Hey guys, it is coming with a lot of delay, but here it is – the practical part of the complete amphetamine purification guide that I announced ages ago.
First, a few things upfront.
Due to time and space constraints, it is not possible for me to cover and list all potentially possible purification methods that exist.
Therefore, I have focused on the ones that, in my experience, make some sense. So, things like recrystallization from an alcoholic solvent are not included because, in my opinion, it is a complete waste of time when it comes to amphetamine.
Furthermore, when it comes to purifying an unknown mixture, the problem is that it is not possible to choose the simplest possible method, as it strongly depends on which impurities need to be separated.
Therefore, I can only advise everyone who consumes regularly/daily to spend some money and invest in the necessary equipment for liquid-liquid extraction/acid-base extraction, as it is the most effective method apart from distillation when you don't know which substances you want to separate.
Lastly, a note:
All the procedures mentioned here are based on the assumption that the amphetamine is in the form of sulfate, as it is the case in 99.99% of all instances.
Most of the procedures should also work with other salts, but that strongly depends on the specific salt.
If you are unsure, start with a small amount to test it. I hope I don't have to mention that I assume all the chemicals involved are acquired in the highest possible purity and should preferably be anhydrous to avoid losses.

"Washing" speed or purifying it through filtration.

I consider washing your speed to be the minimum you should always do for your own sake because, honestly, it requires almost no effort, and the costs for everything you need are minimal, so there's practically no reason not to do it.
The procedure itself theoretically works with a wide range of solvents, but in practice, 2.5 solvents have proven to be effective: acetone, dichloromethane/chloroform, and in some cases, isopropyl alcohol.
Washing primarily helps to remove synthesis residues, solvent residues, caffeine, and in the case of isopropyl alcohol, lactose. The principle is the same in any case: The solvent dissolves the corresponding impurities but not the amphetamine sulfate, and after mixing the speed with the solvent, the sulfate is separated from the solvent through filtration.
I would advise everyone to determine the amount of solvent based on the assumption that 100% of your speed consists of caffeine, that is, based on the solubility of caffeine in the respective solvent. Isopropyl alcohol is the least preferable option because it only dissolves 1g of caffeine per 100ml, so I would recommend using it only if lactose is also present.
Acetone is the best choice for small amounts because it is relatively safe to handle. Acetone dissolves 1g of caffeine per 50ml, so I would use 50ml of acetone per gram of speed.
Dichloromethane and chloroform are the best options, but since both substances have a certain level of toxicity, caution should be exercised when working with them. They dissolve 1 gram of caffeine with just 7ml. For washing purposes, I would simply use 10ml per gram of speed for simplicity. In general, it is also recommended to perform two or more washing cycles because a single cycle will never achieve the same efficiency.
The concept and execution are the same for all:
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Required equipment:

• 2 glasses,
• a spoon,
• a coffee filter,
• and the solvent are all you need, in my opinion.

​
Execution:
Allow the speed to dry and then finely chop it. This will provide a more optimal surface area, making it easier to remove impurities.
Once that's done, take the speed and put it in one of the glasses.
Then pour the solvent into the glass and stir it with the spoon for a bit. Stir a bit longer, around 1-2 minutes.
Wait for another 5 minutes, then take the coffee filter and place it over the second glass like a funnel.
Once that's done, simply pour the contents of the first glass through the coffee filter into the second glass and wait for all the solvent to drain through the filter.
The amphetamine sulfate will still be in the coffee filter since it doesn't dissolve and can be scraped together after tearing or cutting open the filter.
Once the powder no longer has any odor, it can be consumed.

Purification through fractional recrystallization:

This method is based on the principle that when a mixture of substances dissolved in hot water is cooled, the substances that are less soluble in water compared to the other substances precipitate first. This is particularly true for caffeine, which is almost always present in speed, but certain sugar alcohols and substances like creatine can also be effectively separated using this method, which cannot be achieved through, for example, an acetone wash.
For example, caffeine is 33 times more soluble in boiling water compared to its solubility in water at room temperature, while the solubility of amphetamine sulfate only changes by a factor of 7.
To remove synthesis byproducts, it is still advisable to wash your speed first. However, this is not a prerequisite.
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Required equipment:

• A Kettle or a pot,
• A Coffee filter,
• 2x beakers/glasses,
• A Pasteur pipette 5ml (optional),
• A Glass rod or spoon for stirring

​
Required chemicals:

• Distilled water

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Procedure:
First, the distilled water needs to be heated to boiling. The easiest way to do this is with a kettle, but a stovetop and pot will also work if necessary.
While the water is slowly coming to a boil, fill a beake glass with the (previously dried and finely chopped) speed. Then, drop by drop and while stirring, add hot water until everything is dissolved.
As a rough guideline, you can estimate that approximately 4ml of water will be required, but this may vary slightly.
Next, let it cool to room temperature and then place it in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, place the coffee filter over the second glass. After the 2-hour period, the caffeine should be clearly visible as cotton-like needles in the beaker glass from the refrigerator.
Pour the contents troughthe coffee filter, collecting the filtrate in the second beaker glass.
What remains in the filter is the caffeine, while the amphetamine salt is now in the second beaker / glass. Transfer its contents onto the plate and allow the water to evaporate.
Once the water has evaporated, the residue only needs to be scraped together and is ready for consumption. Alternatively, it can be directly filled into a nasal spray.
​

Liquid-Liquid Extraction/Acid-Base Extraction

This method is not suitable for casual consumers as it involves a more complex procedure and requires some equipment and chemicals investment. However, most of the costs are one-time purchases, so they won't be incurred in subsequent runs.
This is the method I would personally recommend to regular consumers as it is significantly more effective than others, second only to distillation. However, this method involves working with potentially hazardous substances such as concentrated sulfuric acid, concentrated sodium hydroxide, and others. While handling them safely is possible, there is a potential risk involved.
The method combines the concept of liquid-liquid extraction with the acid-base salt concept, which ultimately achieves significant effectiveness.
Liquid-liquid extraction is a classic separation method in organic chemistry commonly used for processing reaction mixtures. It utilizes the differential solubility of substances in two immiscible solvents (e.g., watedichloromethane). According to the Nernst distribution law, different substances will ultimately accumulate in the solvent in which they are more soluble.
Subsequently, the amphetamine base is released from the amphetamine salt, causing a drastic change in solubility. This allows for the extraction of the amphetamine base and separation of all substances that do not undergo this salt/base transition, including water-soluble and less water-soluble compounds.
During the practical implementation, there are a few aspects that may vary depending on the choice of solvent, among other factors. Therefore, it is advisable for everyone to understand and internalize the information provided before carrying out the practical procedure. Link to reference/04%3A_Extraction/4.06%3A_Step-by-Step_Procedures_For_Extractions)
Required Equipment:

• One set of (6+) beakers (250ml - 500ml)
• 1 separatory funnel with stopper (250ml-500ml)
• 1 stand to hold the separatory funnel (1 stand base, 1 stand rod, 1 stand clamp or ring)
• 1 glass rod
• 1 scale
• 1 pH indicator paper
• 1 glass pipette

Chemicals:

• Distilled water
• Acetone
• Alcohol-based solvent (such as isopropanol), preferably 99.5% or higher
• Sulfuric acid (as concentrated as possible; if concentrated sulfuric acid is not available for purchase, you can concentrate it yourself Link)
• A non-water-soluble, relatively nonpolar solvent (I recommend DCM)

I will explain the practical procedure using dichloromethane (DCM) as it has a convenient density for the process, is highly effective for caffeine, and evaporates rapidly.
Practical Procedure:
Personal protective equipment (goggles, lab coat or apron) should be worn at all times. It is recommended to wear a pair of nitrile disposable gloves with a pair of latex disposable gloves over them. If any chemical contacts the gloves, immediately remove them, wash your hands, and put on a fresh pair. This precaution will help prevent any chemical burns. Always wear protective goggles to safeguard your eyesight when working with any chemicals.
​

1. Wash the speed with acetone.

​

1. Purity the amphetamine sulfate by "shaking it out".

First, the amphetamine is naturally purified as a salt. Dissolve the speed in sufficient water and add the corresponding nonpolar solvent to the separatory funnel.
The ratio of water to organic solvent should be roughly 2:1 in terms of volume. Each phase separation should be given approximately 30 minutes. The amphetamine salt will be present in the aqueous phase, which, in the case of DCM/water, would be the upper phase, while the nonpolar impurities would be in the organic phase at the bottom of the separatory funnel. The extraction should be performed three times, meaning that after each phase separation, the organic solvent is drained into a separate beaker, and fresh organic solvent is added. Once that is done, drain the water+speed solution into another beaker and clean the separatory funnel.
​

1. Preparation of sodium hydroxide solution.

To release the base, sodium hydroxide solution is required. Start by adding 10ml of distilled water to a 100ml beaker. Weigh out 7g of sodium hydroxide and add it slowly (with pauses) to the beaker containing the distilled water in small portions, stirring with a glass rod (Caution! The solution reacts exothermically, meaning it becomes hot!). Once all the sodium hydroxide has been added, set it aside and let it cool.
​

1. Releasing the amphetamine base.

Clean the separatory funnel with distilled water and acetone, then refill it with the amphetamine sulfate/water solution.
Slowly add the sodium hydroxide solution in small portions, following the instructions provided in the link. Shake while venting the funnel and repeat this process until small oily droplets form on the surface.
Caution! This process is also exothermic!
Then, using a pipette, take a sample from the lower aqueous phase and test if the pH value is strongly alkaline (pH >= 13).
If that's the case, close the separatory funnel with the stopper and wait for the solution to cool.
​

1. Extracting the amphetamine base.

After a short waiting period, add the organic solvent in an initial ratio of 1:2 (organic solvent) to (water). Shake vigorously, let it settle, and then drain the organic solvent+base mixture into a beaker.
Note that in the case of DCM, the base will be in the lower phase since DCM has a lower density than water. In other solvents, it may be different.
Then add the same amount of organic solvent again. Shake, let it settle, etc., and drain the organic solvent into the same beaker again.
Repeat this process for three extractions without adding new water. Once that is done, drain the water into a separate beaker as well.
​

1. Drying the amphetamine base.

First, dry the solvent+base mixture by using anhydrous potassium carbonate or molecular sieve A3, and separate the drying agent as in the washing step trough filtration.
Allow the organic solvent to evaporate.
The base is not as volatile as one might think, so depending on the solvent, you can apply some heat if necessary.
​

1. Formation of amphetamine sulfate.

Once the base is dried and the solvent is evaporated, the salt is formed.
Dissolve the amphetamine base in the alcoholic solvent in a beaker.
The base-to-solvent ratio can be about 1:10. Stir the mixture with the glass rod and then prepare the sulfuric acid. It is recommended to dilute the sulfuric acid for this step, possibly to 20% or lower.
Dilute it in the alcoholic solvent and not in water because water could dissolve the salt, resulting in lower yields compared to diluting sulfuric acid in an alcoholic solvent.
Pour the diluted sulfuric acid into a pipette and slowly add it drop by drop to the base-alcohol mixture while stirring.
Take your time and don't rush. Regularly and frequently monitor the pH during the addition, ideally after every few drops.
Once the pH reaches around 8-7, stop adding acid.
​

1. Washing the formed sulfate.

Afterward, filter the mixture and rinse the sulfate in the filter cake with acetone.
​
That's it! You have completed the process.
General notes:
Please note that without knowing the exact purities, we cannot work with stoichiometry. Therefore, we will rely on the pH value for approximate measurements. However, there are rough estimates for the amounts needed per gram of speed.
For every mole of amphetamine sulfate, you would need approximately 2 moles of sodium hydroxide. This translates to around 3.09 ml of a 1.75 molar sodium hydroxide solution per 10 grams of amphetamine sulfate.
During neutralization, we would require approximately 1 mole of sulfuric acid for 2 moles of amphetamine base. This amounts to about 2.8 grams of sulfuric acid per 10 grams of amphetamine. It is advisable to dilute the sulfuric acid to around 20/25%. This makes it more manageable, but you will need to dilute it yourself.
Commercially available sulfuric acid is sold as a solution in water, and the higher the water content, the lower the yield you will obtain. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase sulfuric acid with a relatively low percentage, concentrate it, dissolve it in isopropanol, and then use it.
Additionally, familiarize yourself with the entire process, including practical execution, by referring to internship papers from universities, which are intended for their students, for example.
Pay attention to details such as regular pressure release, as they are crucial.
Theoretically, you can also carry out the neutralization directly in acetone.
This would eliminate the need for an additional alcoholic solvent. I had this in mind because 1L of 99.5% isopropanol costs me less than two euros, while acetone costs about six times as much.
Regarding the polarity of the alcoholic solvent, I would not recommend going higher than methanol. In methanol, the sulfate would be soluble, even if only to a minimal extent.
Do not worry about exposing the base to certain temperatures or leaving it exposed to air for a while. Significant evaporation should not be a concern unless the temperature exceeds 60-80 degrees Celsius.
It is possible to use other acids instead of sulfuric acid if, for example, phosphoric acid is more affordable. Phosphoric acid is also easier to handle. The pH of the solution would be only slightly different in the end. Please conduct further research on this topic.
Please ensure that you are mentally coherent during the process. Avoid attempting the procedure after several sleepless nights, for example. While the overall procedure is not difficult to complete without incidents, if you forget to release the pressure from the separation funnel due to lack of sleep and it explodes in your hand or you get splashed with highly concentrated sulfuric acid, you will encounter significant problems.
Finally, consider how to handle the waste products. Most of them can either be evaporated or disposed down the drain, such as sodium hydroxide. However, do not attempt to dispose of sulfuric acid in this manner.

Steam Distillation:

This method is only suitable for people who really want to achieve maximum purity and are willing to invest a significant amount of money and engage in safe practices in organic chemistry.
Steam distillation is a special form of azeotropic distillation.
Simply put, volatile compounds that are steam-volatile add their own vapor pressure to the vapor pressure of water. These compounds distill along with water when the sum of their vapor pressures reaches atmospheric pressure.
In other words, the distilling water "carries" certain substances with it, allowing them to distill below their actual boiling point and separate them from a mixture. The method is very gentle on the substances and highly selective, as only a few substances are steam-volatile. Amphetamine is one of these substances.
To perform this method, you will need specific equipment and ideally have experience with laboratory work. It's important to know what you are doing to avoid compromising your yield or, worse, encountering significant problems.
Assuming you have already liberated the amphetamine base and have it solvent-free, either through the method mentioned above or by some other means, it is essential to familiarize yourself with safe distillation practices beforehand. You can refer to resources like Chapter 19 here.
Required Equipment:

• 1x Three-necked distillation flask with ground glass joints (NS 24/29)
• Multiple ground glass caps and stoppers (NS 24/29)
• 1x Liebig condenser with ground glass joint (NS 24/29)
• 1x Distillation head with vertical side arm, 2 NS 29/32 cores, 1 NS 14/23 socket
• 1x Distillation thermometer NS 14/23
• 1x Magnetic stirrer with heating plate or heating mantle,
• 1x heating plate
• Multiple hoses with matching ground glass connectors (NS 24/29)
• At least two stands with clamps
• 2x Three-necked flask as a steam kettle with a capacity according to requirements (ground glass joint 24/29)
• 1x Two-necked flasks as collection vessels for the distilled amphetamine (ground glass joint 24/29)

​
Assembly of the distillation apparatus:
First, place the stand on a stable surface and secure it with clamps.
Next, securely attach the three-necked distillation flask to the stand and place it on the magnetic stirrer with heating plate.
Make sure the flask is stable and upright, without wobbling.
Initially, attach the ground glass caps (NS 24/29) and stoppers (NS 24/29) to the necks of the distillation flask.
For the "steam kettle," use a second three-necked flask with ground glass joints (NS 24/29).
Seal the middle, long neck with a stopper and place a riser tube on the inlet neck of the flask for added safety.
Secure the "steam kettle" with a stand to ensure its stability.
Connect the outlet of the steam kettle to the inlet neck of the three-necked distillation flask (NS 24/29) using a hose and a suitable ground glass connector (NS 24/29).
Next, connect the ground glass outlet (NS 24/29) of the distillation flask to the ground glass inlet (NS 24/29) of the Liebig condenser using a distillation head with vertical side arm, 2 NS 29/32 cores, 1 NS 14/23 socket.
Align the condenser so that the upper part (inlet) of the condenser is positioned above the distillation flask, and the lower part points towards the collection vessel.
Attach a distillation thermometer with NS 14/23 joint to the socket of the distillation head. The length of this thermometer should correspond to your specific requirements, meaning it should only measure the temperature of the gas phase and not dip into the liquid.
Check that all connections are tight and stable. Finally, connect the lower end of the Liebig condenser to another two-necked flask with a ground glass joint (NS 24/29) using an appropriate connector.
Insert the connector into the inlet neck of the two-necked flask.
This two-necked flask serves as a collection container for the distillate and should also be secured by a stand.
It should have two necks because a screw valve with ground glass joint 24/29 is screwed into the remaining free neck.
This valve allows the release of any pressure if necessary.
Once everything is set up, perform a test run and distill a certain amount of water as a trial. If everything is sealed, stable, and without any issues, you can proceed. Otherwise, disassemble everything and reassemble it carefully.
​
Practical procedure:
First, add approximately five to ten times the volume of water compared to the corresponding amount of amphetamine, along with boiling stones, into the steam kettle and seal it tightly with a stopper.
Then, add the amphetamine base into the distillation flask and seal it tightly with a stopper as well.
Now, heat both the steam kettle and the distillation flask to 100 degrees Celsius, but stir the contents of the distillation flask gently.
Carefully monitor the distillation process.
The hot water in the steam kettle will act as carrier steam, vaporizing the amphetamine. The distilled amphetamine condenses in the Liebig condenser together with the water vapor and flows into the collection vessel.
Pay close attention to the temperature of the water vapor during the process. While the distillation process is in progress, the temperature will fluctuate and may not stabilize at a constant 100 degrees Celsius. Once the distillation process is complete, the temperature of the water vapor will stabilize and settle at 100 degrees Celsius.
At this point, you can stop the distillation process and separate the distilled amphetamine base from the water using liquid-liquid extraction.
Important: First, remove the steam inlet connection from the distillation flask! If you don't do this first and instead turn off the heat sources, a vacuum will be created in the steam kettle as the cooling water vapor condenses. If the inlet connection dips into the solution, the entire contents of the distillation flask will be sucked into the kettle.
Additional Notes:
The distillation flask should be filled to a maximum of two-thirds of its capacity at the beginning of distillation, which should be considered when purchasing the flask.
The steam kettle should have a volume several times greater than the volume of amphetamine because, in case of any unforeseen circumstances, you may need significantly more water than amphetamine.
The uniform heating of the steam kettle is not critical, but remember to include boiling stones. However, it is crucial to ensure even heating of the amphetamine.
An oil bath would be ideal as a heat source, but a magnetic stirrer with a heating plate will also suffice.

I’ve been prescribed norco for about a year and it def helps, I have Xanax I take when really anxious and I don’t want to mix them.
I also don’t want to get dependent/addicted to either of them (thought I’ve had Xanax for 5 years and only take it a few times a week.
My main question is-what strain would be best? I absolutely do not want something stimulating as my anxiety is bad enough. I basically want something that is exactly the same as my 7.5 mg norco. The norco usually lasts me around 5 hours-how much should a new user not looking to get super f’ked up take?
And does kratom cause any itching or other side effects like the norco?
Thanks!
Editing to add-I’m aware of kratom can cause dependence but I also wouldn’t take it daily.

My mother’s staging of breast cancer is unclear and I don’t want to get into it too much. There is a chance the cancer has gone, but there’s also a chance it’s Stage 4 based on some potentially incidental or potentially cancerous image findings. The doctors aren’t sure.
In any case, she has finished IV chemo and is now on oral chemotherapy for 2 years and the doctors say her sickness is normal as she’s getting used to it. However, she is completely bedridden and cannot eat or drink anything.
More worryingly, her eyes are jaundiced. I know a lot about jaundice as I’m a recovering alcoholic with cirrhosis. She had yellow eyes during IV chemo and the docs weren’t hugely concerned for whatever reason. This went away but had now come back. I am very concerned, but my parents won’t contact hospital because they do regular bloods and are sure they would’ve flagged anything concerning.
I just feel very pessimistic - like my mother’s condition is rapidly deteriorating while the docs say there’s a chance the cancer is gone and side effects are normal of the treatment. I don’t consider yellow eyes normal.
Has any got any experience with this, or advice? Thanks.

I know everyone reacts differently and has a unique experience, but if you were in this situation, what would you do? I have a lot of anxiety about medicine so am always worried I'll have crazy side effects. I didn't think to ask about this ahead of time, but there's a warning about operating a vehicle until you know how it affects you. Just looking for opinions and feedback. Thanks!

Apologies for formatting am on mobile.
33 F depression, GAD and ongoing pain issues
For the past 5ish yrs I have had issues with ongoing pain. Mental health conditions have been life long companions.
Pain initially started in left shoulder, then I started having intermittent bouts of carpal tunnel syndrome followed about a yr later by sciatica all in the left hand side of my body. After finding out what it was from the dr I have mainly managed the pain on my own using over the counter meds, yoga, meditation (it doesn’t make sense to me but if I go without meditating the pain increases). During particularly bad periods I have been prescribed various medications including diazepam, naproxen and amiltriptaline. I would love to have a scan done as my paternal family have a history of a degenerative back condition and my grandad, his twin, my dad and his brother and siste dhave all required operations in their late 30’s to keep them mobile. All of them had the same operation and it worked for everyone but my grandad who became wheelchaibed bound due to leaving it too late however this isn’t something the NHS are looking to offer at this time.
I was on fluoxetine until the pandemic at which point I weaned off. I have been in therapy consistently since the age of 27 and on and off before that.
About a year and a half ago I started experiencing extreme tightness in my vaginal canal along with general pain in the area. Sometimes it was so bad I couldn’t even wear knickers and I still have to be careful about the fabric I choose now. I had to switch to pads from tampons as it felt too tight. After a barrage of sexual health tests, bloods and a smear I was prescribed duloxitine 60mg.
About 6wks ago I began fainting and having dizzy spells I went to the gp and was advised it was a result of the medication and so they reduced for a month before stopping. Whilst I was originally prescribed for pain I had no doubt it was helping my mental health too. After a couple of weeks of reduction the aches and pains all of which had been barely noticeable on duloxitine started again, when I fully stopped it was as if 18 months worth of pain had been stored up and all erupted. It took two weeks to get an appointment and that was with a junior dr, the doctors who recommend the reduction was an obstetrician (I had a miscarriage in January but they hadn’t updated my file so it said I was 20wks pregnant) was really helpful and had directed me to the BUMPS site so that if either pain or mental health worsened I could look at my options. I had done this during the wait and asked to be prescribed either amiltriptiline, gabapentin or pregablin all are recommended for neuropathic pain. The junior dr explained the risks of each and said gabapentin with extra folic acid would be the best option, as amiltriptiline had made me nauseous previously, but he needed to be signed off by another gp so would call that afternoon or the next morning to confirm. Instead I received a call from a nice receptionist to book an appointment in 4wks time, no explanation why and no prescription. I insisted that I’d already waited a long time and needed to be seen sooner as it was stopping me sleep and effecting my work, so they’ve booked an appointment for tomorrow morning but I’m unsure as to how to proceed? Any procedural advice or alternative treatment recommendations gratefully received as all the receptionist could advise was that she had been asked to make the appointment so presumably the GP hadn’t agreed with his recommendation?
Thank you in advance

38M. I went in for a physical in February 2022 and the dr was concerned that my blood work showed high ALT and AST levels. But I had just recovered from Covid back in January and had the stomach flu the weekend before my physical so he thought it was related but wanted to be sure. It was a brutal few weeks. He sent me to a gastro and they retested me a couple weeks and my numbers were back to normal. Explained away as likely reaction from Covid and the stomach flu. Fast forward to June and I had a follow up with my gastro. I started experiencing some pains in my upper right quadrant, fatigue, etc. They sent me for an abdominal ultrasound and a hida scan. US was normal. Hida scan showed my gallbladder had 21% ejection fraction. Gallbladder was removed in September. A lot of my symptoms started to go away after a month or so. Later in November I had a super stressful situation at work and I started feeling burning pain in my left side near my ribs. Gas, bloating, reflux. I noticed it got worse when I had to deal with the stress. I went back to my gastro and they gave me pantoprozle 40mg and scheduled an x-ray of my abdomen in December. X-ray was normal so they scheduled a endoscopy which I had to wait until April to get. Panto seemed to help some but I had issues with the side effects. Stool changes, anxiety, joint pain. I stopped after 30days. The pain seemed to be reduced and even go away most days but I started having more reflux and heart palpitations/fluttering. So I went chasing all of that down because I have had issues with my heart in the past. Cardiologist tested me and said it was likely gastro related. That was in March. I finally had my endoscopy done in April and confirmed that I had mild chronic gastritis and negative for h.pylori. Recommended continuing medication and diet changes. Disclaimer: I haven’t made any dietary changes up to that point. Just eating and drinking like I normally do. I drink too many caffeinated sodas which I know is bad for gastritis. I’ve been working on cutting back on that to the point. My concern lately is that I’ve been getting fatigued more during the day and recently I’ve developed a new pain in my RUQ/right rib area. My gastro was concerned and sent me to get a CT with contrast last week and I am hoping to get the results back tomorrow. She also put me on 40mg of omaprazole. Ive also started adjusting my diet. The pain seems a little bit better. Meanwhile I have been having anxiety attacks about it being something more than gastritis like cancer. I have health-related anxiety. I am a 38M in good shape. Not overweight. Just curious if someone has had similar issues with gastritis. Could it be gastritis along with bile reflux? The right side pain showed up during the memorial holiday weekend so it’s possible I over indulged on food and beverage causing a flare. The stress and anxiety isn’t helping I know.

Yes, many individuals have undergone transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment for depression. TMS has been approved by regulatory authorities, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as a treatment option for depression that has not adequately responded to other interventions like medication or therapy.
TMS involves the use of magnetic fields to stimulate specific areas of the brain associated with mood regulation. It is a non-invasive procedure that is typically conducted in an outpatient setting. During a TMS session, a coil is placed on the scalp, and magnetic pulses are delivered to stimulate the targeted brain regions.
Numerous research studies and clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of TMS in reducing depressive symptoms. TMS has been shown to be particularly beneficial for individuals with treatment-resistant depression, who have not found relief from traditional antidepressant medications. It has also been found to have fewer side effects compared to some other treatment options.

Nen Ability: Royal Convergence
Description: Royal Convergence is a conjuration-based Nen ability that allows the user to summon an army of ants, which grow in size, strength, and abilities based on the amount of aura and skill in conjuration employed. These conjured ants possess the ability to fight on behalf of the user, acting as loyal soldiers in battle. After the battle concludes, the ants gather biomass from defeated enemies or any available source and combine it to create a substance known as Royal Jelly.
Royal Jelly: Royal Jelly is a unique and powerful substance generated by the gathered biomass. It contains a concentrated amalgamation of memories, abilities, skills, lifespans, and physical capabilities. Upon consuming the Royal Jelly, the user gains access to these acquired attributes, allowing for an expansion of their own knowledge, skills, capabilities, and even physical traits.
Assimilation Enhancement: Since the conjured ants are manifested using the user's own Nen, their existence within the Royal Jelly facilitates a seamless assimilation process. By incorporating themselves into the Royal Jelly, the ants willingly merge their abilities, skills, memories, lifespans, and physical capabilities, aiding the user in fully integrating the acquired attributes.
Selective Assimilation: The user has the ability to perceive and select which attributes they wish to accept or decline from the Royal Jelly. They can review the acquired memories, abilities, skills, lifespans, and physical capabilities, and make choices based on their preferences and needs. Furthermore, the user can determine how the acquired physical attributes will affect them, such as choosing whether the muscles of their enemies will make their own muscles big and bulky or lean and dense.
Strength Enhancement: The ants summoned by Royal Convergence gradually increase in size and strength as the user invests more aura into their conjuration. The greater the amount of aura utilized, the larger and more powerful the ants become, granting the user a formidable army to fight alongside them.
Limitations: 1. The size and strength of the ants are directly proportional to the amount of aura used during their conjuration. Exhausting the user's aura reserves may weaken the ants or prevent their summoning until sufficient aura is restored. 2. The acquired attributes from consuming Royal Jelly have a permanent duration and do not diminish over time. The lifespan extension granted by Royal Jelly is limited and subject to the natural limitations of the user's own lifespan. 3. The assimilation process of acquired abilities, skills, memories, lifespan, and physical capabilities through Royal Jelly requires a period of digestion and integration, during which the user may experience temporary side effects or vulnerabilities. 4. The conjured ants have a finite lifespan and cannot be replenished once their duration expires. The user must summon new ants to maintain their army if any perish. 5. The conjured ants can gather biomass from defeated enemies or any available source. They can extract materials and resources from living or non-living beings to create Royal Jelly. 6. The user can selectively choose and separate attributes from the Royal Jelly, vomiting out the unwanted parts. However, this process may cause temporary discomfort or nausea.
(Please help me think of some fitting and creative limitations to make this ability more stict. I think it is a bit too powerful with not many downsides but I can’t think of any suitable limitations to add.)

Arsenal 22/23 A Season Review Part 1 Of 3: August-World Cup: A Stunning Start.
The 2022/23 season is Mikel Arteta’s 3rd full campaign in charge of Arsenal and as well the 3rd of his managerial career. His 1st game in the hot seat came on Boxing Day of 2019, a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth which saw Arsenal drop down a place to 12th in the table. Just a few months into his reign and Arteta was the first high-profile figure in English Football to be diagnosed with Covid-19, the virus which drew the Premier League to a standstill for 3 months and the wider world for a much longer time. It was to empty stadiums which Arsenal played out the remainder of their season which eventually concluded on the 1st of August. An 8th-placed finish was the club’s lowest since 1995. However, there was joy to be found as there so often has been for Arsenal, in the FA Cup. In the one and only Covid FA Cup Final played in front of no spectators Arsenal came from behind to defeat London rivals Chelsea for their record-extending 14th FA Cup, after reaching the final with an unlikely triumph over Manchester City in the semis. Arteta’s first half-season had ended brilliantly and his first full-season started in the same vein with more silverware following as Arsenal defeated Premier League Champions Liverpool to win the Community Shield. Tough times quickly followed and Arteta may have been somewhat grateful for the empty stadiums, as it’s questionable whether the board would have held their nerve and kept faith with such a young manager through this dreadful period had the fans been inside the ground and able to voice their frustrations. On Boxing Day of 2020, not only did Mikel celebrate the 1 year anniversary of his first match in charge, he celebrated a 3-1 victory over Chelsea, his side's first league win for nearly 2 months. It was the first time Saka, Martinelli & Smith Rowe all started a league game together for Arsenal. It was to prove a seminal moment, but it wasn’t enough to move his team up from 15th in the table. It was never so bad again for Arteta and his Arsenal team, with the side eventually settling for a repeat of the previous season’s finish, again coming in 8th. Failure to win the Europa League (exiting the competition to Villarreal in the Semi-Finals, who were incidentally managed by Unai Emery, the manager sacked prior to Arteta taking the job) meant that Arsenal would be without European football for the first time since the 95-96 campaign. And the 21-22 season would begin horribly with Arsenal bottom after 3 matches in which they failed to score and conceded 9 goals. However as the season progressed Arsenal began to find some resilience, quality and self-belief. The sides upheaval came not coincidentally around the time club captain Aubameyang was stripped of that duty before being allowed to depart for Barcelona in the January window. Aubameyang had been the team’s standout performer when winning the FA Cup, but since those performances had seen him rewarded with a new bumper contract which made him by far the club’s best-paid player, his attitude and performance level had become a problem that needed to be dealt with.
More so than any win, it was actually a home defeat to Champions City which perhaps best demonstrated this new Arsenal which was beginning to emerge. They took City on and pushed them all the way only to eventually lose in the 93rd minute, whilst being a man down for the final half-hour with centre-back Gabriel being harshly dismissed. The fight was on with local rivals Tottenham for the final Champions League spot and it was firmly in Arsenal’s hands until a run of 4 defeats in 5 allowed Spurs back into contention. The Gunners appeared to retake control with a run of 4 straight wins before losing tamely away at Spurs and then Newcastle, in the end missing out by 2 points. Throughout the season Arsenal had spells of real high-quality football, and the fans had taken to the project with more passion and belief than they had in the final years of Wenger’s reign or during Unai Emery’s short-lived stint. In the end, though they missed out on the prize of Champions League football due to a combination of injuries to important players and the inexperience of a young group.
Despite the significant setback of missing out on a Champions League spot having held it in their hands for many of the season’s final months, Arsenal still entered the summer of 2022 with plenty of reasons for optimism. Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe had emerged as the real breakout stars of the prior season and Gabriel Martinelli wasn’t too far behind. There had been some clearly smart signings made by the club, in particular, those of Martin Ødegaard and Ben White, signed from Real Madrid and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively. The July purchases of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko for a combined 75M from Manchester City seemed yet more smart business, in them, they had picked up two quality players with four Premier League winners medals each, and both arriving aged 25 they seemed in the perfect age bracket to become big players for Arsenal not just for the immediate but as well the foreseeable future.
Jesus’ Arsenal debut came in a 5-3 friendly win over FC Nurnberg in which he scored twice. He followed this up with another in a 2-0 win over Everton as Arsenal continued their pre-season with a tour of the USA. Arsenal played 3 matches in America and won all 3, by far the most impressive being a 4-0 trouncing of Chelsea. The Gunners made it 5 pre-season wins from 5 when they returned home the following weekend to beat Sevilla 6-0 at the Emirates, a hattrick from Jesus meaning he had netted 7 goals in his first 5 appearances in Arsenal colours. Arsenal would get the Premier League season underway away at Crystal Palace, under the Friday night lights of Selhurst Park. No Premier League side would have envied them this difficult fixture, Arsenal had experienced just how tough it was 4 months prior when a 3-0 loss away at the ground began a torrid run of results for the Gunners. Arsenal had also begun the previous season away on a Friday night and come unstuck against newly promoted Brentford. Again Arsenal was straight back under the Premier League spotlight to see whether they had grown and matured from such damaging defeats last season. The Arsenal quickly proved they were up to the test, starting right on the front foot and keeping Palace penned back in their own third. Jesus immediately highlighted the new dimension he was going to bring to Arsenal’s attack, when his strength and then neat dribbling fashioned a great chance out of nothing, a chance Martinelli should have done much better with, his side-foot finish going the wrong side of the post with the goal gaping. The Brazilian would make up for it in the 20th minute when a corner was headed into the six-yard box by Zinchenko, who was picked out by Saka to deliver a free header. His head found Martinelli’s and from close range, he was able to notch Arsenal’s first of the league campaign. That was to be the only goal in the game for the next hour, but despite Arsenal’s slender lead they rarely looked in danger of being pegged back. On the instances that keeper Aaron Ramsdale was called into action, he was ready and dealt with Palace’s occasional threats soundly. The game was put beyond Crystal Palace in the 85th minute when Bukayo Saka’s dangerous ball across the six-yard box was headed into his own net by Guehi. This made certain of 3 richly deserved points for the Gunners.
Jamie Carragher for one was particularly impressed with the start Arsenal made to the game saying afterwards: “Arsenal played like a big team. When I say a big team, I’m talking about a Man City or Liverpool, a team who wherever they go, dominate the opposition. I felt like we were watching City or Liverpool in that first 20 minutes, half an hour.” Fellow Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was more impressed with Arsenal in the second half saying: “The question mark about Arsenal will be whether they’ve got that robustness and resilience, physicality to get through that difficult 15 or 20 minute periods in away matches, and they got through that (tonight) and that impressed me.” Saliba was also singled out for praise with Carragher adding: “He looked the real deal. He adds something, we’ve always felt they were weak, at Brentford last season they got bullied and here last season, his physical stature will certainly help them in tough away games.”
Arsenal’s first home league game of the season was against Leicester City. The opening goal began with Jesus tormenting Johnny Evans tight to the touchline, after beating him he fed Martinelli who was able to get into the penalty area and find Xhaka, the Swiss international touched it first time back into Jesus who took a touch to steady himself then teased it over the head of Ward in the Leicester goal and into the net. It was an angle he had no right to try from, let alone score from but such was the Brazilian forwards confidence in front of the goal he fancied his chances from anywhere. The goal was nominated for Premier League goal of the month. Jesus got his second to double Arsenal’s advantage in the 35th minute, this time in a much simpler fashion. A corner across the six-yard box was not dealt with, a Leicester head on it only sped up its path to Jesus who was waiting to nod home from practically on the goal line.
Later in the first half, Leicester thought they had a way back into the game when referee Darren England pointed to the spot having judged Ramsdale to have brought down Jamie Vardy. However VAR advised him to check the monitor, and after re-watching the incident it was clear there was no contact made and the penalty decision was reversed. Leicester did still manage to half their deficit early in the second half though, a long ball was flicked on leaving Saliba in a difficult situation to deal with. Ramsdale was advancing but wouldn’t get there first and Vardy was waiting on the French defender’s shoulder, leaving him no alternative but to try and head the ball clear whilst facing his own goal. He only succeeded in diverting it into the net. This could have been a moment when the Arsenal crowd got nervous and frustrated. They had allowed a soft goal and their youngest defender was at fault. However the crowd immediately rallied behind Saliba and his teammates, he and the team needed help putting that mistake behind them and the crowd’s noise in the aftermath of conceding will have been reassuring to the players.
Demonstrating this, Arsenal went straight up the other end and scored, Ward made a meal of a cross, dropping it at the feet of Jesus who squared for Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder was being deployed in a new, more adventurous role where he was spending more time in the opposition box, he got his reward for this new tactic with a simple tap-in from right in front of the goal. Leicester would again reduce the home team’s lead to one however when Iheanacho found Maddison, who was able to shoot straight through Ramsdale. The young English keeper will have been disappointed at being so easily beaten from such an angle, his wide-open legs presenting the opportunity to the Leicester midfielder. Again Arsenal immediately responded to the setback by going up the other end and scoring again. This move began with Martinelli winning the ball back and feeding Ødegaard who moved the ball on to Jesus, who carried it forward before finding Martinelli who shot low from outside the box, he beat the outstretched Ward and hit the bottom corner, with the ball hitting the inside of the post on its way in. It had been a good day at the office for Arsenal and a great day for Gabriel Jesus, though despite scoring 2 and assisting the other 2 of Arsenal’s 4 goals, according to his manager Jesus left the field disappointed because: “he thinks he should have scored 4, that’s the sort of mentality you need. I wouldn’t like to play against him. He’s so mobile, intuitive, sharp and proactive in any moment or phase of the game.”
Arsenal next travelled to newly promoted Bournemouth. It took The Gunners just 5 minutes to take the lead and again it came from the phenomenal centre-forward play of Gabriel Jesus. A loose touch from White saw the ball launch high into the air, the Brazilian reacted first, beautifully controlling the ball whilst at the same time using his considerable body strength to hold off the Bournemouth midfielder, with exceptional balance he then dribbled around two other Bournemouth shirts until he was on the edge of the box facing their defence, with a lovely disguised pass he then fed Martinelli who was free to his left, his shot was saved but it fell straight at the feet of new captain Martin Ødegaard who was on hand to notch his first of the season. Rightfully though the praise went to Jesus with commentator Alan Smith saying: “You won’t see a better example of centre forward play than this.”
Ødegaard had to wait just 6 more minutes for his second of the season, a cross along the floor from White found Jesus who was free, his first touch wasn’t the best but it allowed it to set up nicely for the Norwegian to strike first time, which he duly did and the ball flashed into the net. Early in the second half and Arsenal had a third goal, with Xhaka setting it back to Saliba just inside the penalty area. Saliba struck it beautifully the first time, keeping his shot down under the bar and too perfectly placed for the keeper to do anything about. It was just Saliba’s second goal in senior football but he had finished it with the class and composure of a player who had scored 200. The strike drew Zinchenko to his knees, clutching his head in disbelief at the quality of the finish and unsurprisingly it was voted as Arsenal’s goal of the month. Jesus thought he’d netted Arsenal’s 4th but a VAR check ruled the goal out for offside, so the North Londoners had to settle for a 3-0 win in what had been an excellent away performance.
The Arsenal faced more newly promoted opposition the following week, this time back at home against Fulham for Arteta’s 100th Premier League game in charge. They would be without Zinchenko and Partey who had picked up injuries and were replaced by Tierney and Elneny respectively. The best chance of the first half went to Saka who got beyond his marker to face Leno one-against one, but he was unable to beat the keeper. It would be Fulham who took the lead however with Arsenal falling behind for the first time in the season. From the full-back position, Saka flighted a ball into Gabriel, who unnecessarily played himself into trouble. He never seemed to have the ball truly under his spell, and his second touch invited Mitrovic to try and take it off him, the defender then got his body positioning wrong, and failed to protect the ball allowing the forward to nick it from behind him and then the Serb was able to keep his composure and finish past Ramsdale.
Fulham’s lead lasted just 8 minutes, Martin Ødegaard lodging Arsenal’s response. There was a degree of good fortune about the goal, with a big deflection on the strike. But there was no doubt the Norwegian had deserved it, he was having an outstanding game with all of Arsenal’s danger coming through him. He was constantly creating, with inventive passes and dribbling runs. In this instance, a clever stepover had bought him the space for the shot. Ødegaard continued to lead Arsenal’s push for a winner with he, in particular, deserving to be on the winning side, and the winner did come though not until the 86th minute. Leno failed to deal with a corner, missing his attempted punch clearance and the ball fell at the feet of Gabriel who was able to gain the perfect redemption for his earlier error by securing all 3 points for his side. The goal kept Arsenal at the top of the Premier League as they remained the only team with a 100% record.
Arsenal finished August with another home game, facing Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa. This presented Arsenal with a chance to win their opening 5 league games for the first time since 2004. Saka passed up a golden opportunity to give Arsenal the ideal start when Martinelli’s cross found him completely free at the back post, it was set up perfectly for Saka to hit on the volley, which he did but he got too under the ball and lifted it horribly high and wide from inside the six-yard box. An Arsenal opening goal felt inevitable however and it came on the half-hour mark when Emi Martinez could only push out an Xhaka shot as far as Gabriel Jesus, who was on hand to punish him. Martinez did go someway to redeeming himself later in the half with an excellent stop to deny a brilliant half-volley from Martinelli from 25 yards out.
Arsenal dominated the first half and continued their domination in the second but could not increase their advantage, it was instead Aston Villa who got the second goal of the game, in a somewhat controversial fashion. A corner from Douglas Luiz went straight into the net with Ramsdale unable to reach the ball due to his path being completely blocked by Kamara, who also limited the keepers’ movement by having both arms wrapped around his back. The goal stood but Arsenal cancelled it out in their own way, by going straight up the Villa end and retaking the lead. Saka coolly picked out Martinelli who struck it the first time on the half volley, Martinez clawed desperately at the ball but could not prevent it from going over his goal line and The Gunners were able to see the victory out. Arsenal’s player of the month was unsurprisingly Gabriel Jesus with 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 games. Arsenal’s maximum points after 5 games saw Mikel Arteta pick up Premier League manager of the month.
Arsenal started September with a chance to go 4 points clear of City in 2nd, after just six games. Standing in their way was Manchester United who would be hosting the Gunners at Old Trafford, a ground Arsenal had only won at once in the league since 2006, that one as well being without fans during the Covid season. Arsenal was boosted by the return of Zinchenko but had to start with their 3rd choice midfielder Sambi Lokonga for the Partey role after Elneny had followed the Ghanaian onto the treatment table. Regardless of the blow, Arsenal appeared to have made the ideal start when Saka threaded the needle and put Martinelli clean through on goal. The Brazilian finished brilliantly to give Arsenal the lead, but VAR advised the referee to have a look at a potential foul in the build-up. On review, the referee judged Ødegaard to have won the ball from Eriksen unfairly and chalked the goal off. The intervention made by Lee Mason on VAR was later judged by a Premier League review to be an incorrect one, the minimal contact not penalised in real-time by the ref was judged not to be a clear or obvious error. The review came too little and too late as far as Arsenal were concerned as they’d lost their lead and instead found themselves trailing at half-time after a good move from United culminated in a debut goal for Antony who finished past Ramsdale.
VAR’s intervention in the Arsenal goal was always likely to prove a vital one as remarkably United had not lost at Old Trafford when leading at half-time since 1984. This showed the size of Arsenal’s task going into the second half, but they continued to probe and ask questions of United and they got their equaliser on the hour mark when the ball broke to Saka in the penalty area after Ødegaard had looked to thread one through to Jesus. United dealt with that immediate threat but could only clear as far as Saka who slotted through the legs of Martinez for his first of the season. Arsenal looked to be in the ascendancy, but they were only level for 6 minutes. Overcommitting bodies forward left them without a midfield and after winning it back United was able to counter-attack with Bruno Fernandes who looked and found Rashford in behind the defence and he put United back in front. Arteta reacted immediately by looking to chase the game, giving a debut to summer recruit Fabio Vieira. The changes appeared to backfire however as Arsenal were left with even fewer defensive bodies on the field and in the 75th minute they were cut through once more, with Eriksen and Rashford both left in acres of space as United hit Arsenal once more on the counter-attack. It was a horrible goal for Arsenal to concede, it reminded of the worst years of Wenger with everyone so committed to attacking they had no thought for defending. Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season going down 3-1.
There were some positives to take in how confidently and capably they had passed the ball around, however, United had defended their penalty area very well and counter-attacked effectively. The frustration for Arsenal was how they had helped them in that regard, by leaving key areas of the midfield devoid of players. Partey had been very badly missed, and to a lesser extent so had Elneny whose defensive intelligence would not have seen him vacate his position as often as Lokonga did. The third goal conceded was perhaps the responsibility of Arteta who had gone all out attack mode too early, given the counter-attacking success United were already enjoying.
Arsenal got the chance to put the defeat behind them 4 days later when they began their Europa League campaign. They were placed in Group A alongside PSV Eindhoven, Bodo/Glimt and FC Zurich, and would kick off against the latter away in Switzerland. Summer signings Matt Turner and Marquinhos made their competitive debuts, and Vieira would make his full debut. Arsenal did some counterattacking of their own in the 16th minute when Vieira found Nketiah who travelled down the wing before playing a great ball across the box which found Marquinhos who expertly finished the first time into the top corner. The hosts equalised on the verge of half-time however when Nketiah was judged to have committed an offence in his own penalty box. The death of the Queen being announced during the first half led to the unusual circumstance of a minute’s silence taking place before the second half. When it did kick off, Arsenal regained the lead in the 62nd minute through Nketiah who was found with a delightful ball by Marquinhos who had made a fine debut. That’s how the score remained. Arsenal would not be in Premier League action that weekend, with their home game against Everton being postponed due to the Queen’s passing. Also delayed was their home game against PSV the following week, so the team were not back in action until 10 days after the Zurich game when they travelled to Brentford.
Arsenal dominated the games opening and took a deserved lead in the 17th minute when Saliba’s header from a corner struck the inside of the post on its way over the line. Just shy of the half-hour mark and Arsenal had their second, again with a header, this time it was Gabriel Jesus who rose to meet Xhaka’s perfectly placed ball. The Gunners then got the ideal start to the second half, when Vieira, making his first start in the Premier League in place of the unavailable Ødegaard, struck a beauty out of nowhere from well outside the box for Arsenal’s September goal of the month. Arsenal was in cruise control, always looking like the more likely team to score whilst barely giving Brentford sight of their goal. In the final minutes, Ethan Nwaneri came on for his Arsenal debut, aged 15 years and 181 days he became the youngest player to ever appear in the Premier League. After the match, Brentford Manager Thomas Frank was one of the first to tip Arsenal for a title challenge saying: “I think they will do brilliantly. I think they compete for the title now.” Xhaka was the resounding winner of Arsenal player of the month picking up 83% of the votes. A once deeply unpopular player, his turnaround best exemplified the strides in the right direction Arsenal were taking.
After the international break, Arsenal returned to action in the North London Derby against hated rivals Tottenham. Arsenal went into the fixture just one point above their opponents. Spurs were content to let Arsenal have possession whilst aiming to contain them and spring counterattacks. They kept Arsenal at bay until the 20th minute when Thomas Partey shot from over 20 yards out and hit it so perfectly that Lloris couldn’t get so much as a fingertip to it, the ball flew past him into the net for Arsenal’s goal of the month. Spurs responded in the 31st minute however after a good counterattack between the front three of Kane, Son and Richarlison saw the latter presented with a chance to cross from inside the penalty area and Arsenal did not effectively deal with the situation, a loose touch from Xhaka put his side back in trouble and Gabriel was panicked into conceding a penalty. Kane stepped up and of course, scored for the 7th time from the spot against Arsenal. This sent the sides in at the break-level pegging.
Arsenal regained the upper hand early in the second half after a shot by Saka was spilt by Lloris to his centre-half Romero who, under pressure from Jesus, looked to return it to the French keeper. Lloris missed the ball, it travelled under his body and then Jesus reacted first to poach it home. Spurs hopes of drawing level for a second time were damaged when Emerson Royal was shown a straight red card in the 62nd minute for a stupid and unnecessarily bad tackle on Martinelli. Arsenal quickly punished this ill discipline getting their third 5 minutes afterwards, with Granit Xhaka rifling past Lloris. At this stage Conte retreated to avoid a hammering, he accepted defeat and took off his offensive players, bringing on defenders to ensure the score line didn’t get embarrassing and Arsenal saw out a comfortable 3-1 derby win. Arsenal next returned to Europa League action putting Bodo/Glimt to the sword with a 3-0 win, goals coming from Nketiah, Holding and Vieira, the latter after brilliant footwork in the box from substitute Jesus.
Next up for Arsenal was another tough test at home against Liverpool. With a win, Arsenal would return to the top of the Premier League. Arsenal had faced Liverpool 4 times the previous season, failing to win any, losing 3 times including twice at home. They had also failed to even score against Liverpool in their last 6 meetings with them, but they needed just 58 seconds on this day, with Saka finding Ødegaard, whose ball between Van Dijk and Alexander Arnold put in Martinelli who finished beyond Alisson. Liverpool recovered well from the nightmare start however and was the better team from that point until they got their deserved equaliser in the 34th minute through Darwin Nunez. It was Arsenal however who went into half-time with the lead when Martinelli led a brilliant counter-attack from a Liverpool set piece, finally taking out both Arnold and Henderson by cutting inside and finding an unmarked Saka who slid in to put his team back in the ascendancy.
Again Liverpool responded well, equalising for a second time early in the second half through Roberto Firmino. From that point on though Arsenal found another level, they searched feverishly for a winning goal, looking to pass Liverpool to death and calving many openings. The noise inside the Emirates had reached deafening decibels as the fans urged their team on. The golden chance came with just under 15 minutes to go when Thiago was judged to have caught the back of Jesus’s foot inside the penalty area, having been beaten to the ball by the striker. Saka stepped up and held his nerve, confidently dispatching an excellent spot kick. Arsenal held out for what was in the end a deserved win after an excellent second-half display. In a decision that had raised a few eyebrows, Tomiyasu had been drafted in for a first league start of the season to go into an unfamiliar left-back position, the move paid dividends as the Japanese international had a fine game up against Mo Salah. The result put Arsenal 14 clear of Liverpool who had endured a dreadful start to the season.
“These are broad shoulders, this is courage. A sporting moment in time. Bukayo Saka.. Such poise! such noise!” – Peter Drury as Saka beats Alisson Becker from the penalty spot.
Four days later Arsenal made it 3 wins from 3 in the Europa, with an away win in Norway on the artificial pitch of Bodo/Glimt. A sole goal from Bukayo Saka was enough after he got on the end of a one-two with Lokonga. His initial shot was blocked by a defender but the ball then deflected in after coming back off the Arsenal winger. Bodo calved out many good chances for themselves but was let down by woeful finishing, squandering chance after chance by blazing high and wide of the target. Arsenal then returned to Premier League action at Elland Road against Leeds, though 40 minutes behind schedule after a power outage just after the game had initially kicked off caused the game to need restarting once power had returned.
Again Saka was the only man to get himself on the scoresheet, his goal coming after Jesus had passed up a golden chance to open the scoring failing to hit the net from close range after Ødegaard had found him with a backheeled flick. Jesus attempted to lift the ball over the keeper, but he lifted it too high and it ended up over the crossbar. Arsenal did not let Leeds off a second time however and punished them after a sloppy cross-field pass from Leeds midfielder Rodrigo only found Saka who headed it into Ødegaard’s path. Ødegaard’s return pass then asked a lot of the winger, but his speed allowed him to reach the ball first. Saka was faced with a tight angle, but it didn’t phase him one bit and he picked out the top corner hitting it high into the roof of the Leeds net.
The second half was full of drama, first when Bamford thought he’d equalised but was instead penalised for a foul on Gabriel. The Leeds striker received a second chance though when Saliba was found guilty of a handball in the box after the referee had checked the monitor. Ramsdale guessed correctly in his dive, but in the end, he wasn’t required as Bamford’s penalty went wide of the post. Arsenal continued to suffer in the second half, struggling to cope with the Leeds onslaught and maintain their slender advantage. Through fatigue and pressure from the home side, Arsenal had lost all ability to pass the ball and could do little else but stay in their own half and try to defend. Ramsdale proved his worth to this Arsenal side with his best performance of the season to date, right when his team needed him most. It appeared as though Arsenal had got the job done when crazily they conceded a second penalty of the half in additional time. Patrick Bamford was nowhere near the ball which was safely back with Ramsdale when Gabriel was penalised for a kick out in the box on the Leeds forward. As well as a penalty, the Brazilian centre-back was also dismissed. However on a VAR review, it was clear that Bamford had fouled Gabriel first, barging him to the floor, so rightfully the decision was reversed and Gabriel’s red card was rescinded. Arsenal held on to a win they’d scarcely deserved and it proved an even bigger win later that day when City lost at Anfield meaning The Gunners stayed 4 points clear after 10 games.
The following Thursday Arsenal were back in action in the Europa League. They were originally scheduled to host Manchester City in the league that mid-week, but the Queens’ death led to the postponement of Arsenal’s fixture with PSV, and it was re-arranged to this game week. Arsenal battered their Dutch visitors, in the end mustering 25 shots to Eindhoven’s 4. As was often the case Saka and Jesus were the standout performers. The young English winger was unstoppable in his direct dribbling runs, unstoppable that is without resorting to fouling, which PSV defenders did time and time again after being skinned by Saka’s great ball control when running at speed. Jesus was similarly dangerous, doing his usual thing of fashioning chances out of nowhere with his quick thinking and somehow even quicker feet. In the end, though the deadlock was broken by Xhaka in the 70th minute when Tomiyasu found him in space 15 yards from the goal. He hit the shot down into the ground and it bobbled just at the right time to go under the keeper and past him.
Next Arsenal travelled to struggling Southampton looking to make it 9 straight wins across the Premier League and Europa. They started fast, and when Xhaka finished off White’s cross with a brilliant volley into the back of the net in the 11th minute, it looked like it would be a case of how many, as it wasn’t the first good chance Arsenal had created. For the first 20 minutes, Southampton couldn’t get out of their own half, Ødegaard cleverly found Jesus with a lifted return pass but his volley was straight at Bazunu in the Saints goal. Jesus was in again after a long ball flighted over the head of Caleta-Car putting the Brazilian clean through until the defender dragged him back using both arms. There seemed to be enough contact for 3 separate penalties in there, but unbelievably the referee Robert Jones didn’t point to the spot and nor did VAR intervene. One of the most inexplicable decisions of the season, and that’s saying something, meant that Arsenal went in at the break only a single goal to the good.
The Southampton defence must have felt encouraged from not being penalised inside the box, as the fouling continued on Jesus outside the box for much of the second half, Lyanco getting away with man-handling Arsenal’s striker time and time again, wrapping both arms around his body whenever the ball was anywhere near the Brazilian. Jones did not however ignore perceived ‘diving’ from Saka showing him a yellow card for simulation, even though there did appear to be some contact. A one-sided refereeing performance and poor finishing from Arsenal allowed the home team back into the game and they got the equalising goal with 25 minutes to go through Armstrong after a swift move cut through Arsenal’s defence. In the 78th minute, Ødegaard thought he’d put Arsenal back in front but Tierney had just carried the ball beyond the line before he was able to cut it back into his captain’s path.
The Gunners had to settle for a point and an end to their winning run, paying the price for not scoring more in the first half. As they began to tire in the second half Southampton calved out some good chances of their own, but there’s no doubt the visitors were also harmed by a dire refereeing performance. The dropped points cut Arsenal’s lead at the top down to two. Another away game followed for The North London side as next they travelled to Eindhoven. With 2 group games remaining, they needed just 1 more win to secure the top spot which would mean they progressed straight through to the final 16, without the need for a playoff game. However Arsenal’s performance was poor, PSV were the better team for 90 minutes and good value for their 2-0 win.

A lot of the time I see people here complaining about how every elf/dwarf/etc in media looks the same and how they think people should try to really put a big twist on those classic fantasy races when building their worlds. Well, I disagree - partially.
Let's take an example, Warhammer 40K's dwarves, the "Kin" (aka "the Votann"). Games Workshop, the company behind Warhammer, took the Dwarves out of the game a long time ago because - according to them - they were too derivative, being just "space dwarves". Now, that never stopped the fan-base from asking them to bring the dwarves back, so they did, but they completely reinvented their lore to truly make them original and distinct. Some people liked the new lore, some people didn't, but what I noticed is that both sides agreed on one thing: they don't feel "dwarvish" enough. To their haters, the Votann lack of "dwarvishness" is a big enough problem to make them not care for the race; to their lovers, their lack of traditional dwarvish traits is still seen as a negative (not negative enough to ruin the race, but still something that could be improved upon).
Let's be honest, a big aspect of using traditional fantasy races - like dwarves, centaurs, goblins, mermaids, etc - is that they can serve as a shorthand, since people already know what to expect. No need for big lore dumps or exposition, they hear the race's name and a picture comes into their minds. Now, that doesn't mean you should make them all stereotypical, actually, adding little twists and kirks to the base stereotype can be really effective - explaining "elves, but they are vikings" is way easier than explaining something completely new, since 50% of the job (the elf aspect) is already done for you, allowing you to focus on the other 50% (the viking aspect).
Of course, the medium and target audience influences that a lot. Are you writing a "highbrow" novel for readers familiar with fantasy? Go wild and - positively - subvert expectations! Are you creating a setting for a TTRPG campaign that you'll play with your "normie" friends who's knowledge of fantasy is limited to Lord of The Rings and Narnia? Go easy. Most people already find the basic concept of classic fantasy races interesting, we are the ones tired of the same old tropes.
Anyway, thanks for coming to my TedTalk.

Timestamp (Boards) Timestamp (Keycaps&Switches)
Clearing up some more things, prices include shipping. Local in 91776. Bundles preferred. Comment before PM. (Prices were reduced from previous post)
KeyboardsMechwild Mercutio 40% - $50 shipped

• Millmaxed, Brass (Gold) Knob, Usb-C, Durocks V2. There is one bridge but that doesn't effect the board.

Mechwild Clunker 40% - $80 shipped

• Soldered with Lubed Creams (w/ 415keys UHMWPE rev.4 stems), Durock V2, black knob, solenoid. Including all the creams x68 total and additional 415key stems.

Keyhive Nightmare - $45 shipped

• 3D Printed case from KeyHive. Soldered with a mix of Akko Swithes, Micro USB, Flashed, tested, everything is working. Top and bottom case isn't seatted flush (I built it in one-go and never opened it up to check).

Segmented 3D Printed Keyboard w/ white rice :) - $40 shipped

• Proto, there are some flaws in the 3D printed pieces, tho all is functional. Soldered YMDK GH60/64 PCB with Akko Matcha and Radient red (Lubed). Random Keycaps from Aliexpress and lubed Durock V2. Reference to Build

E-White Mammoth20 (Wireless) - $200 shipped

• Fully built, comes with all foams, PC plate, 2 knobs (1 was a replacement), 2 batteries (1 currently installed, 1 unassembled), stabs are lubed with 205g0 and BDZ.

Keycaps

• Cannonkeys Minty New (Opened to inspect) - $45 shipped/$35 shipped in bags
• Cannonkeys Earl Grey Lavender New (Opened to inspect) - $45 shipped/ $35 shipped in bags
• Kinetic Labs PolyCaps Whale Like New (Used on a board for a short time, no shine) $45 shipped/ $35 shipped in bags
• Domikey Astronaut All in One New (Opened to inspect) $100 shipped/$90 shipped in bags
• Monokei Series 1 WOB New (Opened to inspect) $45 shipped/$35 shipped in bags
• PBT Apollo Clones - $25 shipped in bags
• 104 Keys Transparent ABS Blank Keycaps OEM Profile New, got these pretty cheap from Amazon - $Free, just pay for shipping.

Switches

• JWK Lavender Linear 90 count, stock. - $40 shipped
• Novelkey Creams V1 68 counts, older batch, lubed 205g0 +105. - $45 shipped
• Zaku Linear 95 counts, lubed 205g0 + 105 and clear tx filmed. - $100 shipped
• BCPs/Cthulhus - (Milky Top, Kalih Burgundy Stems, JWK Bottom (NK Silk Emeralds)) 96 count, lubed 205g0 + 105 and black deskey filmed. 63.5g springs from Silk Emeralds. - $90 shipped
• MMD Creams 90 count, lubed w/205g0 + 105. - $30 shipped
• NK Silk Emeralds w/ Cherry HG Bottom Stock (stems are factory lubed), 109 count. - $20 shipped.

Hi everyone! This forum was very helpful in the last few weeks prior to my trip. My trip was from May 22 to June 2.
This was a trip 3 years in the making and then Covid happened in 2020 and we had to cancel almost everything. Rebooked everything last year and resumed.
Our itinerary was ambitious but doable and we decided to rent a car and drive around the country/ring road with stops at the major sties that interested us. Here are the details and notable memorable things for those interested:
- We noticed about 90% of people who drive around the country go counterclockwise. When researching I wasn't sure what the reasoning was. We decided to go Clockwise and 100% would recommend it for us; given the time of year we went. For every 25+ cars we saw going the OPPOSITE direction, we had 1 on our direction. Which meant less cars to deal with for us. Having said that, we chose to do Golden Circle last and by then it was "underwhelming" as I had read and agree after going to the rest of the country.
- We rented from Blue Car rental and they were amazing. Loved the service, the car was great, pick up and drop off was a breeze and they had almost the cheapest price for us.
- AVOID GRAVEL ROADS AT ALL COSTS! Google maps base it on speed limit and most are 80km/hr but I don't think anyone does it and we ended up driving 50km/hr for most and it felt like we wasted more time. If I could find all paved roads instead and take a longer route I would recommend. SOme pothole IMO were way too large even for our car.
- We were WELL prepared for clothing; waterproof out shells, fleece inner and layers. BUT I'd suggest getting the lightest waterproof shell cause during hike I took off all layers and my "parka" was heavy. It the only waterproof shell I had. My husband had a light one and was fine.
- Never need merino wool base layers, walking sticks etc. Brought them for no reason.
- I didn't care too much about precipitation nor temperature but the WIND is the true enemy. It is insane and really determines your success. Some spots I originally thought (we can picnic with our own lunch) and that never happened. Decided early on to just eat in the car due to weather and wind.
- We brought granola bars, protein powder for breakfast, instant noodles and then just bought bread/ham/PB and Jelly at grocery stores. Food was reasonable in grocery stores and we ate most meals there. To be honest, Bonus was so hyped when I researched that in the end, I preferred Netto and bought most grocery items from Kronan. WAAAAY more selection, better quality and to be honest I barely noticed the difference in price. The real difference in price is gas stations and small town "stores" for food.
- I researched pumping gas but it was still a bit confusing at first. Getting receipts and other items is odd to me but we managed near the end
- Yellow and wind days are scary and it nearly ruined 2 days and it basically cancelled most excursions. Snafellsness was cut short due to wind and it was insane and it was our first day out of Reykjavik. It was beautiful though and Arnarstapi was my favourite of all stops even though we had a ton of places planned. We basically skipped the beaches as the weather got bad.
- Stay flexible, all of my planned stops had a "mandatory" or "optional" so I can figure what to do if thigns came up. If an excursion cancelled; we had a backup. I'd basically say minimize (unless you REALLY want to) any water-related activity; whale watching, kayaking etc because wind is a huge factor. To be honest whale watching when on my last was OK. We saw whales and dolphins but the waves were "calm" but nnot for me so after a while I was fine heading back. But I'm glad I did it.
- Favourite places: Arnarstapi, Studlagil Canyon (when I went we walked entirely from further paking lot on east side, anyone car can get to the closer parking lot to save 1hr of extra walking), Puffins in Borgarfjardarhofn, Hverir and Hverfell (impromptu hike and it was amazing), Myvatn in general was a favourite of mine, Jokulsarlon Glacier and Diamond Beach, Black Sand Beaches, the drive in North Iceland when it was all snowcaps and Gljufragui.
- Most waterfalls up north were not that impressive (Godafoss and Dettifoss) tbh. And south waterfalls somehow felt more attractions than natural wonders imo.
- When we did eat out the food quality was excellent for what it was but the prices for many things were hard to justify; so we ate out minimally. Sad to say I personally don't think Scandinavian food in general (sorry to generalize) isn't for me for long term; I really missed other flavours like spices etc.
- We loved basically all of our stays; guesthouses, hotels, apartments etc. We had a mix. Grund I Grundarfirdi for Snaefellsness was great! K16 apartments in Akureyri was excellent! Hotels down in Hofn and Kirkjubaejarklaustur were also very nice.
- 1 day max in Reykjavik is more than enough
- We had to skip a few places due to weather: hike saxholl crater, Raudfeldsgja gorge, beaches, Asbyrgi (it was between puffins or this and it was a no brainer), Seydisfjordur, Hvalnes, Vestrahorn, top side of Dyrholaey, Kvernufiss, Reykjadalu hot springs, Bruarfoss
- We went to Myvatn Hot springs and Laugarvatn Fontana. Myvatn was amazing. Laugarvatn was alright; more like a fancier local swimming pool. We did not do any other hot springs.
- Thingvellir to be honest is skippable. Wish we did the Reyjadalu instead.
- I felt the time or yeaday we went or maybe direction we headed, I expected WAY more tourists; especially southern coast. The busiest day was at Thingvellir and it was busy but not unbearable. All other places were quite quiet and pretty decent imo. Even north Iceland felt a little busier at Godafoss and Hverir vs the Southern coast.
- All in all I enjoyed my trip but felt I did what I planned to do and being sick the last few days (best not to eat mystery cold fish during a breakfast buffet) didn't help either as I spent a lot of time worrying about the restroom situation when I went. All locals and people we were met were friendly, nice, helpful and made our stay welcoming and fun. All tours and excursions we did end up doing (horseback riding in Vik, Kayaking in Stokkseyri and whale watching in Reykjavik (last minute booking since the Akureyri one was cancelled) were all well done. Oh and ice cream here is amazing! I'm glad I tried it as often as I could!

Kokomi is proven to be a very capable military leader and tactician. She had fought a long and destructive civil war of which she had inferior numbers, inferior positioning, a naval blockade, and not to mention a disadvantageous economic position. She fought her battles in inhospitable places like Yashiori island of which was cursed by the Shogun with everlasting lightning before us the players stopped it. So what really made Kokomi's tactics succeed over her enemies?
To understand Kokomi's tactics we must understand her philosophies on war. Distinctively her means of warfare is heavily drawn upon or atleast similar to "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu or atleast its teyvat counterparts(*This is not a joke, the trailer litterally referenced it in a bit cringy way imo). This philosophy of war rest in the belief that Victory ought to be achieved in the minimum of casualties and the maximum of gain. In the trailer kokomi's strategizing hinted a bit at this. When she sent two of her soldier groups to battle while her personal professional force, the swordfish would burn the provisions. The act of burning provisions could force the enemy to retreat even after a winning fight, therefore minimizing casualties for both sides. Yet war philosophies alone won't win wars, afterall the devil is in the details.
The most important key lies in the tip of the spear. The Sangonomiyan Armed Forces. There is nothing special about individual samurais on the army but maybe perhaps that's why it is special. The sangonomiyan army is actually implied to be more ragtag than the Shogun's. Limited supplies with a strained food supply chain, many of them are implied on being illiterate(*), they could only be implied as either as trained or less trained as their inazuman counterparts. Not to mention the rebels diversity as they came from many parts of inazuma and not just watatsumi. They have been proven to be somewhat easily agitated indicated by the diplomatic incident of one accusing the inazuman armed forces of colluting with the fatui, if the soldiers have lied about their non involvement they could just get away with it and come back with better terms, not to mention when some of them almost mutinied because they wanted more fighting. These are inherently bad traits for the army, so why does it become a very effective force under kokomi?
Usually if you like roaming into youtube about wars and setpiece battles you would see a bird's eye view on the battle taking place. Intuitively from my prespective and experiences this had led me to believe that troop placement and clever use of terrain is the key to winning a battle, that is true however, it does not paint a full picture in winning wars. The romans weren't effective just because Caesar put a hidden infantry detachment behind his cavalry, or scipio's copy of Hannibal's strong wings weak center. A real life example of this is the battle of Munda, Caesar was at his most disadvantageous position, fighting an uphill battle against a numerically superior enemy. Yet he won, this shows that battle positioning is not the only way a battle or war is won.
One of the most important thing that The Sangonomiyan armed forces have and its most crucial aspect is Divisional structures. Though a bit counterintuitive, this part is actually crucial. Kokomi divide her soldiers into platoons, in the trailer we are hinted at the names of these platoons or atleast their leaders, Gobius and Gorgasia. Divisional structures ensure that there is cohesion within the lines and a clear structure of power. Orders can be carried out easier and battle lines could be easily drawn, assessed and fortified or enforced. Part of the reason why the romans were so effective is that they have cohesive structures, albeit copied from other places. This help them identify which section og the line is weakest and help some to enforce a position and make orders more effective as the division of labor and duties could be easily assigned. This is examplified in a real life example where Crassus' son helped reinforced a section of Caesar line in the left flank in the war against Ariovistus. In the trailer kokomi is shown to be taking this to her advantage. Gobius and Gorgasia was tasked to lure the enemy into a trapped by a feigned retreat(*) while her specialized platoon called swordfish are tasked to burn provisions. This level of management is crucial in decision making and effectiveness. Yet the strenght of an army is not merely of its structure but how we use it.
In examining Kokomi's way of warmaking and strategizing, i was somewhat reminded of Prussia's millitary reform after Napoleon's invasion. Several keys are fast mobilization, flexible leadership, and decentralized yet coordinated forms of organization. Kokomi is shown to trust her subordinates, this high levels of trust shows the effectiveness of her general staff. We saw how some forces could patrol indepent from HQ, and some are tasked with missions without Kokomi's direct intervention. This is what is called a mission type tactic, where a commander are given broad command over the field but subordinates are given the freedom for initiative. The orders on these type of tactic is a bit more vague therefore letting the platoon commanders figure out the way with their own experiences. This is the tactic of "No plans survive first contact with the enemy" type of deal. This made command flexible, and attacks more swift. This also makes it easier to imply the tactic of March Divided fight united which will makes troops moves faster, but by far i haven't seen it in action in game. What is in game is a mission where we are tasked to clear up a section of watatsumi island, where we fight monsters, part of the platoons are already fighting there before we intervened, this platoon was a bit away from gorou or kokomi.
Her strict rules and the fact that most remembers them or atleast her higher ups means there is a form of discipline within the ranks. Even with the diversity all is united in a goal of defeating the shogun which makes morale high, one personnel even tried drastic meassures in obtaining an illusion and using it though it is a tragedy what happened to him. The cohesion in her army despite the shortcomings ran contrast to Kujou Sara's army which has an implied low morale and some disubordination, the fact that some of the army colluted with the fatui shows relevant doubt in the ranks. This paired with kokomi's excellent judgement of timing and terrain, shown in her setpiece battle with kujou sara, the first and only battle we saw at Nazuichi beach, how she outflanked and outmanuvered Sara's forces in the last minute, where she pushed with all her infantry (massive L for Sara, a good general would have reserves to protect the flanks).
Kokomi's leadership is also very well received, she has the very trust of her people and my heart. Even when she's a cute anxious introvert who my balls itch for, she could balance it with significant degree of profesionalism. She is still very young, and had a lot to learn like governing, but with time she will learn it through experience. There is still probably a lot i wanted to say in here but, well would you really want to read a very long post about how to improve watatsumi island? This is probably a love letter from me to Kokomi, as a lover of history and wargaming, as an aut- (my lawyer has informed me to not do this joke) who plays imperator rome, victoria 3 and Hoi4, i love you kokomi
-yours truly, the least chronically online and insane genshin player fr.

Sound:
Sound quality is very solid and borders on exceptional for the price. They have balanced consumer tuning out of the box which sounds acceptable for all genres with a nice bass response. All frequencies sound well represented and the bass is not overpowering. There is a bass boost equalizer preset for those that enjoy that, in addition to podcast and custom equalizer choices. Detail and sound stage is well defined, while the large drivers deliver punchy and dynamic audio.
The transparent design reveals the very large 12mm drivers in these earbuds which provide the rich and enjoyable bass response.
App:
The app is Skull-iQ as standard with new Skullcandy headphones. In my opinion, it is a solid benchmark for the best companion application for a Bluetooth audio device. All functions work well with minimal problems or interruptions on my iPhone. The hands-free voice commands make a return here as expected, which makes this set unique in the landscape of true wireless earbuds. I will simply not buy earbuds without hands-free voice controls. I like that these controls are separate from major voice assistants like Siri or Google, as I find those to be stupid and constantly messing up.
Sound Features:
ANC is very effective and the headphones seal well. It’s comparable to AirPods Pro 2, which are a benchmark for ANC earbuds. I would say overall the ANC is a little less effective than the likes of Apple AirPods Pro 2 or Bose QuietComfort, but it’s definitely no slouch either. Stay-Aware sounds fairly artificial and is behind the Apple earbuds. However, it’s still effective and useful. You can toggle both features with hands free voice commands. The microphone quality is VERY good and maybe one of the best in the industry. Side-Tone activates when using the microphone to make speaking more comfortable.
Case:
The case is very compact and features wireless charging as well as a transparent interior and blue internal lighting which activates when the case is opened. It is very satisfying to hold, and the magnets snap together well on both the lid and inside the case. However, I don’t like that the lid of the case is glossy black plastic because it scratches easily. I have not yet found an earbud case that provides the battery life of the AirPods Pro series in a compact design, but this is the closest I’ve seen.
Pairing:
Multipoint pairing works well and I had no pairing issues. It’s exceptionally convenient to have multi-point pairing. I have not found a low latency mode, but maybe this will be added with a software update, because I spotted it in a product description.
Comfort:
The Skullcandy Rail series is among the most comfortable earbuds I’ve ever worn. Despite the very impressive driver size, Skullcandy has managed to make a compact and low profile earbud fit comfortably.
Compared to Skullcandy Rail:
I had a chance to try the Skullcandy Rail earbuds as well. All I can say in general, these two sets are very similar. However, for $20 more in the Rail ANC you get wireless charging, better audio quality and better microphones, and ANC of course.
Conclusion:
For $100, the Skullcandy Rail ANC provides nearly every feature you could ever ask for on a TWS earbud, with the notable exception being ear detection. These have a modern and compact design, great sound quality, long battery life, and innovative features. I feel that Skullcandy has finally made a TWS earbud that competes with the flagships on the market. I cannot justify spending 2x or more on wireless earbuds when these exist. Skull-iQ is great for cross compatibility on Android and iOS, and some of the most advanced features like universal hands-free voice commands cannot be found anywhere else.
Link:
These are showing up at Walmarts all around the country at this point. The best bet is to ask your local Walmart if they have them available yet. I assume Skullcandy will announce them soon even though they’re available in stores already? Lol.
Skullcandy Rail ANC XT True Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling in-Ear Headphones in True Black https://www.walmart.com/ip/1424816694

TL;DR at the end.
Sorry if this seems a little bit off-topic, but I feel like this is the right place to write about this topic where more people want to take this game more seriously.
For those who are interested in a bit of reading, here comes the long version:
## An Off Topic Story: Casual players rules. In business.
Sauce: Over 51% revenue of Activision Blizzard in FY2022 does not come from Activision, or Blizzard: https://www.tweaktown.com/news/84423/king-has-made-more-money-than-blizzard-every-year-in-the-last-3-years/index.html
I will start with an off topic story: Activision Blizzard actually consists of 3 companies: Activision (Falgship: Call of Duty), Blizzard (Flagship: World of Warcraft, Overwatch) and King (Flagship: Candy Crash Saga). Guess which one is making the most money? King. Actually in their 2022 income statements, King's contribution to their annual revenue is **51%**.
Good games calls for skill, but good business calls for casuals. Also, the streamer boom is cooling down after the pandamic.
## The Life Story of Apex Legens: Battle Royale boom, Streamer boom and the Pandemic
Sauce: Monthly Active Streamer Count on Twitch: https://www.statista.com/statistics/746173/monthly-active-streamers-on-twitch/
The life cycle of Apex Legends begins in 2019, at the height the battle royale boom, and most importantly, right in the middle of the big streamer boom. Back then, the dominate way of launching a gaming business is to make a game with insane skill ceilings, and let big streamers have fun. Then the Pandemic hits. People have nothing to do other than watching streamings and playing games, or maybe pick up streaming themselves.
It was the golden age of competitive video games. Everyone was happy with games, becasue everyone was stuck here in video games. Games were very fun beacuse everyone is there, pro and casual. Businesses are booming as well: players count goes up, sales go up, even investments go up because everthing else is on fire AND all the governments are printing money to stablize the economy.
And then comes 2022 and 2023. The pandemic is basically over. The streaming space gets saturated. People go on with their lives. Govermetns raise interest rates to take back all the money they had just pumped into the market. The results? Casuals are leaving, gaming companies feel a pressure to maintain their popularity and revenue, and investors want to leave.
And here we are seeing the effects not just in Apex Legends, but in probably every other game.
## The Post-Pandemic Gaming Scene: The casuals game
Let's see what Apex Legends has been doing lately, and compare that with their major competitors.
Apex Legends:
- EA / Respawn basically turned a blind eye towards Controller Aim Assist, because the majority of video game players are on console. Pros call it "boring" but many switched non-the-less (e.g. NRG Sweet, ImperialHal). I know, it is controversial. But I believe it makes more sense business-wise than gaming-wise
- The S17 ranked system, where they basically removed kill points altogether and made it very friendly to rats. Despite hard-core gamings complaining about it, I would predict that ranked player count to go up
- And there is one thing that everyone agrees for being good: They made Mix Tape permenant
- Skins. More skins and increasingly frequent collection events: They are really desperate for revenue this time
Fortnite: In Mar. 2022, they made no-build mode permenant. They also added some op automatic weapons and vaults etc (Correct me if I'm wrong. I don't play Fortnite. I am only interested in their business because I hold Tencent stocks). Pros are not happy. But hey, Fortnite is generating more revenue than ever! Thanks to casuals.
PUBG: They finally budged on their insistence on "realism" and added blue-chips, which are basically respawn banners. Very un-PUBG like but it is a quality of life change.
(Overwatch 2: This game is such a shame that I can't even take it seriously. But who knows if Blizzard just wants to be not taken seriously?)
## Conclusion, TL;DR
TL; DR:
Apex Legends is increasingly leaning into the casual side of gaming, as with their major competitors. Surely, it will never become truely casual to not lose it's identity, but this trend will most probably continue becasue it is where the entire industry is heading.
Everything that is happening in the game, including the roller AA controversies, ranked system changes, skins, and even weapon balance, is just a manifestation of this "casual" trend.

I wanted to share some insights on the fascinating concept of Monetization of Social Media/Social Mining and its impact on digital marketing. Let's delve into the educational side of this topic and explore its potential for our marketing strategies.
Social mining, the practice of extracting and analyzing user-generated content and behavior from social media platforms, has become an invaluable tool for digital marketers. By harnessing the power of social media data, we can gain a deeper understanding of our target audience and optimize our marketing efforts accordingly.
Incorporating Social Mining into our digital marketing strategies offers several benefits. Firstly, it provides us with valuable audience insights. By analyzing social media data, we can uncover patterns, preferences, and trends among our target audience. This knowledge allows us to create more personalized and relevant campaigns, ultimately increasing engagement and conversions.
Moreover, Social Mining helps identify influential individuals within specific niches or industries. By analyzing social media data, we can discover influencers whose audience aligns with our target market. Collaborating with these influencers for brand endorsements or sponsored content can significantly amplify our digital marketing efforts and reach a broader audience.
When it comes to social media advertising, social mining plays a vital role in targeting and segmentation. By analyzing user data and behavior, we can create highly targeted and personalized ads that resonate with specific audience segments. This level of precision improves the efficiency and effectiveness of our digital advertising, leading to higher conversion rates and a better return on investment.
I would love to hear your thoughts on Social Mining and how it has impacted your digital marketing strategies. Have you implemented any Social Mining techniques? What results have you observed? Let's engage in a meaningful discussion and share our experiences!

Hello everyone,
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Imagine being trapped in a destructive cycle for eight long years, knowing you need to escape but feeling utterly powerless to do so. That was my reality. I'm a 26-year-old man who, from the tender age of 12, found himself caught in the relentless grip of pornography and masturbation addiction.
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By 18, I was painfully aware of the damage it was causing and desperate to break free. I tried everything – NoFap, meditation, sports, cold showers, even punishing myself, but to no avail. It felt like my addiction was an unshakeable opponent. But then, something changed. I discovered a strategy that changed my life. If you're struggling, I want to share this with you...
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Caught in the grip of this addiction, I would spend an average of seven hours per day, even peaking at thirteen hours sometimes. The toll of this habit was heavy, affecting my personal, professional, and social life severely. Yet everything changed when I discovered Jack Trimpey's Rational Recovery method.
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While his book provided me with crucial insights, it was his comprehensive AVRT Demonstration, where Trimpey guided an alcohol addict towards permanent abstinence, that truly filled the missing pieces in my fight against addiction. The Rational Recovery method fundamentally shifted my perspective towards addiction, helping me to recognize and silence the voice of my brain (the Beast) pushing me to consume. Today, I want to share my experience, hoping it could be an effective solution for many of you. You can access the entire demonstration at the end in the 'Useful Resources' section.
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Understanding Addiction and Navigating this Guide
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Let's talk about what addiction really is. Addiction isn't about the behavior itself, but rather the desire to escape pain and seek a better life. It is marked by ambivalence, a feeling of being torn between two minds. Overcoming addiction involves breaking free from the grip of pleasure and reclaiming control over oneself.
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Before I delve into how I applied the Rational Recovery method and the results I got, I want to pose a simple but powerful question: If I placed a big red button in front of you that, when pressed, would instantly eradicate your addiction, would you press it?
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If your answer is 'yes', then you have all the reasons you need to quit. I've been where you are now, writing pages upon pages of reasons to stop, yet relapsing despite knowing how harmful it was. It's important to recognize when a pattern becomes harmful, it's time to stop.
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As you explore this guide, remember the importance of keeping an open mind. Let's borrow some wisdom from Mark Twain, who once said, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” It's a nod to the importance of being receptive to new ideas and methods. This guide may offer a different approach, but embracing it might bring about the change you're seeking.
​

What is AVRT?

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AVRT (Addictive Voice Recognition Technique) is a transformative strategy that I've found invaluable in my journey to overcoming addiction. This technique helps you recognize and differentiate yourself from the 'addictive voice', the part of your primitive brain structure that fuels your addiction.
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Think of AVRT as your personal defense mechanism that works under any circumstance, regardless of your emotional state – be it sadness, anger,boredom, loneliness, or stress. The aim here isn't to suppress these emotions, but rather to stay in control of your actions, no matter what you're feeling.
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The 'addictive voice' – which we'll call the 'beast' – is a sneaky internal saboteur. It's the part of you that wants to continue with the harmful habit, despite you consciously knowing it's not beneficial. AVRT is about learning to separate this beast from your own true will, thus empowering you to reclaim your life.
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The power of AVRT lies in this distinction between you and the beast. Once you master this technique, you'll learn to reject the rationalizations and temptations that originate from the beast. The dissociation from the beast is what makes it possible to make a firm, irrevocable commitment to quit your addiction. By not identifying with the beast, you can prevent yourself from suffering commonly associated with resisting addiction.
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In essence, AVRT isn't about fighting or resisting; it's about recognizing, dissociating, and reclaiming control of your life.
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What is the "beast"?

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The "beast" is a term coined by the Rational Recovery method to denote the part of your brain pushing you towards your addiction. We call it the Beast because, like a wild, uncontrollable animal, it cares about nothing but fulfilling its need. It is a cunning inner voice, whispering that you need to engage in porn and masturbation to feel satisfied, relieved, or happy. This voice, often referred to as the Addictive Voice (AV), can be quite deceptive. It might paint you a picture of an enticing scene, produce alluring sounds, offer a moment of relief, or even present a false promise of control—"Just be more careful next time."
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This beast manipulates you with excuses, deceptive emotions, and outright lies to make you succumb to your addiction. But let's make one thing clear: the beast is not your friend. It's your worst enemy. It's a parasitic entity that has latched onto your life, thriving on your addictive behavior. Like every living thing, it fears its end, and that end comes when you stop feeding the addiction. It has no regard for your well-being, your relationships, your life goals, or your health. Only its survival matters.
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As you read through this guide, it's crucial to remain aware of the Beast's interference. Remember, the Beast manifests as a voice in your head or as an emotion, pushing you towards addictive thoughts and actions. You might experience feelings of resistance, discomfort, anger, fear, anxiety, or even a cringe reaction. These are the Beast's attempts to disrupt your progress.
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While the Beast can attempt to manipulate your thoughts and emotions, it does not and cannot control your actions. It's your survival instincts that the Beast taps into, but your ability to make decisions, to govern your actions, thoughts, and emotions is uniquely yours.
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The Beast may present itself in thoughts like, "This is too difficult to understand," "This won't work for me," or "I'm an exception to this method." Understand that these thoughts are not your own, but the Beast's desperate attempts to maintain control.
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In its relentless quest for satisfaction, the beast views everything, including you, as expendable. It's the embodiment of your addiction, caring for nothing but its next fix. It's deaf to reason, blind to consequences, and immune to remorse.
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If this description resonates with you, don't panic. You're not 'sick.' It's merely an error of association made by your body - an error in the script, so to speak. It mistakenly believes that this addictive behavior is as vital for your survival as breathing or eating.
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Take these moments of resistance as signs that you are on the right track. You're threatening the Beast's existence, and it's trying to fight back. Recognize these voices for what they are, continue moving forward, and know that each step brings you closer to reaffirming your control and freedom from addiction.
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[How to Proceed]
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Recognition Technique

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Let me share an effective exercise, adapted from the Rational Recovery book, that could help you end your porn and masturbation addiction right now.
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Start by observing your thoughts and feelings about watching porn or masturbating, both positive and negative. The thoughts and feelings that encourage continued use represent your Addictive Voice (AV), while those advocating for abstinence represent the real you.
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When you learn to identify and understand your AV, it becomes an easily defeated foe causing you to indulge. All it craves is pleasure. The main tactic of the Beast is to seize control of the pronoun 'I'. It will try to convince you by saying things like "I want to watch porn" or "I need pornography ".
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However, you can effectively counter this strategy. By simply adding a 't' and shifting the 'I' to 'It', you can remind yourself that these thoughts are not truly yours, but are the Beast's manipulations. So the sentences become, "It wants to watch porn" or "It needs pornography ".
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By changing "I" to "It", you dissociate from the discomfort or distress. Yes, it's that simple, placing it squarely on the Beast instead of yourself. It's crucial to recognize that these feelings are the Beast's attempts to coerce you back into addiction.
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Now, tell yourself, "I will never consume porn or masturbate again", and listen for any negative reactions – this is your AV responding. Conversely, if you think, "I will consume porn or masturbate whenever I please," any pleasant feelings that arise are also your AV asserting control.
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This recognition technique dispels short-term desire, making abstinence effortless. Complete separation of 'you' from 'it' results in complete recovery and hope for a better life.
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Picture the AVRT technique as a form of gardening. The Addictive Voice is the weed trying to overtake your garden and sapping nutrients from the other plants. Recognizing the weed for what it is and uprooting it preserves your garden's health. Similarly, identifying and acting against your Addictive Voice safeguards a healthy and fulfilling life free from addiction.
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Shifting Technique

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Shifting is another powerful technique to help you dissociate from the beast of addiction. The idea is to alternate between viewing your addiction from the perspective of the beast and your own.
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When viewing addiction through the Beast's eyes, you visualize what it craves the most about the addictive behavior and imagine the associated pleasure for a few minutes. It will express sentiments like "I want this now!" or "Please give it to me!", and you may start to feel the beast getting excited, happy, or impatient.
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Then, shift to your perspective and reflect on the pain and negative impact the addiction has on you and those around you. Allow yourself feelings of disgust. Let your own feelings now take over, and you will find that your Beast withdraws and you feel either neutral or put off. This back-and-forth process allows you to dissociate from the Beast.
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Think of Shifting as toggling between two TV channels: one projects a seductive yet distorted image of addiction, while the other reveals the harsh reality of its damage.
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Introducing the "Big Plan"

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The idea of the Big Plan in Rational Recovery is to make a personal commitment to lifelong abstinence from addiction. This commitment, for me, took the form of the decisive statement, "I will never consume porn or masturbate again". It involves pinpointing a day and an hour for your turning point. For me, that was a Sunday at 12am. This moment represents a clear and definitive end to your addictive behavior and the start of a new chapter in your life. You can decide to commit either immediately after going through this post or by specifying your day and hour. It's entirely your choice, and we'll discuss this in more depth later.
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Your Power Over the Beast

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The Beast, despite its intimidating name, is in fact harmless. It may try to coerce, manipulate, and instill fear, but it is important to remember that it is powerless without your consent. It cannot force you to return to the addictive behavior; only you can make that decision. In fact, you are the main authority, the one in charge, and it's the Beast that fears you.
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The Beast is aware of your power and control, and it's terrified of it. It knows that you can shatter its illusions in a snap, without any difficulty. You're the one who makes the call, not the Beast, and it fears your unyielding decision to quit the addiction forever.
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Its tactics may often involve fear. It's like the Beast is pointing a gun at you, but the truth is, its gun is empty. It's just a bluff, an illusion. You know it, and the Beast knows it too. It's simply trying to maintain its influence by resorting to fear tactics, but you can see through its lies.
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"Don't trust yourself in tempting situations...you're not strong enough yet." – The Beast's voice:
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The Beast tries to maintain control by suggesting certain places, events, or people will trigger a relapse. You might hear it whisper, "You can't go to that event, you might relapse," or "Avoid that location, it's too risky." This is simply the Beast's tactic to keep a hold on you, aiming to make you believe you're not completely in control.
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By simply recognizing it for what it is - a tactic of the Beast to undermine your confidence - you can dismiss these fear tactics and reaffirm your control.
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What if I Lose Control?

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The Beast within you is a cunning entity, ever ready to exploit your moments of doubt and vulnerability. It whispers falsehoods, instilling fear and shaking your confidence. But don't be swayed, for you have always held the reins. The Beast may inhabit a corner of your mind, but it lacks the power to control your actions.
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Not convinced? Try this: Extend your finger in front of your eyes and move it, then ask the Beast to do the same. The Beast can't because it doesn't hold sway over your physical actions.
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The truth is, you've never truly "failed" in your endeavor against addiction. You've always had the choice, and sometimes you've elected to surrender to the Beast's desires. But that doesn't equate to losing control. It merely shows you gave in, momentarily, to the Beast's whisperings.
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Expectations

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Recovery from addiction isn't about becoming a superhero or uncovering the universe's hidden secrets. It's about realizing that we don't have control over every aspect of life. However, we do have control over our actions, our reactions, and how we choose to face life's unpredictable events.
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Do you choose the path of self-discovery and freedom from addiction? Or do you prefer to remain confined by the restrictions that addiction imposes? Be cautious: the Beast may distort your perspective, asking, "Where are the benefits?" or suggesting, "You haven't gained anything," and even instigating impatience by incessantly asking, "How long until I see the benefits?"
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But don't fall prey to these distortions. Escaping addiction isn't about immediate gain or fixing all your life's problems. Recovery isn't a magic solution; it's a step towards personal empowerment. It's about gaining freedom and unlocking your potential, not just as a person in recovery, but as an individual capable of resilience and authenticity.
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Concentrate on the liberation that breaking free from addiction brings. Let's choose this path towards a life where addiction no longer controls us, allowing us to genuinely live and experience life to its fullest.
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Understanding the Real Reason You're Engaging in This

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Engaging in this addiction is solely for pleasure and nothing more. Every other justification is a fabrication of the Beast. It's designed to make you believe that giving in to your addiction is the only route to happiness or relief when you're feeling depressed, bored, lonely, stressed, or miserable.
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Speaking from personal experience, I used to think that I turned to pornography and masturbation because I was lonely, stressed, or had a rough day. I thought that because I spent my entire day working alone on a computer, my environment or lifestyle was to blame for my addiction. These were excuses, a way to avoid taking responsibility for my actions, guided by the Beast's narrative.
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The key to recognizing the Beast is noticing that the conversation always bends towards indulgence in your addiction.
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Imagine you're having a tough day, and you begin to feel down. Instead of recognizing this as a passing mood, the Beast seizes this opportunity. It will amplify your negative emotions by saying things like, "You're always unhappy, aren't you? You know what would make you feel better... just one quick session won't hurt." Or, "You're so lonely, this is unbearable. Just indulge, it's your only comfort." These harsh whispers are the Beast's attempts to deepen your feeling of depression and nudge you towards the addictive behavior. Depression doesn't create addiction; addiction does.
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The Beast's goal? To make you feel so low that resorting to your addiction seems like the only way out. Conversely, when you're content and joyful, the Beast will persuade you to give in, arguing it will amplify your satisfaction. Just think about it. If you're living what you perceive as a perfect life, the Beast will still argue you could feel even better with pornography and masturbation. It's a never-ending, destructive cycle.
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Understanding and Separating Desire

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Desire, in its essence, is not a negative emotion; it's a natural human condition. It propels us toward achievement, drives creativity, and gives meaning to our experiences. It also plays a crucial role in our relationships and our sexuality. The key in overcoming addiction is not to extinguish desire altogether, but to discern between healthy desires and those manipulated by the Beast.
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Imagine your desires as a beautiful, roaring river. It's full of life, movement, and potential. This river represents your natural, healthy desires - things like connecting with others, pursuing your hobbies, personal growth, and even your sexual desires. These are your desires, part of who you are.
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Then, there's the Beast's desire - a poisonous stream trying to merge into your river, attempting to hijack your natural flow. This stream carries the pull of addiction, steering you away from your authentic path, manipulating your thoughts, and distorting your perceptions.
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Recognize this poisonous stream and refuse to let it merge with your river. This is not about damming the entire river or stifling your desires, but about rejecting the poisonous stream that the Beast introduces. It's about retaining your authentic desires and letting them guide you.
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Identify that any thought associated with the desire to indulge in the addiction is coming from the Beast. By doing so, you begin to differentiate between what you truly want and what the Beast wants. This understanding will empower you, helping you keep your river clean, vibrant, and true to its course.
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In the whirlwind of addiction, it can be easy to confuse the Beast's desires with our own. I, too, was lost in this confusion. I believed I was drawn to endless layers of perversion, thinking that I was attracted to the limitless exploration of perversion. But deep down, this wasn't me, it was the Beast's influence, its relentless push for more and more. Upon reflection, I realized my true desire was much simpler and profoundly more meaningful: to love and be loved. To have a wife, to raise children together, to share in the mundane and the magical moments of life. That's my authentic desire, not the empty promises of temporary pleasure the Beast kept pushing. This profound clarity is a stark contrast to the Beast's corruption, a beacon that can guide you back to your true self.
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The goal is not to eliminate desire, but to reclaim it, to keep it authentic and personal. Desire is a part of your humanity; it's the Beast's manipulation of it that leads to addiction.

The Myth of Relapse and the Power of Perfection.

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The Beast might sometimes whisper, "It's okay to relapse. You'll do better next time." This is a shrewd strategy designed to maintain its hold on you by normalizing relapse as a part of the recovery journey. It uses these tactics to sow seeds of doubt in your mind, aiming to eventually lead you to relapse. Rational Recovery, however, views this differently: the key is making a definitive decision—your Big Plan—to abstain from the addictive behavior and sticking to it under any circumstances.
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Human beings are perfectly capable of achieving perfection in certain aspects of life. Consider the professional athlete who plays a perfect game or the musician who delivers a flawless performance. They do so by making a firm commitment to their goal and adhering to it diligently, without allowing any room for mistakes.
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Similarly, your recovery journey can be perfect too. Once you make your Big Plan to abstain from addictive behavior, you can stick to it perfectly, without any relapses. This is the ideal that Rational Recovery promotes—not "try, fail, and try again," but "decide and stick to your decision perfectly."
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Your Beast wants you to believe that perfection is unachievable, as this gives it room to persuade you to relapse. But don't let it fool you. You have the power to make a perfect decision and stick to it.
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What if it's too Difficult or Painful?

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Instead of pondering over this, consider a different question: 'For whom is it too painful or difficult?' Any discomfort or difficulty associated with ceasing the addiction stems from the Beast, not you. Observing the Beast's distress is a positive sign - it shows you're successfully dissociating from it.
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Remember that humans can only fully experience one feeling at a time. When you start feeling discomfort from abstaining, it's crucial to recognize that this isn't your discomfort. It's the Beast that suffering. The Beast is protesting because it's not getting what it wants. This suffering isn't negative for you; in fact, it's a positive sign. It means you're successfully asserting control over your decisions, as the Beast's discomfort indicates that it's losing its influence over you.
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Most importantly, remember: you are safe. You risk nothing by quitting this addiction. Every feeling of discomfort or fear is from the Beast, not you. Your well-being and safety are never in jeopardy by choosing to stop. By rejecting the Beast's influence and asserting your control, you reclaim your freedom from addiction.
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How would I know what I will do in the future?

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While predicting your future actions may be impossible, you can certainly define what you would never do. Consider the activities that you find disturbing, unhealthy, and reprehensible - those that you would never engage in.
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Now, add porn and masturbation addiction to that list. As you do this, pay attention to your Beast. It might try to concoct far-fetched scenarios that seem to justify succumbing to the addiction. Recognize these for what they are: desperate attempts by the Beast to manipulate your thoughts. By doing so, you can effectively disregard its interference and remain true to your values.
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I'm scared to relapse, what should I do?

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Relapse anxiety is a common pitfall many encounter on their NoFap journey. You may be confidently progressing, then suddenly a thought creeps in: "What if I relapse tomorrow?" This thought triggers anxiety, shaking your belief in your commitment.
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From the Rational Recovery standpoint, relapse anxiety is the Beast's deceptive voice trying to manipulate you. It incites fear and uncertainty, making you feel as if relapse is imminent. The Beast attempts to shake your confidence and sense of control. But here's the truth: relapse anxiety is an illusion, a tactic used by the Beast to tighten its grip.
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Combat this by distancing yourself from the Beast and recognizing that relapse anxiety is a deceptive tactic used by the Beast to instill fear and weaken your resolve. Remember, you risk nothing by quitting this addiction; you are safe. Any discomfort you experience stems from the Beast, not you.
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Reiterate your Big Plan: "I will never consume porn or masturbate again." By affirming your decision and distancing yourself from the Beast's influence, you can dispel the anxiety and stay firmly on your path. Remember, you are in control, and you will always stay in control, the fears conjured by the Beast hold no sway over you.
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The Beast's Attack on the Dreamscape

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The Beast's intrusion into your dreams should not be a source of fear. This isn't a situation that requires extensive concern, this is just a sign of the Beast's distress.
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There are generally two types of dreams where the Beast tries to assert its influence. The first type are explicit sex dreams, designed to reignite the desires and cravings associated with your addiction. The second type are dreams where you see yourself relapsing, which can be distressing and seem all too real.
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When your neocortex (the real you) goes to sleep, the Beast sees an opportunity to attack and tries to regain influence over you through these dreams. This is evidence that you are on the right track. Your progress towards your goal of freedom from addiction is causing this panicked response from the Beast.
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Remember, no matter what happens in your dreams, you are in control in reality. These dreams are just dreams, and they do not have the power to make you do anything.
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Understanding 'Blue Balls' and Nocturnal Emissions in Recovery

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Experiencing discomfort or an aching in the testicles, often referred to as 'blue balls,' is something that some individuals might encounter during their decision to quit their porn and masturbation addiction. Similarly, you may also experience nocturnal emissions or 'wet dreams' during your journey to recovery.
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These phenomena aren't signs of harm, danger, or relapse, but rather physical manifestations of your body adjusting to your firm decision to quit the addiction.
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While your body is adapting to a new, healthier state, not reliant on constant sexual stimulation, the Beast might attempt to distort these occurrences into negative experiences. It might tell you that nocturnal emissions are relapses, causing unwarranted fear and anxiety. But remember, you're in control.
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Consider these sensations and events as physical signs of your transformation, a testament to the changes happening within you. It's important to remember that not everyone experiences this, and even if you do, it's not something to be overly concerned about. These adjustments are something you are more than capable of handling. As your body adjusts to your new lifestyle, such events will likely decrease and eventually stop. Don't let the Beast use these natural bodily responses as a scare tactic.
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Gradual Reduction: A Beast's Strategy

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In your journey of breaking free from addiction, you might be tempted to adopt a "gradual reduction" approach - cutting back little by little rather than quitting outright. This strategy, while seemingly logical, is often a ploy from the Beast, setting you up for failure.
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During my own journey, for many months, I was enticed by the concept of gradually reducing my addictive behaviors. The approach felt less abrupt, seemingly offering a smoother transition. Even the Beast within me suggested compromises such as, "Let's start by indulging only in the afternoon," or "How about we limit it to weekends?".However, I discovered through experience that this gradual reduction strategy often creates more problems than it resolves. Let me tell you why.
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Firstly, by not making a clean break, you're continually feeding the addiction, keeping the Beast alive and active. It's akin to trying to put out a fire while still pouring small amounts of gasoline on it - it keeps the flames going, never fully extinguishing the fire.
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Secondly, when you set specific times or days for indulging, you're not freeing your mind from the addiction; instead, you're refocusing it. You find yourself constantly counting down the hours or days until your next 'allowed' session. This fixation lead to a persistent preoccupation with the addiction, turning the process into something torturous and counterproductive.
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Lastly, even on the days where you've decided not to indulge, the Beast is still at work. It doesn't take breaks. It try to convince you to deviate from your plan, asserting things like, "You're going to do it in a couple of days anyway, so why not just do it today? Why wait?" This becomes a recurring battle with the Beast, undermining your resolve.
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The gradual reduction method keeps the addiction in focus, maintains the Beast's influence, and undermines your resolve. It's far more effective to make a clean break and assert your decision to quit outright. Remember, you're not losing anything by quitting - you're freeing yourself from the Beast's control.
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Counting Days

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Why should you spend energy on counting days for an activity you've resolved never to engage in? The Beast excels at setting goals and then weaponizing them against us.
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Here's how the Beast use day counting against you:
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Making a big deal of milestones: The Beast lead you to focus excessively on reaching a certain number of days, weeks, or months. While milestones can be motivational, the Beast use them to create unnecessary stress and pressure, saying things like "What if you don't make it?" or "Imagine how bad it would feel to start over."
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Justifying a lapse: "You've made it 100 days, you deserve a reward!" or "One slip after so many days won't hurt." The Beast use the number of days as an excuse to suggest that it would be "safe" or "earned" to indulge in the addictive behavior.
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Creating a false sense of security: The Beast suggest that after a certain number of days without indulging in the addiction, you're "cured" and could safely return to the behavior without becoming addicted again.
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Undermining early progress: In the initial stages, the Beast belittle the small number of days you've been free from the addiction, making statements like "You've only managed two days, you'll never make it a week."
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Leveraging bad days: If you're having a tough day, the Beast say, "You're miserable even after 30 days clean. See, quitting doesn't make things better. Might as well go back."
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Remember, these are all tricks of the Beast trying to manipulate you into returning to the addictive behavior. The Beast will use anything, including the count of days, to try to get what it wants. The best way to deal with this is to remain steadfast in your decision and continue dissociating from the Beast.
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So, instead of getting trapped in the Beast's game of counting days, surrender this act to it. We can concentrate on the broader scope - liberating ourselves from the Beast's clutches, embracing enduring change, and regaining our freedom. Day counting becomes insignificant because it no longer illustrates our path. Our chosen journey is one where the Beast's urges hold no power, and our authentic liberation takes the limelight. Let the Beast obsess over counting days, while we commit to a life of emancipation and self-discovery.
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Why Punishment Doesn't Work

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Self-punishment is a common response to addiction, yet it often proves ineffective. This can take many forms, from physical discomfort to emotional torment. In my own battle against addiction, I tried various self-punishment strategies. On the physical side, I would resort to self-harm. Emotionally, I burdened myself with negative self-talk, depression, feelings of hopelessness, anger, sadness, and even thoughts of death. It's important to note, however, that these intense feelings of guilt and self-condemnation were amplified by the Beast. The Beast utilizes such negative emotions to paint addiction as the only respite, the only 'good thing' left in life. It is a manipulative trick to keep you chained to the addiction.
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Yet, over time, these painful memories have faded, while the seductive pull of the addictive behavior has remained vivid in my mind. It's a compelling illustration of the human condition: we often forget pain and remember pleasure.
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Consider individuals who struggle with drug addiction. They might end up in a hospital after an overdose, experiencing immense physical pain. But as time passes, the memory of this pain dissipates, while the allure of the drug, the pleasure it brought, remains clear and tempting. This imbalance often leads them back into the cycle of addiction.
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This became evident to me during the last week leading up to my final decision to quit - my Big Plan. It was the most challenging week of my life; I was counting the days until my liberation. Now that I'm free, when I think back to that week, the Beast tries to rewrite the narrative, calling it the "best week of all time!"
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This disparity between the memory of pain and pleasure underscores why self-punishment is an ineffective strategy for long-term addiction recovery. Rational Recovery offers a different approach. Rather than relying on the fleeting memory of pain, it focuses on recognizing and dissociating from the addictive voice—the Beast.
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Arguing with the beast

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Let's clarify something: arguing with the Beast is futile. The Beast is single-minded, craving only the satisfaction of its addiction. Moreover, it's cunning, capable of playing both sides of an argument.
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For instance, the Beast might implant thoughts such as, "You could indulge now, it's not a big deal." Then, to create confusion and feign agreement, it might echo that very idea, saying, "Yes, I could indulge now." It's essential to recognize that both these sentiments are from the Beast. It is a clear demonstration of how it can promote the idea of indulgence while also pretending to be 'you' to create an illusion of consent.
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In the Rational Recovery technique, every thought or feeling associated with the indulgence in the addiction is identified as coming from the Beast, including its attempts to take possession of the pronoun "I".
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You are the decision-maker here, you are in control. Your will is what truly matters, and the Beast must inevitably conform to your decisions.
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Dealing with White-Knuckling and Intense Urges

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Feeling urges, cravings, or hunger sensations is a natural part of the recovery journey. In fact, it's a positive sign, an indication that you are making progress. However, these feelings can turn into white-knuckling when you identify with the Beast's thoughts and feelings. When you start saying things like "I'm so horny" or "I need a relief ASAP," you're identifying with the beast voice. When you find yourself arguing with the Beast or doubting your decision to quit, you're in the grip of white-knuckling.
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In my own journey to recovery, I experienced these urges, cravings, and sensations. But rather than identifying with them and turning them into a struggle, I recognized them as signs of the Beast's distress, not mine. It was the Beast who was desperate and frustrated, not me. This recognition made these moments not just bearable but even satisfying, as they signaled that I was on the right track in my recovery.
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The power of these urges and cravings diminished with my Big Plan, my absolute decision to never indulge in the addictive behavior again. Even if you find yourself in a white-knuckling situation, remember that you can shift your perspective. Recognize that every thought encouraging the addictive behavior is coming from the Beast, and use the Recognition or Shifting techniques to help you dissociate from these thoughts and feelings. After that, reaffirm your Big Plan, stating firmly and clearly, "I will never consume porn or masturbate again." This firm commitment to your Big Plan will dispel all doubt, releasing you from the grip of white-knuckling.
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The Big Plan: Your Commitment to Freedom

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Taking a firm decision is a critical step in overcoming addiction, and this is what making a Big Plan entails. This plan is a complete commitment, devoid of room for negotiation or compromise. When you formulate a Big Plan, you're making a promise to yourself to never indulge in your addiction again, under any circumstances.
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Choosing a specific day for your Big Plan can help add a sense of occasion and finality to your decision. For instance, I personally chose a Sunday at 12am. Your Beast will likely agree to this arrangement, looking forward to a "last hurrah."
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But as you approach your chosen day to initiate your Big Plan, the Beast may start getting anxious. It may whisper, "I can't let this go!" or "Let's postpone the Big Plan, and enjoy this for now!" This is not your voice. It's the voice of the Beast, trying to make you delay your decision and panicking at the impending loss of its control.
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Your declaration for the Big Plan could be: "I will never consume porn or masturbate again." This phrase embodies the essence of the Big Plan — a firm, unyielding decision that signifies your commitment to stay addiction-free.
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In your journey to overcome addiction, the video I am about to share will be invaluable. It features Jack Trimpey, the founder of Rational Recovery, directly guiding you through the process of making a Big Plan. Although Trimpey focuses on alcohol and drug addiction in the video, his guidance applies to any addiction, including pornography and masturbation. Carefully absorb his words, understanding their relevance to your personal struggle.
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watch this video, skip to 33:39 for the Big Plan section: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n2YH8RLd_4&list=PLazOJVze5_z3BdcDSF3uPtN8Vu9VDqVJl&index=3where

Conclusion

I've spent a month compiling my experiences and sharing the tools that aided me on my journey. You are free to ask questions while I'm around, but please note that I'm not a regular Reddit user and won't be able to answer indefinitely. For those interested in Rational Recovery, all the information you need is in the "Useful Resources" section. If you found this post helpful, please consider upvoting or sharing it with friends who might benefit from it. Always remember to dissociate from the Beast and stand firm in your Big Plan. Holding unwavering trust in your decision is the key to defeating the Beast. May you embrace your journey to freedom and experience the liberation you've been longing for. Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

Useful Resources

Rational Recovery Book : https://www.amazon.fRational-Recovery-Cure-Substance-Addiction/dp/0671528580/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=rational+recovery&sr=8-1
AVRT Demonstration (AVRT Live Vol 1-5) : https://www.youtube.com/@DeborahSpringborn/videos

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