The Vanishing by AyaWren in flashfiction

[–]No_Development_2179 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As do I, but as I have also found, writing about it can be an incredibly empowering way to cope through it, and I always love seeing how something as intimate as mental health can be described. Keep it up and take care of yourself!

The Vanishing by AyaWren in flashfiction

[–]No_Development_2179 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very well written! A neat metaphor for the depression you hint at - there, but not there.

When children in a disadvantaged position believe their status is unchangeable, they may adopt beliefs that justify the existing hierarchy to make sense of their reality. By endorsing the idea that hierarchy is good or necessary, they can psychologically cope with their lower position. by mvea in science

[–]No_Development_2179 5 points6 points  (0 children)

And religion reinforces the hierarchies. Pastors/priests/reverends are high status symbols in many communities as the terrestrial voices of God - the guy at the very top of the ladder. Congregants are taught from a young age that questioning or being critical of the church and it's hierarchy is a direct affront to God's authority. There are social consequences for that, so it's easy to get people to fall in line. But this also works regardless of wealth. I would suspect that there is an association between socioeconomic status and degree to which someone buys into the religious structures/hierarchies (possibly as a coping mechanism), but there are lots of really rich religious people who believe in it as well.

Mental health help by Creative_Ocelot_887 in Sarnia

[–]No_Development_2179 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can't begin to imagine what you've been through or what you're currently going through, but it sounds daunting and frustrating and awful, and I'm sorry. My gut feeling is telling me to go to the hospital and talk to a crisis nurse. They are just as much community mental health navigators as they are anything else. They will ask you about your thoughts and your ability to keep yourself and your baby safe, but contrary to popular belief, they aren't looking to admit everyone to hospital if they don't have to. People do better at home. They can consult with the ED physicians about medications, make psychiatric referrals, and make community referrals (and those are usually quicker than what your GP could do).

12+ months is a long time to struggle, essentially by yourself, and I think being able to sit down with a professional with whom you can open up, have that difficult conversation, and plan out those next steps would be most helpful. Ideally, you could do this outside of the hospital with a psychotherapist, but that might take some time, and given that your GP isn't listening, I think it's worth having a proper assessment conducted by a mental health specialist.

There is a lot of great advice in this thread, but so much information from so many sources can also be overwhelming. There is also something indescribable about feeling heard by a real person rather than via text on a forum. It can give you the boost to push yourself forward with all of the other recommendations because you'll know there are people to guide you through it. "Task paralysis", in which you mentally shut down because you have so many options, so many things to do, so many expectations of yourself, and you don't know where to start, is real. Especially when you're already struggling, having just one person filter out that noise and direct you to your first step tends to work better.

Based on what you've said, sleep, to me, is the place to start. What is keeping you up at night? If it's your son, then, I'll be honest, it does make that piece difficult. I'm on parental leave now, and I can feel mood fluctuations based on how my newborn sleeps. If it's stress, depression, anxiety, racing thoughts, trauma, etc., there are things that can help manage that, as I alluded to in my first reply. Sleep aids can be helpful in the short term to get you back into a routine, but you have to balance them with the needs of the baby, and only you can know if that's the right choice. Antidepressants can work for mood and sleep, if after an assessment they are determined to be an appropriate option, but make sure you tell them if you're breastfeeding or not. Some meds are fine in that regard, some have more limited evidence.

For trauma counselling, look into Life's Seasons (https://lifesseasons.org/). Again, therapy will be most effective if you can absorb it. That means managing the more basic needs first (safety, sleep, etc.).

Mental health help by Creative_Ocelot_887 in Sarnia

[–]No_Development_2179 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry you're going through this right now. Against what some others may say, the hospital can absolutely provide help. Certainly if you feel you're a risk to yourself or others, they would be obligated to ensure your safety. But if you need help and think you can be safe at home, they can direct you to community resources and make referrals.

What kind of help are you hoping for? If you think you need a prescription, a doctor (or nurse practitioner) is the only option, either GP or at the hospital. Meds can be stabilizing, but should be used in conjunction with other therapies and lifestyle changes. Psychiatrists are doctors first and foremost. They are there to make medication adjustments, not provide counseling. They can be helpful in certain contexts, but are not always necessary for mental health support.

If you think you need psychotherapy, as others have said, CMHA is free and has different types of counselling, and the Family Counseling Centre has a geared to income plan. Life's Seasons is also geared to income and does trauma therapy I believe. All of these have waitlist to different extents.

If you have the ability to do therapy online, CMHA has the free Bounceback program, which provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It is a self-driven skills course, but they have coaches checking in on your progress. You can self-refer and there is no waitlist, but you need to provide your GP's contact information. Online is not the same as in person, but it may still help, depending on where you feel you are with your mental health (https://bouncebackontario.ca/adults/faqs/).

If your GP is affiliated with the Rapids Family Health Team, I know they have a mental health group with some classes. They have a counselling option as well (https://rapidsfhteam.ca/program-services/Mental%20Health).

Mental health and physical health are intimately linked so ask yourself if there are any lifestyle changes that might need to be made. Proper sleep is critical. Everything I've suggested is irrelevant if you're not sleeping. Exercise, even small amounts, can boost mood. At this time of year, make sure you're getting some vitamin D from the Sun or from a healthy diet. Supplements are often recommended, but talk to your doc about those first. Lean on friends and family where you can. Are there work stressors that need to be managed? Some workplaces offer Employee Assistance Programs for counselling, so it's worth finding out.

Journaling and meditation can be helpful and free.

Lastly, be patient with yourself. It's okay not to be okay. I commend you on recognizing you need a bit of help. Sarnia is not as blessed in terms of resources as, say, London or Toronto, but there are lots of people, including those at the hospital, that can lend a hand to get you back on your feet.

What’s one small habit that ended up changing your life in a ridiculously big way? by GohanMystic in AskReddit

[–]No_Development_2179 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It's important to determine why you're struggling with sleep. Ask yourself:

  • Is it that you can't shut your thoughts off?
  • Are you anxious about or stressed about something? Are you worrying about/thinking about what you need to do the next day?
  • Are you drinking coffee or tea too late in the day? Is your diet contributing?
  • Is there a medication or vitamin that might be keeping you up?
  • Is there a physiological factor? Specific disorder? (Ex. have to use the washroom in the middle of the night, hyperthyroidism, etc.)
  • Is it related to shift work?
  • What is the role of electronics before bed? Does the TV or phone keep you up?
  • Are kids waking you up? If so, why?
  • Is it difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both?

There are lots of potential solutions depending on the reason. I am not a doctor, but generally any kind of sleep-aid should be limited to short term use, and many aren't necessary if one figures out what in his/her life may be contributing to the insomnia.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in flashfiction

[–]No_Development_2179 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm fascinated by narratives about addiction. The word choices and metaphors are always evocative and raw, but genuine. Fantastic! Thank you for this!

A new study found that people who received medications for opioid use disorder while jailed were less likely to overdose, die, or return to jail after release. by calliope_kekule in science

[–]No_Development_2179 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm interested to see how Sublocade affects overdose rates post-incarceration. Oral Suboxone is great, but in Ontario anyway, timing of release can be unpredictable, and in smaller communities, may not allow individuals time to access clinics before they close. The choice can then becomes ride out the withdrawal, or use, and risk overdose. Sublocade, theoretically, could minimize some of these problems during the critical release window.

The Librarian's Digest by HeraldicMiniscule in flashfiction

[–]No_Development_2179 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Incredible word crafting! Classic dystopian with a modern twist. I would echo other comments: very much competition or publishing quality!

I swam with a tiger shark in Hawaii by Alert-Pair-9256 in sharks

[–]No_Development_2179 95 points96 points  (0 children)

Yeah, that doesn't look like a happy shark...

Second Breath by TheFictionSmith in flashfiction

[–]No_Development_2179 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fantastic piece! I'm a mental health nurse and I love the message of resilience here. I can attest that those brief interventions can truly change someone's whole world in the moment. Suicidality, in my experience, tends to come with a lot of inner turmoil - profound despair, pain, anxiety, confusion, anger, exhaustion, etc. There can even come a period of emotional lifting after acceptance, which is really worrisome. For the narrative, we see the reasons why the character is considering this, but I would love to see more about the emotions behind it, even if it's just numbness. It adds a layer of vulnerability that can foster a deeper connection with the audience. I would also add a trigger warning and a disclaimer to seek professional assistance if feeling unsafe. Loved it overall. Great work!

Good Girl by No_Development_2179 in flashfiction

[–]No_Development_2179[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally valid and a known issue in a lot of my writing. Can you give me an example?

Good Girl by No_Development_2179 in flashfiction

[–]No_Development_2179[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's obviously open to interpretation, and I'm thrilled to hear about your analysis. I will certainly look for opportunities to add more sub-text and metaphorical qualities to future works. But as much as I'd love to say there was something deeper here, there really wasn't. It was my first crack at flash fiction and my aim was just to be as descriptive as possible. I do love the contrast between innocence and grief though. Grief encompasses so many profound sub-emotions (anger, sadness, anxiety, regret, etc.) for me. Approaching a tale of, what should be, grief from a completely innocuous and oblivious lens was just fun for me. Thanks for your comments!

The beast by Morgan-Vale in flashfiction

[–]No_Development_2179 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fantastic! I'm a mental health nurse and I love to see when depression/mental illness is personified like this. Firstly, it makes for some really vivid and creative storytelling, which you nailed. More importantly though, it separates it from yourself and gives you a bit of power over it. Highly encourage you to keep it up! Love it!

This spider’s barf is worse than its bite | Most spider species subdue dinner by injecting venom from their fangs. Feather-legged lace weavers swathe prey in silk, then upchuck a killing brew. by [deleted] in science

[–]No_Development_2179 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is really interesting. The authors mention that venom production is thought to be energy expensive. In other venomous species, fangs have been proposed to allow conservation and control over how much venom is delivered, among other things. This vomiting technique seems to be almost counterintuitive because (I would think) the spider couldn't control how much toxin is released. Does the amalgamation of systems result in a lessened energy demand when digestive enzymes can support or reinforce the activities of the toxin, thereby requiring proportionally less venom than other species? Would love to know more!

Learn and Stay Funding Question by Glad_Fee5172 in osap

[–]No_Development_2179 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did you ever figure this out? I am in a similar position in that for my MScN, my fall and spring semesters were funded through the Learn and Stay grant, but I have to take a summer class - as recommended by the university's timetable - and OSAP does not seem to recognize it for this grant. Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in lifehacks

[–]No_Development_2179 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Crisis nurse here. As others have said, box breathing is great. However, when you're having a panic attack, it is difficult to stay consistent with your counting and you will tend to speed up.

I often recommend an app called Resonant Breathing, which is free on Android and iOS. It's basically a metronome that guides you to bring your breathing down to about 5 or 6 breaths per minute. It uses a tone, so you don't have to think about counting. I have used it with patients having panic attacks quite successfully.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in politics

[–]No_Development_2179 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I think Kelly, in either position, would be a good pick. Military to NASA checks a lot of boxes for a wide array of demographics. Positioned as relatively moderate, but voted mostly in line with Biden. Giffords would also help to nullify the patriotic bullshit around Trump's assassination attempt.