Posts by Laura Ortiz83

So, here we go. This popped up on my screen earlier today while I was running the update to the latest iOS.

It eventually cleared up after a bit, but now there's this persistent black line cutting right through the middle of the display that just won't budge.

What exactly am I looking at here, and what’s the fix?

Thanks

I’m not sure... I suppose I’ve just become incredibly sensitive to noise; I practically require absolute, dead silence if I ever expect to actually fall asleep...

I wonder if it’s some kind of neurological thing, or perhaps just nerves?

Sent from my Android using Reddit

Melissa Sanchez8 said:Are you worrying about the baby? Like, checking to see if they're sleeping or what they're doing?

Xanax is more for relaxation than actually knocking you out.
There are other meds for sleep, but I wouldn't recommend them in general. You end up building a tolerance where you need higher doses just to function, and eventually, that starts messing with your nervous system.

Your sleep cycle can also get trashed if you aren't going to bed at the same time every night or if you're napping during the day... though anxiety definitely plays a huge role too.

I am not actually worried; the kid is doing great, eating well, sleeping, and hitting their milestones...

I have some family issues going on, which is likely weighing on me subconsciously.

Normabel just knocks me out for two hours, and when I wake up, I feel even worse than before. On top of that, it takes me forever to fall asleep again.

Sent from my

I’ve been dealing with this particular issue since I was pregnant.

It’s been eight months since I gave birth. My baby sleeps through most of the night, yet I find myself wide awake regardless, staring at the ceiling for about two hours before sleep finally comes back to me.

I tried taking 5mg of Ambien, but even with the medication, drifting off remains a struggle even on the nights when exhaustion feels absolute.

I can't quite pinpoint whether there is some underlying anxiety I'm failing to recognize, but the situation is becoming increasingly draining, and I feel myself slipping into a state of heightened anxiety and irrational fears that I can't even explain.

Kenneth Rodriguez9 said:It’s not like anyone in my family deals with blood sugar issues, so I honestly thought I was in the clear. But here we are. My first reading came back right on the line, and according to my doctor, I’m being put on a strict diet immediately. 😢
I took the glucose tolerance test this past Wednesday, and now I have to spend two weeks strictly dieting before I go back in to repeat it.
I'm currently 24 weeks and 6 days along.

And let me tell you, it sucks. My stomach is constantly growling, I'm perpetually hungry, and then I get incredibly cranky because I'm hungry—it's a vicious cycle. Honestly, I’d give anything just to sleep through these next two weeks. 😵

How did your glucose test turn out?

I was put on that dietary restriction as well, though I can't tell if the official guidelines are just some glorified advertisement for Kellogg's. Ultimately, I decided to craft my own meal plan, incorporating more foods that provide satiety without being overly caloric or heavy on fats.

The general strategy should be to bolster your breakfast, cut your lunch portions roughly in half compared to what you were eating before, and swap out white bread and pasta for whole grain alternatives since they keep you full longer. In the afternoons, stick to fruit, nuts, or perhaps some yogurt—either plain or fruit-flavored. Drinking iced tea with honey and lemon might help curb those sugar cravings, and honey is quite healthy for both you and the baby.🙂

In the evenings, I typically opt for fruit, a handful of nuts, or maybe some lightly salted popcorn. I try to avoid eating anything after 8:00 PM, even though that is when the cravings hit hardest, but I keep reminding myself that this is all for the baby's health.

The most vital thing is to eat small amounts every two hours to keep your blood sugar steady; things like yogurt, fruit, nuts, toast, or some cheese will prevent your brain from sending those intense hunger signals.

That approach worked for me. I am at 15 weeks now, and while the baby is definitely showing, I have noticed that I have lost some fat, making my silhouette look much better.🎉

Fantastic topic. 😁

1. "Do you want a girl or a boy?" — I usually respond with total indifference; my only concern is that the baby is born healthy and strong.

2. "Watch what you eat so you don't gain weight." — Honestly, that isn't a concern of mine; I have no intention of putting on an extra pound during this pregnancy...☕

3. "How is the sex life?" — I never have anything to say to that.

4. "Well, it’s about time for you then" (given that I am 28)... predictably enough.

5. My husband is old-fashioned; he constantly talks about the baby as if it were already a boy, insisting that "for him, it's a boy."

And so on......

Michelle Evans said:Please try to dial back the aggression a bit...

It’s the exact same pattern we saw in that last identical thread you started. Someone asks a question that rubs you the wrong way, and you just start blowing up.

The kind of expert advice you're looking for comes from a certified professional, not from people on an online forum. And certainly not based on just two posts.

What exactly are you hoping to get out of this discussion?

I already explained my reasoning for starting this thread in my initial post.

And frankly, I cannot fathom why it is so difficult for all of you to believe that I am genuinely seeking HELP...

It is clearly incomprehensible to the self-proclaimed "psychologists" on this forum.

Lock it, leave it... do whatever you want.

darkcanyon10 said:OP's looking for validation that her relationship is toxic.
So what? What's the move? You gonna actually change anything?
Not even my native tongue and I still can't follow you...😕

Look, please, let's not get dramatic. Okay?

In my initial post, I explicitly stated that I was seeking professional insight, primarily because lately it seems like whenever I bring up psychology, people respond with nothing but mindless, unsolicited opinions on how I should live my life instead of actually addressing the subject at hand.

So, that's that. ☕

Alexander Martinez5 said:It’s totally possible, honestly... those are just well-documented, studied, and clearly defined psychological patterns that are completely inappropriate.

When parents are stuck in a marriage that isn't working, they often try to offload their own internal frustrations, tension, and especially those emotional and sexual voids onto their kids through forced intimacy... and even when it’s not explicitly sexual—like what you're describing with your boyfriend and his dad—if there’s this constant, repetitive touching or invading his personal space, it starts looking less like affection and more like some kind of compulsive behavior...

THANK YOU!!! That is more than enough for me. I have zero interest in letting this thread drag on AGAIN!

Thanks.

Andrew Doyle said:Seriously, Laura Ortiz83, what on earth are you two still doing working together? You’ve been asking yourself that exact same question for an entire year now. Honestly, that is way too long to be stuck in that kind of loop. 🤷

Honestly, you could have spent this entire year soaking up a million expert insights, diving deep into endless piles of literature, and actually doing the legwork to reach a coherent conclusion on your own. What exactly is this forum supposed to offer you at this point? You’re just going to end up spiraling right back into the same old patterns, and before you know it, you'll be whining about a locked thread just like you did last time. It’s completely pointless. 🤷

We’re engaged and living together, 😉 and that’s all there is to it.

However, reality isn't always that simple, and I’ve actually considered just stopping my visits to his place altogether. Before I make any final moves, if this behavior is actually normal and I'm just overthinking things, I intend to stop letting it get to me.

It doesn't haunt me constantly, but after spending a weekend at his house, I find myself needing a full week of solo therapy just to recover.

Andrew Doyle said:I am asking you to please clarify what you mean by the bolded part. What exactly are these "overly intimate gestures" you're referring to?

I was referring to things like touching his hair constantly, even when he and I are just sitting together or holding one another. The constant stroking of a leg, the frequent hair petting, or moments where she might wrap her arms around his neck and just stare at him from such a close proximity that there are no words left. Or, if a piece of food drops from his mouth onto the table, she picks it up 🙂 and runs her fingers through his hair...

If all of that is considered standard behavior, then I must be losing my mind, and frankly, I have no desire to dwell on the question any further. However, I maintain a persistent sense that this isn't quite right.

And I am certainly not suggesting—not that anyone here would jump to those kinds of conclusions—that there is anything sexual occurring. Rather, it feels as though a dynamic typically reserved for a mother and son has somehow bled into a romantic partnership. I am simply interested in hearing how one might explain this, if only to help me grasp it better. Because, as I stated, perhaps this is perfectly normal.

analogwalker8 said:Honestly, it’s totally possible. I feel like almost every parent deals with some level of emotional envy toward their kid at some point—it’s just human nature—but when they start treating that child like an adult peer or a romantic partner... well, that's a whole different ballgame. It doesn't happen every day, but in certain specific setups, it definitely crops up. In my experience, you see it most often in mother-son dynamics. Like, say, a mom who’s had a really rough run with men and ended up being super sensitive about it, and then her son grows up to be—not necessarily, but potentially—this more dominant guy. It shifts the energy, you know? Of course, age plays a huge role here too. I doubt you’d see this kind of thing forming with little kids—maybe under fifteen—but once they hit that 16 or 17 mark and start becoming young adults, all bets are off. Usually, mothers and sons stay in this cozy, protective loop, but sometimes the circumstances push things into much weirder, more progressive territory than what we consider "normal."

We are talking about a son in his early twenties and his father here. To clarify, the parents do not share a bed and actually can't stand one another, despite living under the same roof. The son lives on the other side of the country and only returns home once every two weeks.

Brenda Booth5 said:It is entirely possible.
There are definitely situations like this, and the motivations aren't limited strictly to what you've suggested. It could stem from any kind of deep-seated frustration—perhaps some other life failure—that leads a person to mistakenly seek satisfaction or a surrogate through their child.
They end up trying to mold the child into something they aren't... like a romantic partner, a masterpiece, or something along those lines.
As our conversation unfolds, if you feel comfortable sharing more specifics...

I am hoping this conversation expands; frankly, I am at a loss as to whom I can turn for clarity.

The issue isn't merely a matter of being "smitten"; it involves an excessive level of coddling, constant petting, and an inappropriate degree of physical intimacy that a father simply shouldn't be displaying. He does everything for the child, showering them with an overwhelming amount of attention, and there is this compulsive need to touch or cuddle them every single time he enters the room. It is deeply unsettling to witness. I don't understand it, and I need someone to provide a better explanation so I can try to make sense of it all.

Hello,

I am starting this thread, and I would ask that the trolls and bad actors stay away, as I am coming here specifically because I need professional insight.

Is it possible for a parent, reeling from a failed marriage and a profound lack of attention from their partner, to redirect that unmet need toward their child? Not necessarily in a sexual sense, but rather developing a sort of... let's call it a "partner-like" dynamic with them. Perhaps even a misplaced kind of emotional infatuation?

I assume there are people here who work in psychology, one way or another, so I would request that this discussion be kept to those professionals.

My thanks to the moderators for keeping this thread orderly; quite frankly, I wasn't sure where else to turn.

Thank you.

crimsonpuma11 said:As far as I can tell, snoring is just one of those universal human conditions—it’s practically part of the deal. There isn't much you can do about it, really. You either just grit your teeth and endure it...
or, if it's truly driving you up the wall, you might want to consider sleeping in separate beds.

It seems you haven't actually read my post, or perhaps you just missed the point entirely? :S

I shared this because I am genuinely concerned, not because it’s an annoyance. Perhaps try reading more carefully before offering your response.

Greetings

If I have misjudged the appropriate forum for this discussion, please feel free to move my post; I am uncertain if a specific thread already exists for such matters.

I find myself increasingly unsettled by a situation and am seeking some perspective. I have been with my boyfriend for a year now, and since we began sharing a bed, I have noticed he snores. It isn't merely an occasional occurrence when he is exhausted or has had a few drinks—instances where one might expect a man to snore. No, he snores constantly. He falls asleep almost instantly, often within a single minute, and the snoring begins immediately. Regardless of his sleeping position, the sound persists. While observing him occasionally, I have noticed several instances where he simply stops breathing for a few seconds before gasping again, as if he were choking. :/ This pattern is deeply concerning to me. While I have grown accustomed to the noise and can sleep through it, waking up to find him mid-snore every single time confirms that this is a continuous state. Furthermore, during the night, he makes strange noises with his mouth, sounding as though he is chewing food, before returning to his snoring.

He has already consulted an ENT specialist, who prescribed a spray—it is actually the same allergy medication I use, a standard brand—but it provides no relief.

Does anyone here have experience with this? Is there any way to mitigate snoring, perhaps some remedy that offers relief, or is my boyfriend dealing with something significantly more serious?

Thank you in advance

Hello,

I have a question. Does anyone here have experience taking antidepressants while also choosing to drink? I’ve been on my medication for about two weeks now, and while I feel a slight sense of relief compared to how I felt before, I still find myself reaching for a drink—driven by the same impulse that led me to the meds in the first place, the belief that alcohol will offer some temporary reprieve. However, there are consequences; I am waking up in the middle of the night gripped by panic attacks, sweating, and plagued by nightmares. By the following morning, I am dealing with suicidal ideation, facial tics, hand tremors, and a complete sense of hitting rock bottom.

This has happened about three times now. At the time, I was also having significant issues with my boyfriend, so perhaps there is a connection there, or perhaps it is simply that alcohol and antidepressants are a volatile combination.

I am going through a very dark period right now, and with New Year's Eve tomorrow, I honestly don't know if I'll be able to stay sober...

Thanks in advance.