u/acgrievance

This is a topic I see constantly discussed in r/OCD, though it's a question I'm curious to hear licensed therapists answer. In a world where healthcare can be so expensive, AND many mental health providers don't take insurance, many people struggle with their health because of this.

Speaking from experience, I paid out-of-pocket for my OCD screening as a one-time visit with a psychiatrist. It was all I could afford and after years of speculation, I just needed to know. Upon letting my psychiatrist know I couldn't afford further help, she was very accommodating with helping me find alternatives, like self-guided therapy and workbooks, general lifestyle changes, etc.

Of course, treatment can be VERY important and valuable to one's journey in navigating an OCD life... though it's not always available to everyone. Sometimes there are no [safe] alternatives. How can you still help a patient who can't afford it?

I bought a bag of ground chia and flax seed blend (as an alternative to regular chia seeds) because I eat overnight oats/oatmeal nearly every day and chia seeds weren't available, but there's no way I'll be able to finish this bag efficiently if used just for those two things...

If anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears!

My parents and the adults I grew up around are pretty homophobic, and a lot of the comments they make about queer individuals/concepts are kinda backhanded or sarcastic (in a way that's not outright malicious or hateful, which is somewhat worse imo).

Music was beloved in my household growing up. While watching an concert today, my father made a remark (that contextually speaking, he just said it to say it, as it had nothing to do with anything) and it's just really got me feeling sensitive and uptight about things...

"You know, Elton [John] might've been gay but he can damn sure make music, can't take that away from him."

I never know how to process it when they say shit like that, but I've sat here all day thinking about past moments like this and how it made me feel then. They're all the same, this overwhelming urge to "right a wrong" and whatnot. It's always more than just feeling upset about the homophobia itself, especially when it's 2026 (and as someone who's quietly queer myself).

Are there any websites with lists of businesses and companies where I can add myself to (postal) mailing lists to receive flyers, advertisements, newsletters, etc? As an alternative to contacting individual places manually?

I get that these forms of sharing info are practically obsolete (RIP) as everything is digital nowadays, but I still receive some and was curious... It's just that there's so many helpful tools and websites out there for other things, was wondering if there was something for this!

Sometimes I'll accidentally open an international version of the same site I always use, and every time afterward the page will load in another language before immediately reloading in English with the auto Google page translate function.

For instance, I accidentally opened Amazon.es from Google to view an item, not realizing it was the Spanish/Spain portal. Now every time I open the normal Amazon.com (USA version) thinking it'll "reset" it, the page will still initially be in Spanish before auto reloading to English. It's like it's still picking up the preferences from the previous site. HOWEVER, it'll only be that site that's messed up. I can open Reddit in another tab and be completely fine.

I've had this happened before with other sites, across different devices, but I never know what causes it or how to fix/prevent it. It eventually goes away after awhile but it's super annoying (and freaks me out because if it DOESN'T translate, I'm stuck and can't navigate). Have already closed browser fully, updated it, checked all the necessary boxes that one would think when troubleshooting... Please help!

NOTE: I'm American (sorry), I speak English... I want English.

So, I ordered a bunch of photos from Photos for keepsakes and am quite disappointed in their quality...

All of the photos are original, taken by me with digital cameras or phone. All photos are saved within Google Photos (from the start) as their original quality, not compressed or under storage saver. There's nothing being done to them in any way to reduce the quality.

Before ordering, I did have a few warn me that they had low resolution (like 6/100 photos) but there's was no fixing them. I'd say probably about 70% of my order prints have poor quality. Even for pictures from the same trip taken with the same device, some will be hazy while others are crystal clear... I don't get it. And they look perfectly fine digitally.

NOTE: This was the second batch of two orders, the first one was made months ago and their quality turned out perfectly fine!

I stopped paying attention to politics and what goes on in the world in 2020.

I've become sick to death of politics, and it's like you can't involve yourself in anything without someone making it about them, it's everywhere you turn... There's so much corruption and injustice happening that I urgently wish I could singlehandedly change or stop, and it's very overwhelming. It spikes my anxiety and kills my mental health, as it does for soooooo many other people.

With all of the boycotts, I'm also worried about the food I buy, the places I shop, the entertainment I consume, etc... meanwhile I'm just trying to get by in life like the rest of us. I purchase what I can afford, and at the end of the day I have to rationalize that within myself to keep my sanity.

A couple years ago I was heavily convinced I was part of the problem BECAUSE I wasn't paying attention to politics. Like many, I've developed the "if I scrolled past it, that means I didn't care" mentality. Sometimes that ended with making myself interact with things I didn't want to (watching horrifically violent and graphic videos of people suffering in Palestine (and other places), reading news articles about controversial new policies, etc). I also somehow convinced myself that blurring graphic/sensitive media and muting words in the settings of apps/websites was compulsive behavior by avoidance, and really that was the start of how things are now.

I always get caught up in the Elie Wiesel quote, "We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." That quote has haunted me since I was a kid learning about the H*locaust in school.

I purposely don't want to know anything about any conflicts or politics, I've stayed away from the news and paid no attention to worldly problems. I've known roughly who has issues with who, and loosely what for/about, but my knowledge doesn't stem past that... It's *way* too much for me but that makes me feel guilty.

I feel lost and helpless and guilty because I'm not following politics anymore. I don't want to "stay informed", but I also don't want come across ignorantly to people who ask me about [xyz].

(Please share your experiences with this topic, if applicable. I'd love to read them! This post is kinda venting but I wanted the comments open to whatever someone might want to say :))

Firstly, please understand this post is NOT a complaint, I'm just looking for answers out of curiosity!

I have a package that's initial weight was calculated as 0.4 lbs (by UPS, upon being shipped/handed over from the seller). Here we are some 36hrs later, and the package is recorded to be 0.9 lbs...

Could the packaging have been changed (my order put into a different package, like in the case of damage/tears)? It just feels odd for it to updated after it's already been processed AND en route to me (the weight change happened AFTER it's already on the way, well past the "Shipped" status), and doesn't seem like an error or estimated guess. Any ideas are appreciated!

EDIT: Might add that I've not been charged the 1 lb minimum fee, only paid for the order itself and the standard calculated shipping fee based on how much I purchased from the seller... But even then, in a hypothetical sense, how could UPS charge me for for the 1lbs minimum if my package doesn't reach that (supposedly)? And on top of that, change weight while already in transit?

A young boy (white, dark brown/black hair, between ages 8-14y/o) goes to stay with his father, and/or moves away with said father to a new place following the death of the boy's mother. Regardless, the father had seemingly been mostly absent/disconnected from the boy's life prior to the mother passing and the tension between the two is a major plot point... I don't remember much other than the strained relationship between father and son, which I don't recall if and/or how it was resolved.

One major and notable part (I believe a closing scene) is animated, where the boy sees his deceased mother in a tornado/storm in a very emotional display. I believe she comes down out of the clouds and talks to him, maybe hugs the boy, and then is taken back up with the boy calling out for her as she goes.... This possibly could have been a dream the boy had (caused by head trauma or during normal sleep), and was a heightened and intense moment that the entire rest of the film cultivated toward.

The setting had a vintage look (1940s-1960s), dark lighting, European-style architecture (cobblestone-esque walls and structures of the town/place of residency) but I'm unsure where they actually were. Despite that, I believe everyone had American accents, so possibly just an old-timey sorta location in either America or the UK. The boy also has a nanny who stays with him at home and cares for him while the father is away on business trips.

-

• Is it animated, live action?
  • It's both, interchangeably (like The Pagemaster), but was mostly live action. Some scenes were made into cartoons to convey emotion and/or tone, usually involving the boy.
• Genre?
  • My best guess is Family, maybe Drama too? I'm not entirely sure what you'd label it. It's more than likely not Comedy or Action, and definitely not Horror or Romance.
• From what country?
  • US, UK, or Canada
• Estimated release year/decade?
  • Approx. between 1985 and 2005 (which I know is a very large gap, I'm sorry!)
• What language?
  • English (EN)

(Apologies if this is the wrong sub/section to post in!)

Hello, I'm a county historian for my small town and have recently begun refining and adding to my records paperwork, including writing new pieces on the area.

I already have much of the technical means in conveying the town's history (early settlements, population data, notable places/events, politics, etc... but can't help but feel that there's other pieces, maybe obvious ones, that would be good to have in an archive.

I've been watching AEW from afar lately so my understanding of the story is limited, but I'm REALLY interested in what's going on there... haven't caught Dynamite in a bit, so I'm looking for clues before tuning in this Wednesday!

All I know is Mox/Death Riders took out Ospreay late last year (when I was still watching), which started all of this when he returned a few months ago to get his revenge (unsuccessfully). I missed the whole Moxley/Death Riders face turn. I did see the brief United Empire vs Death Riders thing (just the backstage brawl). Also saw that first video of Ospreay showing up to the Riders' training session, telling them he's trying to get medically cleared.

Are the Death Riders trying to "rebuild" Ospreay in their own image? What's at play here? Is there an agreement of some kind between them? Are they actually just allies now or is it something more akin to "I'm reluctantly involving myself with you by circumstance"?

Any information is welcome!

I have a box of old photo prints from my parents, and everything in the box smells like cigarette smoke, as it was stored in the "smoke room" at their house.

The smell is on the photos themselves, so it doesn't matter what I transfer the photos to, the smell will always remain. I've had this box for years and while you can't smell anything unless you actually open it, when you do it's so profoundly strong and unpleasant.

I have tried baking soda in the box, didn't seem to absorb anything. I'm open to literally ANY suggestions or ideas, no matter how crazy they sound. I'm a house cleaner as it is, this is one task that has defeated me...

There's hundreds of photos, so it would be pretty impractical to wipe down/clean each individual one. I fear that they'll smell like this forever given they've been this way for 20+ years.

(Redirected from r/CleaningTips)

(Checking this off the "Shower Thoughts" category while we're at it...)

They say its impossible for you to make your body go completely still because your nervous system will constantly make your hands, arms, legs, etc have even just a little movement or jumpiness. They also say your body is never in true equilibrium and therefore will never have complete balance.

For instance, if you're standing upright, your body naturally moves and sways. Never is it completely still with zero movement, even if you try your hardest. And I don't necessarily mean obvious, sudden or constant movement of all objects... So, how does science explain (for certain) that this is your nervous system causing the motion and not caused by the simple pull of earth's rotation making you move with it?

I have a box of old photo prints from my parents, and everything in the box smells like cigarette smoke, as it was stored in the "smoke room" at their house.

The smell is on the photos themselves, so it doesn't matter what I transfer the photos to, the smell will always remain. I've had this box for years and while you can't smell anything unless you actually open it, when you do it's so profoundly strong and unpleasant.

I have tried baking soda in the box, didn't seem to absorb anything. I'm open to literally ANY suggestions or ideas, no matter how crazy they sound. I'm a house cleaner as it is, this is one task that has defeated me...

There's hundreds of photos, so it would be pretty impractical to wipe down/clean each individual one. I fear that they'll smell like this forever given they've been this way for 20+ years.

Firstly, I'd like to mention that I've spent the past week doing SO much research as a first-time buyer and user. It's been chaotic but I've learned a lot, though limitations prompt this question-

The dilemma... I've been looking for a purifier as someone with a dust + dust mite allergy. However, the options with replacement filters are way out of my budget, especially long-term (I have also checked the sub wiki and buying guide here for help).

I understand washable filters aren't favorable, and typically not as effective as disposable, replacement filters due to the materials they're made of, as well as water damage. I've found that purifiers with washable filters, while maybe less effective, are more affordable and I feel like they're worth a shot, just as a start. Even if I return it within 90 days.

My thought process is that I wouldn't mind buying one with a washable filter just to see how well (or the lack thereof) it works, as a start... This would give me a chance to truly understand how purifiers work and how they might function in my room.

So, my question here is mainly does anyone think it's worth trying a purifier with a washable filter to begin with? Or am I just stuck with my dust?

NOTES: I do all of the necessary cleaning routines! My health thanks me haha

• I live in the United States.
• The room is ~200sqft (15ft x 13ft)
• Filtration needs are for dust + dust mites.
• Budget... I'm not sure how much a reasonably priced purifier is, but I'm looking to not spend more than $100 as a first-time user.

Hi all! TLDR; Looking for purifier advice as someone who's never had one, for a dust + dust mite allergy.

Firstly, I've never had an air purifier and know absolutely *nothing* about them, what brands there are, filters, the different types (the ones for germs, then there's others for pollen/dust particles, etc), none of it. So please, feel free to explain anything like I'm 5y/o!

Unfortunately, I was raised around cats and dogs, with carpeted floors and an otherwise dusty/dirty house. Despite doctors' advice against this, my parents didn't have much of a choice, but I've always kept my room/space very clean and upkept. I feel like I've become somewhat immune to this environment over the 20+ years of growing up, but still can recognize when things are worse off.

NOTEWORTHY INFORMATION (per sub standards):

• I live in the United States.
• The room dimensions are 13ft x 12ft x 7½ft.
• Filtration needs are for dust + dust mites.
• Budget... I'm not sure how much a reasonably priced purifier is, barring how much replacement filters are. I wish to not spend more than $100 for the machine itself as a first-time user.

(Btw, I have read the wiki and it was helpful, but my post's intent is to hear recommendations from others in this community and what they suggest, if possible. And also to garner any advice :))

I know this question seems kinda of counterintuitive, but for the record, I've found others saying it IS possible... I'm just asking what method is preferred/recommended.

I have a small 10in x 15in puzzle (non-wooden, typical cardboard/chipboard). However, for the first time ever, this puzzle actually curled within hours of being glued (only glued the front side). I plan to just tape the back of this one if I can get it taken care of....

....and putting it under heavy, flat objects has not helped! Some say to (1) wipe gently with warm, wet cloth, or (2) use rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball, or (3) hairdryer on low heat to soften glue and then scrape (not my favorite technique lol).

Either way, I planned on (of course) letting it fully dry afterward, but I'm unsure what methods are better than others for this type of puzzle. The glue container calls for soap and water for general removal...

Hi, I'm looking for workbooks (or other kinds of books, anything literature) that combine some form of [self-guided] OCD therapy with talk therapy-esque guidance and activities/exercises.

I've had trouble finding a therapist over the past year. Long story short, I was diagnosed with OCD, anxiety and depression last year. Was recommended to at least find a talk therapist who's familiar with OCD, or if I wanted, a specialist. The psychiatrist also recommended an ACT workbook, which I bought and have used since.

However, I don't feel that specific workbook fits me well or does anything to help, so I'm searching for alternatives. I do best with Q&A-based guidance, or through "homework" where I'm asked to do [xyz] and answer questions.

Hello, I recently bought Bisquick solely for the purpose of making Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, does anyone have a good recipe?

And I do mean other than Bisquick's own recipe, as there's many modifications I've found where others use their own ratios/blend of ingredients to amplify what they like, barring what is originally called for. Also, please don't suggest premade box/bagged mixes! That kinda defeats the purpose of my post, but thank you 😄

(Quick backstory.... Bisquick was once not an option for me, but I'd found TONS of Cheddar Bay Biscuit recipes online made from scratch without it. None of them really had the "it" factor, so, I previously asked for help finding a recipe from scratch and everyone told me to just get Bisquick. So, this is kind of a repost because I didn't realize it's sacrilegious to make these biscuits without Bisquick... people suck sometimes lol)

In a world where there's so much discourse over what level wrestlers are, how people feel about them, what categories they fall under.... who is someone you think is rated just right where they should be? And why?