sides The Martian AU

Note: I used canon information from the original The Martian characters so jobs, education levels, and other facts could be accurate to the story. It will remain this way just for the sake of accuracy. All original character info can be found on The Martian Wikia and all credit is due to Author Andy Weir, creator of The Martian

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Introduction Post

JULY 7TH, YEAR 2035

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Roles:

Commander: Thomas Sanders

Doctor: Patton McManus

Pilot: [Major] Roman Cone

Computer Specialist: Logan Locke

Navigator: [Dr.] Remus Cone

Botanist: [Dr.] Virgil AsheFord

EVA Specialist: D. Dain Dechard

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Character Info.

April 24th, 1993, 42, Thomas Sanders- Thomas was the first to be chosen for the Ares III mission. He graduated with honors from the US Naval Academy with a Doctorate in oceanography. After the navy, he entered into CalTech's Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences before joining NASA and taking trips to the SpaceX Station. He takes a lot of time to speak at public gatherings and conferences, encouraging others to achieve their dreams as he did and living life to the fullest. Thomas has dedicated his recent months as Commander to making sure his team bonds and remains safe, oftentimes treating them like family or adopted sons. Thomas is NASA’s first openly gay commander and is proud of it and his 22 year long marriage with his husband, Daniel.

Appearance: Thomas Sanders is 5' 10" with a healthy body. He is not lean nor pudgy, being in a somewhat perfect balance in-between. Sanders wears a classic brown undercut with no ability to grow facial hair, much like Patton. His eye color is brown and he enjoys staying in old and new uniforms more than regular clothing.

January 15th, 2001, 34, Patton McManus- The youngest member of the 7 person crew on Ares III, Patton McManus is not someone to be trifled with, especially when it comes to his intelligence. Due to his young age, he finds himself underestimated a lot of the time, and not listened to. It was no surprise to him and his parents though when he got accepted into the Yale School of Medicine, receiving the Norma Bailey Berniker Prize, and his extensive training in Aerospace Medicine as a Captain in the United States Air Force Reserves. He joined NASA in 2029, increasing his training with a Masters Degree in Biomedical Science and was the second person chosen for the Ares III mission. Kind, caring, and generally just a sweetheart, Patton hopes to lighten all spirits on the mission and hopes to bond closely with everyone on board. Dr. McManus hopes that one day his 4-year-old son [from a past relationship] will follow his views on the world and grow up to help people just as his father does.

Appearance: Patton McManus is a soft healthy, 6' teddy bear. Dr. McManus is ginger, his hair always messy with untamed short curls. Freckles spot his face around his nose and under his eyes. He's a bit pudgy around the middle, having close to a dad bod [even though he has no kids]. He cannot grow any facial hair and wears round glasses with thick light blue frames, matching the color of his eyes. Patton tends to wear light-colored polo's and khaki's if he can but jeans work out just fine too. He is also almost always seen with a grey jacket tied around his waist or his neck resting on his shoulders.

June 4th, 1995, 40, Roman Cone- Roman was the third person to join the Ares III Crew, immediately getting along with Commander Sanders and Dr. McManus. Before joining the crew, Roman spent eleven years in the United States Air Force. Originally trained as a fighter pilot, Major Cone worked his way up to the USAF Test Pilot School. Continuing to keep up high marks and great performance he quickly gained respect from his peers and commanders. From a young age, he knew he was destined for NASA so he gained a bachelor of science in astronautical engineering at USAF Academy. At NASA he also became an MDV/MAV Specialist. Witty and outgoing, Roman enjoys taking up all the attention in the room, often doing dramatics to do so.

Appearance: Roman Cone is a sight to see, standing at 5' 9". He is more on the muscular side, though nothing near Dain's level of muscle mass. Major Cone is dirty blond, sporting a magnificent pompadour, never seen without it perfectly done, he has long sideburns that transition from blond to brown the more he grows them out. Roman tries not to let them grow into mutton chops but sometimes finds them there anyway. Surprisingly Roman enjoys sweatpants and baggy shirts more than anything fancy or dramatic. Roman's eyes are light green.

November 3rd, 1998, 36, Logan Locke- Logan graduated at the young age of 16, winning in NASA's largest hackathon a year later. Afterward, Logan moved onto MIT for dual undergraduate degrees in math and computer science. While starting graduate school, Mr. Locke started a private software company in the hopes of becoming a software engineer and CEO. Though his plans changed suddenly when he came into contact with a SpaceX executive who was impressed by his work. His decision to join NASA was later founded when she helped develop software that would later become an integral part of the Hermes operating system. With that knowledge of the Hermes, he wiggled his way into the Ares III crew, being the fourth one to join as the System operator and Reactor Technician. Logan found himself seemingly alone among the crew due to his introverted lifestyle along with his inability to "take a joke" [said by Roman after joke about MIT]. His emotionally repressive behavior got especially worse when Remus joined a few days after, mocking Logan for his OCD. These habits and behaviors seemed to only start getting better after meeting Ares III Botanist Virgil AsheFord, who shared some of these traits. Locke never includes his thoughts though when anyone bring up parents or family back home, no one knows why.

Appearance: Logan Locke is a lanky 5' 8" nerd. Wearing rectangle-shaped glasses with white half frames. Logan has thin cheekbones with a thick chin strap beard connected with a black goatee. His hair is slicked back but not as tightly nor as long as Dain's and without curls in the back. Logan's eyes are dark blue shade, often matching his professional outfits. Mr. Locke often wears button-down shirts or polos with a blue or black tie running below his belly button. he usually tucks his shirts into his pants, which are almost always jeans held up with an always new looking leather belt. he also wears what Roman calls "old man shoes" though he is quite proud of their permanent shininess. Logan actively chooses to not work out, instead, he just makes sure to eat as healthily as he can.

June 5th, 1995, 40, Remus Cone- Remus was the fifth person to be chosen for Ares III. Remus was invited to join the crew through NASA and the European Space Agency after being located in Germany for several years. Holding two master's degrees in chemistry and astrophysics. Remus has also earned a doctorate in chemistry from spending six months on Antarctica. Remus has published dozens of papers in international journals to pass time. Dr. Cone felt the need to assert himself with the family name after his brother Roman upstaged him constantly in college. Remus is fluent in French and German, often using those languages to swear when visiting his brother in the USA. Remus has a knack for being a trouble-maker around almost everyone he meets, making messes mostly on accident due to his childish clumsy nature. Dr. Cone is only found being serious when there's work to be done, the dedication to his job is one of the only things bonding him with the rest of the Ares III crew.

Appearance: Remus us a 5' 10" pure blond man. he is often found wearing unmatched clothing that some would call ugly af [but he likes it that way]. Sporting a low hanging man bun, his hair just might be the most yellow thing at NASA HQ and on the Hermes, but it's completely natural! To go along with his man bun, Remus has a majestically neat handlebar mustache. Remus resembles his older twin brother Roman a lot with his light blue eyes and wide chin. Baring a bigger nose than Roman though. He also cannot grow any other facial hair. Remus isn't as muscled as Roman, being a bit round in the middle but tries his hardest to remain interested in working out. Nowadays his interest is kept by working out with his gym buddy, Dain.

December 19th, 1999, 34, Virgil Asheford- Virgil had spent eleven months already working at NASA when he was chosen for Ares III. Originally attending the University of Chicago, Doctor AsheFord moved to Northwestern University to earn his Ph.D. in Plant Biology and Conservation with an emphasis on hydropedalogy and environmental engineering. When joining NASA, his work focused on hydrologic flow paths and sustainable water resources management within Earth's Critical Zone. Virgil spent the next two years in the peace Corps engineering sustainable agriculture and water irrigation systems for developing nations. Afterward, Virgil applied to the NASA Astronaut Candidate Program and was ultimately selected. Throughout his life Virgil has had a constant battle with his depression and anxiety, growing more introverted over time. His interest in Botany helped him through the battle he has fought so hard to win. Despite over complicating many different thoughts, solutions, and ideas, Virgil often finds the outcome satisfying and without flaw. Emotional repression from before and after his little sister's death made him hesitant to accept his part in Ares III until he met Computer Specialist Logan Locke, who also dealt with emotional repression. The two instantly bonded due to being different from the rest of the team as well as their inexplicable ability to fall into intensely deep existential crises.

Appearance: Virgil is a 5' 6" pale, thin man. He is healthily thin despite eating a lot [his fast metabolism runs in the family]. Virgil's hair was dyed crow-black before being selected for Ares III but is naturally brown in a Faux hawk style. Virgil usually has short stubble lining the bottom half of his face, never letting it grow longer than 1-2.5 millimeters long. Virgil regularly applies eye shadow around his eyes, earning him the nickname Plant Raccoon from Remus. AsheFord can always be seen wearing dark if-not-black clothing, unless in his NASA jumpsuit or his Ares III Mars EVA suit [he hates that it's mainly white and orange]. Virgil also wears many different types of boots, specifically requesting some from NASA for the Ares III trip to Mars. he takes extra time to make sure they are neat, clean, and shiny each morning, something he now does with Logan.

[Deceit] February 3rd, 1996, 39, D. [Dain] Dechard- The last member to join the Ares III crew, yet welcomed with open arms. Dechard often says little white lies to the crew and others around him to rile them up when he's bored and wants some action. He has a severe disliking towards his first name, so he tells people to call him Dain. The crew is always theorizing what his real name is. Dain was first brought into NASA by his father, a Rocket Engineer, and was immediately interesting in becoming an EVA Specialist so he could travel into space for Ares III. Before specializing in EVA, Dain had been a NASA Mathematician with an associate's degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree, and Ph.D. in Mathematics. From the age of 18 to 34, Dain was in College constantly to earn these degrees and never gained any friends because of it. Dain promised before leaving for the Ares III, that he’d keep in contact with his 9-year-old niece.

Appearance: Dain is a 6' 4" lean [ripped] gym rat. He's got slicked back ink-black hair with lines of grey coming in at his temples due to years of work and school. The back of his head is riddled with curls coming from the ends of strands. Sporting a lighter coal-black Van Dyke goatee [and quite proud of it too] he also has scars riddled across the side of his face from chin to forehead. More scars can be found throughout his body in an inconsistent pattern but suspiciously only on the right side of him. Dain's eyes are dark green and he tends to wear joggers and shorts along with skin-tight shirts. While his gym buddy has an ugly sense of fashion, Dain has no fashion sense whatsoever.

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Not-the-boys cast:

The administrator of NASA: Teddy [Theodore] Sanders [No relation to Commander Thomas Sanders]

Director of NASA Media Relations: Annie Montrose

Director of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Bruce Ng

Head of Mars Operations: Venkat Kapoor

Flight Director for Ares III: Mitch Henderson

NASA Analyst/Satellite Coverage: Mindy Park

Physicist: Rich Purnell

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TAG LIST

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Feel free to request to be on the tag list and send asks about something you’re curious about within the story! Your asks will strive to be the main drive for the story!

[ajmuse]

Rekindling A Sisterhood, Heather's Sister, 25-30, ambitious

It's been 15 years since the Stallards took offense to Heather's lifestyle choices and disowned her in hopes that she would come around to their way of thinking and change her behavior. Heather did not, and ended up being a success (in her opinion) and quite happy with the life she made for herself.

But by breaking with her parents, she also broke ties with her sister, who was always like them - ambitious, slightly OCD, organized, prim and proper. I can see Heather's sister making an effort to bridge that gap and try to mend fences - Heather would have done so if she wasn't beaten to it.

Here's some things about the sister:

She went to college and took on a prestigious career, probably something like a doctor, vet, lawyer, etc.

Her name is up to you, but please theme it with a flower! Think: Rose, Daisy, Lily, Jasmine, etc.

She would be at least 3 years younger than Heather, so no older than 30. 25-30 would be a good age range.

The Stallards grew up in Santa Cruz.

Single, married, widowed, divorced, with children... I don't care. It's up to you.

Other than the aforementioned traits - ambitious, organized, prim, proper, slightly OCD - the sister would probably be more cold in terms of affection. She doesn't have to be an ice queen, but she's probably not the lovey-dovey touchy-feely type.

I used an image of Charity Wakefield for the play-by, but feel free to use someone else! Try to select someone that at least somewhat resembles Bethany Joy Lenz, please!

If you don't think it would fit the sister's personality to look up Heather, it's fine that she just... runs into her at some point. I'm pretty open about it.

There might be some anger, hostility and/or resentment between the sisters. Maybe the sister resents Heather for cutting ties and abandoning her to live alone with their parents. Heather would probably not approve of the sort of lifestyle her sister leads (since she's not a fan of consumerism, materialism, etc). It's probably safe to say that the sister will think that Heather has wasted her life thus far. We can iron out the details together.

I am hoping that whoever gets paired with Heather in the wildcard matching will be just the sister's type, and we can discuss the possibility of a love triangle. How it ends will depend on those of us involved!

Reach on group Discord https://discord.gg/7axpMmG