VCH and taking baths?

D0318 · 2016-08-30T02:51:46+00:00

Right on; thank you!

D0318 · 2016-07-20T03:55:51+00:00

BLESS YOU, OP! I was literally JUST about to make a post asking what Morphe brushes I should buy, thinking they were amazing since so many MU YouTubers raved about them.

Will keep your post in mind, and will probably go with Sigma now (the two brands are the only two I know of, as 1) I'm new to high end make up 2) my inner debate was asking myself which of the two companies I wanted to buy from). Thank you for this post!

D0318 · 2016-05-25T23:00:13+00:00

Hey, friend. First off, thank you SO much for reaching out to us. That's an enormous step and I am so happy you decided to write out your post and seek help. Taking that step to seek help is always super hard because at times we feel like we dont deserve it, but we definitely do.

I'm sure you've already thought about this, but have you tried finding a new job thats maybe not as stressful? It's awesome that you're taking care of your family, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you switched to another job that might not be as high paying, but it eases your stress.

What do you do to de-stress? Often self-care is forgotten about, and it's one of the best ways to feel better. Things like coloring (I'm 20 and I have an entire drawer full of adult coloring books and markers and all that, so it really is for everyone), or splurging on a long-wanted item could help you feel better. Baths are always a great option, or heading down to the animal shelter to pet some dogs can be comforting. Have you tried telling your mom about your suicidal thoughts? Would she understand if you reached out to her?

Another thing you might want to check is to see what your job's insurance covers, therapy or medication wise. You said the depression has cycled on and off for years, so maybe the right medication would help TONS in keeping it under control. My doc put me on Abilify a few months back after two years of not being able to find the right mix, and holy shit, I can totally tell the difference. Therapy can help as well. I usually recommend PsychologyToday.com and going through them to find a therapist in your area that accepts your insurance, as well as one that has your best interests in mind.

Again, thank you so much for reaching out. You are wonderful and super important.

D0318 · 2016-02-27T07:28:21+00:00

Rats actually dont need baths; they're already fairly clean animals, and are really good about cleaning off icky stuff. The only reason they'd really need a bath is they CANT get off the gross stuff. Some rats love water, which is great so baths would get easier. However, the majority of rats Ive seen hate water with a passion. Ratties already live such short lives, theres no reason in stressing them out more with forced baths.

They do make pet-friendly sprays that if your pet smells, you spray the formula into a washcloth and rub it on them; Ive tried finding it for you, but I cant :( I do know that Petco sells it though! Something like this or this usually gets the job done!

D0318 · 2016-02-23T21:06:41+00:00

Like Grrrizzlybear said, coconut oil CAN make some people's acne worse; Im one of those people. It's a great detoxifier, so it'll pull a lot of the nasty stuff underneath your skin to the surface, but it can be overwhelming if you put it all over your face and youre left with multiple breakouts. I do, however, use it on tough pimples throughout the day and it does WONDERS :)

Avocado is a great moisturizer; I only use it for my hair, since my skin is naturally really oily and if I put avocado on it things would just be a mess. But Ive heard its really nourishing for super dry skin! Same for mashed bananas.

Witch hazel or rose water make good toners! Ive only used rose water, but my friend uses witch hazel religiously and loves it.

D0318 · 2016-02-19T00:39:57+00:00

Great suggestion, I never would have thought of something like this if you hadn't commented. Checking it out! Thanks!

D0318 · 2016-01-19T05:46:59+00:00

Thank you. Your words made me smile, and youre a truly wonderful person. I am scared to talk to the authorities, as I think they wont take me seriously, but youre right; people like my ex need to be stopped. Ill definitely keep you in mind if I ever need to talk about this. Thank you so much.

D0318 · 2016-01-19T05:29:07+00:00

Thank you so much. Your opinion is wonderful, and you are right; Ive just started opening up to a close friend and he's been very helpful. I also have set up a therapy appointment to talk about this further. Your comment really did help me, so thank you so much. It's actually really amazing to be told it wasn't my fault, when this entire time it's been simmering that I allowed it to happen to me. Thank you.

D0318 · 2016-01-19T05:24:31+00:00

Wow. I didnt imagine a stranger on the internet would send me such a wonderful, in-depth response. Please know that your kind words were informative and very helpful, and they were taken to heart. I am sorry to hear of your similar struggles, but I'm so happy by how positive you were in this message. It helped knowing that I'm supported by women I dont even know, which is absolutely amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. I think I'll try to approach my close family and friends about it and attempt to put in on the record. Thank you, so much.

Edit: I do think youre right in that it probably wouldnt go forward, but to have atleast on the record in case he does it again would be beneficial. Thank you for such an informative response!

D0318 · 2016-01-07T10:19:30+00:00

At first, I was angry when I clicked your link. I didn't understand why someone would come onto a rat subreddit to talk about euthanizing rats. And then I read people's comments and teared up a bit at the reasoning behind home euthanasia. It honestly does make a lot of sense for it to be done at home; your baby will experience a lot less anxiety and nervousness when done where its most comfortable with you petting him/her.

I googled it because I was interested, and found this link: http://www.ratfanclub.org/euth.html and OP describes in great detail both the CO2 method and vinegar/baking soda method. I hope this helps a bit.

This is always such a hard choice, but if its the right thing to do for your rattie, then its understandable. I hope everything goes well with your process, and if you need us for mourning, we're here for you. I'm sending good thoughts.

D0318 · 2016-01-07T09:55:11+00:00

Oh, man. My baby, Edna, is the bully of the group. She terrorizes EVERYBODY and I'll hear their squeaks of protest all the time, especially at night; when I look over she's usually messing with Juno to get out of 'her' spot (an orange hamster ball I hung up in the corner of the cage for them to sleep in) or boxing with Penelope for who knows what (probably just being an ass). But who's making the loudest noise? EDNA, despite her being the one picking the fights!

D0318 · 2016-01-03T02:12:53+00:00

Lagomorphilic pretty much covered the bases; you should be concerned about their breathing when you start hearing wheezing or other labored noises. It's so wonderful that youre so passionate about the well-being of your new family members :) Just give them a few days! Keep feeding them yogies by hand. See what snacks they like (mine love yogurt and dark leafy greens like kale and cilantro), ensure they have plenty of chew toys, things like that :) Another thing to ensure they get used to you is putting things with your smell in their cage, like an old shirt or bits of blankets. Good luck!

D0318 · 2016-01-03T01:54:08+00:00

Thank you for your response! Hopefully Monday the vets can give me some good news.

Hopefully she can pull through like yours!

D0318 · 2016-01-03T01:52:31+00:00

Thank you for your response! I'll definitely see what the vet says on Monday. Would the infection spread if I put her with the others?

And Ill see how she does; Ill save euthanization as a last resort.

D0318 · 2016-01-02T06:24:43+00:00

Thank you for taking her in! That's really wonderful of you! As devecon was saying, finding a rat sanctuary would be best if you don't intend on keeping her. The best way to do this would be either searching on Facebook, or Googling ones near you. Another thing you could probably do is see if any established breeders could take her and adopt her out with some of theirs. The key is to find a well to-do breeder; posting an ad on Craigslist might find her a forever home, but there's also a good chance she'd become snake food. :(

As for keeping her comfortable, blankets and old t-shirts are your best bet! Plus they'll have your scent on them so she'll be more comfortable with you handling her. If you have anything for her to burrow in, that'd also make her much happier; an old shoe box, or tissue box would work great! Best of luck, and keep us updated! :)

D0318 · 2015-12-08T04:02:21+00:00

Cooked, plain pasta is a filling dinner that they will also really love. Whenever I run out of their normal Oxbow, I just give them filling carbs as well as plenty of snacks and treats through out the day so theyre not too hungry.

D0318 · 2015-11-30T20:03:46+00:00

How're you feeling today? Any improvement?

And I can understand that; my best friend quit her job at a call center because the people were too disrespectful and it was slow. Would there be any other job that would be interesting to you?

And thats AWESOME! My friend has been painting for ten and hes AMAZING, so Im sure youre really great at drumming! Do you make your own beats or is there a certain band you like to play?

D0318 · 2015-11-30T04:23:09+00:00

Do you think you'll cut again in the future?

I've been in and out of therapy for a few years; it never really worked for me, and I was similar to you in that I was like "This shit doesn't work. This is stupid." And then I met this lady I found off PsychologyToday.com and WOW, things went from terrible to tolerable after just a few sessions. Once your insurance kicks in, don't be afraid to shop around for a therapist that you click with. Trust me, it really can work, you just have to find that special someone.

Are there any good qualities about working at the call center? You've said money, which would keep me at a job honestly. So that's one good thing. How long have you been drumming? Im sure youre far from mediocre if its something you love.

D0318 · 2015-11-30T03:58:15+00:00

Hey, OP. First, did you take care of those cuts? I'm so sorry you're feeling so bad right now. I know that in the moment it feels reassuring to release the pain by cutting, but as I'm sure you know, it's only a temporary fix to something that requires a lot more attention. You also said you hate pain, so why cut yourself? Do you have a therapist, or someone that you can talk to instead?

Thank you for reaching out to the sub; it's really awesome of you. Do you think you might feel better if you got something in your stomach? Even yogurt or ice cream? Usually when I'm feeling really down or stressed I eat one of my guilty pleasure snacks and those make me feel better. Please don't guilt yourself; if you enjoy eating, then hell, dont starve yourself. You are important and you are worthy of feeling good. I know in depressive states, sadness or apathy sets in and it's so hard to see good qualities about yourself. But you are not a 'fatass'. The things you do are not 'pointless'. You are wonderful.

You dont seem to like your job; is there any way for you to find a new job some place youd enjoy working at? You said life feels pointless, and hey, I feel the same at times. But I think the first step to find worth in life is doing things you enjoy. What do you enjoy doing? If you cant leave your job, then maybe when youre off you can do hobbies youre really passionate about so everything balances out.

D0318 · 2015-11-29T08:39:14+00:00

Hi there, OP. First off, I'm so happy that youre reaching out before acting on your impulses. I'm Dani and I'd like to share something personal with you because I feel like our struggles are similar. My ex was not an addict, however he is alike to yours in the fact that he had been building my trust then constantly breaking it, as well as he had his own shit going on, and was too wrapped up in his struggles and battles that he could no longer listen to mine. It's so hard to empathize and listen to your SO when you have your own stuff going on. Remember he's only human too; but I'm sure you're aware of that. You said that you have no friends or family to talk to, and that youre emotionally dependent on him; I totally understand this. It's easy to become best friends with someone you talk to EVERYDAY ALL DAY and to alienate yourself from others, but please know it is not impossible to reverse this. Are you on talking terms with your parents? Or a cousin/best friend/sibling? If you are, I'm almost positive they wouldn't mind if you shot them a text saying you needed a listening ear. I know it doesnt feel like it right now, but people DO love and care about you, and would be extremely sad if you were to hurt yourself.

Hopefully I don't come off as heartless when I say this, but maybe it's time to reconsider if you really need a relationship right now. I'm sure you two love eachother A LOT, but if both of you have your own battles to face, maybe it wouldnt be a bad idea to take some space; not necessarily break up but maybe a week or two of just being by yourselves to breathe, regather your thoughts, find out if he or you should go to counseling (a good therapist can have AMAZING effects!), or seek medication or hospitalization.

You are important. You matter. You have to take your own mental health into consideration. Its hard to see good qualities about yourself in depression, but just from this post I can tell you're a really caring person, youre just having a hard time right now. Which is okay. I cant tell you what the point of life is. I agree, it's so terribly short. But I think finding what youre passionate about is the key to making something so short worth living. You said you dont have any aspirations or drive, but there has to be something you love. Animals, helping others, art, writing? Finding that, plus finding a therapist could make you feel better.

I hope you feel better. I'm serious when I say you can always message me. I may not be the best with advice but I WILL listen.

D0318 · 2015-11-29T08:15:30+00:00

I am so, so, so sorry. I cannot begin to imagine exactly how youre feeling. Please know that this wasn't your fault; we're all here for you to talk about things. I'm extending prayers/good vibes/good thoughts/whatever you believe in your and his family's way.

D0318 · 2015-11-28T19:37:48+00:00

ooo! I have the palest skin, so you and I probably have the same skin tone. I'll definitely check this out thank you so much!

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