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#and eating disorders and having my own issues- the more I don’t understand the encouragement around it
louisisalarrie · 2 months
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i've been reading your posts about industry topics and the current h & b*n situation (and the az*offs) and i just can't comprehend how someone can sell their voice and values and morals for money? to continue their career? it just seems so money-hungry to me yk? and weak-minded, i don't want to sound rude because i don't know everything about the whole situation but yeah. i get having a dream, wanting to fulfil that dream and once one has it its hard to let go but how can one just turn off one's consciousness, ignore it all? for money, fame, a dream? my biggest dream is to be a model, i got castings and offers but i'd rather not achieve that dream if that means supporting a system that glorifies anorexia, is fatphobic etcetc, i was 17 back then. it was so easy to choose my morals. idk i'm rambling sorry for that, i just had this in my head. also when he does say political stuff etcetc why is he also supporting people like w*nstok az*offs etc? you cant be an ally and concurrently support antis yk... i mean yk ok i'll. stop rambling sorry for my english, not my first language :/
Don’t apologise for rambling, and certainly not your English!!! It’s fantastic, and thank you for sending this in!!
I think the modelling industry has been exposed for its problematic issues to the wider public a lot earlier on than the music industry has. Sure, both industries are very messy, but it’s a lot easier to point out “oh the modelling industry is fatphobic/encourages eating disorders” than “the music industry is corrupt and artists are forced to be closeted and overworked to the point of taking adrenaline shots before shows and barely ever actually seeing any of their own money the whole time” for the general public, because a lot of them just don’t have the awareness of how bad the music industry truly is, unless they’ve done research, been in this fandom (or one similar), or have come across info on social media about it, which is happening more and more these days. The technology to now communicate to massive groups of people and expose people/industries/artists and everything is an excellent tool to encourage change. The modelling industry has certainly seen a shift, and the music industry is slowly moving a bit as well. It’s just… an absolute mess though.
At the end of the day, they were kids who auditioned for a singing show because their mums encouraged them to, and they had no idea what was gonna happen if they did “make it”. Shooting to fame from the X Factor where you already get a huge amount of PR from being on TV, as opposed to working your way up slowly and seeing how it works, and understanding what you want, and choosing labels/managers etc. to work with who you know for a fact aren’t gonna do what Coward did, is just vastly different. I didn’t understand so much about the industry until I was already in it. And those kids were locked in with contracts, groomed, and thrown into the spotlight. And now they’re men. And we know they are good guys. But… it’s not as simple as just dropping everything to stand up for what you believe in, ya know?
I mean, obviously all the great stuff that they love about their job they want to keep, but they’re also tied up to a million contracts. So it’s actually a really long legal process to cut ties with it all without going entirely bankrupt/sued/having your whole career ruined. It’s very yikes but they’re already in the thick of it, and at the top of it. So yeah. Even just speaking up could mean a breach of contract. It is very disappointing he’s not at the very least cut off W*nston though.
Both industries are profiting at the expense of young hopefuls, both industries have produced incredibly inspiring and fantastic people, and both industries have burnt people out to nothing. It’s extremely frustrating to watch.
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lucysweatslove · 11 months
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16 21 55
16. What's the worst decision you've ever made? What's the best decision you've ever made?
The best decision was seeking therapy/counseling with Rob. It allowed us to grow and become better humans who could love each other more fully. Worst decision is a lot harder… I think humans in general typically make the best choices they know how and feel empowered to make. There are reasons behind each choice, and I don’t know how my life would have turned out if I made different ones. Like I’m tempted to say the worst choice I made was in relation to my assault (like initially agreeing, dating the guy to begin with, going over to his house that night, etc), or even before starting to diet (which developed into an eating disorder even before the SA), but like, if I had made a different choice then, how would it have actually changed the course of my life? Would it delay the challenges that were to come, or completely alter my course so maybe I wouldn’t even be where I am today? Who knows. I guess the one choice I would change if I could: in my late teens when I was struggling with the aftermath of the SA and my ED and everything else, I ended up taking a class with my old childhood friend. We reconnected a bit. Then I saw her smoking, she had seemed to change in a direction I was not going, and we fell apart. Reality is I judged the smoking and was too into my own world to see that she was struggling too. She slipped further into her own issues and eventually became an alcoholic and used some hard drugs. I spent years after that hoping for her, checking in on social media, always checking to see if she was still alive, but knowing I had damaged our bond and I was no longer a safe person for her. I’m not in control of her, of course, and her struggles aren’t my responsibility, but if I could change ONE thing, I would go back and be more curious and understanding and encouraging. Even if she ended in the same place, at least she would have had a better opportunity to know how much I love her and wanted to support her.
21. What's the luckiest you've ever been?
I feel pretty lucky to have found my husband at only 17. Not “a husband” but HIM, as he is truly an incredible person.
55. What reminds you of your childhood?
There isn’t anything major, but little things evoke little memories. Certain lighting can remind me of my old basement. A bright spring day reminds me of staring out the window in a spring dress, waiting for my dad to come home for work. George of the Jungle reminds me of my dad sitting on a beanbag chair and my sister and I climbing on the top and jumping off and pretending we could fly. (We made “wings” with paper and at one point actually thought we were able to fly for a second). Mangoes remind me of sitting on the counter eating a mango with my mom, and me thinking it was flamingo (my mom says this never happened, but my memory is vivid). Things like that.
Thanks for the asks!
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vsa-pieldepapel · 2 years
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hi, umm I'd like to thank you for using your brain when it comes to shipping. Most of the time all I see are endless tropes parroted ad verbatim, so someone dissecting a character and being able to identify these issues is foreign and welcome. Hell, as someone who has some of these issues I would like to thank you for putting a name to 'em.
I think tropes can be used effectively, and on certain contexts can feed “surface level enjoyment” perfectly. Sometimes you just need the dopamine injection of characters being cute together. But I really feel you on that getting dull or not satiating enough, or at least needing underlying structure to feed the dopamine. (And im a contrarian to a fault so high five on trying to look more into what lots of people repeat kek)
Interestingly when it came to suselle, I spotted all this shit while playing the whole thing blind without fandom involvement. Tweets from that experience are fucking hilarious, I was doomed from day 1
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fandom being militant about it just killed whatever little enjoyment was left. I don’t think Susie and Noelle have chemistry purely in canon, if I am real, Susie’s reactions to Noelle’s hints and advances struck me as discomfort (dunno why, my brain interpreting social cues or the pictographic body language of the sprites differently? whatever)… i could go on about this so I will bite my tongue to not make another 3000 word essay jesus… in conclusion, I think it can be cool to write relationships that start for shallow reasons and go sour. angst can be engaging too
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ALL THAT STUPID BULLSHIT ASIDE. To get to the meat of it. Im glad it helped you to learn about these concepts. I really recommend Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, my gateway book to this (I got it on pdf on libgen iirc) and reading about narcissistic parenting and complex post traumatic stress disorder in general. Pete Walker is the therapist from those screenshots and all the articles on his website are like getting a veil lifted off your eyes, if you’re interested in it to understand your own struggles better or even just to apply it to fictional characters, fuck it info is info. And I’m glad you find my take on suselle/shipping refreshing!! Encouraging messages like this one really make me feel more at ease when anxiety about peoples reactions eats at my brain, so know this message means a ton to me too and is refreshing in itself. Have a nice day
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this-is-me19 · 1 year
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I think I’m having a bad mental health day and here is my second post.
Trigger warning: discussion of health, mental health, and problems.
We tell ourselves we have to learn to communicate better but no one tells us how to do that. Like wtf is active listening? What does it mean to be reflective? How do you show someone that you see them, you hear them, and you're witnessing them?
Why does talking makes things worse before it makes things better?
I literally have no idea what I feel without it being a strong or an intense emotion. I have been told by therapists that this is a known problem if adhd.
I am encouraged to check in with myself multiple times a day and figure out why I am feeling the way I am. What triggered it and to sit with it.
This does not help communication or relationships.
This does not help discussions or arguments where I need to know this before hand.
It’s humiliating to tell your significant other that you don’t know why you feel you do/reacting that way other then just reacting/defensiveness, so you have to sit there in silence in your head trying to figure out wtf is going on in your head and how your actions and thoughts got you to this emotional or intense discussion.
REFLECTIVE
The point is get in line with them. Don’t need to understand the problem, just need for them to fee heard, seen, and witnessed.
Don’t problem solve!
ACTIVE LISTENING
Working on understanding what this is.
I think it is a form of comprehension. I think it’s how you hear them and say what they say but in your own words (or sounds like you anyway) so they see that you understood them.
Is this a different thing? Shit.
ME
I’m a 90s kid.
I met my husband at 18.
I’ve been married since 2007. We have two kids—the eldest is adhd and stupidly intelligent and the youngest is autistic and pretty sure also adhd and stupidly intelligent as well as an outdoorsy child (very much me as a kid, imo).
I have ADHD—diagnoses since kindergarten apparently but never knew until I was an adult; am clinically Depressed (that started out as undiagnosed postpartum depression despite only eating one meal a day because I felt no hunger ever (had a cesarean too), lost 25 lbs, and still breastfed my first child at the time which ruined my teeth); and have Anxiety that I finally got someone to see years later how it is actually General Anxiety Disorder but thanks to my second episode of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (that I am more likely to get because of my genetic Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) I’m beginning to think maybe it’s a dysfunctional vagus nerve too, which can lead or show as all the anxiety issues I have in addition to the trauma I have experienced (I am not listing the traumas I have).
Relationships are hard.
Being human is hard.
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themexicansrule · 3 years
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i really love it when people who haven’t seen me in a long time just flat out say “you honestly look really good these days”
#1:16#📽#🥲#thxs#i just hate myself#and covid helped me hate myself a lot easier and work gave me a lot of pointers ... which is terrible but I’m just despressed so I take#and take and take and take.... but why do people think .... it’s .... nice to compliment weight loss? the more I work with my kids#and eating disorders and having my own issues- the more I don’t understand the encouragement around it#please don’t comment on my body ... don’t take notice on how I used to look or how I do now ... don’t remind me of my flesh and bones#because that’s all I’m aware of and then that’s ALL I’m aware of if you even so much as say — hey you look different _#I look different because I am different because I’ve tormented myself for god knows how long and I’m trying to be good but shit like that#makes me not what to~ especially from work .... and just to keep ranting because I feel especially whiny ~ my kids are truly suffering#I want to cry for them each night because each week I feel like I’ve let them down but just... my kids keep trying to literally die#one was baker acted and one ran into the streets last week#another one -pretended- to wrap a toy around her throat and i full on cried in front of all of them because#I can’t take it... i know what it’s like to want to kill your self but fuck... being in the flip side fucking sucks and it feels so helpless#I want them to know that they have me and the people around them there but especially me but then I think— you’re not a therapist#how are you supposed to help them but honestly my therapist did help me and all I wanted was someone to listen#so I hope I can be someone that listens#because I really really want them to make it
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gloryofluv · 3 years
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How the First Four Brothers react to MC with ADHD
Due to my ADHD and knowing the severity of the highs and lows, here’s my take on the boys reacting to such a situation. First Four. Hope you like it.
Here’s the last three brothers and bonus additives!
Lucifer-
Would have found out through Diavolo but didn’t think much of it. His brothers were already ridiculous, it was going to be difficult to deal with a human let alone an idiot human. Cue the grumbling complaints prior to your arrival.
However, after meeting you and realizing you actually did seem to be less of a nitwit, he pays more attention. Fidgeting. Social anxiety that isn’t read in your face but body language. Variation of sleep and forgetfulness, but always so willing to keep trying harder to impress.
Well, that’s a delightful difference. Maybe he needed to understand this a bit better. He sits you down casually and finds a subtle way into the conversation. Maybe mentioning you seem quite talkative at times and tired at others.
Explaining it to him is easy, even if he doesn’t react. He may not fully understand your view, but he can sense it is a topic that makes you uncomfortable. Presses very little. No, instead, this demon will ask Barbatos for information. Probably in a way that might seem insulting. “The human seems to be lacking in a curricular front and I need information on their issue.”
Takes extra care once finding out specific issues and how to alleviate them. Maybe through suggestions. Asking Beelzebub if he’d seen the human eat today. Asking Satan to assist the human in their studies. Pulling every fucking string imaginable to make your life easier in the Devildom. After all, this has to be successful.
Your smile and less socially awkwardness helps too. He enjoys it and soon praise is a regular routine from him with little harsh critique at your failings. Watching you flourish summons feelings in his chest he hadn’t had in eons. He just wants to keep nurturing you… from a distance. Well, he’ll try from a distance.
Mammon-
ADHD boy himself. He hears about it from Satan and snorts it off. Fuck that. Stupid irregular human.
However, after meeting you, this baby boy is hooked. You talk fast when you’re happy, you randomly collect things that don’t make sense to others? Oh, you like to do impulsive shit too? Sign him up. Although it’s always gonna be his idea, no human could ever affect his decisions!
Soon you’re praising him. Patting him on the head when he helps you. Genuinely, you’re the nicest mess he’s ever met. Never bullying him. Always being supportive even if he fucks up. What the fuck? Did he just meet the love of his life? He could kiss you, but you know, you're human!
You never say no to his antics, but definitely don’t let him have everything he wants either. It’s so frustrating and sexy. No way, not sexy. Nope. Just annoying and he loves the way you have a list of things you ask yourself to remember before walking out the door.
You forgot your bag!? Hold on, he’ll get it. He does that a lot too. You forgot your water bottle? Not to worry puny human, the Great Mammon will get you one. You need help cleaning your room for a surprise inspection by Lucifer? Shit, let’s throw everything under the bed and forget it! None of it will matter anyway. That’s tomorrow’s problem.
What gets him the most. THE MOST. Is your sad moods. He gets them too. Instead of being a false ego and vocal, he’ll just crawl on the bed with you and listen to you talk. Cue puppy dog eyes and blushes. He will tell you stories of all the times he fucked up to make you feel less in your feels. Laugh with him and not at him, and he’s a goner.
All in all, he doesn’t get the specifics, but he understands YOU. He may gripe and moan, but this sweet boy will be your best friend, (Maybe more, ya know, if you want?)  through the best and worst times. Just don’t tell him you don’t love him. Rejection like that would crush him as much as it does you.
Leviathan-
Oh geez. Another idiot normie with problems? Don’t sign him up to help.
Finds out you like video games because you get nervous around people and can hyper focus on them if they’re good? Welcome to becoming his best friend! He will encourage you to find  ones you like from his vast collection. He will explain the details of their importance and potentially wreck you in competitive ones.
Totally relates to having a poor sleep schedule. Stays up all night with you on insomnia riddled ones with a fresh anime. Even if you’re not an okatu like him, he will explain the plot and offer his snacks.
Wants you to never leave his room. Don’t join the normies!!! They judge! Stay with the shut-in and have fun, p-please? 
Realizes he probably has several of your problems after you physically stim by twirling your hair or sweater string for hours. Realizes it more when he has to remind you to drink because humans are weak.
Loves. Your. Praise. Won’t praise you back at first until your intimacy level is higher. However, he will always offer to buy you cool things that you couldn’t afford with your impulse buy list on Akuzon. Welcome to Levi’s ultra tight friend circle.
Doesn’t care an iota about your disorder, just knows you understand him and wants to keep you all to himself. Lucifer warned (threatened???) him several times not to hold the human hostage with snacks and video games as bait.
Satan-
ADHD. Ah, a human disorder. Immediately gets all the reading material he can find. Finds out that this is going to be an interesting experiment. Even more intrigued and doesn’t show it, but prepares for all the possible scenarios of how this could go in the Devildom.
When he meets you, he’s standoffish, but not unkind. He knows enough now to know it’s not personal that you don’t want to talk because of anxiety, even with demons. Takes mental notes of everything you do in the first couple of weeks. Sleep schedule, eating habits, hygiene. All the routines that make him your own personal stalker.
When he finally approaches you, it’s when you're huddled in the library at the bay window with the curtain surrounding you. He kindly asks you what you're doing and you say it’s to make you feel less overwhelmed. You have a project due and it’s your first one.
He offers help and a less loud place to do it so you both aren’t interrupted. That’s when he finally gets you alone to talk. While you're doing the project he mentions he’s been brushing up on ADHD. He also asks if he can continue to help you study if you want a companion, knowing it’s more difficult to focus alone.
He is the equivalent of your own personal trainer in a sense. He offers many avenues on how to handle the Devildom and even offers to tap into his contacts if you need anything. Starts to think of you as a cat. No shit. Pats your head when you do well. Makes sure you’re eating, reading, and overall happy.
You still can’t tell if he’s doing it because he’s continuing this odd research or because he wants to. However, even with his masked smile and standoffish nature, you still wheedle into his heart. He could never get angry at someone who just tries SO HARD to impress him. 
Absolutely appreciates that you join him on pranks that have to do with Lucifer. That’s the only impulse he feeds. Well, that and you curling up with him and a book until you are snoozing against him. Yes, he strokes your hair like a cat and smiles.
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dilfbane · 3 years
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It Gets Better(A Silky Pearl)
Summary: It’s been a long time since things have gotten this bad. Loki, returned from his latest mission, lets you know that, with help and support, you can overcome the worst of things, and makes sure you know that he’ll be there with you to get you through it, each and every day. 
Pairing: Loki/Female Reader
Warnings: Reader in this fic struggles with eating disorders. Thoughts and feelings related to these(specifically to anorexia and bulimia), are made throughout the fic, especially those that, in my personal experience, people with these disorders experience. I cannot stress enough that this will be discussed/referenced/talked about, sometimes explicitly(Though not graphically) and sometimes implicitly, so please be aware of that and know that it’s OK to take care of yourself and skip this one if that would be triggering to you! 
Word Count: 3.1k
A/N: I want to preface this by saying that there are a LOT of people, both here and on AO3, who have made some amazing Loki/reader oneshots where the reader is struggling with mental health and/or physical health issues, that really provide a sense of warmth and fluff and support to people who may be going through those things themselves, and I’ve taken a lot of comfort in those fics over the course of the pandemic(I’ll be shouting out a couple of them in the tags!). I want to acknowledge that these exist, and that they’re awesome and have partly inspired my own writing, before talking about this little project I’m embarking on. 
Because, while I have gotten a lot of comfort out of many of those pieces of writing, there are definitely some things which I feel like aren’t talked about as much in pieces like these which I have gone through, and which a lot of other people have gone/are going through, and…. I figured that maybe I could take a crack at trying to provide that hit of fluff for people dealing with those things, if I can, and hopefully use my own experience with them to do it in as respecful and accurate a way as possible. 
All that being said, the first oneshot in this little project is going to be dealing with a pretty heavy subject, that being eating disorders. The reader in this fic does struggle with eating disorders - specifically anorexia and bulimia. I will not be actively describing anything too graphic about these disorders in this fic, except to highlight through implication and some sparse details that this is what’s happening here, as well as show some of the inner thought processes of the reader, but there definitely is enough in here to show that that’s what’s going on, so if anyone would be triggered by that, please take care of yourselves and give this one a pass! Also, I will further disclaim that there are many types of eating disorders, and everyone’s experience with them is different. In this oneshot, I wrote based off what I know to have been true during the time in my life when I struggled with the same conditions, and I really tried to make the fluff and support as kind and encouraging as I possibly could. If for ANY REASON there’s something that I did badly at, or something that’s disrespectful, anyone reading this may feel more than free to let me know and I’ll do my best to fix it! I don’t want this fic to be a place where anyone feels hurt or disrespected, that isn’t my intention at all, and if I make a mistake in that regard for any reason whatsoever, I would really appreciate knowing so that I can correct it!
Anyways, after that extremely lengthy A/N, just… please know, if you’re going through something like this, that you’re not alone, that help does exist and is out there, and that you are seen and heard. And take this Loki fluff, because honestly, there can never be too much of that in the world! 
You know that he worries about you. Even before his latest, three-week mission, you know that he worried about you. In the mornings, as you pour your coffee, you watch him watch you with careful nonchalance, gaze boring into the back of your head, slight furrow creasing his eyebrows, frown pulling small at his lips. He dresses early, because he wakes early; it is a battle, most mornings, for you to get out of bed. And so what, if you take your coffee with more creamer than is necessarily normal - it has to last you a long time, this coffee. You need the sugar of it, to get you to that clean pain. It is sharper, more real, than any scalpel, any knife that Loki keeps concealed by his armor; all that fine Asgardian leather, green and supple and him. It gives you back the control that you lack. Lets you be the person that you would be. 
It’s not that you’re afraid of your body, but you are ashamed by it; cannot fathom, even now with his gaze on you, that Loki could love somebody so dreadfully overweight. 
Today, though - Today, you had thought, you had hoped, that it might be different. You don’t know why you have that hope, but it brims up in you; a physical need, a visible yearning, for you to be enough for once. Someone that Loki can stand to look at. Someone that Loki can love. He is looking at you now like he’s seeing you for the first time, and you flinch from the frown that creases his piercing gaze, unable to bear how it roves up the planes of your body; silhoutted in the light coming in through the window, you can feel each ounce of fat that stretches over your sinew, cartilage. (You know that Loki hates your body - He traces it sometimes like he’s probing you, trying to find where your bones are. You wish that you could call him on it, and know that you never could). 
You stand at the counter, and turn from him; rummage in the cabinet for your coffee mug with shaking fingers; you almost feel like they’re rubber. Blue and cold, like his Jotun skin, but you know that it isn’t enough. Pins and needles prick at them - you can almost convince yourself that it’s only your guilt and shame, but you cannot hide from the pain suffusing Loki’s voice when he speaks. 
“Darling,” He says, on a shaky breath, “We need to talk about this.” 
“I know -” You tell him - you know that you can’t run from this, anymore. He knows how you look, how nothing you do is fixing it. And now, he’s going to leave you. “I know, Loki - I tried, Loki, I’m so sorry -“ 
The agony that wells up in you threatens to overwhelm your ability to speak, and you feel your knees buckle the second before you fall. Your kneecaps slam against the cupboard underneath the sink, your head hitting the edge of the counter as you slide down hard to the floor. It hurts. But every part of your body hurts, these days. It’s as constant as your worthlessness. And something else, too - 
He is there, on the floor with you, in less time than it takes place to blink, pulling you hard and desperate into his arms; you don’t understand why, and you try to wrench yourself from him, sobs bubbling up and spilling out from your tightly shut eyes. You can feel the bruises starting to form on you, a lump throbbing at your temple. 
“Love,” He is saying, “Y/N, sweetheart, come back to me. Come back to me, darling, please.” He is stroking your hair; you feel his fingers at its strands, thin and brittle. God, you think, how pathetic you are - you can’t even keep yourself pretty for him, for this god and all the sacrifices that he’s made. You cry harder, unable to stop your own wailing. When you finally do, you’re exhausted - it takes everything out of you. 
“Loki,” You say, on a wretched whine, “I’m so cold.” 
“Hush,” He says, “You’re alright. You’ll be warm soon - We’ll sort it, darling, I promise.” 
You don’t know how to tell him that it isn’t something you can sort, but somehow you know, deep in your heart, that Loki understands. Still, his voice is so sweet, and the shudders that wrack you begin to halt in the steady hold of his embrace; the tender brush of his fingers over your skin. You feel like you can look at him, now, so you do it, sucking your bottom lip into your teeth to steel yourself for the cruel things you’re certain he’ll start with. But Loki’s gaze isn’t angry at you, not full of fury or disgust. They sparkle with unshed tears and concern, emerald in the daylight. It takes you a moment too long to realize all that pain, all that worry, is for you; when you do, though, you flinch away. Feel Loki’s fingers drop from your hairline to your cheek, then your chin, tilting your head up so that you can’t run and hide. 
“I’m losing you, love,” Loki says. His voice is low, and steeped in sorrow. It is his turn to look down, with guilt and shame, and you feel a pang blossom, raw and red, in your heart. He sighs, and straightens his shoulders. He is filled with some new resolution, some new determination you can’t wince away from. 
“I need to know,” Loki tells you, “How long this has been going on. I need to - I need you to tell me why, love. I can’t bear to see you like this.” 
“I can’t,” You say, blinking back a fresh torrent of tears, “Tell you why. It’s not - I can’t - I don’t know.” 
But you know, and Loki does, too. It’s the god of lies, holding you - of course he can tell that you’re lying. It is something other, and runs deep, this bone-y reluctance. A complex game of mental gymnastics. How could you ever tell Loki about the control that it gives you, the desperation with which you used all your calorie-counting and aching restraint to regain the love that you lost? The nights bent over toilet bowls; the way that, sometimes, you empty stomach made you dig your nails hard into your palms ’til they bled, to stop yourself from crying out at the pain. And he loves you - the part of you that craves his affection, that yearns to burrow fast and fierce into Loki’s embrace and spill all your secrets to him, makes sure to remind you of that.
“Y/N,” Says Loki, soft and tender, yet infused with a note so harsh that you would wince, if you could. “You can tell me anything. You need to.” 
You notice things, now, in the face of his determination. You notice that Loki is looking at you like he’s in physical pain, and that there’s something sticky and red on the pads of the fingers that brushed up against your head. 
“I’m bleeding,” You say. It comes out soft, horrified. 
The frown that creases Loki’s face would bring you to your knees, if you weren’t there already. 
“It’s just - a thing that I do,” You tell him, too ashamed to look at his face as you reveal it. “You don’t have to worry about it.” 
“That’s not enough for me, love.” 
Loki’s lips are pursed tight, and the wound in his eyes has hardened to steel. The you part of your body - the fleeing part, the one who knows how to survive - seizes its’ chance and you duck out of his embrace, with far more strength than you had possessed in what felt like, potentially, years. Scrambles, backwards, like a cornered animal, over the tile floor, before heaving itself up to standing. It faces Loki, and its’ breath comes in stabbing-sharp. It is hard to remember that you have to call it ‘myself’. You feel older than you were, yesterday, and you cannot, quite, get air to come into your lungs. That’s not enough for me, you hear your lover say, ringing in your ears like a hyena’s howl. 
You’re not enough for me, love. Your fingers spasm, clutching the sides of the kitchen table white-knuckled. You wonder, fleetingly, what Loki would do if you died. The thought makes you cry out in pain, a whimper ripping out from a throat rubbed fingernail-raw, but Loki does not move to stand. 
“Come back to me,” He tells you, spiked with sorrow and need. And, perhaps for the first time, you admit it - to yourself, as much as to him. 
“I don’t - I don’t think I know how.” 
He smiles the smiole of someone who’s seen his own pain, faced his own lashing demons, and you pause to take him in fully, this god who says that he loves you, the man he is trying to be. You catch on hixs eyes, those bright emerald coins, his hair like the feathers of crows. His high, pale cheekbones, and his silver-tongue cut like glass. The pads of his fingertips, slender and cold, tender and fierce on your skin or the hilt of a dagger. You breathe in the smell of him, parchment and iron; peppermint tea and the smoke from a lorn, crimson fire. Wet leaves, after a rain. You feel your resolve start to waver. 
“Well,” He says, all thoughtful, all trickster, “Sitting down, I believe, would be a good place to begin.” 
The teasing lilt of his voice - an act that he is putting on, and all for you, always for you - cajoles you, coaxing you to lever your elbows and slide back down onto the floor, your weary legs feeling unimaginably grateful. Loki shoots you a new smile now, light and proud. He beckons you, with a cock of his head and a slim, fond gesture, to him - Of a sudden, the tiles beneath you seem like a desert, an ocean. You feel the weight of your emptiness. It laughs at you, its’ white teeth filed and barred. In your head, your failure is heavy; a hot and cackling creature with seven-foot claws pressing down on your chest, restricting your matchstick limbs. You are lost to the unyielding insistence of it, trapped in the maw of its cage, and Loki’s words, when they come, sound as far away as the shores of a country ancient and foreign. 
“I was hardly gone,” He is saying, but you cannot answer him. “How could it have gotten this bad?” 
It is that - that sadness, that fear in your lover - that breaks you, and you take the thing at a clumsy, terror-steeped sprint, not caring how wretched you look, so long as you can reach him - So long, you finally let yourself think, as there is something left of you for Loki to hold in his arms. Your body hurts worse than anything. You feel every scrape and bruise and chill on it; the pins and knives working at oxygen-starved nerves, and the gnawing clamp of your hunger, a brand pressing into your gut; and you know that Loki can’t save you. But maybe, just maybe, you can find some way to save yourself. And his fingers are there, going up to your hair, thumb rubbing at a hollow cheek and catching the salty dirge of an errant tear. 
“It gets better, you know,” Loki tells you. He gets you onto his lap; you feel his heartbeat under your palms where you clutch tightly at his shirt to hold yourself up. A steady, thrumming proof that he is alive. And when he says it, you get the sense that, somehow, you’ve always know it, this whispered secret he’s weaving into your soul. “If you get proper help for it. If you want it to.” 
He speaks casually, but there is a weight to his words. Miraculously - you’re not quite so sure how - you find yourself able to meet them. 
“I want it to,” You tell him. “I didn’t, before - “ And here his eyes widen, and he shakes his head like you’ve shot him - “But I do. I want to -“ 
“Alright, love,” He tells you, running a soothing hand down over your side, past the hard planes of your collarbone, “Alright. It’s okay. You’re such a strong person- It’s going to be hard, for awhile, but I know that you can get through this. I’ll be right here with you, darling. Right here, by your side.” 
“You will?” You ask him, voice cracking, hardly daring to hope that despite all this, he would stay. He chuckles, sadly, as if your thinking it hurts him, and he is deadly serious when he tells you,
“Y/N, of course I will.” 
Somehow, though he’s the god of lies, you don’t doubt his words for an instant. You nod, and the nodding takes effort. Yet you are certain he understands what you mean. 
“So,” Says Loki, “Can you - Tell me about this?” 
You have to think, for a minute. Can you tell Loki about this? You know that he’s telling the truth, that he isn’t going to leave you. Still, you’ve never been this vulnerable with him before, not even in bed, and the fear in you won’t be put to rest so easily. You shake in his hold, and realize, with a frigid shock, how you must look to him - how badly you are hurting him, and how badly you’re hurting yourself, by keeping your feelings inside yourself and leaving your body to rot. You know, now, that Loki will  help you through this - that he will be there, kind touches skirting the bad days; warm, mischevious smirks smoothing the wrinkles of your persistent self-doubts. There was a time when you needed to do this - there will, probably, still be days when you feel like you need to do this, to get a firm hold over your life, and keep the jackals at bay. There are other words to keep yourself safe, though. Loki’s breath in the dark is more home to you than anything you’ve ever had, and his open waiting, here in the daylight, makes you brave enough to speak. 
“Maybe… Over lunch?” You offer. You bite your lip and hold out the query, a silky pearl in your hand. For one moment, Loki seems to consider; after all, he is the trickster, and a man not given to acting rashly, or stripping the drama from his complicated schemes. If this is a scheme, you think that you might forgive him - Later, when his lips are on your frame, when you’re there with him, again. His lips twitch into a grin so affectionate and proud that you know- you know - that if you seek proper care and really want to get better, you’ll get through the days that feel like walking on broken glass. You’ve done so much for me, that grin tells you. Let me do this for you.
He reaches out, and takes the pearl. You hardly recognize the man who rained hell down on New York, who snorts and jabs with sarcasm at every word that comes out of Iron Man’s mouth. 
“Breakfast?” He counters, shooting a pointed glance at the microwave clock. It is a dare and a promise - a challenge, but never a trick. It tastes like honey on your tongue. 
“Fine,” You say, “But you’ll have to cook.” Some kind of joy is creeping its way into you. Your voice, you find, barely trembles. 
“Midgardians,” Lok says, with an eye-roll - a friendly, loving glint in his eyes that refuses to fade. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who burns water.” The joke prods your tender, new understanding, reassures you that he is still Loki; that he isn’t going to treat you differently, like a child, just because you’re suffering. The smile comes full onto you, and you wriggle, stretching your arms over your head and yawning, exaggerated for effect to add to the banter. 
“I never said that I couldn’t cook,” You tell Loki, “Just wanted you to do it.” 
“Mm,” He says, “And what will you be doing, then, while I cook?” 
You chew at your lip, and choose to answer before your nerves make you panic. 
“Finding the right words,” You admit, laying the truth bare to him. 
His hands are wending through your hair now, and his lips are unberarably gentle on yours. He tastes like embers and ink. That sweet, slightly metalic tang that you’ve come to associate with his magic; cinnamon, tinged with steel. He kisses you for a second or two, before pulling away,  but you could live in those seconds - Unfold it, like a blanket, and let the care of it warm your thin, freezing bones, if Loki weren’t here to show you that, with the right help, you can learn how to do it yourself. 
“Finding the right words,” Loki muses, vaulting himself up to stand in a movement that’s unfairly graceful. “I’d much prefer yours, to be honest.” 
He holds a hand out, and you take it, letting him pull you up. The floor, underneath you, feels solid. The sun is coming through the clouds, and out there in the wide world you can hear bird-song, the low, sugared sway of the breeze. There is something else there, too: 
You let it wrap its tendrils around you, and you decide that it’s hope. 
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tsunderedoctor · 3 years
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Best Bae’s to go to when Dealing with Anxiety or Depression
Sabo
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The literal king at using his words and knowing which ones will help you the best! Will tell you how much you mean to him and how amazing he thinks you are.
One of the more understanding ones as well; he to has his moments where he has negative thoughts and he knows they can eat away at you. 
Will hold you close to him and lay his chin on your head as he rubs your back. Will not judge you if you cry; actually encourages it as it helps release the stress. 
Won’t force you to talk about it and knows you will when you feel comfortable and ready to. If you decide to, he will listen adamantly and wait until you finish your thoughts before helping you find solutions to your issues (”Perhaps we should try finding facts to these beliefs before we decide they are true.”).
If you only want to rant however just let the boy know and he will just hold you for a while longer and let you two enjoy the peace together.
10/10 would recommend a therapy session with Dr. Sabo! 
Nico Robin
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She has this calming way about her that just makes it easy to let her know how you are feeling. Besides, she already knew something was troubling you due to the look in your eyes. Rather than ask about it, she knew you would come at your own time if you wanted to talk about it.
Would put the book she was reading down and usher for you to sit with her at the small table she was relaxing at. Depending on the type of comfort you prefer, you can either sit next to her on the lounge chair or place your head in her lap while she plays with your hair.
Won’t even question it and she knows you would do the same for her! Feels this is the special moments that make relationships worth it; before meeting you she didn’t have anyone else to talk to about her own feelings, so she is happy she can do the same in return (”I’m glad you find comfort in my presence, it makes me happy we can be closer.”).
Once you are feeling better she will ask if you want to talk about it and if you want her advice. Won’t put her two cents in unless it is something that involves your well-being. She knows you’re a smart person, but she also knows how emotions can control even the most logical of people.
Another 10/10 Queen!
“Red Haired” Shanks
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Okay so hear me out! He’s actually a good listener when he puts his mind to it! We saw how he cared for Luffy when he was upset and I think he would care the same amount for his s/o!
Will listen intently on what is bothering you and already thinking on what he can do to help or fix your thought process. Is the one to add his two cents however, especially if it’s how you view yourself (”Are you saying I have bad taste?”). 
Will get a bit offended not gonna lie if you downgrade yourself because he sees you as someone who is perfect so now you are doubting his own thoughts. Doesn’t raise his voice or tries to argue however, rather he leaves it at that and just holds you. He knows that this thought will fade and until it does he will take care of you.
This also means he doesn’t find self-deprecating jokes as funny. He will show is annoyance if you make a joke about your flaws/things you want to change (”You have to accept who you are, let others see the person I see.”).
I say 9/10 just because he will make sure before you two separate that you don’t have those negative thoughts in your head.
Vinsmoke Reiju
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Another great listener and even though she might not look like she cares; on the inside she completely understands what you are going through!
Has really good observational skills so she has already been checking on you secretly throughout the day. She knows that for some people it’s hard to express their emotions and knows how difficult it can be to show that vulnerability. But she also wants to make sure you are at least physically safe during your mental depletion. 
Is extremely patient and will not show her worries upfront. However, this can backfire if her s/o won’t speak out on their own regard as well. I can see her finally deciding to speak up if it has lasted a few days.
Will be completely open about her concerns and your wellbeing (”You’ve been down the past few days and haven’t been eating, I’m worried you are going through something you feel you have to face alone.”).
She’s stubborn due to being the only girl in her family so don’t think you can get out of it, you will tell you the truth.
9/10 because sometimes she can give the impression she doesn’t care, but she really does!
Trafalgar D. Water Law
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He is a doctor after all, so he knows that health comes in both physical and mental capacities. 
Gives great advice (even though he doesn’t follow it himself-). He’s already a good listener too due to his doctor skills; however his doctor behavior kicks in and now he wants to treat you rather than help you.
Wants to know everything! What were you doing before these thoughts occurred, what triggered it, do you have any coping skills you can use? It can get a bit overwhelming, but he only means well! 
You’ll have to tell him he is overwhelming you cause now he is in the doctor zone and doesn’t even realize what he is saying. Literally trying to diagnose you. (”You could have major depressive disorder, tell me again how long have these depressing thoughts been bothering you?”)
Sighs when he realizes he is causing you more stress than help. Isn’t sure what to do about the situation now and pats your head softly (”Just don’t be so hard on yourself, it will be fine, okay?”).
8/10 cause boy can’t separate boyfriend from doctor-
Tashigi 
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Despite her stubborn nature; Tashigi can be very caring! She feels she owes it to her s/o to be able to listen to their concerns as sometimes she puts them in stressful situations due to her job.
However she is absentminded and sometimes says the first thing that comes to mind (which can be viewed as offensive, even when she didn’t mean it to be-). This could lead you to feeling worse and she is quick to take notice, quickly apologizing and asking what’s wrong/how can she help.
Has this look on her face as she listens to you vent; almost as if she can envision what is upsetting you. Once you finish, she tries to think her words over so she doesn’t make the same mistake twice. 
If she can’t find a solution to your problems she will suggest you two work together to find someone who can (”Let’s go ask Commander Smoker!”).
8/10 because sometimes she makes the situation worse, but can find her way out of it and be helpful!
Runner Ups:
Marco: 7/10
Vivi: 7/10
Ace: 6/10
Nami: 6/10
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cptsdstudyblr · 3 years
Text
how i gradually fixed my relationship with food
TW: disordered eating, food, neglect, child abuse
Background:
I've always said that "I don't have an eating disorder, but I struggle with disordered eating." I don't know if that's medically accurate, but it feels like a good descriptor for my relationship with food. I grew up in an environment where I only ever had access to fast food, and I often went without food or didn't get nearly enough. I grew up in an environment where both of my parents exhibited severely disordered eating habits (and still do). I graduated from high school with no understanding of healthy eating habits or essentially no cooking skills. Now, I'm 21, and while my relationship with food is far from perfect, I am no longer underweight, I almost never restrict my food intake or binge, and I have a fairly balanced and tasty diet (while also allowing myself to enjoy eating what I want, even if it is junk food).
Step 1: Realize that your relationship with food is bad.
It took me a long time to acknowledge that the way I interacted with food as a child severely impacted my relationship with food. I had always assumed that once I was away from home, my eating habits would fix themselves. It took a lot for me to admit that I needed to really evaluate my relationship with food and put effort into fixing it.
It's hard to get to that point. For some people, they have a moment that makes it really clear for them. But for others, it's a gradual process. For me, it took literally moving to another continent and totally changing my diet to really get me fully to that point. Before that, I did acknowledge that my relationship with food had some issues, but I really didn't understand the extent of it.
Step 2: Figure out what needs to be fixed.
So now, you're aware that there is a problem with your relationship with food. But what do you actually need to fix about it? Are you eating too little? Too much? Too irregularly? An unbalanced diet? What's the problem (or problems) you're trying to solve?
This is a super personal thing to figure out. Personally, I regularly missed meals (often unintentionally), binged when I first bought food, and lived off of really repetitive foods that I really did not enjoy eating. I decided to approach my issues from what I saw as most severe to least severe: first, I needed to eat 3 full meals every day; then, I needed to stop binging; and lastly, I needed to implement a more balanced died.
Step 3: Eat every meal.
To help myself stop skipping meals, I first evaluated what caused me to skip meals. A lot of the time, it was the fact that food was not immediately or readily available to me. As a child, since I was fed almost exclusively fast food (and often just didn't eat), I struggled to actually prepare a meal and often didn't find the effort worthwhile. I especially struggled with this when I lived in a dorm and would literally have to walk 10+ minutes and wait in an unnecessarily long line for every meal.
To fix this, I made sure I always had very simple, readily available food in my house. Things like instant mac and cheese, instant ramen, premade tuna salad, sandwich makings, pasta, cereal, etc. I was so resistant to this approach at first as it felt unhealthy to me, but I had to remind myself consistently that no matter the circumstances it is more important to eat enough food than to eat the healthiest food out there. I was significantly underweight, and it was starting to really affect my life (especially by exacerbating my chronic illness symptoms), so I desperately needed to resolve this issue regardless of the perceived health of my meals.
To be honest, this process was the most difficult part of recovery for me. When combining my poor eating habits with my collapsing mental and physical health at the time, even microwaving mac and cheese was often too much for me to handle. And that's okay. Struggling is okay. It took me over a year just to get to the point where I could say that I consistently ate 3 full meals a day.
Step 4: Allow yourself to eat what you want when you want.
This is the approach I took to address my binging habits. It may sound counterintuitive, but it worked really well for me. Essentially, by explicitly not restricting my access to any foods (yes, even really unhealthy ones), I slowly broke down the fear that was causing me to binge on food.
For me, this fear stemmed from a lack of access to food as a child. When I first bought food, especially snacks, I felt the need to eat as much as I could on that day. And I made myself feel so bad about that. I told myself that I was a horrible person for eating so many Oreos I would make myself sick. And that's just not true. My eating habits don't reflect anything about me as a person.
Once I gave myself permission to eat as much as I wanted without feeling any shame, I started to binge less and less over the next few months. I started to get past the barriers and fear that I had about those foods and learn to eat them in moderation when I want them. I am an adult, I buy my own groceries, and I can make sure that I always have access to any food I want. So now, I rarely feel the need to binge because I am no longer as afraid and I no longer feel ashamed.
Step 5: Learn to cook and have a more balanced diet.
Once I got to a point where the amounts I ate in a day were more appropriate and keep me healthy, I was able to focus on what types of foods I eat. Now, I am by no means a health nut, but I do try to eat a relatively balanced diet and make foods I enjoy.
The first step I took towards this was to move away from instant or prepackaged foods. To this day, I always keep a stock of instant foods like ramen because I do still struggle sometimes, especially on bad mental or physical health days. I'm also sometimes busy and need something quick. However, I tried to move away from prepackaged foods to cooking relatively easy foods. I started making simple things like egg/tuna/chicken salad sandwiches, rice dishes, pastas and raviolis, premade dumplings, various types of eggs, sausage, etc.
While I ultimately wanted to move from instant foods to cooking my own meals, I felt the need to take it slow. I didn't feel ready to jump to cooking things from scratch, so I made sure to step up my difficulty levels slowly. Recently, I've started cooking about half of my meals from scratch, but I definitely didn't jump straight to that. And still, I usually make several servings at once and eat leftovers. I also still generally make simpler meals for most of my lunches and eat homemade foods for dinner most nights and for me, that is totally satisfactory. I'm able to make meals that fit my diet and tastes.
I also found that evaluating what foods I wanted to eat really helped me approach this. On the rare occasions when my parents did cook food, they usually cooked what amounted to a slab of poorly seasoned meat and a spoonful of cooked vegetables. It took me a long time (and moving to another continent) to fully realize that cooking for myself didn't mean just eating a chicken breast and green beans three times a week. After living in Seoul (which has a huge variety of restaurants from all over the world, not just Korean food) for six months and asking my roommates and friends to teach me their favorite recipes, I really started to understand what types of foods I like to eat. Now, I cook primarily Cajun foods and various Asian and Middle Eastern foods because that's the type of food I generally prefer to eat and cook. I'd really encourage everyone who is frustrated by cooking or eating to explore different cuisines and figure out what you like the best. Cooking and eating are both much more rewarding when you enjoy the food.
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ziracona · 3 years
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Hello! I have always believed that Michael needed better doctors and good treatment. He was simply billed as "Evil". Sometimes I think that at that time they were unaware or ignorant of mental illness, and that is why Michael did not recover. I wish it had been treated better. I would like to know your opinion about it ;v;
Oh, absolutely. Michael is a very tragic character, and what happened to him was almost entirely Loomis’ fault, secondarily the system and his parents’, and like onyl 0.8% his own. It’s true that mental health aid has historically been really bad in most places, and even today treatment and acceptance—even in specifically medical settings—tend to be abysmal. Of course people knew less than they do now about how psychological stuff works, but bias, cruelty, and superstition as well as a system that enables and even to degrees outright encourages that is to blame for the awful treatment people woth mental illnesses and personality disorders faced and continue to face, not just a lack of knowledge, and the history is really heavy and awful to look over. : ( It’s horrific some of the things doctors have done and do to people just trying to get help.
Like, in Michael’s case, we’ve had a name and understanding of psychosis since the 1800s. Canonically, by the time the poor kid was six years old, he was hearing voices telling him to do bad things to people. He told his parents, seeking help, and they did nothing to help him—just told him it was his imagination—despite knowing hos grandfather had suffered the same symptoms. If they had only taken him seriously and given him therapy and possibly medication too, Judith never would have died. (I am not goong to say it every time, but all this information is official canon) Michael’s reason for killing his family members is wanting the vocies talking to him to be quiet, because it’s agonizing. If you’ve ever had intrusive thoughts (stuff like “pull into oncoming traffic” or “break that and see what happens” and such that don’t actually compell or force you to do it at all, and are always things you as a person deeply do not want to do, but nevertheless are really annoying or distressing to hear in your head), imagine that cranked up to 1000, endless and constant, but from voices that seem to come from around you instead of in your head. Especially as a young child, with no understanding what is happening to you, this would be incredibly scary and distressing—doubly so when dismissed by your parents, whose sole job is supposed to be to love and protect you.
The voices say they’ll be quiet if Michael kills Judith, so Halloween night, he does. Important to note here Michael is recently six years old at the time, which developmental psych literally is not old enough to have a complete understanding what death itself is, let alone complex morality. You /cannot/ be evil at six, you simply don’t have a complex enough understanding of right and wrong or of consequence to /be/ evil. Also at this age, usually kids see death as a vague concept, but one that applies to people they don’t know only, not to them and their loved ones. In Halloween 1978, immediately after stabbing Judith, Michael looks away while he keeps doing it, and his breathing speeds up in a scared way. He barely looks at the body, and immediately goes down stairs to wait for his parents—probably for them to fix it—and does nothing to flee or hide what he’s done. He looks traumatized when they take his mask off. (Lots of little notes here like that Judith when she sees him seems annoyed but not very, and when he attacks her, tries to shield herself and call to him to stop, rather than fleeing or fighting back, which [appealing instead of fight or flight] is pretty exclusively something you only would use if attcked by someone you are on good terms with—I mean, Michael is six—if Judith had /tried/ to fight back, no way she would have died—so there’s less than nothing to indicate they had anything but a loving familial sibling relationship. But if I list all these I’m gonna launch into my six page Michael Myers meta so I will speed through the rest.)
Anyway! Sorry, I have many feelings. About...everything. Including Michael for sure. So, immediately after killing Judith, Michael stops talking. He also shows other psychosis and trauma readily recognized side effects, like catatonia, slowed movement. In Halloween 1978c Dr. Loomis claims he tried to treat Michael for eight years, then spent another seven trying to keep him locked up because he realized he was evil. This is a /blatant/ lie, as in film canon Loomis, by Michael’s review hearing I believe four months in? Six or less for sure, I believe it is four. Loomis has /already/ become convinced Michael is a demon in human form, faking his symptoms, and itching to kill again. The other doctors think Loomis is crazy, as does the other doctor who examines Michael, but they’re awful people so they let him stay Michael’s doctor anyway, even though they refuse to move him to Litchfield maximum security. By this time only a few months in, Loomis is canonically also threatening the six year old in his care and constantly telling him he is an evil being who wants to get out and terrorize again. (Also, I will die enraged the sentance Michael gets for killing Judith is to remain locked in solitary in a sanitorium for /15/ years, until he turns 21, at which point he will be tried as an adult for murder??? The fuck?? You CANNOT charge a 6 year old’s crime in adult court! ‘Tried as an adult’ is meant for like, when a 17 year old dismembers their family and eats them! It’s for particularly heinous crimes, committed by someone /very/ close to being legally an adult, and that /only/. The idea of waiting fifteen years to try someone as an adult for something done at age six is laughable and sick).
Okay this is already long, I get carried away rip. Uhhh, anyway, yeah. In Smith’s Grove, Michael is visited by mom and Laurie once, then never sees any of his family again, because his dad hates him and forbids the others—finds out because Laurie is four and talks that they went /one/ time, and physically beats four year old Laurie for mentioning his name until she trauma blocks out ever having had a brother. From then on, Michael spends /fifteen/ years and all the dest of his developmental stages of childhood in a sanitorium with Dr. Loomis—a man who on wild religious superstition grounds assumes by his own admission /on sight/ that Michael is evil, and no other human contact. According to canon, Michael spends at least four hours of /every/ day with Loomis, his /only/ human contact, who threatens him, promises to stop him, and endlessly barrages him with “You’re evil, you’re not human, you want to kill again, I /will/ stop you,” and nothing else. He also canonically keeps Michael overdosed on a type of antipsychotic that, while a fine drug if used normally, if overdosed can deeply worsen symptoms, and can cause permanent brain damage.
Honestly, if a six year old is exposed yo major trauma, none of their issues are explained, legitimized, or believed, and almost all of their developmental stage is spent with endless voices they don’t know the cause of suggesting murder and violence, one human being and authority figure telling them over and over and over for fifteen years with no other constant in their life or human contact period that they are a demon in human form who wants to kill and is /going/ to do so again...? How else was that story ever going to end? I’ve said it before, but that’s beyond conditioning; it’s lab growing a human child to one day walk out and murder Laurie Strode with a large kitchen knife.
I stand by Halloween is a greek tragedy more than a slasher, and Michael and Laurie are both victims. He’s the Asterios, she’s the Ariadne. Loomis the Minos, the real villain. (Or the Poseidon choose your poison).
Anyway, I 100% agree! If he had just gotten help from his parents, Judith would have never died. If he’d had good doctors, none of the events of 1978 would have come to pass, or anything after it. Loomis single-handedly causes the deaths in 1978 himself through years of cruelty, and bigoted bias towards a small child in his care who needed his help, not his abuse, but he chose to break as much as he possibly could despite his responsibilities as a doctor, an adult, and a human.
If you’re interested, I did a canon-deep-dive character study short story on Michael on AO3! Halloween is such a sad story but it’s fascinating. God, poor Michael and Laurie deserved so much better than they got. It’s a testament to Michael’s character that even after 15 years of Dr. Loomis, he really only kills his intented target(s) in search of quiet from the voices, and anyone who sees him/would be a threat, and not other people. Makes no attempt to kill any of the kids in Halloween 2018, and only kills Bob when he literally opens the door to his hiding spot and Michael is found and Bob becomes a threat to him. In H20, after Michael has had 20 years on his own, you get arguably the least brutal Michael, who intentionally passes on killing the mother and child, and the security guard he walks right past, because they don’t see him and thus he doesn’t /have/ to. Halloween II is less intentionally avoiding, but even then he still does the same multiple times too, like with the old lady making a sandwich, or the scene in the incubator room. Anyway he desevered better fuck Loomis all my homies hate Loomis.
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blackberry-gingham · 3 years
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This is a bit personal but how about beatle x reader headcannons/imagines of how the boys would react to their reader feeling self conscious about their body
No problem at all! So, I've seen this trope done quite a bit on other headcannon type pages for other fandoms, and since body insecurity is something very serious to me that I myself use to (and still do) deal with, I wanted to try and take this a little deeper then "you're sad, they tell you you're beautiful, the end", so I'm sorry if these get a touch angsty, but I promise everything works out ❤️
Also, I'm so sorry this took so long dear! These are somewhere between headcannons and my usual imagines, so I hope they're alright enough to make up for the wait! And remember, you're amazing and wonderful, just the way you are ❤️❤️❤️
George
Personally, I feel like George is sort of ?? forgotten ??? Of all the boys
By that I mean, like even non Beatle fans know Paul and John, and they might know Ringo just bc that name stands out, but George???
I mean, ik back before I was a fan I could never remember who "the fourth one" was
So anyway, even tho he's kind of in the background compared to the other three, that doesn't mean he's not sensitive to how the others are treated/feeling
At the end of the day I think he'd be his usual self and a good, sympathetic ear to insecurity issues
When he finds out, it's kind of an overtime process
He's use to bringing you snacks and take a little break like that with you, especially after a long day of recording or practice
But lately, you've been... Strange about it
Either straight up turning him down, or picking at the food and not really touching anything
He asks what's wrong, as gently as he can, seeing as he honestly already suspects the answer
You and George have been together for a while now, and he's always been easy to talk to, and understanding if you don't feel like sharing, so you feel that you can be honest
"I'm just... Trying to watch my figure, you know?"
He just kind of looks at you, confused at first
"Why?"
His face is hard to read, and yet still manages to turn to a completely different, very serious, emotion
"Has someone said something to you?"
You now have his full attention as he puts aside his guitar
You assure him that no, it's just a personal thing
"Oh", he nods
"Yeah", you nod
You're not sure how this makes you feel. Perhaps you're glad it's over, but you can't help but feel... Shunned?
But before you can ruminate too much, George brushes off his lap as though he's about to stand
Instead he sits back and looks at you
"Come here"
His voice is serious, but not quite stern
Invitingly, he becons you over and nods towards his lap
You look from his face to his long, thin legs
At first you decline, brushing it off almost as a joke
You look to your own legs
He can't be serious?
He asks you again, "Come on, I want to show you something"
At this point your curiosity is peaked
You get up and approach cautiously, as though he might run away
When the moment of truth arrives, you slowly, s l o w l y, begin to sit
Tired of waiting, George hooks his hands under your knees and pulls you forward
You fall onto his lap with a little thud and you figure this is it, expecting him to shove you off
Instead, when nothing happens, you dare to peak your scrunched up eyes open and see his smile waiting for you
He leans in for a gentle kiss, all the while his hands are resting on your thighs
His legs are like iron, not uncomfortable to sit on, quite the opposite actually, but strong in a way you hadn't expected
When the kiss is broken, he slides his palms up and out until they're resting on your hips
His callused fingers tickle a little, even through the fabric of your clothes
"So um, what were you going t-?"
He shushes and you, and picks up your hand in his
George brings the heel of your palm a mere inch away from his lips
He pauses just for a moment, making direct eye contact with you, before turning back to his work
He presses a trail of kisses along the inside of your arm, to the crook of your elbow, and up your bicep
You shiver, tensing as he goes up
But he doesn't recoil, or hesitate, or do anything of the sort
He gives equal love and attention to every inch of your flesh as he goes, only stopping at your shoulder to make sure you're still alright
As though giving permission, you bite your lip and give a subtle nod, curious to see what happens next
George releases your arm, now dedicating both hands to massaging your hips with all the thumb dexterity of a skilled guitarist
Next he moves along your shoulders, dropping down just a moment to give some attention to the bump of your collar bone
When he's done there, he lingers on your neck, gently kissing and sucking up and down before settling in one spot
After a moment, he starts humming a familiar tune against your skin
"Do you this song?", His voice is just a whisper
"Hm?"
"It's one of the first songs we wrote together"
George pulls back again to look at your face...
"As much as I love you for what's out here"
...Then presses one more kiss to your lips
"I love you even more for what's in here"
He kisses your forehead
Finally he pulls back one more time, and the way he looks at you is as though all the love in the world is inside those eyes
"Never forget that. Promise me"
You seal your promise with a kiss
John
Ok so I think we all know John struggled with an eating disorder(s)
So he knows the whole nine yards of what it's like being "overweight", "underweight", somewhere in between, and still never being good enough for everyone else
I mean John is basically infamous for having been body shamed and criticized out of all the boys, particularly in the early years
So all this to say, he knows how awful it feels
To wake up in the morning, try to get dressed, and take forever to choose an outfit because you hate how everything looks on you
To look in the mirror and be unable to stand your own reflection
To think once, twice, and yes, even thrice before enjoying your favorite little snack, or even just a regular meal
He wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy
And when he finds out that you, the most lovely person in the world, feel that way...
Oh, his heart breaks
All the boys would take this quite seriously of course, but John simply has a certain... understanding that the others don't
He finds out one night on a dinner date with you
You've picked at everything all night, hardly a bite
This is starting to form a pattern, and rest assured, he has been noticing
At the end of the meal, he asks if everything was alright in a way that references much more then the food
"Oh yes, fine", you force that same smile you always give when he asks that question
He waits until you're both in the comfort of your flat to breach the topic
You see, John is a man of many faces
The first layer is prickly and aggressive, the second is a mischievous joker, the third a sweet, but anxious individual
And under all those masks, the real John, is the most compassionate and loving man you've ever met
So when he does ask you what's really going on, he's very serious and very gentle
He wants you to know that you're safe to tell him anything and that he wants to help with whatever is so very clearly bothering you
It's tough to get it out, but John is patient and encouraging all the while and you manage it
You're surprised to hear that he suspected as much
John tries to go a little deeper, asking of there's anything particular that makes you feel this way or if it's just a constant thing
Regardless of your answer, he offers you what advice he can, from both personal experience and what he learned from his therapy sessions
John's not too great at comforting speeches, but he'll be damned if he doesn't do everything he can to make sure you know just how much he loves you
He loves you for your heart, and how patient and kind you are with not just him, but everyone
He loves you for your mind, and how you too can have deep conversations about topics that are important to you both
And perhaps most of all, he loves you for your personality and how you can poke a bit of fun, just like he does, and you aren't afraid to put him in his place when he's being an arse
"Is there anything I can do for you love?"
You smile, feeling just a bit better after his speech
"How's about a cuddle?"
John grins cheekily, "Now you're talking!"
He half tackles you from his seat beside you, turning your seated position into a reclining one
You can't help but laugh playfully as he easily picks you up in a bear hug and slips under you so you can rest on top of him
He presses a kiss to your cheek
"How's that?"
You smirk back
"It's a start"
John gasps in mock disbelief at your remark
You just wrap your arms around his shoulders, snuggling against him
"Well then, I guess I'll just have to keep it up"
At that, he nuzzles the side of your face, glad to see you finally feeling relaxed
John give you one more squeeze in his strong arms, holding you close
You two spend the rest of the evening cuddled up and cozy until you fall asleep in each other's arms
Paul
Now it's no secret Paul has always been the "pretty one" of the Beatles
I mean heck, even in the freaking cartoon he has the least goofy and caricature esque face of all the boys
But personally I would imagine that he's felt a certain pressure from time to time to keep up his looks!
It would be quite draining for everyone to have this flawless image of you and then expect you to live up to it 24/7, so in that regard he understands struggling with feeling less then perfect
And certainly with feeling subpar when others just expect far too much!
The night it comes out, the two of you have plans to attend a soiree of sorts
Music, lights, dancing, champaign, the hosts are pulling all the stops and it'll be absolutely a black tie affair
You've got a very fancy dress for the occasion that you got as a gift from Paul some time ago, it's all sparkly, exquisite, and your favorite color to boot
And it... "fits"
As in, you can zip it up and move and breathe comfortably in it, but it just....
Paul finds you standing in front of the full length mirror, mascara beginning to run quietly down your face as you tug and smooth and pull the dress in varying places
He's honestly a bit panicked and confused at first. After all, he does hate to see you upset, let alone cry
"is something wrong love? Do you not like that one? There's plenty of time to change!"
"it's nothing! Just an eyelash"
You try to laugh it off and hope that he'll just leave you alone
You see, Paul has been talking about this shindig for weeks in advance
It's hosted by a good friend, many more of which will be in attendance tonight
Not to mention he hardly ever gets to do something nice away from the press, so you're trying very hard not to ruin things for him
Paul walks over to you, concern written all over his face
"No really, what's wrong?"
You try to wave him off, but he takes you gently by the shoulders and looks you square in the eye
He looks around your beautiful eyes, searching, and it almost feels as though he can read your mind
At last he says "You don't want to go?"
With that, you just can't manage to hold a brave face any longer and the tears come rolling down
Without another word, Paul guides you to a seat on the bed and returns swiftly with some tissues
He dries your eyes as best he can and thumbs a soothing circle on your hand, giving you space to tell him what's on your mind
When you've had the chance to situate yourself, you tell him that you don't mind the party it's just that the way you feel in that dress, in fact, in all your dresses is just...
Paul nods understandingly as you trail off, and the two of you sit in silence for a moment
You're concerned you've upset him and ask as much
"What? No, of course not love!"
"But I know how much you want to g-"
Paul shushes you and brings a hand up to stroke your cheek
"I don't care about some stupid party, nothing matters more to me then you. I mean that"
He tilts his head and smiles at you
"Tell you what? We'll just skip it and have some fun right here!"
For a moment you're afraid he's doesn't mean it, but there's a childlike gleam in his eyes and grin on his face that tells you he not only means it, but is excited at the prospect
You're still a little doubtful that you haven't made him upset, but Paul reassures you until you're able to take him at his word
Absolutely relieved, you agree and wipe away your last few tears
"Good. Now let's get this off you, eh?"
Paul helps you take out your jewelry as well as undoing the far too complicated latches, ribbon, and zipper on the back of the dress
His delicate fingers slide up and down the length of your neck and back reverently as he works, planting gentle kisses to the nape of your neck every so often
With the hardest part over, and ever the gentleman, he gives you space to slip it off and put on something more comfortable
When next you see him, he's putting on a sweet and slow record, something like what you would've probably heard tonight
He's removed his suit jacket, tie, and shoes and when he turns to see you in your adorable PJs he smiles at you like you're the belle of the ball
"Ahem, may I have this dance?"
He bows low and offers you his hand, peaking up at you for just a moment to shoot you a playful grin
You laugh at his silly antics and give in happily to the charade
Paul leads you in a steady waltz around and around the room, the two of you stealing kisses and suppressing laughter all the while
When the record comes to an end, you both collapse on the couch and catch your breath
By now, you're fully confident you've had more fun just now then you would've all night had you gone
After a minutes rest, Paul hops up from his seat
"Just a minute, I forgot something... Wait right here!"
He darts off around the bend and when next you see him, he's carrying two flutes of champagne
Paul takes a seat beside you again and hands you yours
"I was saving this for when we got back, thought we could leave early and enjoy the rest of the evening alone"
You smile, touched by the thoughtfulness and still riding the high of the previous activities
Finally, you propose a toast
"To my amazing, lovely boyfriend"
Paul smiles at you with adoration. You mean so much more to him then a mere toast could describe
"To my love, the most gorgeous dance partner in the world"
Ringo
Idk if this is/was a thing, or if it's just something I've noticed, but Ringo seems to be the butt of the joke, particularly in regards to his appearance, a lot
Like he's the "short" one and he's got that nose
I only ever see him take it like a champ and all in good fun, and laid back as he is, it doesn't seem to hold him back but I'm sure he'd understand feeling insecure about ones body/looks
But for you to be insecure???
He just??????
When Ringo finds out, he's honestly the most bewildered of all
He finds you sat against the wall, hunched up and crying, half clothed, and a mess of clothing strewn around you
Usually whenever something's bothering you, you know you can bring it to him.
He's always there for you, after all
So to see you like this, he's absolutely terrified that something truly awful has happened
In that moment, thanks to his roaring adrenaline, he goes from rock star to olympic sprinter and dashes to your side so quickly it's as though he teleported
"What's wrong love, what's wrong?"
He holds your face up to look at him and quickly checks over you to make sure you're not injured or sick in some way
When he sees the pain in your eyes, he's nearly crying too
He wants so desperately to help you, and take all your troubles and worries away this very moment.
Even if it meant he had to shoulder the suffering for you, he'd do it in a heartbeat, no doubt
You feel rather embarrassed to be caught like this, and even worse still to see your boyfriend so upset on your behalf
This takes you back to square one, crying and nonverbal for a bit longer
Luckily, Ringo catches on that him getting upset is only going to make you more upset, so he settles himself and holds you until you're ready
When you are ready, you manage to choke out your insecurity, trusting him as you always do
And when he hears you're insecure about your body, or even your looks in general, he is just....
Ringo.exe has stopped working
Mind, it not that he doesn't understand your feelings!!
It's just that you are so completely and absolutely beautiful and kind and so much more to him, that he simply cannot fathom the idea of holding the opinion of you as any less
"is it the clothes? Because forget the damn clothes" He takes a handful and throws them up and away, like confetti
"I'll buy you a whole new closet if you like! W-would you like that?"
He smiles hopefully at you, as though you truly would like that, and it'll solve all your problems
You simply shake your head
And, after moment, Ringo starts to understand
He sits with you silently for a moment, the gravity of your feelings is so important to him that he's not sure plain old him has something good enough to say
But he knows he wants to say something
So, he meditates on it for a moment, and decides he can only tell you the truth
"Well... you know that I love you, yeah? Sometimes I wonder how a guy like me got so lucky to be with a right angel like you.... And so do the lads"
He laughs that deep, silly laugh you love so much
"Why, I think you're the loveliest girl in all of England er uh, no, all the world!"
That earns a little smile from you
You're about to respond when you catch a shiver
You're only down to your undergarments after all, and it's a bit drafty
Ringo notices and before any mention can be made, he sets to work at removing his sweater, eager to make sure you're cared for
It seems to be putting up a bit of a fight, but he manages to come out on top
"Er uh, will this be ok? I know you're fed up with clothes right now, but I don't want you to freeze neither"
He's genuinely concerned about your feelings in the subject, even as he holds the garment out to you
Buuuut... It's cozy and oversized on you, plus it smells comfortingly of him, so you take it
"Hey, that looks better on you then it does me!"
He laughs again, the state of him made a bit more comical by his now frizzed up mop top
You point the issue out to him, grinning yourself, and he shakes it out like a dog
Which, of course, only makes it ten times worse
For the first time that day, you laugh, and it's the most beautiful sound Ringo's ever heard
Feeling a bit better now, Ringo helps you stand and offers you some tea downstairs
You take a few steps, and then stop feeling the draft give rise to some goose bumps all up your legs
"Maybe I should get some pants..."
At the mere suggestion, Ringo looks at you like he has a bright idea and immediately goes to undo his belt
You burst out laughing, and stop him
He's confused at first, but when he realizes his own absurdity in his effort to be helpful, he can't help but laugh a little too
In the end, you come to the conclusion that a blanket and a cuddle on the couch will do nicely instead... Which is exactly what you do
Ringo spends the rest of the day keeping you entertained, warm, and covered in kisses
92 notes · View notes
twisted-trunk · 3 years
Text
What we need from you
[This is subject to change/be edited.]
Your vague understanding; your I-can’t-empathize-with-your-condition-but-I-respect-your-needs/accommodations; your this-is-different-than-how-I-was-raised/told growing up-but-I-accept-and-love-you-as-you-are; your that-need/accomodation-doesn’t-align-with-my-unprofessional-knowledge-but-I’ll-respect-it
Have some pain-wise decorum. If someone is in a lot of pain and wants that fact acknowledged, fine, go ahead, that’s ok. But what’s not okay is for that person to continuously complain about their pain when they are knowingly around others who are also in a lot of pain, and continue to whine. Especially, if they’re asking those others to do a number of things for them.
We get it, Shannon, arthritis sucks and it’s a horrible thing to have to deal with, but please, please, just shut up already.
Don’t get irritated with us. Not doing something we said “we’re working on” does not translate to us being lazy. We’re trying. We really are. We just can’t. And I promise you that it irritates us a hell of a lot more than you. And we’re beating ourselves up over it.
“Everyone’s a little ___.” NO. People get nervous and fidget and have pain. That’s normal. That’s not disordered or a chronic illness. Again, stubbed toe to shattered leg. Ex: “everyone’s a little OCD.”
If you say something that to you is unimportant or no big deal but someone comes and says that it bothered or triggered them in some way, don’t try to defend it by saying that ‘’well, it doesn’t mean anything.” We get it. We understand that you didn’t mean it that way. However, that does not mean you can disrespect us by continuing to say the thing or saying how we shouldn’t feel whatever way to it. Just, stop it. Don’t disregard our reaction to it.
Don’t tell us what we can and can’t do, or should and shouldn’t do based upon your lack of understanding of a condition. Ex: “oh, don’t park there, you can walk!” Or, “if you were really autistic, you’d fidget more.”
Do not debate someone’s diagnoses with them. If you’re trynna flex whatever knowledge you have, do it somewhere else where it doesn’t involve belittling someone’s very real health condition.
If you do have experience in whatever field the condition pertains to and think something may be amiss, speak to them; tell them you’re concerned and it doesn’t match what you know and encourage them to get a second opinion kindly.
“You don’t look it.” —> No.
“Oh, you have this problem? [insert issue] Well, welcome to the real world.”
Shut.... UP KEN! How bloody self righteous and elevated does a person have to be to completely dismiss another’s experience and insert their own which they know the other person both hasn’t experienced or is able to have gone through just to feel better about themselves? If anything, that person is the immature one in this situation. Grow up. Respect other people’s experiences. There’s no special brownie points for you having gone through a foreclosure, and the other person having crippling anxiety to the point that they broke down even hearing about a lease.
Don’t shame people for doing things. Ex: “oh, look who finally came out of her den,” or “look who finally decided to join us for dinner,” or “look whose awake.” Don’t shame them for doing positive things; it shuts them down for doing either.
“Just don’t be ___.” —> No.
“Just relax.” —> No.
Do not raise “what if’s” with people who are anxious to begin with.
You’re not owed an explanation. For example, you’re out with someone and they do something strange; something you wouldn’t consider “normal.” Maybe it makes you uncomfortable. Maybe it just confuses you. That’s ok! You can ask them POLITELY about it. Maybe the person is comfortable and willing to explain to you. Maybe they’re not. Both is ok! If they’re willing to explain, be kind and don’t make a face. It’s probably a tick or a stim of some kind that they HAVE NO CONTROL OF. If they’re not, that’s ok! Don’t press them or alienate them for their tick or stim, they probably have no control over it. Later on, you could even educate yourself! And if you meet up with that person again and they do that same thing, they’re probably going to be more self conscious of it than usual, and if you say “hey, I know that’s what you do, I did some research myself and educated myself, and I understand that while I don’t necessarily know your diagnosis —or claim to diagnose you—I know that’s not something you can control and that’s ok.” It would make a world of difference to them.
It is not a compliment when others like us are insulted. Ex “Your stims aren’t as distracting/annoying/obnoxious as Jonathon’s, I’d never go anywhere with them!”
If someone is taking the time to inform you about something especially able-istic behavior or behavior they, for whatever reason, can’t tolerate or that triggers them, don’t see it as a personal attack! That not only puts the focus of the issue on you and paints you as a victim but also undermines the issue and communicates to the person that you’re set in your ways and there’s no use in trying to talk to you about anything whatsoever.
Ex: “it really upsets me when you keep saying that phrase.”
“I never said that! Don’t you know I love you?! Come on now, you’re smart.”
“No one will love you until you love yourself.” —> No!
Explanation =/= excuse. Stop it.
Don’t food shame anyone! Maybe that pasta is the only thing they eat all day. Maybe they’re having severe cravings that won’t go away (which can be contributed to a number of things).
Depression =/= weak or weak minded. It’s a literal illness.
“All women go through that/ that’s just part of being a woman [or afab/female type body].” No. That’s not only belittling and dismissing their issues but also sending them the message that they’re wrong which is not ok—especially if you’re a healthcare worker.
NONE of these conditions mean lesser intelligence.
My friends, if you have anything to add, don’t hesitate to message me as always!
12/20
To those suffering: I see you; I support you; I love you.
~Rosa ❤️
12 notes · View notes
therapy101 · 4 years
Note
(1/2) With a rise in young children expressing gender nonconformity being sent to gender clinics, being taught about gender dysphoria and being ‘born in the wrong body’ in schools, being guided towards pubertal blockers and medical transition, I was wondering if I could ask for your more knowledgeable input please. When treating such children and adolescents, why is the underlying assumption that the dysphoric feelings are valid and the body is what needs fixing? Why is APA/psychologists
(”2/2) allowing medical decisions to be made based on outdated mind-body dualism? We don’t affirm anorexia and offer liposuction, or the delusions of schizophrenia for instance, so why is this the only mind-body incongruence that’s treated this way? Does GD in a developing child really warrant medicalizing them for the rest of their lives? Since we’ve scientifically concluded gender is a spectrum, shouldn’t we instead be promoting gender diversity no matter what sexed body we’re born in?”
There are a lot of things to unpack and understand here. 
1. The underlying assumption is not that “the body needs fixing.” Medical transition is not the first step for children, adolescents, or adults with gender dysphoria. From 2004-2016, only 92 total children and adolescents out of six million total patients younger than 19 seen in the sample received a hormone blocker for a transgender-related diagnosis. Even among adults, current estimates for the United States are that between 25-35% of trans and non-binary adults complete any kind of gender affirming surgery (this means, even enough those who have surgery, it may only be one type of surgery and may not impact all relevant body parts). Getting access to trans-affirming medical care is very difficult, and structural inequalities like racism impact access to care, leading some trans people, especially Black trans women, to have to buy hormones from non-medical sources. That’s one of the reasons why the APA has come out to support trans folks and gender affirming care: because otherwise, these folks don’t get any care, or they get mistreated. The point here is to ensure that everyone gets equitable access to high quality medical and mental health care. That includes hormones, hormone blockers, and/or surgery for some people, but not everyone. 
2. All feelings are valid- dysphoric or otherwise. Sometimes feelings don’t fit the facts, or acting upon them doesn’t make sense, but that doesn’t take away from their validity. The question is not whether the feelings are valid for kids with gender dysphoria, the question is how to understand that dysphoria better and how to identify what to do about it, both in terms of gender identity and in terms of coping, support and improving overall mental health. This is a great place for a therapist with expertise to step in and help the child and their family figure it out. 
Sometimes the child or adolescent has known literally or essentially their whole life, and that may mean no dysphoria (which is great!). From Katz-Wise et al., 2017: 
For some youth, primarily but not exclusively those ages 7–12 years, indication of transgender identification occurred early and was described as “immediate.” One father of an 18-year-old trans boy from the Northeast noted, “It was so immediate that it was just, you know, it wasn’t like he was seven and he said, ‘Oh my god he thinks of himself as a boy.’ It was just kinda always like that with him.”
For other youth, it is a more gradual process, and may take some time to sort out. Some youth also don’t have dysphoria while they are doing that so there may not be a reason to seek out therapy unless there is some other mental health issue they are facing. But if they do have dysphoria, or are otherwise experiencing mental health symptoms related to their gender identity, then seeing a therapist can help. 
3. Supporting a child to identify as trans or nonbinary or some other non-cis gender is not “medicalizing them for the rest of their lives.” Hormone blockers can be removed, and hormones can be stopped- but I disagree that these are “medicalizing” in any case. A person cannot be reduced down to the medications they take or the treatments they receive. Is a woman with cancer “medicalized” because she undergoes a hysterectomy? Are the children on puberty blockers for medical reasons “medicalized” (>2000 of them in the study I cited above, but no one seems concerned about them)? What about those people with delusions who are put on antipsychotics, which are known to have severe side effects including higher risk of diabetes and heart disease, seizures, tardive dyskinesia, overwhelming sleepiness impacting ability to work or drive, weight gain (I’ve seen clients gain >70 lbs in 3 months), and more? 
I would encourage you to read either of these great studies by Katz-Wise et al: 1 or 2 to understand this better. When you ask trans youth about themselves, the medical aspect is such a small part- they are talking about their whole selves, their hopes for the future, their families and friends, and their wishes to be able to be loved and accepted for who they really are. Some of it is about their bodies, sure, and that can mean that some decide to use hormones and/or hormone blockers or undergo surgery (although we’ve seen that those rates aren’t super higher ). But they’re also just talking about being called the right name and pronoun, getting to wear the clothes that make them feel authentic, getting to date and marry and have sex, and: getting to live. Not being ostracized and assaulted and killed. Like this 8 year old who identifies as a girlish boy worrying he’ll never be able to get married AND be his true self (from the second Katz-Wise et al):
An 8-year-old youth participant who identified as a “girlish boy” similarly worried about other people's reactions related to gender norms in the long-term future, as told by his mother,
He said [to me], ‘But I'm not going to get married, because if I married a boy I'd want to be the bride...I would want to wear a dress and people would laugh at me because I'm marrying a boy and I'd be wearing a dress.
He is 8 years old and these are his worries. As a mental health professional, my immediate thought is that he deserves any and all support that makes sense to him and his family so that he doesn’t have to worry like this. So that he can be 8. 
4. Finally, and probably most importantly: gender dysphoria is different because treating it with hormone blockers, hormones, and surgery is literally life saving. 
As high as 42% of trans people have attempted suicide at least once. For comparison, the lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts in the general population is 3%.  
Study after study has shown that there are three primary factors that reduce suicide risk: 1. Timely medical and legal transition for those who want it; 2. Family acceptance and general support from friends and loved ones; 3. Reduced transphobia and internalized transphobia. (1 2 3 4 5). 
Psychologists want to help people live, and live well. Living well means having a life you enjoy and find meaningful. If medical transition means someone’s suicide risk decreases and their mental health improves, then they can pursue the life they want. Being affirmed in their gender means they can have that part of the life they want. It might also help them get to other things they want (like having the marriage and wedding they envision, like that example). These are things we as psychologists prioritize. Period. 
It’s not the same as anorexia because providing a liposuction for two reasons. One: It would not resolve the dysphoria. People with anorexia who lose weight do not feel better about themselves and their bodies. That’s the dysphoria: people with anorexia (and other eating disorders, sometimes) often cannot see their bodies as they really are. Changing the body won’t help. Unlike in gender dysphoria, where changing the body- either in presentation or actually medically -actually does help. Two: Liposuction for an underweight person with anorexia could kill them. As we’ve discussed, gender affirming surgeries for trans people can save their lives. These are not comparable. 
The comparison to delusions doesn’t work very well because there isn’t really a “medical” intervention you would do to affirm someone’s delusion. But, since you may not know this: we sometimes do affirm people’s delusions, and it’s not necessarily psychologically helpful to try to change someone’s mind about a delusion. Delusions are not bad all on their own, and: sometimes things we think are delusional, actually aren’t, so it’s super important not to assume we know someone’s life and experiences better than they do. (Just recently a nurse assumed a patient was delusional, but actually they were quite rich and owned several expensive cars. People can be rich and have a significant mental illness.) So anyway- I don’t know how that applies. 
Overall: we as a field are still understanding the full spectrum of gender identities and how to do good treatment and good science in relationship with that. But what’s clear is that medical transition is sometimes a part of a good treatment plan for both youth and adults, and that it can save people’s lives. It can make their lives better. I am 100% about saving people’s lives, so I am 100% about a medical transition when appropriate and gender affirming care in general. 
References: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(email me at academic.consultant101 gmail.com if you need full texts)
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magic-fluffie-boyes · 3 years
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Hello! I’m not sure if your asks are open still (please disregard this or disregard this if this would not be healthy for you to write currently!) but your fic with Mammon and Beel’s responses to an MC who has anorexia was really therapeutic to read, and I was wondering if you could do a few more reactions (with any character you feel like)?
It’s been a while since I’ve even looked at my ask box on any account, but I saw the notification for this one, and… I dunno, some cord inside of me was hit just right. It’s more than likely that my own condition has gotten worse and I need the therapeutic comfort too… whatever it is I need to thank you for giving me a chance to allow myself to enjoy doing this again. As for my other nonnie who initially requested Luci and Asmo, (whose ask will be answered after this), thank you too, I’m glad that I can be sort of help and comfort for a condition that isn’t really acknowledged enough.
⚠️TW: Annorexia; Mentions of body image issues; Bad grammar⚠️
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Lucifer
⭐️ Lucifer prides himself on knowing much about the human condition, despite not fully understanding it; and he prides himself on knowing his darling exchange student very well… but this...
⭐️ He doesn’t notice it at first, mostly because he doesn’t care to notice at first. Themskipping out on a few meals is a bit annoying, but nothing too concerning to him as they seemed healthy -- happy even.
⭐️ He does acknowledge it is… a bit unnatural… not what they should be doing, but so long as they are healthy there should be no issues.
⭐️ However, it gets to the point where they’re skipping multiple meals in a day, and they look pale and tired all the time. They hardly have the energy to do much anymore, and they’re most definitely falling behind in their classes from how distracted they are.
⭐️ He tried to step in then, but they just told him that they were fine, and began a semi-normal eating routine again… his pride wouldn’t allow him to press any further when there wasn’t much reason to.
⭐️ It wasn’t until Satan walked into his office one day, clearly riled up and very upset with him that he realized the gravity of the situation.
⭐️ Satan explained to him what they were doing was seriously harming their body and health, and that it needed to be dealt with unless he wanted to see his darling human fade away before his very eyes.
⭐️ That is when he decided to step in because he may not know many things about humans -- not that he would admit that -- but if Satan was seeking out his help in such a fashion it must be serious.
⭐️ So he takes them aside and asks them to explain it to him, because how could they neglect such an essential part of their health? Why would they do this to themselves? There had to be a logical explanation...
⭐️ When they do explain, he’s left a bit confused, and a bit upset at himself. He could’ve done something about this from the beginning, or at least stopped it from developing so severely… but of course, he didn’t, and there’s nothing he can do but help them get better now.
⭐️ He starts by reintroducing them to food via having his brothers and himself cook up food that he knows they like, staying at the dinner table with them until they finish their plate entirely.
⭐️ He also begins taking time out of his work to listen to them and better understand their situation, while also quietly assuring them that they are not alone, he is there and he always will be.
⭐️ He takes everything on himself because it’s, in his eyes at least, the best way to deal with such an issue. If he can watch over everything, he can be sure that they are taking great care of themselves.
⭐️ And, of course, he assures them that their body is only a small fraction of what makes them his human. No matter if they were underweight, overweight, anorexic, or not he loves them and he always will.
⭐️ His pride may get in his way sometimes, but when his human is involved he will always find a way to overcome it and care for them as they need.
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Asmodeus
🌸 Asmo is more than likely one of the first brothers to notice -- or acknowledge he notices -- just after Mammon and Satan, who notice near immediately.
🌸 However, they seem to at least be eating a bit, and their personality and beauty still shone brightly to all of them, so there really shouldn’t be any reason to worry… right? Right?
🌸 He doesn’t want to bother them if nothing is wrong, because as long as they’re a healthy weight they’re doing fine, so he doesn’t have to worry at all!
🌸 No, the truth of the matter is Asmo is worried, seriously worried about them. Eating too much wasn’t good for the body, but eating too little was even worse in his opinion. The physical effects were so much more damming to them, and it was so scary to watch it happen.
🌸 He notices that they’re a few sizes smaller than they usually would be, their complexion is sickly and pale, and their eye bags and little marks that would normally be unnoticeable seemed to stand out on their skin.
🌸 They weren’t looking good, needless to say, and it made him panic a bit. He didn’t want to see his adorable human rot away from something that could be helped.
🌸 As someone who, in the past, had struggled to find a balanced way to keep up healthy body weight and shape that satisfied his perfectionist mindset, he understood what they were going through better than any of his brothers.
🌸 Which is why he doesn’t let it go further than skipping a few meals before he decided to step in. He doesn’t want them to suffer through this kind of thing any longer than they already have, he just wants them to be happy and feel loved.
🌸 So, of course, he has a spa night. Just the two of them talking and having fun together where no one could bother them, and that’s when he asks them what’s been going on. And he listens intensively to every word they have to say, wanting to understand what they’re going through more than anything.
🌸 After they’re done, Asmo wordlessly brings them into a hug, allowing them to cry or calm down or just think for a moment about what they just admitted before Asmo said anything to them. He just wanted them to know that this feeling was okay and that they shouldn’t be ashamed to feel.
🌸 He spends the rest of the night making them feel loved -- no not like that -- telling them how beautiful they are, how much he loves them, and how much he thinks they deserve from the world.
🌸 After that he wakes them up early so they can devise an eating plan that they think would work well for them because they shouldn’t be starving their body of the essential nutrients that it needs. And they work for a very long time on this plan because they deserve nothing but the best, and Asmo is damn determined to give that to them.
🌸 With him its constant affection and reassurance that they’re doing great, even if they skipped a meal or messed up a bit Asmo is right there to figure out what went wrong and assure them that they can do better next time
🌸 Overall he’s surprisingly gentle and caring with the situation, wanting more than anything to make them know that they’re loved and they can get through this by themselves, if not with a little encouragement from him and his brothers.
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Belphegor
🐄 He is absolutely the last of the brothers to notice and the last one to take action, partly because he genuinely didn’t notice a change in behavior and partly because he thinks that someone else will deal with it so he doesn’t have to.
🐄 Of course things don’t go in his favor, none of his brothers know how to deal with this kind of situation, or they all think since they’re his human he should be the one to deal with it… and… yeah fair, but it seemed like a bother.
🐄 Yeah, Belphegor isn’t the most… sensitive to this issue… he’s actually pretty damn rude about it for a long time. He doesn’t get it, “If you need to eat then eat, don’t starve yourself for no reason, you stupid human.”
🐄 He only gets worried when he notices that their physical appearance has changed because if even he is noticing then it’s getting to a point where things need to change and they need to change fast.
🐄 Only problem? Belphie doesn’t really know what to do about it, he’s never really dealt with things like this. He and Beel had never had issues with their appearances or their eating habits -- well Beel was a special case in that regard.
🐄 So, surprise, Belphie takes time away from napping to do some research on this stuff, because while he thinks it’s dumb he does want his stupid little human to take care of themselves, or else he wouldn’t have a stupid little human to love.
🐄 With a bare minimum understanding of the disorder and a genuine want to help, Belphie decided to ask them about what was bothering them so much that they weren’t eating the nice food everyone was making for them.
🐄 Well, to say he was annoyed with their answer would be an understatement, he was angry. How could they think so little of themselves, he wouldn’t be so infatuated with them if he thought so little of them.
🐄 He assures them that their body size shouldn’t matter at all, because that’s not why he likes them in the first place, albeit a bit rudely.
🐄 His approach to it is aggressive but loving and a bit annoyed at the thought of them not taking care of themselves. He just wants them to be happy and healthy that’s all, he just doesn’t know how to express that in normal ways.
🐄 He asks his brothers for help, especially Satan and Beel, since he trusts that they would have a better understanding for such a topic than he ever could.
🐄 Beel helps by setting up a workout and sort of introducing them to foods slowly again, he’s by far more gentle than Belphegor with this kind of stuff and has a much better way of reassuring them.
🐄 As for Satan, he’s just more educated on this and Belphegor goes to him for advice on how to help more. What’s the best types of foods, what kinds of ways can i reassure them? stuff like that.
🐄 Overall the approach is lazy, sloppy, and a bit harsh, but it’s clear that he’s doing his best and just wants them to be happy in the end all.
Thank you. Hope you enjoyed.
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