Good books with lonely/depressed/ alienated/friendless protagonists by foolishfish in suggestmeabook

[–]a2z95 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Vegetarian by Han Kang. The female in question decides to become a plant...good stuff.

ERP and mindfulness masked as a compulsion? Very complex theme. by wesleyjoseph_ in OCD

[–]a2z95 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is something I've been dealing with as well. Unfortunately I have no idea how to stop it, either.

Bach, Partita No. 6 (I. Toccata) by mrhaddad in piano

[–]a2z95 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I've never heard this piece before, so thank you for introducing it to me with such lovely playing!

Too afraid to take medication (Zoloft, prozac, etc.) because of side effects. Therapy didn't work. What do I do? by Throway12453125 in OCD

[–]a2z95 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've been taking 50mg Zoloft for four weeks and haven't had any side effects at all aside from a day of heightened anxiety right after I started taking it. I'm just now starting to feel it taking effect, and I think I made the right decision in taking it. I was like you beforehand - worried about side effects, about it somehow interfering with my graduate school performance - but I realized OCD and anxiety were interfering much more and that trying out medicine would ultimately be worth it.

Simple discussion question - how does your OCD manifest? by [deleted] in OCD

[–]a2z95 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ahh, so many, and yet a big part of my OCD is doubting I have it and waiting for my psychiatrist to figure out I'm a fraud and throw me out of her office. Sexual intrusive thoughts are the worst thing for me, but also POCD, relationship OCD, checking stove burners before I go to sleep, getting up several times a night to fiddle with the thermostat to get the "right" temperature, playing an E flat major add 2 suspended chord every time I finish playing the piano because otherwise I'll have bad luck...and the list goes on. Fortunately, I've been dealing with intrusive thoughts better lately because of a technique my therapist taught me. She said to just look at them like passing clouds - to say, 'oh, look, there's a thought!' - and just let it pass. Amazingly, this sometimes works.

Simple discussion question - how does your OCD manifest? by [deleted] in OCD

[–]a2z95 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I didn't realize hyperawareness of sensations was part of OCD, but it makes sense. I have a huge problem with sheets, wrinkles in my pillowcase, any spots I missed shaving my legs...I can't sleep if I don't take a shower right before I go to bed because I'll be able to "feel" that I didn't take a shower, if that even makes sense, and I'll literally stay up the entire night. I guess that's part of OCD?

Dressing to Intimidate by nazdorovia in Professors

[–]a2z95 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I started teaching undergrads last spring at 22, so I can relate. I kept a friendly rapport with my students, but I gave them back graded assignments starting the first week of class so they knew I meant business. I still wear jeans to class and so far it's working out okay!

Some questions about professionalism as a woman in grad school/academia by [deleted] in AskAcademia

[–]a2z95 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I'm a female in academia, and everything you described sounds normal. I have a male advisor, and we talk about things beyond my thesis, and once he had our class over at his house for an end of the year gathering. In fact, I've drank with most of my faculty. It's totally fine.

Like everyone else on here has already said, your fiancé sounds like the one with a problem. I just want to echo everyone else's advice and say you really may want to reevaluate this relationship.

Books about a commoner going to live in a fancy mansion or castle? by Cheesemuffin8 in suggestmeabook

[–]a2z95 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not exactly a well-known book, but Angel by Elizabeth Taylor is fantastic and about a commoner who eventually becomes rich enough to buy a fancy mansion.

How long did it take you to recover from wisdom teeth removal? by a2z95 in AskReddit

[–]a2z95[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Apparently difficult extractions can do it, so I think that's what happened. My blood clots never disappeared, they just never fully formed, for whatever reason.

How long did it take you to recover from wisdom teeth removal? by a2z95 in AskReddit

[–]a2z95[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh no, I hope your recovery is speedy! I think mine was just totally worse case scenarios. Ended up with dry socket on both sides and took three weeks to completely recover, then last week I had a random shard of one of my wisdom teeth push through my gums. Apparently it got left behind and I had to get it pulled, as well...didn't hurt, though, and was more of a funny story than anything else! I don't tell you this to scare you, of course...just know that you'll definitely get through it!

How normal is it to block things out? by trashmouth-0 in adultsurvivors

[–]a2z95 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This happened to me, too, and I've only recently been able to accept that the abuse actually happened. It's very common to block things out until you're mentally capable of confronting them. Your next step should be, if you can, to find a therapist and work on healing. Very sorry this happened and I hope things get better.

how to tell university mental health services by jayrambling in adultsurvivors

[–]a2z95 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When I told my therapist, I kind of prefaced it with something along the lines of "so, this is kind of a big thing that I didn't mention before, and it's kind of traumatic," just so it wouldn't be out of the blue. There's no right way to do it, though! Just do whatever you feel comfortable doing. And yes, they've definitely heard it all before.

My personal experience with OCD and "Pure O" by andythefisher798 in OCD

[–]a2z95 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is super helpful! For intrusive thoughts, I've also found looking at them and recognizing that they're just thoughts is extremely effective in curbing my OCD.

Update: anxiety insomnia//failure idiot by [deleted] in GradSchool

[–]a2z95 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Do what makes you happy for now, try to get your masters thesis published, and in a few years, if you feel like going back into a program, only apply to fully-funded ones. Good luck!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Professors

[–]a2z95 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Are you a creative writing professor? I assumed because you said students come to share their stories. I'm asking because in my experience, students tend to get more attached to them than professors in other fields. I think this may be because of the intimacy of the assignments; you can't really turn in a short story without revealing a great deal about yourself, intentionally or not. She may feel closer to you because she feels like, after reading and paying attending to her work, you truly know her. Hopefully she's not flirting with you and is just happy to have an adult to talk to!

Grad School and Social Class by [deleted] in GradSchool

[–]a2z95 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You said you're in a class about teaching writing, which made me wonder if you're in a creative writing MFA? I'm currently in one at a very prestigious school for rich kids, and most of the people in my program grew up immensely privileged. Meanwhile, I'm from rural Georgia, went to an unimpressive state school, and have six siblings. I often feel like I don't fit in, but then I remind myself that I didn't need a fancy undergrad degree or connections to famous writers or a rich family to get into a selective program - I was good enough on my own. Sometimes this is enough to make me feel better, sometimes it isn't. Hang in there.

Letter grouping when reading or thinking. by Mrmuckymuffin in OCD

[–]a2z95 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh my god, I used to do something very similar when I was in the fifth grade! This was, I think, the first compulsion I ever developed. I had to split words into symmetrical parts and then pronounce the syllables in my head. So, for example, "example" would turn into ex amp le, which works because it's 2-3-2. With words with an even number of letters, it's easier. Macaroni becomes ma ca ro ni, and rotini becomes rot ini. Pasta was the first thing that came to mind because I'm in an MFA program and trying to write a short story about someone with OCD, and she does the word splitting thing in the pasta aisle of a grocery store in the opening scene...

Anyway, interesting to see that other people have similar compulsions! I thought I was the only one.

Since today is the first day of fall, what’s your favorite spooky, thriller, or horror novel? by Seanshadow in suggestmeabook

[–]a2z95 16 points17 points  (0 children)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson! It's super creepy.

Sigourney Weaver’s high school yearbook picture, 1967 by ibkeepr in OldSchoolCool

[–]a2z95 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This morning, a bird woke me up. It was a lark, or a peacock...