#resources for taking care of yourself

[much-ado-about-whumping]

Help for when you’re having a rough time

(If you're looking for my old pinned post with my whump masterlists, you can find it here.)

In light of some deeply sad news in the whump community today, I’m thinking about how many of us here struggle with mental health, sometimes including physical or mental self-harm and suicidality. Since I know lots of folks might be having a hard time right now, I wanted to share some resources that have helped me in rough moments. Please feel free to add on to this post (or make your own, if you want!) with the resources that have worked for you. 

First, a note:

Trauma, shame, and suicidality all tend to isolate - they make us feel like we’re all alone in the world, like no one else would understand us, and like the only solutions we have available to us are ones we can think of all by ourselves. In my experience, the antidote to that is connection. If you’re feeling scared or alone, you can hop into my asks or DMs if you want. I’m sure there are other folks in this community who would offer that, too. Many of us have grappled with mental health struggles, including suicidal ideation, and sometimes we can offer each other the care that can be hard to offer ourselves. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you need support.

A quick note about location: I live in the US, but about half the resources in this post are written guides you can access from anywhere. The hotlines and warmlines linked below are US-based. One or two are accessible in Canada or have an online chat or moderated forum that could be accessed anywhere. If you have good local resources from another place, please reblog and add them! (Thank you, @straight-to-the-pain, for flagging this in the notes!)

That said, here’s my absolute first recommendation if you’re feeling generally awful and don’t know what to do:

1. You Feel Like Shit (also available at its original site here)

If you’ve read a lot of ~self care tips~ in your life (and if you’re a bit of a salty bitch like me), you might be sick of being told to eat something and take a nap. (I don’t think we can hydrate our way out of long-term trauma and late-stage capitalistic hell, but thanks.) That said, I’ve found this site REALLY helpful. Personally, I have ADHD and CPTSD, a combination that makes it ROUGH for me to know how to take care of myself sometimes. This site speaks to you calmly, like a non-judgemental friend, and walks you through steps that you might struggle with if you have a hard time with executive function in general, or if you’re ill, grieving, overwhelmed, or otherwise just off your game. I pretty much always walk away feeling at least a little better, even if I don’t complete every step.

There are more suggestions and resources below the cut. Wishing everyone in this community love and care. <3

2. The 15-Minute Rule (info available in many places; after a quick google, I really like this site as a place to start)

One key principle to understanding the resources I’ve put together here is the 15-minute rule. If you’re feeling an urge towards physical or mental self-harm or suicide, studies show that the urge is unlikely to last more than about 15 minutes at its peak intensity. (Sorry I don’t have data on this off the bat - anecdotally, I can tell you that this rule also tracks with my own personal experience.) This means that, if you’re presently feeling overwhelmed by grief or pain that’s turning inwards on you, if you can stay afloat through the next few minutes, the tide of it is likely to ebb. The site I linked above has information about this concept and some great harm-reduction ideas, too. (Another resource on this that I liked in my quick search is here.)

3. Read This First (a compassionate distraction from feelings of self-harm)

I’m gonna be honest; this resource is aimed at folks having urges towards physical self-harm, but it looks like something I would find helpful with urges towards emotional self-harm, too. (It also looks like it could be handy for body-focused repetitive behaviors - BFRBs - like dermatillomania/skin-picking or trichotillomania/hair-pulling).

4. Resources from Pete Walker, psychotherapist and author of Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving

Obviously not everyone reading this will have complex PTSD (also called C-PTSD), but if you’re a person who, in general, tends to beat yourself up a lot, I’d highly recommend checking Pete Walker’s work out. If some of it doesn’t apply to you, that’s okay - take what you need, and leave the rest. This site (and the book it references most heavily) assumes you may have had parents who were emotionally or physically abusive or neglectful. If that doesn’t ring true for you, but other parts of the resources seem helpful, use them anyway! A handy place to start maybe this page on Shrinking the Inner Critic in Complex PTSD (that is, reducing the volume of the voice that screeches unpleasantness at you when you feel ashamed or scared).

As a note: this website looks VERY mid-2000s (which I kind of love). Most of the resources you want will be in the right-hand column full of links. Some of those links will open new pages, and some will automatically try to download a PDF of the article you want to read. 

5. Warmlines:

This is something I just learned today - if you’re feeling really lonely and sad, but you’re not in immediate crisis, there are warmlines you can contact! These seem to be numbers where you can call (or sometimes text) to talk with a counselor or trained peer when you need support and connection. I can’t vouch for any of these numbers personally, but as someone who has definitely thought, “It’s not bad enough to REALLY need help,” I think this is a fabulous idea. Here’s a list of warmlines you can check out in the US.

6. Specialized hotlines: 

There are lots of good crisis hotlines out there, but some may be better for your needs than others. For one thing, if you’re feeling seriously suicidal, it’s good to know the policies of the hotline you’re calling. In my opinion, everyone deserves bodily autonomy and the right to refuse care; for that reason, I think it’s important to know the policy of the hotline you’re calling as to whether or not they’ll call emergency services without your consent. Everyone has to make their own judgment call on this one, and I’m a little too (lightly!) triggered to go deep into my analysis on this right now, but I wanted to flag that it’s something to be aware of - if you’re going to call a hotline, you can try to look up their policy on calling emergency services before you contact them. You could probably even ask them in the beginning of the call. (A script: “Before we start, can you tell me what your policy is about contacting emergency services on behalf of callers?” If this is true, you can add: “I’m having some feelings of [suicidality/self-harm], but I’m safe and am not in danger of hurting myself or others.”)

With that in mind, here are some hotlines that seem promising to me, in no particular order:

A. For queer and trans folks in general:

Trans LifeLine

Available in the US (1-877-565-8860) and Canada (1-877-330-6366)

Available in English and Spanish

Will NOT call emergency services without your consent (you can read more about this policy on their website, including here)

Peer to peer support for transgender and questioning folks; also, microgrants (small amounts of money) for trans-related needs!

Does not offer text/chat-based support

I’ve never used Trans LifeLine myself, but I’ve heard excellent things about it from peers who have.

The Trevor Project:

Support from trained counselors for queer, trans, and questioning folks

Definitely available in the US; I’m not sure where else.

Offers support via phone [phone]), text message (678-678), and online chat (link here - scroll down to Start Chat)

Also offers an online peer support space, TrevorSpace, for folks ages 13-24

Their site says, “In very specific instances of abuse or a clear concern of an in-progress or imminent suicide, Trevor counselors may need to contact a child welfare agency or emergency service.” When you click Learn More, it takes you to their Terms of Service (informative, but in legalese that might be hard to parse if you’re in crisis).

Again, not a service I’ve used myself, but I’ve heard good things!

B. For BIPOC folks (Black folks, Indigenous folks, and people of color more broadly), especially those who also hold LQBTQI identities:

Call Blackline:

Available via phone or text (both at 1-800-604-5841)

Available for people in crisis. Call Blackline can also help connect you with local community organizers and officials if you need to report a negative, inappropriate, or physical interaction with police, other law enforcement, or vigilantes.

From their website:

Call BlackLine® provides a space for peer support, counseling, reporting of mistreatment, witnessing and affirming the lived experiences for folxs who are most impacted by systematic oppression with an LGBTQ+ Black Femme Lens.Call BlackLine® prioritizes BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). By us for us.

Here’s what I found regarding their policy on emergency services:

You do not have to provide any personal information to use the service. All calls remain private and will never be shared with law enforcement or state agencies of any kind.

Of course, a BIPOC person can contact any hotline for support, but for people dealing with racism, anti-Blackness, and other specific bigotries, I can very much see the importance of talking to someone who shares or understands that experience.

C. For folks processing bad psychedelic trips:

Fireside Project:

This one is something I didn’t even know existed! They do call- or text-based support (1-623-473-7433, or 1-62-FIRESIDE) for people processing psychedelic drug experiences, available 11am to 11pm Pacific time. I don’t have a ton more info, but their site seems really interesting and like they’re serving a unique need.

7. A soothing distraction:

One of the glories of the internet is the fact that it enables us to conjure up images of kittens at a moment’s notice. In that vein, I want to offer up a VERY cute distraction: Peptoc is a hotline [phone], or 1-707-8PEPTOC) where you can hear encouraging messages in English or Spanish from kindergarteners. How sweet is that? (Thanks to the wonderful @newbornwhumperfly for this suggestion!)

--------

Beloved whump community, I want to know about things that help you when you’re struggling. Please feel free to share them if you want.

And, Moya - we’ll miss you so, so much, even those of us (like me) who didn’t know you well. May your memory be an absolute blessing. <3

(I was going to put this in the tags, but oops, it’s going up here - I really hope this post will be helpful to someone, but it was also helpful to me to build. I feel better in a crisis when I can find a way to help - it’s how I soothe myself when I’m sad or scared. I really hope this doesn’t seem preachy or self-aggrandizing - it’s really just me processing-processing-processing. <3)

One more note: if this post makes you think you might want to follow my blog, you're totally welcome, but you should check out my note here first. This is not a DNI list; it's just a heads-up about my content, which could be inappropriate or triggering for some people.

#whump community #how to be a person in the world #ways to stay afloat #suicide mention cw #suicidality mention cw #self-harm mention cw #resources for taking care of yourself #bel talks #touchstones #sorry another disclaimer but also i know my experiences are not universal #my feelings might come from a really different place than other people's feelings #idk for instance if any of the shit in this post would have been at all useful to moya #but I'm sharing it anyway in case it's useful to SOMEONE

[shitpostingkats]

Alabasta Ace is so funny.

Like the strawhats keep commenting that Ace is so polite and restrained compared to Luffy but like. This dude drags himself out of the ocean just to thank them for looking after his brother and offer to help wash dishes. Mans asks "Are these guys bothering you?" and proceeds to blow up an entire fleet with his bare hands. He trips over himself to make sure all of Luffy's crew likes him and no, really, you don't mind that he's a weirdo???? That we, I mean he, are feral little insane guys who take up space and emotional labor and are kind hard to handle? Really???? Cool cool cool hey just a reminder I can help out with anything that needs doing. I got lost in the desert but donnut worry in the 0.6 seconds since you last saw me I have somehow acquired water and provisions for several weeks. Don't ask me how!

Peak oldest sibling behavior.

#'Ace is trying to flirt with Sanji' <<< Weak take. Simple. Out of character. #'Ace immediately clocks Sanji as the domestic provider and tries to endear himself to the guy responsible for feeding his little bro. #At All Costs.' <<< Strong take. Breathtaking. Absolutely something he would do. #Ace cleaning his plate ever meal and carefully putting everything away: I am going to get a good job in taking up space :) #Something that is normal to want :) And possible to achieve :) #I'm just saying Alabasta Ace is clearly insane. #And so used to constantly having to provide for Luffy. #Oh? Buddy? Were you raised in an environment where resources were scarce and you felt you had to 'earn' the right to be cared for??? #Are you used to working yourself to the bone to make sure you and your brothers weren't considered 'too annoying' or 'not worth the effort' #Are you scared of requiring care and being a burden on those who love you??? Huh??? Little buddy??????? #one piece #op #portgas d ace #portgas d. ace

[thisthat-ortheother]

…this is actually a bunch of friendly but important reminders standing on each others’ shoulders in a poll-shaped trench coat. btw

#poll blog #random polls #silly polls #stupid polls #polls #silly poll #tumblr polls #poll #mental health #self care #self love #wholesome content #take care of yourself #chronic illness #self improvement #chronic fatigue #disability #mental illness #mental health resources #mental health tips #friendly reminder #love yourself #mental health matters #self healing #self empowerment #self worth #drink water #stay hydrated #take a nap #stress management

[savage-rhi]

Magenta.

#i lost my job #even though they're not saying its because of my disability it is because of it #I've been applying to places and some of the safety nets i had fell through #im scared right now and feel very betrayed #i got enough to get me through the month but beyond that idk what to do #i have resources im looking into and as most know that doesn't put a dent into finances #i need help #i feel bad for asking and i know i preach people shouldnt feel ashamed #but i do get where folks are coming from with that #the shame is powerful especially when you pride yourself as someone that takes care of themselves #im open to ideas opinions whatever folks want to say #i haven't felt this triggered ptsd wise in a long time past homeless experience and work abuse has been creeping in #I'm trying to get to the good but its really hard seeing it right now after getting screwed for the millionth time #for something i can't control with my body #i guess on a good note that partnership meeting went well #it seems like an excellent opportunity but its also an investment and i don't have the means to put into that right now

[burning-academia-if]

Hey, this isn’t related to the story but I was curious how you got started with twine? Your story inspired me and I want to learn the program so I can make my own. I wanted to see if you had any advice or reference points. Perfectly fine if not, much love regardless!

I've messed with Twine on and off for a while now, so I'm not sure when I actually got into it? It was probably when I originally got into IFs back in like 2015 lol

I use Twine Sugarcube specifically, and I pretty much just watched/read through these:

Twine or Treat: a youtube playlist where a guy shows you how to make a game. Focuses more on making an exploration/puzzle game in Twine, but still has some useful/relevant info

Introduction to Twine: another video playlist, although again, I really only watched what I needed

The Twine Grimoire: there's 3, with each one going through more complicated concepts each volume, includes Harlowe as well as Sugarcube

Sugarcube (and Harlowe) also have their own documentation, but it's so Long and Daunting that I honestly just ignored it when I first started LOL. It's obviously useful to have and reference, but I always need to watch people doing the thing first. I really struggle with just reading through things personally. I'm comfortable enough with Twine now that it isn't overwhelming though lol

Also I'd argue you really only need to learn how to set variables to get started with IFs. Once you know how passages work and how variables work, you're almost set to make an IF.

I'd also recommend learning the very basics HTML and CSS just in case. There's plenty of Twine templates available for free on itch.io, but if you want to adjust them in any way, it's helpful to know CSS/HTML. Also just have fun and mess around! From visual novels to this IF, my learning process has honestly just been 'fuck around and find out' and it's been useful so far! I also think it helps with the inherent anxiety of trying something new too

But yeah, hopefully some of this is helpful/useful to you!

#em answers #programming #twine #twine resources #also also google will be your best friend lmfaO #if you wonder why something isn't working you probably forgot a < or [ or ( in your code and hate yourself immediately when you notice it #if you get frustrated take a break you'll notice your mistake in like an hour when you feel better #take care of yourself and your wrists also #I always work with a cup of my fav tea and with the BA playlist on repeat #which sounds cliche but listen to me it really really helps #when you release a game and someone points out a mistake for the first time it feels deathly embarrassing but #honestly no one cares as much as you think you're fine #anyway I think that covers it #and good luck to you anon!!

[lolpsxd]

hii guys here is some very little ratcandy sketch dump

^ if its hard to read dexter says "why is your hair so funny :D" and kevin says "..i dont know i was born like that, how should i-" and dexter says "shut up /pos"

^ im sorry i fucked up with dexter eyes a little

^ if its hard to read kevin says "uh, man, we can't even think about buying thi-" and dexter says "WE WILL". i wanted to draw some silly thing here but i haven't made up with anything so here's nothing lol

^ bros in hawaiian shirts!! i forgot to shade kevins hair part and add hair and scars on dexters arms too im sorry i cant fix it anymore

#I can't draw in digital so often anymore so im sorry i'll draw requestes when i'll be able to sraw in digital as usual again im truly sorry #spooky month #dexter erotoph #spooky month dexter #dexter spooky month #dexter the exterminator #spooky month kevin #kevin spooky month #kevin #art #sketch #ratcandy #candyrats #doodle #its 1:45 am im going to sleep goodnight yall i hope you'll have a great day tomorrow!! #or today basically #oh and yes i headcanon that kevin has a really curly hair and puts his hair in before work when he has resources to do it #and thank you so so much for support guys!! please take care of yourselfes too

[orbmanson7]

:(

Very bad grade in therapy today

#thought i could make progress this year and yet here i am having done jack shit by now #what has even been the point #i just wanted to do something today that didnt feel awful like try to encourage people to watch a show or play a game #and now im just right back to Why do i bother staying alive? im never going to make any progress #and even if i do I'm going to just be worthless the whole time and waste precious resources others could be using #oh yes just try saying a nice thing to yourself for once! yeah sure that will help when i cant do anything worth a damn #i want to help people but i have no skillsets and no money to further my education and teaching myself gets me right where i already am! #continuing like this is like spitting in the face of anyone who is actually out there pursuing their dreams and thats not fair to them #they put in all that hard work and im over here being a whiny ass bitch bc i want so badly to do better and learn more #but the only thing holding me back is that im a dumbass who cant do anything right and no one will ever think differently #why am i trying to make myself something i can never be? what is goddamn point if its just a waste of everyones time and effort #i just... it feels like the least i can do is just stop taking up space #free up some oxygen for someone who really needs it and shelter for someone who truly deserves it #i shouldnt even have these things and yet i complain about how much gas i have to pay to commute to my jobs #like such an asshole #and i said i so much in these tags bc im such a selfish jerk who coearly doesnt care enough nor has a worthwhile vocabulary to say otherwise #theres just no fucking point to any of this #... #its cold today #might be a good day to do my favorite plan #actually yeah fuck it im gonna go #hope you all stay kind to yourselves and enjoy your 2024 #you absolutely deserve it and everything you can get out of it #keep being amazing yall #see you on the flip side or whatever #orbs thought bubbles

[anulithots]

Perhaps I just exist to collect things I like, learn information that's a little too niche, and be a tad bit less reliable than google.

Then I can showcase/gift the archives in my head like a dragon of knowledge

#take care of yourself #knowledge #know too much #neurodivergent #neurodiverse stuff #dragons #dragon of knowledge and resources #that's what I am #don't really know much about practial things #so please please accept these offerings and tolerate my presence #for I may showcase my hoard... #but I don't have much other than it

[ouroboobos]

A lot of of (primarily white) grown adults hide their complacency and complicitness behind the schtick of "I'm sorrrryyyyy its just because I'm so anxious and smol wahhh I'm so pathetic I'm such a pushover I'm so dumb" to try and keep you from holding them accountable but it's time to stop coddling them and just be like yeah you are pathetic and stupid.

#♥︎ #like? #i keep seeing posts about various issues that are worded like #'its ok if you dont have the energy to give a shit abt marginalized ppl!! take care of urself first you cant pour from an empty pot 💛' #and 99.9% of the time its a post written by a white person about other white people #like giving permission to not give a fuck or do anything abt whatever is being discussed #its so nasty and also just fucking weird? why do we think we're in a position to do that #also its always like ''you cant take care of other people if u dont take care of yourself first 🥺'' #as if the type of people internalizing those messages would ever use even one ounce of their resources or energy for the cause lmfao #you know what i mean? does this make sense? #its always the type of person who could have all the money in the world and limitless time and energy and still wouldnt do anything #because its ''bad for their mental health'' or the situation makes them ''sad''. am i making sense #practically everyone who behaves this way has every opportunity to educate themselves but they will refuse #because theyre simultaneously spineless and cruel #this is primarily abt palestine but its also about everything

[mymarifae]

a turnip for you all

#and a special note: #don't doomscroll today. this grave injustice today is horrifying on multiple levels yes. but here's the thing #things can always change. less focusing on the fact that this has happened and oh we're all doomed we can't do anything #and more focusing on the things you CAN do. because there is always always always something #even something as seemingly small as reblogging a few informational posts and providing others with important resources #that's not small at all. that's VITAL. #share resources. donate to abortion funds if you can (i've reblogged a few links to some already) #SAVE info about how to get misoprostol and shelf lives and whatnot. because i wouldn't be surprised if webpages start being taken down #don't just bookmark the links. SAVE the information. permanently. later i may download pdfs and host a folder on my drive or something #delete flo and request that all your information be wiped as well. tbh don't use any period tracker apps #if you have to keep track. do it on paper. something that can be shredded and disposed of by yourself #rather than let the information be permanently stored by some company. #deep breath. it's going to be okay. it's not over. the fight will continue and there are ways for YOU to directly contribute #yes YOU. you at home sitting on your bed or couch. #the problem with modern day activism is too many people believe there's nothing significant they can do #but even the tiniest contribution from a large number of people can do wonders. look at your options and decide what you can do and do it. #and take care of yourself. remember the golden rule: if you go to protests leave your phone at HOME #and don't talk to cops. ever. inform them you are invoking your right to remain silent and you are invoking your right to an attorney #chin up stay safe stay strong. it'll be okay #turnip

[albatris]

wait wait wait Time Out what do you MEAN Alex is usually an honorary human. Is he just so zen that the garble doesn't usually activate anything for him? Or does the plot just not call for him to go monstery

ooh, thank you for the question!

ya, Alex is affectionately referred to as an honourary human hahaha! to most not-actively-malevolent human main characters, Nat is considered Friendly and Vampire, so while he's definitely chill to be around he's absolutely not human-like and is obviously Something Else. on the other hand, Alex is considered Friendly and.......... then people get a little confused and tripped-up and just kind of go "I mean, he's not TECHNICALLY human but, like, close enough, right? this is basically a human person. calling this guy a vampire is just semantics at this point" much to Alex's self-loathing dismay

like, oh, Alex would love to be human! Alex would like nothing more! but Alex has spent most of its time as a vampire in varying states of misery and mental torment lamenting how that's impossible

forcibly assigned human by friends

but yes, while Nat has no qualms with setting himself apart from his human friends in this way and being A Vampire, Alex has a very different relationship to its own sense of humanity it's a huuuuge relief for Alex to be even playfully recognised by its human friends as Honourary Fellow Human ;-;

as for your theories, it's a little bit of both!

first off, yes, Alex simply Is That Zen :3

well, "zen" as well as "stubborn as all hell, ridiculously strong-willed, full of spite, and 100% willing and able to tell the Garble to shove it"

Alex is by far the most ""human"" of the main vamps, and easily the safest to be around! it is a kind-hearted but insanely stubborn motherfucker. Alex has mastered the art of giving the Garble juuuuust enough of what it wants so that Alex can stay safe and be safe to be around, while also routinely telling the Garble to go fuck itself. Alex is well-practiced at resisting the Garble's influence and absolutely WILL not be bullied into doing anything it doesn't want to do

while it's a proven fact that vampires tend not to die of starvation often because it eventually gets to a point where they Physically Can't Resist doing murders, Alex could absolutely manage it. and has attempted to! and only didn't because of Quinn

but yes, Alex has worked very hard to be as in-control as it is :3 Alex can easily (dicey choice of words.... it's easy but getting to the point where it's easy was not easy) appear human in basically all circumstances except for staggeringly extreme levels of stress or starvation, and even in those circumstances - Alex will experience involuntary physical changes it can't hide such as fangs and claws, but is still highly resistant to the Garble's mind-manipulatey hypnotising properties

(so, an Alex in EXTREME peril might look a bit more vampiric and scary, but maintains a frankly absurd level of self-control, so. still not a lot to worry about tbh)

for reference, the length of time vampires can go in between proper feedings varies from vamp to vamp, but three weeks is considered reaaaaally fuckin uncomfortable and risky in terms of losing control. Alex routinely goes around five weeks without breaking a sweat

like. as a result, the Garble is not particularly fond of Alex, but Alex very purposefully stays juuuuust inside the boundary of what the Garble considers "still worth keeping alive"

so uhhhhhhh. hm. what was I saying. ah. the Garble activates for Alex under the same circumstances it will activate for any vampire, but Alex is much better at both controlling its own emotions and keeping stress levels manageable so as not to trigger the Garble to a degree it can't handle, as well as better at directing what the Garble energy will do to its body

so, while for most vampires, the physical effects of the Garble are largely involuntary, Alex is excellent at directing Garble energy to present itself in much more subtle and easy-to-hide ways such as sharpened molars rather than canines, etc.

even Zeke, who is kind of famous for her uncanny ability to spot even vampires who are extremely skilled at hiding their vampirism, doesn't twig that Alex is a vampire until it flat-out tells her, and even then it takes her a while to actually believe it lmao

when Alex does need to bust out fangs and claws or other vampiric traits, this is a conscious decision rather than a Reflex like it is for other vamps

we only get to see any involuntary vampire Alex three times over the trilogy! once in a flashback during a period of extreme starvation, once when protecting Quinn from Monster Mode Nat (Quinn was not in danger, Alex had just not seen Monster Mode Nat before and FLIPPED out), and once during the final confrontation against the Garble :3 Alex is very impressive!!!

and........... well, the plot probably DOES call for Alex to go monstery, but Alex really really really reaaaally doesn't want to do that and going monstery causes it a lot of distress. so its friends are always willing to do their best to find other ways around things if Alex is uncomfortable

if a situation comes up where a monstery Alex might be helpful, they will wait until Alex offers or suggests this itself. occasionally shenanigans call for humans and vamps to both to be doing different things as part of a plan, so occasionally Alex accompanies Nat, but also isn't questioned at all if it decides to stick with the humans

everyone is very willing to accommodate! friends don't let friends put their mental health and emotional wellbeing in unnecessary peril <3

it's nice for Alex's mental health that its human friends are just sort of like "yeah you're a vampire but like. lmao. it doesn't count", and that they feel safe enough around it to relax and treat it as they would a fellow human. a complicated fellow human who occasionally viciously murders cruel violent irredeemable human predators, but also…… a fellow human nonetheless :)

thank you for coming to my ted talk :D

#also feel free to use either he/him or it/its for alex :3 both are ok! #but yeah. alex <3 #n there's also the fact of course that quinn is always watching out for alex :3 #which helps a little bit! #quinn wants alex to have as stress-free an existence as possible n its no skin off their back to offer #whatever resources alex needs or to put aside extra of the extra-fresh donated blood so alex doesn't need #to hunt so often #alex doesn't make them do that ofc. like. alex would still only hunt every month or so. quinn is just like #''pls alex this is so stressful I'm worried about your health :((( you have to look after yourself :((('' #quinn loves alex to bits #though tbf being friends with quinn is such an inherently fucking stressful experience sometimes so maybe it all just cancels out xD #like tbf. the Garble is equally as petty to Alex as alex is to the garble #alex doesn't heal as rapidly or as well as other vamps #plus due to the fact that alex feeds so infrequently it's sort of just. perpetually in a state of #mildly to severely painful hunger #so alex is not having fun with that of course but is still REALLY well-practiced at managing it #like i cannot stress enough that alex's threat level towards humans is basically 0% at all times #unless the human in question happens to be some absolute scum of the earth piece of irredeemable garbage that has escaped #all repercussions and consequences and accountability for their actions #and even then that's a process that takes weeks and weeks of careful planning and research #anyway. no more tag ramble. i'm going to sleeb #a rental car takes a left down rake street and disappears

[coffeeshib]

hi! your art is amazing <3 do you have any recommendations on how to start drawing/doing art if you've never really done it before? how did you get into/start drawing? i would love to hear your experience if youre comfortable to share! also your writing is awesome too :) have a great day!

ohh gosh bro i'm not competent enough to give recs/art tips cause i'm still new at it myself & i genuinely have no idea what i'm doing 95% of the time. i started doing art by just… diving into it, drawing more & more!

wish i had a good/deep answer but this started out as a way for me to pass the time & have fun. similar to writing, it's like a grounding exercise. i'll put on some music, get the tablet out, & just sink time into whatever my mind wants to see on the canvas (the non-complex ideas, i'm not skilled enough for those but i'm slowly getting better & braver!). oh & drawing pretty women.

wanting to draw pretty women is my villain art origin story

#my broski lisa (lisamar1exo who's a REALLY awesome & talented artist you should check out her stuff if you haven't btw!!) gave me some great #yt channels for art tips like ethan becker & sam does arts; definitely check those two out!! #oh & also while tons of resources out there aim to provide & help; don't get caught up n them #draw what interests you & have fun as a new artist! don't overwhelm yourself; you can learn the fundamentals later or as you progress #^this is how i've been operating; whenever i have the time or patience i look into some tuts but other than that.... i just draw & draw #i'm still in my what's an art style era; sorry i'm not much help but i wish you well on arting!! #one more thing: always take good care of your eyes & posture when you art &don't forget to take breaks :] #hope you're having a lovely day #asks

[mortalityplays]

I know you have all probably seen the esims for gaza posts circulating. Some of you have probably looked at them and thought maybe you should help out, but have weighed up the daunting process of signing up for something you're unfamiliar with vs. the gut-wrenching scale of the things people are going through on the ground right now, and you've put it off or questioned whether it will make enough of a difference vs. some other future kind of activism you could put that $6+ towards. I'm not calling you out or scolding you, it is natural to feel conflicted and ambivalent about the multiple calls for aid that you are seeing on social media.

but consider this: what would you do if you suddenly had to leave your home? how would you cope? how would you begin to plan where to go next, or figure out what to do to take care of yourself? most likely you would reach reflexively for your phone.

telecoms access is not a petty luxury in 2024. a loaded esim means the ability to call family members and find out where they are and whether they're safe, and whether they need anything you can provide for them. it means access to maps and regular updates on the situation unfolding around you. it means you can look up whether it's safe to drink rain water, or how to tie a type of knot you've never had to think about before, or how to treat an injury without medical supplies. it means the ability to tell people outside the situation what you are seeing, what you are feeling, what you are thinking. it is an absolutely crucial resource. and it starts at $6 for 7 days.

many many people have observed that internet access is changing the way the world understands genocide. internet access is life or death, and it is shaping modern history in front of you. and it starts at $6 for 7 days.

please, please visit gazaesims.com and spend 5 minutes and $6 to change the way this plays out for everyone.

[thethief1996]

700 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours and the airstrikes are more violent each night. Gaza's hospitals have fuel left for two more days. Israel only allowed aid into Gaza on the condition they didn't carry fuel. The Indonesian hospital has shut down already, because doctors have no supplies and no choice but to let the wounded die. They're calling it a collapse but the term doesn't do it justice.

Over a 100 incubator babies are at risk. There are 50.000 pregnant women in Gaza right now, and 5.500 due to give birth this month. Menstruating people are taking pills in order to stop their periods, because they do not have pads or water to maintain hygiene. Surgeons are operating without anesthesia. Water is not reaching Gazans because there's no electricity or fuel for water pumps.

There's no excuse for this. Israel justifies the airstrikes by saying they want to destroy Hamas infrastructure and release the hostages, but they have refused to negotiate for their release. Hamas informed Israel they wanted to release two elderly women without anything in return, and Israel refused. Netanyahu said they wouldn't take their own civilians back because it was "mendacious propaganda." When the hostages were finally released, Netanyahu prohibited the hospital from giving press releases. Yocheved Lifshitz went behind their backs and talked to the press anyway, saying she was treated very well by Hamas, but the government abandoned them. They're being used as straw men. Israel is conditioning the entry of fuel to the release of hostages and yet, according to The Wall Street Journal, when Hamas proposed to exchange 50 hostages for fuel they denied. IDF officials have said they fear the release of more hostages because that might withhold the order to their ground invasion. They do not care as long as they can use the hostages as a pretext for their slaughtering.

There's a turning tide for Palestine in public support. Support for Israel was built through decades of propaganda and we are making a dent into it. Zionists are desperate, holding zoom meetings to promote zionism, but we have to do so much more. We have to shame people in power into supporting the Palestinian cause.

Keep yourself updated and share Palestinian voices, looking to inform yourself from the sources. Palestinians have asked of us only that we share, tweet and post, over and over. Muna El-Kurd said every tweet is like a treasure to them, because their voices are repressed on social media and even on this very app. Make it your action item to share something about the Palestinian plight everyday. Here are some resources:

Al Jazeera

Anadolu Agency

Mondoweiss

Boycott Divest Sanction Movement

Palestinian Youth Movement

Mohammed El-Kurd (twitter / instagram)

Al-Shabaka (twitter / instagram)

Mariam Barghouti (twitter / instagram)

Muhammad Shehada (twitter)

Motaz Azaiza (instagram) - reporting directly from Gaza

Take action. You can participate in boycotts wherever you are in the world, through BDS guidelines. Right now, they are focusing on boycotting (don't be overwhelmed by gigantic boycott lists. Only boycott additional brands if you can):

Carrefour

HP

Puma

Sabra

Sodastream

Ahava cosmetics

Israeli fruits and vegetables

Push for a cultural boycott - pressure your favorite artist to speak out on Palestine and cancel any upcoming performances on occupied territory (Lorde cancelled her gig in Israel because of this. It works.)

If you can, participate in direct action or donate. Palestine Action works to shut down Israeli weapons factories in the UK and USA, and have successfully shut down one of their firms in London. Some of the activists are going on trial and are calling for mobilizing on court.

Call your representatives. The Labour Party in the UK had an emergency meeting after several councilors threatened to resign if they didn't condemn Israeli war crimes. Calling to show your complaints works, even more if you live in a country that funds genocide.

FOR PEOPLE IN THE USA: USCPR has developed this toolkit for calls

FOR PEOPLE IN THE UK: Friends of Al-Aqsa UK and Palestine Solidarity UK have made toolkits for calls and emails

FOR PEOPLE IN GERMANY: Here's a toolkit to contact your representatives by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN IRELAND: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN POLAND: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN DENMARK: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN SWEDEN: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA: Here's a toolkit by Stand With Palestine

FOR PEOPLE IN CANADA: Here's a toolkit by Indepent Jewish Voices for Canada

Join a protest. Here's a constantly updating list of protests:

Global calendar

USA calendar

Australia calendar

Here are upcoming events:

CANBERRA/NGUNNAWAL, AUSTRALIA – Wed Oct 25, 11 am, National Press Club. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyh1xy1BMrU/

OXFORD, ENGLAND – Wed Oct 25, 12:15 pm, Cornmarket. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CykroKeInz3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

SMITH COLLEGE (US) – Wed Oct 25, 12 pm, Chapin Lawn. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CymT8f5vnHN/?img_index=1

ST CATHERINES, ON ( CANADA) – Wed Oct 25, 6 pm, 61 Geneva St Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/889319005528757/

TORONTO, CANADA – Wed Oct 25, 5 pm, Sidney Smith Hall. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyjVbpGvva8/

SANT CUGAT, CATALONIA, SPAIN – Thurs Oct 26, 6 pm, Davant l’Ajuntament. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CynL834tgg9/?img_index=4

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Fri Oct 27, 7 pm, Federation Square. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyhyd0vhP8t/

LIVORNO, ITALY – Sat Oct 28, 2:30 pm, Piazza Cavour. Info https://www.instagram.com/p/CyiWJ06MXpM/

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (US) – Sat Oct 28, 1 pm, Lake Street and Minnehaha.

ROME, ITALY – Sat Oct 28, Rome. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyi7ey-MMs1/?img_index=1

ROME, ITALY – Sat Nov 4, Rome. Info TBA: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyndKUitnMU/

WASHINGTON, DC (USA) – Sat Nov 4, 12 pm, White House. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyiecRtr9-B/

Wollongong: Rally at Crown Street Mall Amphitheatre on 21 Oct at 1 PM

Melbourne: Blak and Palestinian Solidarity Rally at Victorian Parliament House Steps on 25 Oct at 6 PM

HOUSTON: Thursday, October 26th, 5:45PM, Rice University, Central Quad

VANCOUVER: OCT 28 at 2PM, Vancouver Art Gallery

KITCHENER: Wednesday October 25th at 5 PM at CBC Kitchener

SANTA ANA: 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701, October 25th at 5:30 pm

TORONTO: WED. OCT 25 at 7PM at Queen's Park

[CAR RALLY] WASHINGTON D.C: Wednesday 10/25 outside the US State Department on the 23rd Street side

Feel free to add more.

#save gaza #free palestine #gaza under attack #palestine

[palms-upturned]

Frustrates me to no end seeing people say “what’s your alternative to voting blue? Stage a revolution right now? This second? Get real, you’re posting on your computer instead of firebombing walmarts.” I don’t think that you understand what people are actually doing. I know for myself, I’ve been reading more history and theory than I ever have before. I’ve been marching. I’ve been getting involved with labor activism. I’ve been doing strategic research. I’ve tried to archive and share resources. I’ve watched other people do WAY more than I ever have or probably could. I’ve seen people occupy arms manufacturing sites and hold wildcat strikes and disrupt daily life as much as possible. We’ve all seen this happening at unprecedented levels for months now. And most of all, I’ve seen Palestinians telling us, rightfully full of anger, do not ever go back to how things were before. Do not turn away from what’s happening and your own complicity in it.

This is not something that we can vote our way out of. Our state is built on the same violence being inflicted on the people of Palestine. We helped to build Israel. We are still arming it and funding the “war” right now. Even the most half hearted measures from international bodies like the UN to take the bare minimum of a stance against genocide are quashed by the US. As they always have been, our power and resources are used to reinforce imperial and colonial hegemony. That remains the same no matter who is sitting in the Oval Office. And so does our own struggle for liberation. Meaningful change is never, ever going to come from within. We force the change to happen, as we always have.

If you can understand intersectionality, then surely you can understand this: we are not going to free ourselves by sacrificing colonized people. You may vote blue, and for you it could be a matter of life and death. Believe me, as a poor disabled person in a red state who almost killed myself over medical debt, I know the stakes. But I think you have to own the fact that you are empowering perpetrators of genocide and breaking solidarity with colonized people, not even to liberate yourself, but just to bargain with the oppressor for your life. That Palestinians and everyone else who we have harmed are going to be angry and they are more than within their rights. Instead of deflecting by just assuming that no one else is capable of putting their money where their mouth is and actually trying to lay groundwork for change, just do whatever you feel you have to do and sit with the reality of the situation.

Palestine will be free, we will be free, the whole world will someday be free. But for now, this is where we are, and we won’t free ourselves by operating like crabs in a bucket. Get organized, take care of each other, commit to solidarity. Empower yourself and each other rather than the state.

#meg talks #palestine #and also stop embarrassing yourself w the fire bombing walmart jokes and read some actual theory

[thebibliosphere]

Whenever I talk about the medical neglect and ableism I've encountered as a victim of the healthcare system, there's always some cockwaffle who feels entitled to come into my inbox and make the argument of "not all doctors" while talking about how "people like them" (because it's always someone in a field of medicine who does this) are doing their best and it's really hard because so many people fake being ill to get on welfare (Yikes), but like, yeah, obviously #not all doctors, because if all doctors were negligent, bullying scum bags, I'd be dead.

But here's the thing: while I truly believe that the majority of doctors are doing their best in a system stacked against them and their patients, their presence does not negate the mass harm caused by the bad ones. And there are far more bad ones than you realize.

Fuck, John Oliver literally did a segment on this last week:

Yes, the truly bad, malicious doctors are in the minority. Most are just horrifically burned out and fighting a losing battle against a system, killing both them and their patients through a lack of funding and resources and profound overwork.

But the malicious ones do exist, and they will go out of their way to harm patients who don't kowtow to them.

I almost lost my life because when I was in my early twenties, I told a doctor I didn't think she was listening to me, and I disagreed with her assessment of my mental health (she was not a mental health doctor, and I was there for heart palpitations and chronic pain). She retaliated by putting "non-compliant" in my file.

There was also a fun little "doesn't show respect" note too that lives rent-free in my head because I know I wasn't rude. I was polite. I just didn't agree with her, and my refusal to accept her off-handed comment that "you probably have bipolar or BPD" (again, I was there for heart palpitations and chronic pain) meant I was "refusing care."

I wasn't. I just refused to be slapped with a mood/personality disorder when I was there because I kept fucking fainting when I stood up.

(Spoiler alert: it was dysautonomia)

That "non-compliant" marker followed me around for years. It followed me across an ocean and effectively ensured that any doctor I saw was going to treat me like absolute dogshit because no one wants to help Difficult Patients. It wasn't until I was so undeniably ill, literally on the brink of death, that anyone helped me.

I'm alive because of a good doctor. And all the good ones that came after him because of him.

So, I know they exist. You don't have to tell me that.

But I really fucking need you to acknowledge the bad ones and that you're part of a system with a long, long history of abusing minorities and vulnerable people. I need you to acknowledge that because it's the only way we're going to survive this godforsaken nightmare and make things better.

So yeah, #notalldoctors, but if you feel the need to say that because someone talking about being literally left to die by the medical system hurts your feelings, I'm going to have to ask you to take a step back and ask yourself if you're going into medicine for the right reasons.

Namely: do you want to help people, even the "difficult" ones?

Even the ones who might disagree with you?

Even if they're on welfare?

Even if they'll never get "better" in a way that means "cured"?

Just a thought. But hey, what do I know. I'm just someone who experienced hemolytic anemia because doctors kept telling me I was anxious and needed to exercise more 🤷‍♀️.

#chronic health tag #medical abuse #medical neglect #medical #ableism #to all the good health care workers who follow me and leave supportive comments: I appreciate you so much #but you need to come get your fellow drs #and idk #give 'em a shake or something #Youtube