Help for when you’re having a rough time
In light of some deeply sad news in the whump community today, I’m thinking about how many of us here struggle with mental health, sometimes including physical or mental self-harm and suicidality. Since I know lots of folks might be having a hard time right now, I wanted to share some resources that have helped me in rough moments. Please feel free to add on to this post (or make your own, if you want!) with the resources that have worked for you.
First, a note:
Trauma, shame, and suicidality all tend to isolate - they make us feel like we’re all alone in the world, like no one else would understand us, and like the only solutions we have available to us are ones we can think of all by ourselves. In my experience, the antidote to that is connection. If you’re feeling scared or alone, you can hop into my asks or DMs if you want. I’m sure there are other folks in this community who would offer that, too. Many of us have grappled with mental health struggles, including suicidal ideation, and sometimes we can offer each other the care that can be hard to offer ourselves. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you need support.
That said, here’s my absolute first recommendation if you’re feeling generally awful and don’t know what to do:
1. You Feel Like Shit (also available at its original site here)
If you’ve read a lot of ~self care tips~ in your life (and if you’re a bit of a salty bitch like me), you might be sick of being told to eat something and take a nap. (I don’t think we can hydrate our way out of long-term trauma and late-stage capitalistic hell, but thanks.) That said, I’ve found this site REALLY helpful. Personally, I have ADHD and CPTSD, a combination that makes it ROUGH for me to know how to take care of myself sometimes. This site speaks to you calmly, like a non-judgemental friend, and walks you through steps that you might struggle with if you have a hard time with executive function in general, or if you’re ill, grieving, overwhelmed, or otherwise just off your game. I pretty much always walk away feeling at least a little better, even if I don’t complete every step.
There are more suggestions and resources below the cut. Wishing everyone in this community love and care. <3
Keep reading
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Hoarding Behavior #9
Masterpost
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Warnings: dehumanization, objectification
“Wake up, my treasure,” said a soft voice in his ear. River blearily opened his eyes to see Master sitting next to him, a warm smile on his face.
It seemed early, and Noct had never woken him up before. River yawned and sat up.
“What is it, Master?”
“We are going to see my hatch-mates,” Master Noct explained, brushing part of River’s hair away from his face. “I can not leave you by yourself.”
“Why?” he asked. Master never seemed to mind his questions, instead indulging his curiosity.
“I seal my nest when I leave for more than a day. I do not know how that affects the air in here, and who will light the lanterns for you when I am gone?”
“Oh.”
Noct seemed to be in a hurry; two bags already sat packed by the exit, and he had already laid out River’s clothes for the day.
The clothes consisted of a simple pair of pants and a long sleeved shirt, unlike the usual… revealing… outfits Master had him wear.
“I do not want you to get cold,” Noct explained, sensing his confusion. “I will be flying, and the wind will chill you.”
Breakfast was over quickly, and they headed outside after the dishes were clean.
“Wait here,” Master ordered. He walked off, and River wondered what he was up to, until Master changed into his large dragon form. He started to roll a large boulder towards the cavern entrance, and River understood what he meant by “sealing the nest”.
“Now we may go,” said Noct after he was done. He scooped River up in one hand, and the bags in another, before raising his massive ruby wings to fly into the air.
___________________
The flight was long, and despite their early start, it was nearing midday before they landed.
River didn’t know how fast they had been going, but they were certainly hundreds of miles from home.
To his surprise, they landed near a massive sheep pasture. He couldn’t even see the opposite fence when he looked for it, and there were just so many animals.
Even more strange, the sheep didn’t seem a bit bothered that a dragon had landed among them.
“Come,” Noct called. “My brother has his nest not far from here.”
It was true, it wasn’t far at all. And unlike Noct’s nest, it was unhidden, buried in a hill with a simple tapestry door.
But Noct did not enter the hill, instead walking up and over it.
River followed him, and saw three dragons (purple, blue, green) in their small forms sitting on an innocuous picnic blanket. It was nearly comical; three huge predators lounging around casually.
“Noct,” greeted one of them, a man with purple scales and silver eyes. He was taller than Noct; they all were.
“Vixes,” grinned Master. He set the bags off to the side, and the two touched their foreheads together. Noct bumped into the other two, in an equally friendly gesture.
“Your sheep look well,” said Noct as he sat, and River awkwardly sat next to him. Master deemed this unacceptable, and tugged him into his lap instead.
“Thank you,” said Vixes. “The wool is coming in nicely.”
“Who is this?” interrupted the green dragon, a woman. She was a whole head taller than the rest, and River guessed she must be ten feet tall standing, not including her horns.
“A treasure of mine,” said Noct, proud. “I call him River.” Noct’s hand brushed over his stomach and River squirmed from the tickling sensation.
“How cute,” said the blue dragon. “May I?”
Noct pushed River off his lap, and the blue dragon pulled him forward by his hips.
“Be gentle, Anlis,” warned Noct. “He is delicate.”
River nervously turned back to look at Master, but he was sitting mostly unbothered.
“Look at me,” cooed Anlis, his hands roaming over River. Anlis had bronze-y eyes that scrutinized him.
“I have seen prettier humans,” he commented, “but he looks sweet.”
“I do not understand why you would collect a human,” said the lady dragon, whose name River still hadn’t caught. “I understand Vixes has his odd interest in sheep-”
Vixes hissed-
“But a human? What do you see in him?”
Anlis passed River back over to his Master, and Noct seemed relieved to have him in his lap again. River felt the same way; curling into Noct’s warm chest.
“It does not concern you, Siat.”
“And I do not have an odd interest in sheep,” protested Vixes. “They are for wool. I hoard the finest cloth, and the best looms and spinning wheels, and-”
“Yes, yes, my apologies,” waved off Siat. “Still, my point stands.”
“It is not so strange,” Anlis said, “Humans are curious little creatures, and they make such fine things. Noct collects rare human items; why would he not want a human too?”
“Hm,” she hummed, neither disagreeing nor agreeing.
The mood lightened after lunch, and Vixes clearly was not interested in sheep for the sake of sheep, as their lunch was roasted mutton.
“Have you considered putting River in silk?” asked Vixes, “that cotton is a nice weave, but you could do better.”
“I do put him in silk. And gold, and other lovely things. I did not want him to get cold on the flight here. Humans have no inner fire, you know.”
Vixes hummed in agreement, and the conversation drifted to other things.
When evening broke, they moved into Vixes’s nest.
It was far different from Noct’s den. Instead of glittering cases of jewels and fine-hewn furniture, there were hanging tapestries with vivid colors. Glass containers of dyes lined a roughly-made shelf, and many, many bolts of fine fabrics were stacked neatly on a large rug.
Several looms sat in rows, with partially finished work, and a large sorting table held piles of wool.
The only consistency was perhaps the stone door that no doubt held food behind it, and the large bed dug into the floor.
“Did you make all this yourself?” asked River as they all sat in the nest.
“Of course,” beamed Vixes as he settled into his bed. “I even breed my sheep to perfection. Only the best wool will do for my looms.”
“What happens to the sheep that aren’t good?”
“Dinner,” joked Anlis, and Siat nodded.
“Very practical,” she said.
“I could not possibly eat so much mutton so quickly. No, the bad sheep fill my belly, then my shepherds have their pick.”
“Shepherds?”
Vixen yawned, his long teeth flashing. “Mhm. I cannot watch my thousands of sheep myself. At first, I sold my bad sheep, but my herd became too big, and so I pay shepherds in sheep. Their new herds share my fields, their families get fed, the shepherd wool goes to market, and my sheep are safe.” he explained.
“I never sell my wool, and even my worst sheep make good fabric for humans, so they are happy. They even built a settlement nearby.”
“You mean, an entire village lives here simply because you had too many sheep?” asked River, impressed.
Vixes shrugged, unconcerned. “I do not mind. My sheep are fed and watered. That is all I am concerned with.” He laid down, and seemed more interested in sleeping than elaborating.
Analis and Siat quietly chatted with each other, and Noct was already half asleep, purring. He tugged River down to lay with him, and River obliged.
He cuddled close into his chest, and despite the fact that he was in a nest with four whole dragons, River didn’t feel unsafe at all in Noct’s arms.
It was probably the safest place in the world.
taglist: @paintedpigeon1 @haro-whumps @mj-or-say10 @annablogsposts @pumpkin-spice-whump
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