u/Space-cadet-66

As the semester starts, I’d like to ask a favor: Please Don’t Be Weird To Non-Traditional Students.

I’m a non-traditional student, I’m 24 and taking a reduced course load for health reasons. I’ve had lots of people be like “That’s so valid, everyone’s on their own path, etc.” But I’ve had quite a few people who find out that I’m older and get weird about me taking longer than my peers. Someone recently laughed and said “man, you’re gonna take like 10 years to do your degree!” It’s mostly been 18/19 year olds who think 24 is ancient, and it’s pathetic to still be an undergrad after 22. I was surprised how prevalent that attitude is here. They tend to feel bad when I explain my chronic illnesses, but what if you didn’t comment at all! That would be so cool. I already have baggage about it, thanks. Idk, maybe this is just my experience and it’s been smooth sailing for others. I hope that’s the case. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk!

(A girl)

I just realized I have moral scrupulosity OCD. My mind is blown. I’m realizing that my core belief that I’m a horrible person might not be true, that it might be another part of my OCD. I do consider this epiphany a win, since now I can start working on it.

Two of my closest friends also have OCD and when I told them they both said
“Wait, I thought you already knew you had that…”

WHAT???? No!!! I genuinely believe all of these things about myself! I just thought I have low self-esteem!!! I’m baffled by the realization, and they’re baffled that I’m only realizing this now, after years of OCD treatment!!! I don’t even have the words, my reaction is just 😭🤦‍♀️💀🤯

Update: They’re fine now, thank you all for the advice

My friend almost never uses weed, but they accidentally took too many edibles last night and went into psychosis. They said they were seeing all of time and the multiverse and were untethered from reality. They were also hallucinating people around them who weren’t there. It’s morning now and they’re doing better, but they still feel really weird and “need reality to come back.” How do I help them ground? I want to tread so carefully because the already have issues and I’m so worried about making this worse or making it last longer. It’s my fault they took a higher dose than they meant to, and I’m so scared I broke them. I thought about taking them on a walk but that might be overwhelming and make it worse. People with this experience, what helped?? People with psychosis in general, what’s the best way for a friend to help gently bring you back to reality?

Does anyone else have times when they physically can’t inhale or exhale? It’s not an asthma feeling or shortness of breath. It’s like my diaphragm gets stuck in the off position. I have about 20 seconds of gaping like a fish, and then catch a few deep breaths before it happens again. It only started yesterday, and I’ve had multiple bouts of it. I can handle my other symptoms, but this is freaking me out. Is this normal for FND?

My hair is brown, but I’ve been having it professionally colored ginger for years. I can’t afford that anymore and I want to switch to doing it myself (even if it doesn’t look as good.) I currently have a very grown out and stripey shadow root, so it would look atrocious if I just put ginger box dye on my roots. I think I need to get it professionally color corrected and dyed a simple, uniform ginger (I know that’ll be expensive, but less than I currently pay.) I’d try to find a decent shade match in box dye so I can do my own roots going forward.

My question is whether it’s okay to come to the appointment with the understanding that they’re essentially cleaning the slate for me to do it myself in the future? Is that disrespectful? Or would your average hairdresser be fine with it?

(Please be civil, I’m autistic and struggle with interpersonal dynamics.)

I’m 24 and I can’t recall the last time my temperature was over 99. In the last 3 years I’ve had covid, mono, lyme, flu, and countless colds. I never had a fever with any of them, even when I felt like I was literally dying. I’ve always had a pretty weak immune system, so maybe this is part of it. Your body is trying to burn out the infection, right? Maybe mine just says “nah, too much effort.” I don’t know. Just something I’ve been curious about.

FND is weird. I’m used to losing control of my hands once or twice a day, but a few times a week I’m blessed with full-body paralysis. It’s like my motor control is behind a paywall. I feel like Linguini from Ratatouille, with a rat pulling on my hair to control my limbs.

I’ve been a puppet before; I played a life-sized marionette in a haunted house years ago. The string broke on Halloween and I fell 10 feet onto concrete. I kept screaming that couldn’t feel my legs, and the EMTs thought I might be paralyzed. I wasn’t then, but I am now. Oh the irony.

The following year I scared a haunted house patron so bad that he kicked me in the head. My neurological issues didn’t start for another year, but I think that concussion was kindling for what came later. Don’t work as a scare actor, you will sustain damage.

I’m writing this on the couch while waiting for my legs to come back. My best friend has carried me from the couch into bed several times, and once carried me into the car to go to the ER. Certain things can snap me out of it, like the sound of my cat screaming and yowling at her nemesis outside the window. He’s a black cat in our neighborhood who taunts her with his freedom. Just like that I’m up and out.
Thanks, Brain.