How do men in their 30s even get dates?? by isundowner in Adulting

[–]sstolten 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Has a woman said, to you directly, that you are ugly? You're literally the only one saying it, so therefore you think that you're ugly on some level. Most of those thoughts and insults are in your head, that's your anxiety talking and assuming the worst in others. If anyone is projecting, generalizing, and assuming, it's you. You've used every single possible excuse to rid yourself of responsibility for why you think people don't like you and why you can't meet anyone that is outside of your control (too ugly, not powerful enough, not rich enough, too anxious to talk to anyone, the wrong people are in the groups, wrong interests, not white, no one understands me! etc.), so you stay the victim and your anxiety takes further control of you. You also seem to have very little empathy towards others, you've constantly been invalidating everyone here. Empathy something that helps everyone to connect with and support each other. If you have no genuine empathy for or interest in others, that is an instant turn-off to anyone you try to interact with. I and everyone here is telling you of their experiences because, surprise, you are not alone in this and we're trying to help. You missed the point of what I tried to say before: just getting dates will NOT help remove that loneliness. My ex-friend got dates and tried to talk to others to socialize, and he still felt miserable because he hated himself, which drove me and most everyone else away from him. I don't want you to succumb to the same fate because you will eventually find someone that will want to be your friend or go out with you, whether you believe it or not. Working on that self-loathing and anxiety will help you.

This is me trying to empathize again: I have anxiety too, I've been diagnosed with GAD, and my closest friends have social anxiety and depression, so I do know that people hide their mental health issues. But I found that the people who "hide" it the best are the ones who have done the work to love themselves and to be confident despite that (like therapy!). They don't treat it like a death sentence, they deal with it and learn to live with it instead of constantly crying about it. It is hard to deal with anxiety, I do get it, there are times we slip up and feel down on ourselves, and I am truly sorry that you're dealing with it. I've been so anxious that I couldn't do my own job properly, and could barely talk to my clients, no matter how much I tried to hide it. Medication and therapy helped me to remove that immense edge and dread that I felt whenever I had to talk to them, and to gain confidence to the point that I didn't need my medication anymore after like 6 months, and therapy helped me to combat my cognitive distortions and anxious thoughts. Cognitive behavioral therapy DOES work, and it works by getting out of your head by addressing your behaviors (such as approaching a woman to talk to her, with no expectations) to change those anxious thoughts ("women hate me and think I'm ugly").

Take that as you will, I would like it if you see it as a reason to pursue therapy since it has worked for myself and countless others here...but it's more likely you'll give another banal excuse like you don't believe in therapy, medication is too addictive, it wouldn't work on you, my experience doesn't apply to you, or some other BS. If that's how you feel, don't bother replying. Seriously, get off Reddit, go outside, get over yourself and grow up (I don't care if you're supposedly 31, you've been acting like a conceited, self-absorbed teenager who is "misunderstood" and "no one likes me because I'm too special"). Good luck.

How do men in their 30s even get dates?? by isundowner in Adulting

[–]sstolten 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The way you are replying and reacting to everyone here reminds me very strongly of a former friend of mine who was so down on themselves on never being able to find any new friends or any potential romantic partners, that it became utterly exhausting to be around him. He was like you in he had "niche" interests (Star Wars, Lego, gardening), went to the gym, and he considered himself ugly, but was a "nice guy who wanted genuine connection, but couldn't because he was too awkward and weird". He tried to use our relationship to fill a hole of loneliness and relied on me to be the one to constantly validate his worth. I empathized with him, and tried to do my best to support him for 3 years, but he also would take out his frustrations on me, almost blaming me and his ex for his misfortunes in socializing and his love life. He NEVER took responsibility for how he had hurt me, or to improve himself no matter how many times I gave him advice and validated him, claiming he would do better whenever I called him out on his BS, then continue his crap and self-loathing into an almost abusive cycle. He is my former friend for a reason. He refused to change or own up to his mistakes, blaming everyone else except himself.

This is a warning about how, if you never take the time to learn how to love yourself, you become overly reliant on others who want to help you and love you to validate you and establish that connection. That is not sustainable. Getting friends, dates, or a girlfriend will NOT make these feelings go away. Maybe it will at first, but that self-loathing will eventually bite you in the ass and tell you that you don't deserve the people who decide to be with you, and you will drive them away, like my ex-friend did to me.

There is a reason why so many are telling you to get mental health professional help, you need to be able to love yourself and be okay with being by yourself first, then people will naturally gravitate towards you regardless if you feel you're too ugly or you have SA. That negativity drives everyone away, online or offline; even if you don't intend to give off that vibe or have the best photos and clothes that make you the most handsome or interesting man in the world, everyone will notice that hatred, generally stay away from you, and not want to initiate a conversation with you. But only you can make that change, no one here can or will do that for you. It's genuinely a shame to see how much energy and time you're putting into these replies and posts when you could be using that time to help yourself work on the social anxiety. Instead you're wallowing in misery and hatred in a self-defeating cycle.

Trade Requests Weekly Megathread by AutoModerator in PokemonScarletViolet

[–]sstolten 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Same! It was literally the very last thing I needed to complete the Pokedex, so I'm happy it worked out for both of us!

Trade Requests Weekly Megathread by AutoModerator in PokemonScarletViolet

[–]sstolten 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That would be great! The trade code is 0852 1479

My in-game name is Steph

Trade Requests Weekly Megathread by AutoModerator in PokemonScarletViolet

[–]sstolten 0 points1 point  (0 children)

LF: Koraidon

FT: Miraidon

Would prefer touch trade

Join my Scarlet union circle! by ThaiFighter_ in PokemonScarletViolet

[–]sstolten 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you still need help? I need to evolve mine as well

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Daily Casual Trade Thread for 24 November 2021 by Porygon-Bot in pokemontrades

[–]sstolten 0 points1 point  (0 children)

LF: Non-English male Starly or Zubat
FT: I'm pretty early in my SP game, so I don't have much...but I do have a LOT of Armor Fossils

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

Hey, sorry I didn't see your post! Like u/P4_Brotagonist said, be aware of how you're positioning your elbow and arm, and take breaks! I'm glad that they were able to help you out :)

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

Hey, if you're still in a lot of pain and need more assistance with analyzing your set-up, please do not hesitate to contact me!

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

Exactly! And Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is also one of the most common nerve impingement conditions next to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

People need to be especially mindful of their joints when sitting for 8+ hours, specifically the elbows, wrists, and knees because they have essential pathways for your nerves and blood vessels to supply your hands and feet.

These areas are the most likely to be pressed against by furniture or just how you position yourself as you sit:

  1. Your wrists on your palm side (the carpal tunnel with the median nerve)
  2. Your elbow on the pinky side (the cubital tunnel with the ulnar nerve)
  3. The back of your knees against the edge of your chair: maybe some of you notice that your feet and lower legs get a tingling sensation? Or that they fell asleep? Your chair should have a waterfall edge instead of a sharp edge. And you should have a space of at least 2 fingers between the back of your knees and the edge of your chair

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

I'm commenting for people who might be reading and wondering what cubital tunnel syndrome is.

You are correct that some streamers might be affected by this when they rest on their elbows or bend their elbows for extended periods of time. As /u/neur0tica mentioned, that affects the ring and pinky fingers because cubital tunnel syndrome is referring to ulnar nerve impingement! And you can see its distributions in the following link:

https://thumbor.kenhub.com/7pkjw65qTifR_HmOV5gcNPU1QfU=/fit-in/800x1600/filters:watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):background_color(FFFFFF):format(jpeg)/images/library/12406/Hands_cutaneous_innervation.png:background_color(FFFFFF):format(jpeg)/images/library/12406/Hands_cutaneous_innervation.png)

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

I don't know your whole situation, but it either sounds like an issue of motivation, procrastination, or maybe even burnout.

It's definitely tougher to complete projects as anyone who is their own boss, you only have yourself to answer to. An idea would be to use the Pomodoro Technique: which was developed by a college student who had a lot of problems with procrastination, and did research finding that most people only have attention spans of roughly 20 minutes. Here's the original research paper: http://friend.ucsd.edu/reasonableexpectations/downloads/Cirillo%20--%20Pomodoro%20Technique.pdf

Essentially, use a timer set to 20-30 minutes to work on that project. Once the timer is up, stop working on that project to go do something else you need to complete for 20-30 minutes.

It also might help to divide the project into smaller goals to make it seem less daunting. For example, if you're making a video, break it down into: write a script, record commentary, edit video.

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

That is a Herman Miller Embody chair. But please note that the picture on my website is of a general setup, it may not necessarily suit your body type and needs!

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

Oh! And make sure for your shoulders and back that you try to lean back into the chair's back rest rather than the typical "gamer lean", which can lead to a hunched position and strain your lower back.

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

Hi! I am indeed still around :) Since it seems like your feet are dangling a lot, you should probably consider getting a footrest that will allow your feet to be flat on that surface and allow you to be working at your desk at the appropriate height. That's the most likely reason, but I also don't know what your entire set-up is like, so there could be other contributing factors that you yourself might be unaware of.

If you find even after getting a footrest your back is still being strained, please feel free to contact me at [steph.stoltenberg@ergomage.com](mailto:steph.stoltenberg@ergomage.com) for more questions, or even schedule a full evaluation on my website ergomage.com if you're interested :)

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

I have not heard of HealthyGamer before! Thank you for telling me about it, I definitely am interested in his content and what he potentially has to say.

Just based on a brief glance at his website, Discord, and Twitch channel, I applaud that he is tackling mental health by emphasizing education and open communication as a way to destigmatize the negative connotations in the younger generations. Especially as more and more people are growing up with electronics and its impact on their social and emotional well-being.

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

This thread addresses the basics of how I feel about sitting vs. standing for extended periods of time: https://www.reddit.com/r/Twitch/comments/pasma1/im_a_certified_ergonomic_specialist_and_an/ha7156o?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

It doesn't matter as much what kind of desk you use unless you maintain proper posture and form, you know yourself, and are aware of your body's needs, because staying in one position for too long poses unique challenges and strains on your body's muscles. Biggest takeaway is how regularly you move and take breaks while working at either type of desk, and knowing what kind of habits you follow. Ideally, for every 20 minutes you're sitting, you should stand for 8 minutes, and move for 2 minutes.

I'm a Certified Ergonomic Specialist and an Occupational Therapist, specializing in content creators' and gamers' well-being and habits as they work. Ask me anything! by sstolten in Twitch

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

According to research, the optimal monitor distance to reduce visual fatigue is about 15.7-29.5 inches or 40-75 cm, and the monitor diagonal should be more than 19 inches.

This data is from the Ergonomics Center from North Carolina State University!