brother of the year

From the /a/ general drawthread.

Original Requester: “ Requesting Megumi surfing “ 

Anon: “ Surfing what? Getting wet and wild on what? Splashed with what? “

Anon2:  “ The word wide web “

Mental Health in the Time of Coronavirus

In the last couple of weeks, we have watched COVID-19 - commonly called ‘coronavirus’ - rapidly change from “some mystery illness in a small part of China” to a disease that will almost certainly be declared a global pandemic. As of right now, the virus is in 82 countries with more than 92,000 documented cases, and the news is constantly filled with reports about quarantines, school closures and deaths. This is a scary thing for all of us to go through - most of us have never lived through a global flu pandemic before, and if you already struggle with fear and anxiety, you may be struggling to cope with what’s going on. 

If this looming pandemic is creating concerns for your mental health as well as your physical health, remember:

Don’t panic. Again, this is a frightening situation and many of us don’t know what to expect. But it’s important to avoid panicking. Panic is not productive, and it is not necessary. Remind yourself that there are concrete steps you can take to avoid exposure to the virus. If you have been possibly exposed, follow the guidelines that your country has put in place for those circumstances. Remember that the vast majority of cases of coronavirus will be mild, and that if you do get the virus, there are things you can do to protect your more vulnerable loved ones from catching it. Avoid buying up massive amounts of supplies and medical masks - this behaviour is only creating unnecessary shortages. Do what you need to do to keep a level head and stay optimistic; people are working around the clock to deal with this pandemic, and we are going to get through it. Panic does not change anything - it only makes your experience of this pandemic more miserable. 

Get information from official sources only. For information about the virus, what precautionary measures you should take, what your risks of exposure are and what you should do if exposed, check the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control websites, or the official websites of your country’s health organizations. Do not rely on information from social media, blogs or your friends and family. There is a ton of misinformation out there, and none of it is helpful. Official sources are accurate, non-sensationalized, and give you the information you need to protect yourself while still remaining calm. 

Limit your exposure to the news. The news cycle has picked up coronavirus in a big way, and there is basically 24/7 coverage of the virus now - you can effectively watch it spread in real time. Even the tiniest bits of news are amplified and repeated over and over again. If following news coverage of the situation is making you anxious and causing coronavirus to take up a lot of space in your mind, limit your exposure to news coverage. Getting hours upon hours of news about this every day is not healthy - if you are getting obsessive or anxious, turn off the news for a while. Check official websites every now and then for any updates in guidelines, and find other things to occupy your mind. 

Maintain contact with friends and family. Even though official guidelines are to limit your exposure to crowds or possibly even stay home as much as possible, it’s important to avoid social isolation. Keep in touch with family and friends online, though phone calls, or through video calls. Play online video games together. Send pictures and memes. Have a movie party over Skype. Do what you need to do to maintain social connections, even if you are having to remain physically isolated from them for health purposes. 

If you are quarantined or told to work from home, maintain a daily routine. If your work, school or health officials have instructed you to stay home and quarantine yourself, it’s important that you take steps to avoid falling into depression. Have a daily routine - get up, shower, get dressed and eat normal meals at regular times. Get some exercise. Eating chips in front of the TV for 12 hours per day might seem fun at first, but it’s a quick recipe for spiraling into a funk. Take steps to maintain some sense of normalcy and protect your mental well-being. 

Talk to a mental health worker if you need to. There is no shame in admitting that this situation is taking a toll on you and that you need someone to talk to about it. If you have a therapist, bring this up in your sessions or book some extra sessions if you need them. If you don’t have a therapist, consider getting one, or check out online support groups and text-based resources like 7 Cups of Tea. Make sure you are keeping up with your medications if you have them, and let family and friends know if you need them to check on you more often or provide extra support. 

Find healthy distractions. Find things to keep your mind off the situation in a healthy way - it’s essential to avoid obsessing or ruminating. Work on things that stimulate your mind - read books, learn a new language, do some art, write some stories. Maintain a normal sleep schedule. If you’ve always wanted to start that blog, write that screenplay or learn the Thriller dance, now is a great time to do it. Find things that put you in a positive space and make it possible for you to get through the day without going back to refreshing the news. 

Friend ahead

Previously

Inktober Day 5: Build

Featuring the Giant Blacksmith from Dark Souls, who has the most precious dialogue

okay so fuck everything else in Dark Souls i just found out about Maneater Mildred

all she does is run around nude in the swamp with a bag over her head attacking people with a fuckoff huge butcher knife……… queen……….

If someone ever gives you shit for starting new playthroughs of your favorite game(s) all the time because it makes you happy, try this simple trick:

original post by @amygdalan-arm

Dick Grayson probably: Do you ever behave like an emotionally mature adult just to flex on your Dad

visual pun

When there's two different ships in the fandom

piccolo: YOU REALLY BELIEVE YOU CAN BEAT ME… BEAT ME!!!?!?!??!???!?!! HHRHRRHGGHH HHNGNGHGH HHGH

goku: yes