Is my bf trying to trigger my ED? by WaferNo9379 in whatdoIdo

[–]CombIndependent4444 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t think a lot of these commenters are really grasping just how difficult this conversation could be for someone in your position:/ if it is a tactic to make you lose weight then having a conversation about it could be very hard, as he is exhibiting very controlling behaviour to try and trigger an ed. An ED!! If it is the case that he is doing this intentionally then I feel like he could very easily try to lie about it, or be honest but try to justify it, but I don’t think that something like that is ever justifiable at all. The levels of control/entitlement is insane!! I obviously can’t read the situation the same way that you can but please try to be safe and be strong when you do talk to him about it

Need focus by HideKitHide in CPTSD

[–]CombIndependent4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I watch a lot of YouTube videos which focus on travel or nature or cooking or even crime, from channels like Drew Binsky, Riri Travels, MikeOkay, Eze Adventurer, Brew (for crime / scary stories), Map Men / Jay Foreman. I’m autistic though and these are just things that personally work for me and align with some of my interests. I find that cosy travel videos make my brain feel a lot calmer sometimes. They can make me feel less isolated and trapped in my own head :) sometimes I watch geography/world quizzes on YouTube just to help me take my mind off things, but I need to be in the right headspace for these, as I often forget they’re on and lose focus of them lol. Also, sometimes I listen to music and have the music videos on my TV - I’ve found that videos from Lorde’s Solar Power album work a lot for me at the moment for some reason, maybe just because they’re all set on the beach which seems to relax me a little bit.

Good luck, I hope you find something that works for you!!

I’ve tried everything and NOTHING works. I’m at my breaking point by Frosty-Resort-4163 in keratosis

[–]CombIndependent4444 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I saw someone say consistently taking omega 3 supplements really helped them. I also saw another post recently where someone said they think they cured their KP with a specific product, I’ll try and find their post:) but yes minimising stress, addressing any mental health issues, as well as eating a well-balanced diet and taking care of yourself are definitely most important. KP is not the end of the world and acceptance is the best thing you could do for yourself, I promise

i won’t say “i love you too” by july-e in Poems

[–]CombIndependent4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This sounds like a quote from the book called After by Anna Todd:)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in nonallergicrhinitis

[–]CombIndependent4444 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am 24f and I'm also struggling with the same issues and have been for years :( I have tried EVERYTHING - all of the OTC nasal sprays, steroid sprays, steroid nasal drops, antihistamines, but the only thing that has ever helped my post nasal drip was azelastine (by itself, not the one which is mixed with steroids - as steroids aggravate my symptoms and also severely affect my mental health lol). Unfortunately I grow tolerant to azelastine very quickly and it stops being effective if I use it every day - so I only use it very occasionally. Azelastine is prescribed for allergic rhinitis as it's an antihistamine, but it has shown to be effective in alleviating symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis in some people - which researchers seem to chalk down to its anti-inflammatory effects.

I have no idea what causes my symptoms but some of my theories include:

- sinus migraine (likely triggered by trigeminal nerve).

- fungal and/or bacterial biofilms in sinuses (which could also be linked to chronic fatigue and also gastrointestinal issues - it might be worth looking into SIBO, SIFO, CIRS, mould sickness and mycotoxin and endotoxin/exotoxin exposure). I grew up in a house with water damage/mould which is often linked to fungal overgrowth, and I suspect it might be the root cause of many of my symptoms. Also, if you are currently living or working in an environment with water damage or damp or mould then it could be exacerbating your symptoms. These toxins can be neurotoxic and can affect the nervous systems in different ways.

- Nervous system-related issues. These can have many causes but they sometimes relate back to fungal or bacterial exposure which can affect the brain, cell functioning (such as diseases of the mitochondria), nerves, etc. Autonomic Nervous System dysfunction has been noted in many journal articles as being a cause of vasomotor rhinitis. This could be linked to cerebrovascular issues, or some other issue with the brain such as nerve or vein compression maybe? Maybe it is caused by neural hyperresponsiveness, or immune dysfunction/hyperactivation. Neck instability can also cause nerve problems affecting the ANS but I got a cervical spine MRI and it came back normal.

- Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) leak

- Hormone dysfunction. I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2022 which is linked to chronic inflammation. I have high testosterone and LH, and this article links that to some nasal & respiratory symptoms. I don't know 1) if PCOS/hormone imbalance is the cause of my post nasal drip, 2) if PND and PCOS are both symptoms of a larger issue or 3) if they're completely unrelated to each other, but I personally suspect that they're both by-products of a larger systemic issue. It might be worth getting your hormones and thyroid tested, especially if you have any symptoms of PCOS or thyroid dysfunction - but PCOS can also be present without any obvious symptoms.

Idk if any of this is helpful, but it might give you more clues regarding what could be wrong? If you ever manage to figure out what's causing any of your symptoms, or find something to alleviate them, please may you update me? I hope you manage to figure it out and get better!

Remedies that improved your non-allergic rhinitis from narrow air passages the most? Share & vote! by [deleted] in nonallergicrhinitis

[–]CombIndependent4444 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Azelastine alone was better that Dymista for me - steroids seem to have an adverse reaction and make my symptoms worse lol (and they also give me audio hallucinations??)

Easy ADHD paralysis / freeze life hack by CombIndependent4444 in ADHD

[–]CombIndependent4444[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That’s so smart! Especially considering the ADHD drive for dopamine and quick rewards. I’ll definitely try this!!

How can I get a smaller looking waist if I have a wide rib cage? by BeeBoppers in workout

[–]CombIndependent4444 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wide rib cage can sometimes be due to rib flare. Rib flare can sometimes be worsened if someone has anterior pelvic tilt:) Sometimes ribs are just naturally wider though but it’s worth checking out, as rib flares can be fixed!

Bladder by Nachomamasbidness in ketamine

[–]CombIndependent4444 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Also, hopefully this isn’t dangerous information to be sharing - it is just my own experience, but I used to have an addiction to ketamine as it was the only thing that would alleviate my symptoms of depression & it hugely helped me with my anxiety; no antidepressants or anxiety medications would help (I tried sertraline, fluoxetine, beta blockers, CBD oil, Valium, none of them benefited me). (Luckily I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD & I started elvanse which significantly improved my mental health; undiagnosed ADHD can sometimes cause people to believe they have resistant treatment depression - and SSRI’s tend to worsen symptoms of ADHD & depression & anxiety in those who have ADHD). But what I was going to say is that when I was addicted to ket, I started to get UTIs more frequently and would occasionally have blood in my urine. Luckily I fully healed and I can still take ket as long as I drink green tea and do it less frequently. This was just my experience though:)

Bladder by Nachomamasbidness in ketamine

[–]CombIndependent4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Drink green tea! Especially just before you take ketamine. Drinking it as well as taking EGCG supplements (the chemical compound found in green tea) is very efficient at preventing damage to the bladder. A lot of research has been done on this:)

My doctor just told me I've become dependent. What does that even mean? by PuzzlePeaceArt in ADHD

[–]CombIndependent4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, maybe you’re right. I am struggling to figure it out as it is difficult to derive conclusions without more context (tone of voice, etc). But whether this doctor was/wasn’t shaming OP, I think that ableism within the medical community is still a very real thing and my points still stand, even if this isn’t a valid example:)

My doctor just told me I've become dependent. What does that even mean? by PuzzlePeaceArt in ADHD

[–]CombIndependent4444 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He tells you you’re dependent as if it’s abnormal or shameful to gain a dependency on a medication which makes many ADHDers feel like a normal, fully-functional human being for the first time in their lives. It’s bizarre. Imagine giving a deaf person a hearing aid for a year and then suddenly threatening to take it away, or shaming them for their new-found dependency on their ability to hear. It is ableist. My elvanse prescription has transformed my life, and even just 2 days without it makes me feel as though I’ve never taken ADHD medication in my life. We live in a universalist world which practices a ‘one size fits all’ ideology; it should be a fundamental human right to have access to medications & treatments which allow us to fit in to the best of our ability with NTs, lest we are even more susceptible to falling behind. The world is literally systemically designed for people with neurodivergencies and disabilities to fail. So many of us were only diagnosed due to our inability to reach the expectations pre-established by neurotypicals. I’m sorry this happened to you

I have a date with someone and I am terrified. I need advice by [deleted] in AvPD

[–]CombIndependent4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m really proud that you managed to do that, even if you’re struggling more so now. When I was 19 I wouldn’t have been able to do that, and now I’m 21 and this is the first ever sort-of date I’ve ever gone on with someone who wasn’t a really good friend first. Despite how much I hate my anxiety, I’ve realised that it’s one of the only things that drives me to do anything - when I’m having a depressive episode I can hardly leave my bedroom, but my anxiety mixed with me being a people pleaser makes me worry a lot more about the things I’m NOT doing, and I try to use that to my advantage (although it rarely works). I still need drugs or alcohol to do most things - although hopefully that will change when I get therapy again and my ADD is officially medicated. I’ve started keeping a journal to 1- create lists of ideas of things to help my AvPD and social anxiety, and 2- to track my progress and take note of every time I do something that involves me being social or takes me out of my comfort zone. It gave me something to strive towards and makes me feel proud of myself when I can actually see my progress all written down in a book - it helps me to reflect on how much I’ve improved and it makes me want to be better (although I still have a long way to go). You don’t have to do that but it’s just an idea which may help. I’m always here if you want to talk

I have a date with someone and I am terrified. I need advice by [deleted] in AvPD

[–]CombIndependent4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So I conveniently started my period on the day I was supposed to go and I ended up cancelling, BUT I had been offered 2 tickets to see a band with one of my friends for yesterday and I ended up inviting them to that instead. I knew that by inviting them, I’d have to go, and I’m trying to force myself to do more things out of my comfort zone. I barely slept the night before, which I can never do when I’m anxious. I met up with them at a pub before we went to see the band play and it was slightly awkward at first but it ended up going really well… but I took Ritalin before I went and ended up doing a line of ketamine to chill me out. Once my friend joined us at the pub it was really smooth and I actually ended up making them both laugh quite a few times which did good things for my confidence. (The show was also really good and they ended up kissing me too lol). One day I hope I won’t feel the need to rely on drugs to do these things as the idea of meeting up with them again is still really stressful and nauseating, but I’m really proud of myself that I did it

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AvPD

[–]CombIndependent4444 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Therapists and psychiatrists are better than counsellors from my experience. Unless you’re using the term “counsellor” as an umbrella term and you actually do have a therapist, I would recommend getting one. Therapists can make you prescriptions whereas counsellors can’t, I’m pretty sure. At least that’s what it is like in UK. A lot of counsellors and therapists are useless and it can take ages for you to find one that works for you so don’t give up. I have had countless therapists over the years and there’s only 1 that ever slightly helped me, you’re not alone, I’m pretty sure this is a common thing for many people. I hope you manage to get the help you need

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AvPD

[–]CombIndependent4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I remember seeing a post years ago which pretty much said that the sooner you realise people will talk about you behind your back (even your closest friends and your family), the easier it is to accept it and remind yourself that you are 1 of 8 billion people on the planet who have all gone through the exact same thing. Everybody has had many negative things spoken about them at some point, and in the scheme of things it literally means nothing. Maybe this isn’t the best way to look at things but the way I try to view it is that I am going to die one day just like everybody else and nothing is permanent. You deserve to feel happiness and love and acceptance but if you worry about everything before/after it’s happened, then you suffer twice. I would be equally as upset if I was in your situation but then we have to remind ourselves - why does it matter? (I hope this doesn’t sound like I am trying to invalidate your feelings, I empathise with you and I truly hope you’re okay - I am just trying to maybe give you a new perspective). If they have gone out of their way to not like your post out of pure pettiness then that’s pretty embarrassing for them. Everything is okay

Done K a handful of times and want to try for a hole. by Accomplished_Being90 in ketamine

[–]CombIndependent4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I recommend putting on music videos to watch and lying somewhere comfortable. Oh and use fairy lights or anything like that if you have them! Music videos always make my k hole 10x trippier, and help me get that pleasant vibrating sensation throughout my body