Awareness

I am going to be using this post to help bring awareness to known disorders the group has and how this may affect interactions. Anyone may feel free to add to this as long as they keep it limited to disorders and discussion on them. I would, however, like to discuss these issues and shed light on them for those who do not know them. Feel free to add ones you discover to here as well.

What Is Asperger Syndrome? Asperger syndrome is one of several previously separate sub-types of autism that were folded into the single diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with the publication of the DSM-5 diagnostic manual in 2013. Asperger syndrome was generally considered to be on the “high functioning” end of the spectrum. Affected children and adults have difficulty with social interactions and exhibit a restricted range of interests and/or repetitive behaviors. Motor development may be delayed, leading to clumsiness or uncoordinated motor movements. Compared with those affected by other forms of ASD, however, those with Asperger syndrome do not have significant delays or difficulties in language or cognitive development. Some even demonstrate enhanced vocabulary – often in a highly specialized field of interest. Their lack of perception will prevent them from recognizing when and where is not the right time and place to get into an argument. People with Asperger in particular can be exceptionally pedantic and will often argue over subjects that seem important to them, but to everyone else appear to be very petty things. They have an inability to gauge possible outcomes, or even think of any consequences at all. The following behaviors are often associated with Asperger syndrome. However, they are seldom all present in any one individual and vary widely in degree: • limited or inappropriate social interactions • "robotic" or repetitive speech • challenges with nonverbal communication (gestures, facial expression, etc.) coupled with average to above average verbal skills • tendency to discuss self rather than others • inability to understand social/emotional issues or non-literal phrases • lack of eye contact or reciprocal conversation • obsession with specific, often unusual, topics • one-sided conversations • awkward movements and/or mannerisms

What Is PTSD? PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. It's normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after this type of event. At first, it may be hard to do normal daily activities, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people you care about. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months. If it's been longer than a few months and you're still having symptoms, you may have PTSD. For some people, PTSD symptoms may start later on, or they may come and go over time. What factors affect who develops PTSD? PTSD can happen to anyone. It is not a sign of weakness. A number of factors can increase the chance that someone will have PTSD, many of which are not under that person's control. For example, having a very intense or long-lasting traumatic event or getting injured during the event can make it more likely that a person will develop PTSD. PTSD is also more common after certain types of trauma, like combat and sexual assault. Personal factors, like previous traumatic exposure, age, and gender, can affect whether or not a person will develop PTSD. What happens after the traumatic event is also important. Stress can make PTSD more likely, while social support can make it less likely. What are the symptoms of PTSD? PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not appear until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years. If the symptoms last longer than four weeks, cause you great distress, or interfere with your work or home life, you might have PTSD. There are four types of symptoms of PTSD, but they may not be exactly the same for everyone. Each person experiences symptoms in their own way. Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms) . You may have bad memories or nightmares. You even may feel like you're going through the event again. This is called a flashback. Avoiding situations that remind you of the event . You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event. Having more negative beliefs and feelings . The way you think about yourself and others may change because of the trauma. You may feel guilt or shame. Or, you may not be interested in activities you used to enjoy. You may feel that the world is dangerous and you can't trust anyone. You might be numb, or find it hard to feel happy. Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal) . You may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. Or, you may have trouble concentrating or sleeping. You might suddenly get angry or irritable, startle easily, or act in unhealthy ways (like smoking, using drugs and alcohol, or driving recklessly.

Cool idea to let everyone be aware of these pieces of humanity flaws. I would say that we should respect our fellow players and GMs and they do not need to feel obligated to tell us. We are here if you feel like you need to tell us though. I am here to enjoy a Christian community of playing D&D even though I do play morally questionnable PCs. So far I enjoy playing with all the people I have met here so far and hope to continue on in this group. Have a blessed day even though it might suck.

I live every day with a moderate Bipolar disorder. It makes the simplest things so difficult for me to do. I think the hardest part is people who dont understand my disorder often mistake me as being lazy. Let me give you an example of just one of the many horrors that face me every day. I suffer from a moderate Social anxiety, this makes it very difficult for me to go into public places. Because of this I have not been able to hold a job. When I am in a public situation I start to feel as if the world is closing in around me. I worry about things most never think about like dying. I suffer from bouts of insomnia that can last for 3 or 4 days on avg. The longest was a month, in which time I would only sleep when my body gave in, and even then it would only be for a few hours at a time. Dont get me wrong I am not ashamed nor do I feel as if I have been wronged. In fact I know that God has a plan for me and he uses my ailment for his purpose. Thanks to the internet, I am able to speak with others who share my affliction and show them that God can get them through the darkest times.  Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder , also known as manic depression , is a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes in sleep , energy, thinking, and behavior. People who have bipolar disorder can have periods in which they feel overly happy and energized and other periods of feeling very sad, hopeless, and sluggish. In between those periods, they usually feel normal. You can think of the highs and the lows as two "poles" of mood, which is why it's called "bipolar" disorder. What Are the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder? In bipolar disorder, the dramatic episodes of high and low moods do not follow a set pattern. Someone may feel the same mood state (depressed or manic) several times before switching to the opposite mood. These episodes can happen over a period of weeks, months, and sometimes even years. How severe it gets differs from person to person and can also change over time, becoming more or less severe. Symptoms of mania ("the highs"): Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and excitement Sudden changes from being joyful to being irritable, angry, and hostile Restlessness Rapid speech and poor concentration Increased energy and less need for sleep Unusually high sex drive Making grand and unrealistic plans Showing poor judgment Drug and alcohol abuse Becoming more impulsive During depressive periods ("the lows"), a person with bipolar disorder may have: Sadness Loss of energy Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness Not enjoying things they once liked Trouble concentrating Uncontrollable crying Trouble making decisions Irritability Needing more sleep Insomnia Appetite changes that make them lose or gain weight Thoughts of death or suicide Attempting suicide   Who Gets Bipolar Disorder? When someone develops bipolar disorder, it usually starts when they're in late adolescence or young adulthood. Rarely, it can happen earlier in childhood. Bipolar disorder can run in families. Men and women are equally likely to get it. Women are somewhat more likely than men to go through "rapid cycling," which is having four or more distinct mood episodes within a year. Women also tend to spend more time depressed than men with bipolar disorder. Many people with the condition abuse alcohol or other drugs when manic or depressed. People with seasonal depression and certain anxiety disorders , like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , are also more likely to have bipolar disorder. Project Semicolon (stylized as Project ; ) is an American mental health 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013. The movement calls for, "presenting hope and love to those who are struggling with depression , suicide , addiction , and self-injury ." They are primarily known for encouraging people to draw (or tattoo ) the punctuation mark semicolon ( ; ) on their bodies as a form of solidarity between people dealing with mental illness or death of someone from suicide. This is a Christian based organization bringing awareness and hope to those of use who suffer with these illnesses daily.

This is a picture of my semicolon tattoo. This is Matthew 6:34 So never worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. We dont worry about tommorrow because God has us well in hand.

looks cool.