Posts by redpilot37

Michelle Lopez86 said:Wait, so you put that under your tongue?

I stumbled upon these
Are they actually any good?😁 Everyone’s raving about them.
https://www.vitacost.com/vitamins/b12-cobalamin
https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/vitamin-b12

Why waste that kind of money? Just grab some B12 sublingual tablets from NOW Foods on Amazon. You can get a 100-count bottle for about $6. It’s a no-brainer.
Actually, that spray is pretty solid too.

Michelle Lopez86 said:Let me give everyone a quick refresher on where things stand here.
I’m looking for some solid advice—which B12 supplement actually works? I've been browsing and it seems like you can get it in capsules or even as a spray. Any thoughts?

My blood work just came back and my B12 levels are sitting at 175.

Sprays are fine, and sublinguals work just as well...

Sandra Lee2 said:Does anyone have any insight regarding disability benefits and schizophrenia?

It’s granted for any chronic condition where the damage is permanent and even with treatment, you can't reach full remission. Schizophrenia is usually considered a permanent, severe case of mental illness. In my experience, the SSA places a lot of weight on psychologist reports regarding functional capacity and history of hospital stays—basically, get those discharge papers ready. Just try it.

feralridge3 said:Well, after seven months and four days, I finally received the decision—and predictably, it was positive. Everyone is celebrating, but the joy is short-lived. It’s glaringly obvious that nobody thought to make copies of everything before submitting it to the Social Security Administration, though honestly, who would? It was a massive mountain of paperwork. Technically, I should have made copies, sent both the originals and the duplicates, and then waited for them to return my files. I truly don't know whether to laugh or cry at this mess. 🤔
Fourteen years of dealing with this illness, and yet I don't have a single scrap of paper detailing what comes next. What's the protocol? Apparently, the process restarts from wherever the full documentation was originally filed. Does anyone out there have any insight, actual knowledge, or even just some helpful info that could guide me through this?

I missed this post, and you might have already sorted it out by now.
Your papers are at the Social Security Administration office. If you handed over your originals, just head to the nearest SSA office and fill out a request to have them returned since you need them for upcoming medical appointments and follow-ups. The clerk there will send a request to the central headquarters, and it usually takes about two weeks before they call you to come pick them up. Even if the files went through a local evaluation center, they eventually route back to the SSA, so that's where your documents are sitting.

Maria Fisher46 said:Hi there,

I don't think an IgA value of 3.32 g/L is anything to worry about. It looks normal to me.

Thanks so much

Quick question for Nicholas Myers... I could use a little help here.
So, I had my immunoglobulin levels checked. Everything looks fine and falls within the standard range, but my IgA is looking a bit suspicious to me. The reference range is 0.7 to 4, and mine came back at 3.32.
When I look things up on Google, the typical range in the US seems to top out at 3.
As for symptoms, I deal with constant allergies—lots of sneezing and a runny nose all year round—plus some bone pain. My doctors actually found positive markers for bone issues and confirmed chronic bone inflammation.
I'm wondering if you think that IgA level is considered slightly elevated given everything else I'm dealing with.
Thanks.

Sleeping on the floor and ditching the pillow

If you’re looking to clear parasites out of your system, there are plenty of ways to go about it. Try wormwood and walnut leaf tea. Eat more ginger. Take turmeric—but you have to mix it with a pinch of black pepper to make it work. You can even find neem powder at Muller; it’s a plant from India known for purifying the blood. Fresh rosemary tea works too. Basically, anything bitter helps cleanse the liver. For veggies, stick to carrots, cabbage, garlic, and any kind of onion. Pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds are also great for this. There is a lot you can do. If you go the turmeric route, you need to be consistent. Take about 7 grams a day mixed with pepper in water or milk for 45 days. Persistence is the key. Cut out additives like glutamine, sugar, and processed junk, and you'll see results. It's worth the effort. Parasites are linked to all sorts of autoimmune issues and even cancer. Everyone should pay closer attention to what they eat and focus on living a healthier lifestyle.

Terry Wilson5 said:No. It’s not a "disorder." It’s just a specific set of brain receptors wired on an "out of sight, out of mind" principle.
And there's no cure for it.

Some psych meds can even trigger it... who knows.

briskbison47 said:And the foundation of any kind of responsibility is the truth. Don't forget that.

At least being honest isn't that hard.

Megan Wilson12 said:If there’s an actual issue on the table, I really think you have to make a conscious choice to categorize it as such—it’s about owning the reality of the situation. To me, failing to label a problem clearly isn't just being optimistic; it's essentially choosing to ignore that the problem exists in the first place.
There’s a massive difference between simply accepting where you stand in life—really owning your current situation—and just playing the victim because you refuse to look the truth in the eye. It’s one thing to acknowledge the reality of your circumstances, but it’s another thing entirely to stay stuck in the same cycle of problems just because you're too afraid to face what's right in front of you. Avoiding the issue doesn't solve anything; it just keeps you paralyzed.

It’s not like we’re required to change—I mean, nobody is forcing us to reinvent ourselves overnight—but I’ve been thinking that change isn't always a bad thing. In fact, sometimes it's exactly what's needed to move forward. Even just the act of finally taking responsibility for something we've been avoiding... well, that's a shift in itself. To me, that kind of internal pivot is a positive change, regardless of how much it disrupts the status quo.

It always seems to work out somehow... but that isn't necessarily a good thing. 🙄

Whatever we choose to accept... whatever decisions we make or how we live our lives... we're all just learning about responsibility one way or another.

briskbison47 said:Right, responsibility. And honestly, even if you consider yourself incredibly weak, you can learn from it if you actually have the willpower to stop moping after you've completely screwed up.

No matter how much we mess up, somehow, at the end of the day, things usually work out...

briskbison47 said:It’s easy to lean on excuses. There really is only one path toward true strength, and that’s taking responsibility. It’s about training yourself so that your word actually carries weight—meaning if you say you're going to do something, you actually do it, and you always tell the truth because you never intentionally lie.
There isn't some magic potion that’s going to transform you overnight, and there’s no sudden "eureka" moment. It’s just the steady work of building integrity, which is what ultimately leads to genuine self-respect and confidence.

I don't think we need to change. You can't really change your core character anyway. We should just accept who we are and live like that...
unknown...taking responsibility once a decision is made, no matter what follows, is what actually makes us strong.

The OP thinks anyone with alcohol constantly running through their veins qualifies as an alcoholic... though I doubt you’re actually looking to land in that category on purpose.

briskbison47 said:Ugh, don't even get me started on the absolute mess that was my household growing up.
The only thing that ever worked in my favor was being a pretty kid, which got me plenty of attention from girls, but I didn't really start building actual friendships or meaningful relationships until much more recently.

Yeah, maybe it’s better to just focus on the positives. Like, hey, you were an attractive kid... When I talk this openly about past trauma, I feel like I'm just fishing for sympathy... but whatever, I want to be strong. Still, it's a reality you can't just run away from. There's power in us—we can either deal with it or just remain unknown. But honestly, the reality is that it left its mark.

briskbison47 said:Functional alcoholics...
I hope you haven't been dealing with those sudden outbursts of rage or that total lack of impulse control you typically see in addicts.
My old man was a total alcoholic, but honestly? He ate like a king and had enough charm to win over anyone in the room.

What about yours?
He lost it on my mom a few times... and on me. He actually flipped a chair on me when I was a teenager because I swiped a few bucks from his pocket while he was napping—didn't want to wake him up. He felt bad about it later, obviously... but whatever. Between that and the trauma I went through with my boyfriend's dad... then there was that accident where a yacht smashed our little boat while I was out at sea with my guy, forcing me to jump into the water. Add in the bullying from the kids on my block, and they basically turned me into an emotional wreck. Now I'm in my late 30s and I can't even make a simple decision without second-guessing myself a thousand times over.
I’m too much of a pushover, too. I can't say no, so people around here just take advantage of me.

briskbison47 said:I once knew a smoker who practiced free diving.
Your dad was an addict.
Look, I know this might sound a bit intense, but being an addict doesn't automatically mean someone is non-functional or unable to adapt to life. And nobody needs a liter of wine a day unless they’re an alcoholic.
Addictions, especially alcoholism, are strange in one specific way: there are always much worse cases. When you see your father functioning perfectly fine, it’s hard to accept he’s an alcoholic, whereas when you see some drunk stumbling down the street, it's obvious.

When I was a kid working in diners, I saw enough to stay etched in my memory for life. Two alcoholics would come in—eyes bloodshot and yellowed, livers shot, smelling purely of whiskey. One would just order the whiskey and head straight to the restroom, while the other looked me dead in the eye and said, "Kid, give me the whiskey along with a glass of water so I can dilute this; I'm not as wasted as this guy, I don't want the Reaper coming for me too early."

Neither of them lived to see the fall.

There is such a thing as a functional addict. When people like that finally break free from the chains of addiction, everyone looks at them in total confusion because they didn't even realize there was a problem—they just notice that the person is better, happier, more sincere, and more stable.

That's where most people trip up. Those whose livers are failing... they eat maybe one sandwich a day or barely eat at all. I know because an old friend died that way. He just collapsed one morning after drinking since dawn. His only food was that one sandwich.

My dad is an alcoholic, but not the type who hits the bars. He's the type who sits on a bench outside the apartment building with his buddies. Now that my mom has dementia, he's cut back and regulated himself a bit. He refuses to let himself go the way she did. He used to pass out on the sidewalk outside and wouldn't even be able to make it up the stairs to the apartment because he was drinking so hard.

Otherwise, he eats healthy, cooks, and rides his bike. He stays very active.

briskbison47 said:Look, you aren't necessarily an alcoholic, you just drink constantly. Seriously though, go get your liver checked.🤣🤣🤣🤣

Honestly, I hate slapping labels on people. A woman just wants to unwind, and if that’s how she does it, who cares? It isn't an issue unless she's getting behind the wheel drunk. Or maybe her liver is struggling... just a thought. My anti-seizure meds—probably—did more damage to my liver than anything else. If I’d actually been drinking, I might have fared better. My old man used to drink a liter of wine a day for fifty years and had better liver results than I did at my last checkup. So, think about it.

Patrick Patel4 said:Honestly, I’d much rather just stay in and deal with 600mg of Q-Pina, 40mg of Normabela, and 5mg of Lorsilana than bother putting on shoes to go out and socialize. Or, frankly, just hitting a line of Morphine. So, hey, you be the judge. I should probably mention that my social circle isn't exactly huge to begin with, but even then, staying put feels way more comfortable than the whole ordeal of actually leaving the house.

To each their own.div>

Maybe get your liver checked...

Andrew Hughes said:Ah, that Vordas guy. He doesn't even exist on this forum anymore. He was banned permanently because he forgot his password and couldn't remember which email he used to register—or any of the ones he actually knew—so now he's gone by the name Andrew Hughes.

Regarding the topic at hand: what caused the PTSD? And what even is a "personality disorder"? You have your own personality and character; nobody can take that away from you. A disorder? What does that even mean? I don't get it. It feels like we're all just broken by someone or something. They try to force everyone into these little boxes...

Until recently, I had no idea that antipsychotics for schizophrenia were being developed using LSD and DMT. This implies they could trigger schizophrenia in a healthy person while simultaneously treating it in another. There’s an article out of Yale or Harvard suggesting that schizophrenia occurs when a person has access to both worlds. I mean, in terms of energy. That second world, which a "normal" person can't see or hear, consists of spiritual energies—both good and evil. And that is essentially what the person is perceiving. I didn't make that up; it was in an article detailing LSD and DMT research conducted through psychotics.

By that logic, a schizophrenic would basically have one foot in both worlds. It would be incredibly difficult to regulate if it's true, especially since we're taught the exact opposite—that it's just a disease...

I'll try to find that article; it was mentioned in a documentary on Gaia.com.

P.S. If I find the time.

Is a personality disorder really just failing to follow established social patterns all the time? I don't know. Dimensions... higher consciousness... voices... visions during sleep... predicting the future... hearing my name called. Of course, I've experienced all of that and kept it to myself (since it passed anyway), but I truly believe there’s also a gift for spiritual connection. A gift doesn't necessarily have to mean an illness. Like you said so beautifully... existing between two worlds... yeah.

PTSD isn't just some label psychiatrists slap on veterans. It’s not limited to war stories. You can get that diagnosis from pretty much any trauma a person goes through. If you hit certain criteria—things like impulsivity, insomnia, depression, or just being constantly irritable—that's when the diagnosis sticks.

I’m not a fan of labeling myself with diagnoses either... just saying.

Side note: the science behind how these meds actually work is pretty fascinating. I’ve always wondered about the makeup of things like Risperdal. It just clears the mental fog so well. It really opens up your emotions when you're feeling completely numb. Though, sometimes it works in reverse and you end up feeling totally blunt? I guess it all just comes down to whatever your brain chemistry is doing at the time.

By the way... I actually dig your way of thinking. It's interesting.