Two days ago I had the worse headache ever. I usually get migraines but this one was so bad I remember telling my boyfriend “I think I’m dying”. The pain was intense and eventually I was crying and throwing up, couldn’t sit up, couldn’t stand the light, was shivering and sweating(I remember being cold and hot it was weird). I couldn’t control my breathing. Idk what that was but a few hours later under my boyfriend’s watchful eye I woke up and my fever had broken. I’ve had a lingering migraine since but … has this happened to anyone? Should I go to the doctor?

Hi guys! i get cluster headaches and go through periods of time where i’ll thankfully be headache/migraine free and periods where i’ll get them almost daily..i am now entering a period of time where my headaches have come back and i’ve had multiple migraines over the last few days. i’ve had auras before without the headache but this time it’s been different. all day today and yesterday i’ve had multiple auras immediately followed by involuntary muscle movements, facial spasms and body jerks and my head moving upwards and it mostly affects the right side of my body. when i was a child i had seizures that mainly affected the right side of my body but i grew out of them, maybe it’s just the fact that the movements are mostly on the right side of my body that’s freaking me out but is this normal for migraine auras? does anyone else experience this?

I wrote the following as a sort of journal entry and thought this might be a good place to share it. I know it’s a bit over the top, but this is the only way these words come out of me. Not trying to be pretentious lol. Hope someone out there can relate or enjoy. Felt good to write it.
How can I align my thoughts at once? Or weave them into a single thread? Things don’t move that way in my head, really, and it can be hard, then, to truly capture them. What would I look like if I were a book, I wonder? Pages ripped, and torn, and taped back in. Some pages black and smudged and burned to soot. Some crinkled and crunchy, stuck in an awkward permanence to their neighbor, having had tea or coffee spilled on them - once soggy moments, now rigid in time. Some pages would overflow with words like a waterfall, cascading down into rivers and streams of thought, eternally winding back to the vast open sea of paper before them. Some would be marred by the oily fingerprints of a late-night bad decision - a snack I didn’t need, or a love I didn’t crave. Some would be beautiful and intimate. Some so subtle that a reader might unknowingly skip past them when rifling through; soft, tender, and pure. Some pages would find you with faded Polaroids of a kind stranger’s smile wedged into the binding. Snips of hair, cut and glued in the shape of a promise to a long-forgotten friend. The sweat-soaked setlist to every face-melting, heart-wrenching, and whispered empty bedroom concert I’ve ever held, complete with scribbled titles scratched through in harsh black ink, and a few more added hastily to the end of the already cramped page. Speeches I’ve given to the gods, tacked down with old chewing gum and dried saline. My book would creak and crunch beneath its own weight. Inside, you’d find slots for age-old mixtapes, once used to barter and commiserate with similarly hollowed childhood friends. Each to be removed and played in their own time, a patch-work soundtrack to my life. You’d find dust and dirt and a spider or two, with flecks and specks of god knows what. And some pages would make you fear me. Some would bring you joy. Some would make you ache, or yearn, or gasp, or cry. And many would leave you with more questions, and fewer answers.
Some pages would be dark even for me to read.
Pages that suck and pull at your core. Pages that eat your soul. Pages that aren’t pages at all, always changing in location, always hoping to blend and sneak past the conscious reader’s gaze. And on the very next page, as if nothing had changed, you’d find snippets of life I’ve kept precious. A stack of “get well soon” cards from my first-grade class, carefully threaded into the binding. Art drawn and painted and weaved into the fabric of the pages themselves, labors of love. Secrets and prayers alike, whispered and kissed and sent and tucked with care - all etched like scars into the pale canvas beneath them, invaluable and unquantifiable.
And when you’d finish the book, dear reader, what would you feel, then, seeing me displayed like that? Would you love or hate me more? Would the sum total of my existence be greater or lesser in your eyes? If you weighed and judged me in the balance, what would you discover? Would my life hold any value? Which fragments of this collection would hold any worth at all? If one were to be subtracted or added, would your perception shift? If I strung together the perfect sentence, would you love me then? Is that where my worth would lie?
And what of my own perspective? To see myself laid out in full, aching, and oozing, and radiant all at once—could it be enough? Would it offer anything new? Could I see it - really see it - and call it complete? Would my book, in the end, have meant anything at all?

This morning (14/05/2024), I took the metro from Union station, traveling from Centerpoint to Business Bay. As soon as I boarded, I noticed it was extremely hot, and everyone was sweating. The travelling time from Union to Business Bay usually takes about 25 minutes.
For those familiar with the Dubai metro during office hours, you know how crowded it gets. I was on the train at 7:25 AM, and it was packed. The humidity was unbearable because the air conditioning was not working. This made the journey very uncomfortable for everyone.
Many passengers wanted to get off the train due to the heat, but doing so would mean waiting a long time for the next metro, which would make us late for work and potentially face salary deductions. As someone of young age, I can manage the situation, but I'm concerned about elderly passengers and those with physical conditions like asthma. In such conditions, they might find it impossible to endure the heat and the rush.
I'm urging the Dubai RTA to address this issue and ensure the air conditioning systems are functioning properly, especially during peak hours. This will make the metro more comfortable and safe for all passengers.

This morning (14/05/2024), I took the metro from Union station, traveling from Centerpoint to Business Bay. As soon as I boarded, I noticed it was extremely hot, and everyone was sweating. The travelling time from Union to Business Bay usually takes about 25 minutes.
For those familiar with the Dubai metro during office hours, you know how crowded it gets. I was on the train at 7:25 AM, and it was packed. The humidity was unbearable because the air conditioning was not working. This made the journey very uncomfortable for everyone.
Many passengers wanted to get off the train due to the heat, but doing so would mean waiting a long time for the next metro, which would make us late for work and potentially face salary deductions. As someone of young age, I can manage the situation, but I'm concerned about elderly passengers and those with physical conditions like asthma. In such conditions, they might find it impossible to endure the heat and the rush.
I'm urging the Dubai RTA to address this issue and ensure the air conditioning systems are functioning properly, especially during peak hours. This will make the metro more comfortable and safe for all passengers.

This morning (14/05/2024), I took the metro from Union station, traveling from Centerpoint to Business Bay. As soon as I boarded, I noticed it was extremely hot, and everyone was sweating. The travelling time from Union to Business Bay usually takes about 25 minutes.
For those familiar with the Dubai metro during office hours, you know how crowded it gets. I was on the train at 7:25 AM, and it was packed. The humidity was unbearable because the air conditioning was not working. This made the journey very uncomfortable for everyone.
Many passengers wanted to get off the train due to the heat, but doing so would mean waiting a long time for the next metro, which would make us late for work and potentially face salary deductions. As someone of young age, I can manage the situation, but I'm concerned about elderly passengers and those with physical conditions like asthma. In such conditions, they might find it impossible to endure the heat and the rush.
I'm urging the Dubai RTA to address this issue and ensure the air conditioning systems are functioning properly, especially during peak hours. This will make the metro more comfortable and safe for all passengers.

Dental fear and avoidance, commonly known as dental anxiety or dental phobia, can have significant impacts on oral health and overall well-being. Here’s an overview of its causes, symptoms, and implications:

Causes of Dental Fear and Avoidance

1. Previous Traumatic Experiences:
   • Painful or unpleasant dental visits in the past.
   • Negative experiences during childhood dental visits.
2. Fear of Pain:
   • Anticipation of pain during dental procedures.
   • Sensitivity to oral discomfort.
3. Loss of Control:
   • Feeling vulnerable or helpless in the dental chair.
   • Inability to see what’s happening or communicate easily.
4. Embarrassment:
   • Concerns about the state of oral health.
   • Fear of being judged by the dentist or staff.
5. Negative Stereotypes and Media:
   • Influence of negative portrayals of dentists in movies or TV.
   • Hearing horror stories from friends or family.
6. General Anxiety Disorders:
   • People with generalized anxiety, panic disorders, or other phobias may be more prone to dental anxiety.
7. Inherited Traits:
   • Some studies suggest a genetic predisposition to anxiety and phobias.

Symptoms of Dental Fear and Avoidance

1. Physical Symptoms:
   • Increased heart rate and sweating.
   • Nausea or stomach distress.
   • Shortness of breath or hyperventilation.
   • Trembling or shaking.
2. Psychological Symptoms:
   • Overwhelming feelings of dread or terror at the thought of visiting the dentist.
   • Sleep disturbances before a dental appointment.
   • Persistent worry or obsessive thoughts about dental visits.
3. Behavioral Symptoms:
   • Avoiding dental appointments altogether.
   • Cancelling or postponing scheduled visits.
   • Difficulty sitting through a dental examination or procedure.
4. Emotional Symptoms:
   • Irritability or mood swings related to dental visits.
   • Feelings of helplessness or being overwhelmed.

Implications of Dental Fear and Avoidance

1. Poor Oral Health:
   • Increased risk of cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss due to infrequent dental care.
   • Development of complex dental issues that require more extensive and invasive treatments.
2. Overall Health Impact:
   • Poor oral health is linked to systemic health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections.
3. Quality of Life:
   • Chronic pain and discomfort from untreated dental issues.
   • Impact on self-esteem and social interactions due to poor oral health.

Managing Dental Fear and Avoidance

1. Communication:
   • Open discussions with the dentist about fears and anxieties.
   • Seeking a dentist who is empathetic and patient-friendly.
2. Relaxation Techniques:
   • Deep breathing exercises, meditation, or listening to calming music during appointments.
   • Progressive muscle relaxation techniques.
3. Sedation Dentistry:
   • Use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral sedatives, or intravenous sedation to ease anxiety during procedures.
4. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
   • Psychological techniques to reframe negative thoughts and reduce fear.
5. Gradual Exposure:
   • Slowly increasing exposure to the dental environment to build tolerance and reduce fear.

Understanding the causes and symptoms of dental fear and avoidance is crucial for addressing this common issue. By adopting a compassionate and tailored approach, dental professionals can help patients overcome their anxieties, ensuring better oral and overall health.
Dental fear and avoidance, commonly known as dental anxiety or dental phobia, can have significant impacts on oral health and overall well-being. Here’s an overview of its causes, symptoms, and implications:

Causes of Dental Fear and Avoidance

1. Previous Traumatic Experiences:
   • Painful or unpleasant dental visits in the past.
   • Negative experiences during childhood dental visits.
2. Fear of Pain:
   • Anticipation of pain during dental procedures.
   • Sensitivity to oral discomfort.
3. Loss of Control:
   • Feeling vulnerable or helpless in the dental chair.
   • Inability to see what’s happening or communicate easily.
4. Embarrassment:
   • Concerns about the state of oral health.
   • Fear of being judged by the dentist or staff.
5. Negative Stereotypes and Media:
   • Influence of negative portrayals of dentists in movies or TV.
   • Hearing horror stories from friends or family.
6. General Anxiety Disorders:
   • People with generalized anxiety, panic disorders, or other phobias may be more prone to dental anxiety.
7. Inherited Traits:
   • Some studies suggest a genetic predisposition to anxiety and phobias.

Symptoms of Dental Fear and Avoidance

1. Physical Symptoms:
   • Increased heart rate and sweating.
   • Nausea or stomach distress.
   • Shortness of breath or hyperventilation.
   • Trembling or shaking.
2. Psychological Symptoms:
   • Overwhelming feelings of dread or terror at the thought of visiting the dentist.
   • Sleep disturbances before a dental appointment.
   • Persistent worry or obsessive thoughts about dental visits.
3. Behavioral Symptoms:
   • Avoiding dental appointments altogether.
   • Cancelling or postponing scheduled visits.
   • Difficulty sitting through a dental examination or procedure.
4. Emotional Symptoms:
   • Irritability or mood swings related to dental visits.
   • Feelings of helplessness or being overwhelmed.

Implications of Dental Fear and Avoidance

1. Poor Oral Health:
   • Increased risk of cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss due to infrequent dental care.
   • Development of complex dental issues that require more extensive and invasive treatments.
2. Overall Health Impact:
   • Poor oral health is linked to systemic health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections.
3. Quality of Life:
   • Chronic pain and discomfort from untreated dental issues.
   • Impact on self-esteem and social interactions due to poor oral health.

Managing Dental Fear and Avoidance

1. Communication:
   • Open discussions with the dentist about fears and anxieties.
   • Seeking a dentist who is empathetic and patient-friendly.
2. Relaxation Techniques:
   • Deep breathing exercises, meditation, or listening to calming music during appointments.
   • Progressive muscle relaxation techniques.
3. Sedation Dentistry:
   • Use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral sedatives, or intravenous sedation to ease anxiety during procedures.
4. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
   • Psychological techniques to reframe negative thoughts and reduce fear.
5. Gradual Exposure:
   • Slowly increasing exposure to the dental environment to build tolerance and reduce fear.

Understanding the causes and symptoms of dental fear and avoidance is crucial for addressing this common issue. By adopting a compassionate and tailored approach, dental professionals can help patients overcome their anxieties, ensuring better oral and overall health.

I'm curious to talk to some fellow depraved weirdos out there who might enjoy the thoughts that keep rattling around in my head, but I couldn't quite come up with a punchy title or a fun setting so I figured I might try something more conversational in style. Like a kind of stream of consciousness style exploration into my own fantasies to see if anyone else out there is picking up what I'm putting down. So, hope you enjoy whatever it is that I've written below this sentence and shoot me a message if you're interested in chatting or writing something together to get us off as hard as possible.
I've been fantasizing all day about having a girl out there, a counterpart to myself that understands the most twisted and confused parts of my own identity. Who can understand the way that emotional and intellectual intimacy and honesty is so hardwired into what I find sexually attractive that it's inextricable - my kinks are not fleeting desires. They are parts of myself that scream out to be seen, embraced, loved that have gone unaddressed or otherwise unnoticed. I don't know if I'm a Dom, a sub, a switch, a vers, I don't have that name for myself - I only know what it is that I want, which is this.
I want to have someone who feels like they could just melt into me, to become a singular entity where we share each and every thought and feeling, synapses and muscles and rhythms of our body echoing each other in a way where there are no needs that exist outside of our connection. Obviously we'll need food and water and a break from the kind of intensity that I'm talking about, but I want the entire world to fall away while I'm jackhammering my cock into your pussy or asshole. I want your entire being to focus down to a pinpoint where you can feel my hot breath on your neck, words pouring out from my mouth like so much unfocused poetry while I'm fixated on the way that your muscles clench and massage my shaft. The way I can feel your soaked wetness coat our thighs, run in small rivulets down your asscrack while I pin your legs back by your head and fuck you until the bedframe beneath us breaks. I want the sound of our hips slamming wetly together to be so loud that neighbors next door think someone is being beaten, to bruise your cervix or plunge my cock so deep into your ass that I push into your colon. If we were to switch positions and have you climb on top of me, straddle me and look down at me with hungry eyes - fucking impale your hole onto me. Throw yourself down as if your life depended upon it, that my aching length filling you is the ultimate purpose that you'll fulfill in this lifetime and any others.
I don't care if you just got back from a long run or haven't shaved this week, all I know is when you walk in that front door of our house and I feel my eyes devour your body, I am filled with an uncontrollable, animalistic lust. I don't want to just fuck you - I want to worship, own, desecrate, build you up and break you down in your own perfectly flawed self image. I don't intend to change you into anything that you weren't meant to be, you've just finally found the person that sees what you are deep down inside and will help you to achieve that end. In that way, I fully expect to spend my days immersed in experiencing you - burying my face in your pheromone filled creamy pussy, letting my tongue and lips explore your curves and folds and memorize every single mole, freckle, unique mark that denotes this body your beautiful soul pilots as yours. I want to explore every inch of you with all five senses, to know how you smell as I bury my face in your ass first thing in the morning and dip my tongue inside your pussy, my nose pressed up against your puckered hole.

I want to start by saying I really appreciate this medicine for what it did for me. I was desperate for help at a time where life felt difficult to cope with and Pristiq absolutely helped. I got through some major life challenges with an open mind and for that I’m really grateful.
I started weaning off a month ago, dropping from 75mg to 50mg for two weeks, 50mg to 25mg for two weeks and today I am scheduled to stop taking it completely.
My taper plan feels aggressive compared to what I’ve seen, but I trust my psychiatrist so I’ve followed it.
75 to 50: I felt heightened anxiety, a bit of nausea, some lightheadedness. I noticed I wasn’t flushing or feeling hot as much as I was used to, this was one of the most annoying side effects for me with Pristiq. I always ran so warm.
50 to 25: I had the same symptoms and also started to become aware of my feelings much more. Simple things made me want to weep, from sad to happy things. My bf suggested we go cosmic bowling one night and I got emotional 😹 it wasn’t all “cute” though. The second week was pretty miserable. Work stress was putting me in an existential crisis. Things felt harder to deal with, I wanted to isolate more, I was irritable and felt kind of out of my mind.
The last two days I’ve felt more stable.
25 to 0: I can’t say much because it’s my first day but I can say that I have felt pretty good today and I haven’t had a soul crushing headache the way I would previously if I ever missed a dose or was late. At this point, I’ve also noticed that my metabolism feels better. I’ve lost some stubborn weight that I haven’t been able to lose since being on Pristiq.
Some things I’ve done to self-regulate during my taper: Lift weights 3-4x a week Eat as healthy as I can, not avoiding treats that make me happy Lotssss of water and electrolytes Less coffee Be more intentional with my sleep
I’ve been pretty lucky, I don’t wish to jinx it and I’ll definitely report after a month off of it. I’m grateful this little online pocket exists, it’s made me feel less alone in the journey and like there are people who can relate. 🫶🏻
My mom said it really wonderfully today “The same symptoms you might experience coming off are the same symptoms that made you seek medication, it’s all about being smart starting medication, being smart on medication, and being smart getting off medication. Every step has its value, and they all bring you closer to yourself.” I just really loved that.

I didn’t do it. I didn’! I didn’t! I’m no murderer, no, listen! I will tell you your a killer. You do not believe me? Even for a moment? But little is my own sentence even a concern for me, the freedom in society has little left to offer me. Grief and horror are all that fill my mind, the only residents remaining in my home. And you’d expect it to be such an oppressing grief. But no, no, no…it is much more the horror. It is much more the intense fear, the great disgusting and evil works that wait for me in the dark. The grizzly voice that reassures me of fate in its worst forms. It is here now. Cackling at its maniacal work. I hear it. What are you worth wretch! You’ll burn all your years and infinite more! But forgive me, my anger is difficult to suppress against my enemy. He lingers still. A lover of deception however, would be a fool in his own craft to reveal his intentions. Thus, would be a fool to reveal their own horrid form. Therefore, relinquish some of your repulsion of me, so that you may have at least some possibility of belief in what I say. I understand the situation I’m in, but why should I refrain from telling the truth simply because it is unlikely you will believe me? Especially when you condemn me? Listen then!
I was watching television, and my roommate was out the entirety of this night. My family remained in Los Angeles during this time, so they are not making any affect on what occurred. But you want me to tell of my roommate? I am telling you! You ask about the murderer, so you must listen to all I know of him. It was in the most ordinary of circumstances and activity when such a striking and alarming voice pierced the room. The TV was quiet, and I lounged about with dull mind. When I heard someone call for my name from down the hall, whom which I couldn’t see since the door was closed, I of course simply responded, “Yeah?” This was the very first of the remarkable experiences I began to have. I realized what had just occurred. I was home alone, so who could be calling to me from my own room? Well I suspected then my roommate. But I had trouble reconciling the voice I heard with that of my roommate. It had such an eerie tone to it. Almost as if it were teasing me. Yet, it was such a convincing and deceptive call, that the mocking tone it had was almost imperceivable. As if maybe this creepy inflection was a result of my own nerves or unfamiliarity with the event.
Regardless of it’s true nature, this odd quality roused my attention. Was I indeed not alone? But then it must be my roommate, since it was my name. I could not get over the gross friendly tone it called to me with. It’s as if it was bragging about knowing my name. I froze for a moment with the TV playing, listening for another call. “Javier” a woman's voice called out gently and compassionately. But such disgusting compassion did it call out. It seems it couldn’t itself disguise just the slightest hint of malevolence that just snuck under the tone. Or perhaps it meant to say it how it did. But it terrified me. I reasoned it must be somebody I know. But I couldn’t bear the action of getting up looking around. I was simply frozen, wishing not to move and cause myself to miss out on hearing more by making a racket myself. it didn’t even come from behind the door, it was as if it was somewhere far away. Yet it was so clear and punctual in volume.
This left me more at unease and helpless to find a solution. This time I did not respond. I greatly regretted responding the first time. I only paused the TV and looked about myself anxiously, dreading that something would speak again. After many moments of silence, I compromised to rest from my alert. And as the words spoke drifted deeper into the past, the simple abnormality of them caused them to resist their place in my mind as credibly existing. Though it happened not long ago that same hour, I questioned if I did indeed hear a call out for my name in such a mysterious and ugly tone as I had. This was just before the most morbid of calls occurred. It spoke to my name again, “Would you come, Javier?” But such terror came over me in that delicately rude and friendly tone which it spoke to me in. The suspense and anticipation for the call was intensely surmised to a realization as my heart began a sprint. This voice was not just a woman's, it was my sister. How incredibly unlikely she would be here, unannounced and somehow in my home without my knowledge. I still held intense fear, for you must understand the uncanny sense from this call. It was as if someone was inciting their vocals and tone to imitate or mock a human. It seemed not as if they were doing an impression of my sister—no, for it sounded exactly like my sister—but instead it seemed as if they attempted an impression of a human. Such a perfect quality, yet just so slightly imperfect that I may subconsciously perceive something wasn’t quite genuine in this call. I darted my perceptions across the room wide eyed. I quickly looked about myself, checking behind me multiple times.
Now, the following details not only enhance the unbelievable notions of my current situation, but may in fact completely discredit me in even speaking about them. But you must hear it! I implore you to imagine this! It is the truth—all of what I say is. For the night I heard her—my sister that is—speak to me in my own apartment, was the same night, as I learned weeks later, is the same night she had died. Sophia, that is her name, had killed herself.
Many nights passed like this when I was alone. I was tormented by calls with no direction or location. I shuddered at creepy voices beckoning in the dark. Sometimes, even in daylight, things spoke to me while I was alone. Unrelenting and disturbing voices within my home. Now, you may presume at this moment I am clearly schizophrenic. Indeed, I too had this notion. I seeked a psychiatrist during this time, to which medicine was prescribed and an indefinite period of shipping as well. But I perceived far too many REAL things. Yes, these could be hallucinations, but you couldn’t possibly have that conclusion if you hear what else this has done to me.
It happened after many terrible nights that I heard of my sister’s death. I was very shocked at first. But sadness was not next door, grief did not have time to move in. Instead, a realization taunted and teased my peace. I would hear her tonight, speaking to me. You may not imagine the dread that filled my day. I went to work and back home as a zombie. The tasks and conversations passed me by as dreams. I was incredibly absent and void of presence in my own life. My head spun before it comprehended any purpose of grief and despair. When I returned home I found myself double, triple checking that the lights were on and the blinds shut. Even though these things were clearly in my sight. I also locked doors and called my roommate to make sure he was home. I begged and pleaded with him, but he only brushed me off telling me he can't ditch his shift. I paced back and forth within the rooms pitching the plan to myself to have a hotel room. I eventually settled on this as it brought peace to me. And that night passed, at least before I slept, how I hoped. My sister did not speak to me from the darkness. But woe had not stopped its intention upon me that night.
I managed to fall asleep. In my dreams that night, I was visited with a vivid nightmare. I stood in my childhood home waiting at the door with a bat in my hand, standing between my sister and the entrance. I had this feeling that something bad was going to happen, and that I had to protect her, though nothing in particular was occurring. Then, with a gentle creek, a clawed hand reached and pushed the front door gently open. A demonically horned monstrosity stepped into the room. Its hooves clopped upon the wood floor. I intended to combat it, but my muscles took no command from me, and I swung the bat as if I was in molasses. It lunged with a deep roar to my sister, digging its hands into her stomach and viciously tearing it open with ease. It dug through her chest cavity as a dog digs holes in the dirt, spewing and tossing guts and organs out slashed and mutilated. I stood helpless and disgusted, until it turned towards me. It dropped my sister to the ground like a doll it no longer wanted to play with. It approached and grasped me tightly, growling a deep animalistic anger, its stature looming over me. It took its claw and dug it into its own eye, slicing it and tearing it open. It leaned over me, inches from my face. I screamed in horror. Black blood seeped and dripped from its swollen socket into my mouth. I struggled ferociously but the blood continuously poured from its eye into me.
I awoke sweating in pitch black, feeling Intense fear in myself. As a child that had not had their night light. I was terrified of the thought of something being in the darkness. I knew I was awake, and I was in a hotel in the middle of the night, but my heart started racing in irrational fear. I didn’t even have the courage to lift my head and look about the room to satiate the tormenting curiosity in the mystery of a possible supernatural visitor. But, I did. There was a demon sitting on the chair. A darker than dark silhouette of someone sitting hunched, looking at me. It was a shadow. But I knew, even then, this was a devil. I felt it. The blood in my skin fell away. I was mortified; in absolute terror. I stared unmoving with my heart beating out of my chest at this figure.
I slowly began to hold disdain for it. It did not move, it did not speak. But, I was beginning to be relieved of my fear. Instead, it was replaced with hate. Burning, mean hate. I hated it. No, I abhorred it. I was angry. The most intense rage fell upon me. I stood up from my bed, looking about the darkness. I stomped and clenched my fists. Captured in the most ridiculous delusion of fury, I began yelling and thrashing my room. I broke vases and electronics. I smashed the TV to the ground. I bit and gnawed at the chair leg which the thing sat on. I flipped the mattress and kicked doors off their hinges. I scratched and tore pillows like a feline. I was filled with so much hate and anger. I remained like this until hotel staff came to subdue me. Which, at their arrival, the feeling subsided suddenly.
I now was plagued daily by these voices, and nightly by this demon. The visits were not as dramatic as the first, but still, It watched me from different places in the dark each time. All it did was sit there. Weeks passed like this, I lost tremendous amounts of sleep attending to fruitless solutions and avoidances. Either I slept not a wink the night and evaded my tormentor, save for the voices if I’m alone, or I had to face my tormentor in the midst of night with a bravery I did not possess, awoken by various nightmares or visions designed for me that night.
But this is merely his entrance, I must now speak of the acquaintance he made with me. It was another terrible midnight where I stared at it, in whichever spot it had chose for the night, contemplating the nature of such a gross presence and its effect on me. When, filled with a ridiculous exhaustion and exhasperation, I called out to it, “What do you want!” I saw a slight twitch in its head, which struck me with more surprise than fear, although I had both. “Do you know me?” It spoke in a low and growled voice. It had such a tone of malevolence and mocking speech, it even felt as if it spoke condescendingly, as if I was a child it was reducing to. “No.” I said, my breath failing me. “I knew your sister.” The demon stated with a snicker, which developed into a chuckle, then an intense and hearty laugh. He wailed and howled in laughter even, he sounded insane. Such a disgusting sound it was to hear its voice in the darkness so pleased with itself. It confused and frustrated me in fear greatly, and it became so loud and went on for so long I couldn’t stand it. “Shut up!” I yelled finally. It stopped laughing immediately. “But you know Javier, you know me too.” It spoke very seriously. I stared in bewilderment. “You’re guilty! You’re guilty! You love murder! Haha! You love yourself! You stroke huh?” The demon spoke without relent and enjoyed his own hilarity. “What the fuck?” I said in a trembled whisper. “Yea, you hate clothes, you little pathetic bitch.” It cackled.
I was roused again with the most extreme and unimaginable anger. I yelled my defense at him. He grew in laughter. I screamed any kind of profanity and slur I could think of at his station, and he only grew in volume with me. This went on until I finally arrived at my king accusation, which was finally enough to have it stir, “You’re a failure of creation!” He was silent for a moment. “What is it you know of creation?” It spoke with such a terrible and tremendous tone. “Are you worth any more than me? You’re subject to death the same. I’m a connoisseur of freedoms, yet, what are you? You are a slave of fear, scared of your own desires. And, even more so, subject to me.. As much as a mouse loses its life to the metal spring when it grabs cheese, so do you spoil by me.” “You speak nonsense!” I retorted “You’re very stupid, it’s difficult for you to grasp.”
Then, without much more deliberation, it simply began roaring with the most horrific and inhumane noises. It began screeching—it screeched with blood curdling yells and sorrow. It screamed as if it was lit on fire. At once, in the shadows, it began clawing at its own face. I heard sounds of ripping and tearing—with noises as if pounds of deli meat were slammed onto the cutting board. This was accompanied by an intense and putrid smell of rot, and I began weeping. This experience was more than I could bare, and I couldn’t describe to u what was unnaturally filled in my mind. This night felt as if i was never going to escape the moment, like the present moment was my eternity. This sight annoyed me to my soul for what seemed like hours, and I even conjectured to myself that this torture was eternal.
But soon, he did indeed cease. A gentle glow of orange illuminated the end of my bed. He stood before me, tall and with elegance in the light. He was skinned, his jaw dislocated, his face scratched bare and raw so that no features were pertruding. He was completely nude, with hooves and fur patches among his disfigured appearances. He wore this boldly with shame, yet, overcame it with overwhelming pride.
Such beauty it was to admire his stature. I could not help but gaze with wonder and pleasure. I must have admired him for a while, perhaps even hours. I became mad with lust for him, such a delicious sight he was! I should give up my other fruitless endeavors of life if I could just have the delight to taste him.
But just as I settled on my prospective bliss, my roommate entered the room. His yell of terror attacked my ears, interrupting us. Why scream? Why that hideous look on his face? What was he so scared of? What possessed him to be worthy of beholding any sort of indignation upon my beautiful companion? A little worm—that ugly little leech that dared breath the same air as us. “Get rid of it.” The demon told me, but I hardly needed a command to conceive of my goal.
Oh, what fun I had! It was like the first fresh sip of lemonade on a summer day! Like the sunshine that seeps through window seals—like the birds chirping in the dewy mornings. Like the adrenaline of a rollercoaster—the tickle of a drop. Like the intoxication that gives you belief of so much confidence. And to feel it on my hands? It was the joy of a child when he smashes his fingers into the moist sand—that innocent satisfaction of destroying a castle. Like the excitement of opening your favorite bag of chips—grabbing the ends and pulling the plastic with might until bursts open with goodies; yes, that’s what it was like for me to stick my thumbs deep into his eye sockets, and pull to open—if only I could. It was such, as when I bit down on his throat with all my might and sipped. It was indeed so, when I scratched and clawed till my nails came off, opening his chest and pulling at ribs like discarded hot wings, ripping at organs and intestines, pulling of nails, bending fingers two loops around, snapping his arms, smashing his head with my foot—but again my happiness was destroyed. For my companion had fled the scene, and he was no longer present. At once, I recovered some coherence and realized the tragedy of what I had done. How would I hide this? How could I discard of blood evidence all over me? How was he going to chip in on rent in this condition? I obviously had not calculated all the required considerations before doing such a thing. I was enraged by the black magic possessed by the demon, stupid, tricky, evil thing. So you see, it was his fault.

He likes to keep it 75-80 degrees (Fahrenheit), and I’m very hot natured. I sleep with my fan on high, no clothes besides my boxers, and no covers, and I still wake up sweated wet in the middle of the night.
When I tell him he just says that I need to live with it. He tells me that I need to be outside all the time to build up a tolerance to the heat, or he just tells me that it’s not hot in the house.
Am I in the wrong? I know he’s the one paying for the AC but if my son was wanting to rip his skin off and plunge into an ice bath because of how easily he gets hot, I would get off my high horse and turn the air down.

I've been playing with my sample spreadsheet and was reminded that I literally relegated Sucreabeille to its own tab away from everyone else because I felt so negatively! They were my intro to indies, when I didn't know how to research scents or houses yet. I was hesitant to purchase because their marketing vibe didn't mesh with me, but I was convinced by the fawning reviews on almost every scent (on their website). At the time, I also didn't realize how expensive Suc is compared to many other brands!
I figured I could post these as a counterpoint to the mostly positive reviews that showed up when I searched for Suc scents. I'm sure the house works really well for some, but it REALLY didn't for me. Their pure gourmands worked better, but I haven't worn my top rated scent from this batch since I tried it out. I rested all of these for two weeks before testing, and I haven't revisited them since I got through all of them a few weeks after that.
My tastes: I really like rich resins and non-nag incense, as well as a spectrum of flormands and gourmands. I don't love fruits, green/aquatic scents or many dirt/dead leaf scents. Top houses: Olympic Orchids, Mythpunk Olfactive, Solstice Scents. Mid houses: Nui Cobalt, Cocoa Pink. Low hit rates: Suc, Alkemia, Possets, Haus of Gloi, BPAL GC
With that, I hope you enjoy my record of bewilderment.
BELSNICKEL Hot espresso with juniper berries and brown sugar.

• In the jar, tutti fruitti jelly beans, maaaybe coffee jelly bean if I smell hard enough to get a headache. On skin, very sweet, easier to see the brown sugar now and it's THICK. Syrupy. There's a little bitter note that could be juniper, sure, but it's toying with soapiness. After 15 min, already almost gone. The sweetness plus green now smells like a bathroom air freshener, plus the bathroom; not good. By an hour: gone! Weirdly getting more wafts of it around 4 hrs, and it's back to tutti fruitti? MAYBE brown sugar but god, just cloying. Erratic and synthetic, big disappointment. 1/10

CHAOS WITCH Freshly cut magnolias and moonflowers play with nutmeg cream.

• Very sweet pale floral with a cool spice, not identifiable as nutmeg. No clear magnolia. I didn't pay close enough attention to review this one well, but I was very disappointed by the complete lack of magnolia (a scent I love) and the vaguely unpleasant Suc DNA 3/10

DO NO HARM, TAKE NO SHIT Plums, nectarines, apricots, and blackberries sparkle on a bed of sage and fallen leaves deep in the autumnal forest.

• In jar: Fairly pleasant candy fruit smell (plum, berries) with a little cool herbaceous back to it. On skin: Fruits disappear to general sweetness over a damp earth and burnt rubber scent, maybe burnt leaves? Confusing. At 15 min, sort of a fruity sweetness? Over a sour off-note that could be the rotten leaves, but it comes off as sort of... poopy? I actually washed this off before leaving for work (less than an hour) bc I didn't want to smell like it - scrubbing didn't totally work, so I can say it's vaguely sweet with a dirty-herby soap base that I don't care for but isn't making me yak 1/10

AFTERGLOW Dark chocolate, amber, honey.

• Definitely get dark chocolate and honey in the jar! Not creamy but still rich and warm. On skin it loses power and sweetness very fast, it's a very faint borderline-musty borderline-burnt rubber smell with a baby powder. After a few minutes, thank god it's back to the bottle smell! Not as chocolatey which is too bad, but a pleasant sweet amber with a hint of chocolate. Something of the wet scent is still sneaking around? But then it turned into a cocoa butter lotion smell. Stays similar over the next 4 or 5 hrs, growing fainter. I think I like this? Maybe a bit synthetic though, but then again I don't always love the sharpness of honey 6/10

CREAM TEA A warm mug of creamy, frothy, caffeine-injected tea. A blend of chai tea, burnt sugar, white musk, warm milk, and hot scones slathered with raspberry jam and honey.

• More like an iced chai, not a warm scent in the jar. There's a sharp zingy berry in the background which might be what's cooling it down. On skin, the cool note is more dry loose leaf black tea, with a big sweet raspberry jam in front - not the most natural but nice. As it starts to dry, the closer I get to my skin the more it smells like a scented lotion. I don't get milk or pastry, or any of the chai spice at this point. At an hour, a sweet, creamy raspberry; still reminds me of a scented lotion, a bit bath-producty for me. At 4 hrs, a very faint sweet raspberry. Creamy in the sense that it's not sharp at all. Barely there but very pleasant. 6/10

YOUR SKELETON IS ALWAYS WET Pistachio and almond with exotic spices.

• In jar: Nutty! Close to what I hoped for, definitely pistachio/almond extract with a little hint of spice. Wet on skin, like huffing an extract bottle ach! That's a plus for me haha. Dries down to be very faint, mostly spices. This reminds me more of some chai blends I've had than Cream Tea does. At an hour, mostly dry spices, like a spice cabinet for only sweet bakes. I think the nuts are presenting as bottles of extract in that same cabinet, but definitely not the stars. 4 hrs: very faint, more of the nuts now but it's a generic non-spice sweetness, only vaguely nutty and kind of black peppery 5/10

COVEN A cauldron of herbs float in black, golden, and white ambers. Fir needles, cedarwood, and autumn leaves against a backdrop of pumpkin spice and sassafras.

• Definitely get a dark green foresty scent with a soft herbal element; a vague sweetness that is nondescript light spice, maybe the sassafras. Started promisingly dark-wet-forest but then turns into a barely-there high end/sexy soap, maybe that's ambecedar. Maybe good for soapy folk, not for me! 4/10

AMAZONIA Pear, fig, blueberry, ylang ylang.

• So so sweet, almost like one of those shark or frog gummy candies, gummy life savers, chewy gummy bears. No specific fruits identifiable. On skin, there's something musty to the fruitiness, maybe like a plasticky scent. I could almost pretend to smell pear, but it's not good 1/10

SMOKE AND DECAY Warm snickerdoodle cookies dipped in buttercream frosting, campfire wood smoke, crisp red apple, Indian sandalwood, a freshly poured oatmeal stout, orange spiced chai tea.

• Yummm sweet baking spices, definitely like a dark molasses spice cake in the jar (but the carrier smell is bleh). Wet on skin it's immediately a more realistic foody spice, but with a warm wood. After a minute the spice blooms off and there's something almost floral about it? Definitely get a bit of the orange, maybe cookie dough. 8/10

VENOM Oud wood, smoked patchouli, coal, freshly paved tar, cedarwood.

• WOW!! Smells like a sweet burning tire?? Maybe in a good way?? I want to smell it on a boy. Hmm but not good after all. Disappears almost entirely, fades to a hard to detect sun-sweet fresh asphalt. So hard to pick up though. 1/10

HOCUS POCUS Wormwood, bitter almond, figs, violets, nicotina, sparkling aldehyde.

• The wormwood is giving thin and clean-sweet like a not-quite almond extract. However, once this dries it's straight up Dove soap. It's so spot on idk what else to say! Another one for the soap lovers. 3/10

I just did bloodwork and got the following results: 369ng/dl total test 190ng/dl bioavailable test My doctor said it it’s in the proper range. What I find strange is that I am a construction worker, I go to the gym couple times a week and I eat good. Yet my body aches, knee pain and im always tired. Losing fat and building muscles is not easy at all. I am a bit overweight. What should I do from here?

This question always lingered on my mind since my childhood. In the 90’s I used to think,how could matches be scheduled during the summers. Now my question precisely boils down to how can they schedule IPL every year exactly in the window period of Indian summers ? As a Doctor,it baffles me. The batsmen or the bowlers are at least running and have some movement. But imagine fielders having to stand still until the shot is directed towards them.
And additionally ,the foreigners who come to play..wonder how they adjust. I know the summers in AUS,US & UK are pretty harsh as well but why schedule the tournaments during such seasons ?
Yea money is definitely a major factor that blankets all the reasons for these players to play but then it’s insane !
At a very basic level,my question to fellow redditors is how do guys manage to play/enjoy cricket in the hot sun ? I have seen in the streets and grounds of India while traveling and at other occasions ,they just ‘ don’t bother ’ about the heat ( am specifically speaking about Indian summers…kids playing during summer holidays ) At least in my knowledge, I have never seen anyone complain of dizziness or headache etc. Post match,they all seem fine and go about their business.
How can one ‘love’ the game so much ??

These shirts are so fucking hot and uncomfortable. Why can't we just wear MET t-shirts? Or even an apron like the rest of the company? It also doesn't help when the AC isn't on and/or there's no airflow. For those times we can wear a t-shir, there's, a noticeable difference. I just want to talk to the person sitting in an air conditioned room.
Sorry for the short rant. I'm hot, covered in sweat, and annoyed.

Hello, I’m a 24M. I’ve been doing diet to increase muscle mass and lifting weights since 1 year.
2 weeks ago I had a nightmare and woke up all covered in sweat. My mom suggested to check my glucose and it showed 102 fasted, 2 days later it was 108.
I decided to do an a1c but it showed 5 and as far as I know that’s pretty good.
I changed my diet and increased vegetables and reduced carbs. It didn’t work, my fasted glucose is still 100+.
I tried to run 1 hour before sleep and that lowered my fasted glucose to 84. But the day after it was 111 again.
I then tried to take my glucose on the afternoons before eating and …surprise! My glucose was 86. I checked it again two days later and it was 96.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me, is this normal? Is this a sign of pre diabetes?

I’m begging, as I can already see it happening in other threads I’ve tried to post this too; to not do what my doctor is doing to me and just say “sounds like you have the sad or the worried” I’ve been suffering for years and this isn’t funny, I’ve been on antidepressants and anti anxiety medication, along with sleep medication because I go days at a time unable to rest, I have a range of symptoms ranging from severe abdominal pain, pain in my bladder while urinating, vomiting, dizziness and fainting, my fingers are physically cold to the touch to the extent they hurt they change color often. Aches and pains all throughout my body, severe lethargy, unable to breathe through my nose due to swelling that is nearly omnipresent.
I’ve had screenings for almost everything, kidneys, thyroid, liver, stool samples, urine, etc, at this point my doctor has chalked it up to being part of my mental health.
However, my mother and I are celebrating Mother’s Day late, I’m not a drinker, but I bought her some wine she loves.
After sitting down and having a single drink, no more than 6oz, almost all my symptoms are completely gone… I don’t know what’s wrong with me, and have no plan to drink as treatment, but I was hoping someone would have an idea so I can get through this without suffering every day.
As additional context I drink incredibly rarely, I’ve been suffering with these more severe symptoms for 2 years now, but I’ve had issues with nausea, fainting, headaches and body pain since I was a child. this is my first drink during those two years time while symptoms have advanced.
At 6ft and 160 lbs and no prior drinking, I imagine my tolerance is fairly low but I don’t feel any of the buzzy or intoxicated feelings… in fact I feel the most mentally clear I have in months, my mother even noting after I caught multiple things falling that my reaction time was better, she told me I even looked like my balance was better.
Both her and I have been sitting here completely in awe at the concept that a glass of wine has made me fully functional with no impairment.