Operation Sparkle Sleepover was in full swing. Applejack was the host for this evening and the girls had all been enjoying an “unplugged” slumber party. Board games, music that they played on their instruments and lots of chatter and laughter.
Now that Twilight was settled into Canterot High and at least a little used to having six instant friends, Pinkie Pie had decided to initiate her into the world of sleepovers.
Needless to say, Twilight Sparkle had a book about it. When met with Pinkie Pie and her own bigger book, however, Twilight had decided to surrender to the expert.
The party planner had set out a timetable of Friday night and Weekend sleepovers stretching on through the next few weeks.
This was the first. Something a little simpler, easier for the not-so-social girl to ease into the group. It would be quieter, without music and video games competing with their conversations. An environment that Twilight would feel comfortable in, seeing as this was going to be a whole new experience.
-*-
It had been such a fun evening that Twilight had almost forgotten. The change in routine, the cheerful company, Sunset. They had all been a distraction and now she had settled into her sleeping bag with all the others. It was late, she had nearly fallen asleep when the niggling feeling she had forgotten something turned into a wake-up reminder.
“Of course I forgot.” Twilight mumbled to herself, placing her glasses on her face and sitting up. Her bag was at the edge of the room with the others. Between her and the bag was the veritable minefield of her sleeping friends.
But she had to get up, this was important. She had to take her medication every evening, especially when she was in a new situation that might stress her out.
Standing carefully and dropping her sleeping bag to the floor, Twilight tip-toed through the room to her bag. It wasn't hard to find the bottle, tucked into the side pocket so she could reach it easily. There would be a glass and water in the kitchen.
Twilight left the room as quietly as she could and followed the passageway to the stairs and down. It wasn't hard to find the kitchen. Twilight walked in, twisting at the cap of the pill bottle.
“Twilight?”
“Eeee!” Twilight jumped and the bottle, fortunately still capped, flew from her hand. The rattle of it rolling across the floor not helping her track it.
“Sorry!” It was Sunset, she was also in the kitchen. Twilight wasn't sure how she'd missed her not being in the bedroom. “Here, I think these are yours.” She walked over and put the pill bottle in Twilight's hand.
Sunset's fingers brushed her palm and Twilight felt a little heat grow in her cheeks. “Thanks. I, uh, wasn't expecting anyone to be up... Or you know, down...”
“It looks like we both remembered the same thing.” Sunset smiled affectionately, she held up her other hand to show Twilight a blister packet, a few gaps evidence that she'd taken some. Turning, Sunset put the pack on a counter-top and opened a cupboard. She took down a glass and filled it with water. “Here you go.” She offered it to Twilight.
“Thanks.” Twilight placed the glass down on the table and opened her bottle. Taking a pill, washing it down with the cool water, she tried to ignore Sunset watching her.
“You don't need to worry about the girls knowing. They'll understand.” Sunset had taken a seat, she was holding her packet of pills in her hand again, smoothing a little of the torn foil between her thumb and the packet.
“I wasn't worried, I just forgot to take one before bed. All these new things I am doing and having so much fun.” Twilight smiled at Sunset, making shy eye contact. “It um, it slipped my mind.” Sunset was being so open about everything since becoming her friend, Twilight felt comfortable talking with her. The girl's own meds were evidence enough of a shared understanding.
“Yeah.” Sunset grinned back, glad that Twilight was a more relaxed than she'd expected. “I realised that I had forgotten to take mine. I only started a week ago.”
“Uh, if you don't mind me asking...” Twilight fiddled with a loose strand of hair. “Um, why do you have meds?” She mumbled and blushed again. “I'm a neurotic mess of anxiety and social insecurity, so of course I have to take pills to function but you seem so together...” She babbled like she often did when unsure of herself. Speeding up her breathing between words, feeling the twitch of anxiety. She was suddenly wrapped up in the beginning of panic. 'Oh, I was doing so well too..' Not noticing that Sunset had stood up and approached her until a gentle arm wrapped around her shoulders and a chin rested softly on her head.
“Twilight. It's okay. I'm not embarrassed to be asked.” Sunset stayed in place until Twilight was breathing normally. “Okay?” She asked, drawing away.
“Yes. Sorry.” Twilight mumbled, everything felt so warm where Sunset had been. The other girl took a seat on a chair at the table.
“Right. You know about some of my past? Ultimate bully, she-demon, all that?” Sunset saw the nod from Twilight. “That, then the mess in the winter... And a little more of what's best kept in the past left me more than a little... imbalanced. Depressed. Mom suggested I see some counsellors. The talking therapy is really helpful.” She paused and looked down. “Recently we've settled on these meds to try for a while. See if they help me get on the level again.” Sunset said, “You, ah, you were there for that little breakdown. I told them about it of course, so these were a suggestion.”
“Oh.” Twilight blinked and fiddled with her pill bottle. She remembered how broken Sunset had become in those moments in the music room. Her shocking revelation and the fallout from the truth of just how dark her mental state had become. “You're so open about it all. I wish I was that confident.” Speaking the last part louder than she intended, Twilight pressed her lips together.
“I'll help you get to confident Twilight.” Sunset stood, to be close to the scholarly girl again. She dropped her arm back around the thin shoulders. “There is nothing to be ashamed about, needing to take some meds. I'm not going to shout about it from the rooftops but I'll happily talk with someone genuinely interested or who wants advice.”
Two arms wrapped around Sunset's middle. “Thanks.” Twilight sighed. “I know that they help me. I've been taking them so long. But I know that it isn't exactly the social norm.” Twilight smiled when Sunset hugged back. “It was just another thing that distanced me from others.”
“That's not going to happen with us.” Sunset promised. “Me and the girls won't leave or stay away from you and you don't ever have to withdraw.” She paused a beat, “Unless you need to, for any peace and quiet or just a break from everything being all around at once. I understand that too.”
“I... Thank you. Again.” Twilight mumbled, getting a little embarrassed once more.
“I'm glad I could help.” Sunset said. Anything else was cut off by a large yawn. “I think it is time to try and sleep now.” She chuckled after the yawn ebbed.
“Yes, good idea.” Twilight realised how tired she was too.
They went up to the room again and settled into their sleeping bags. Sunset flashed a smile that brought heat to Twilight's cheeks as they mouthed goodnight to each other and settled down to sleep.
I think you should change "Calm down, Twilight" to "It's okay, Twilight". It just sounds nicer to a person with anxiety, I'm sure.
Been taking meds for well over a decade in my case. Never understood why people have reservations telling others about it personally. I can say friends have never given me any grief over there existence.
I was the opposite, my meds made me worse. We now think it was an undiagnosed math issue. Basic math has been far beyond abilities for my entire life. Still if it works for you, the more power to you.
I like this chapter and hope to read more of Twilight and Sunset getting closer...
I never really liked the idea of taking meds for a problem. Seeing a psychiatrist when you need help is great and I'm not against meds cause they show weakness or anything. It's just meds have side effects, alot of side effects.
My half brother had ADHD so the when my mom took me in to find out why I was so hyper they jumped on that and prescribed me ritalin. It doubled my hyperactivity and got me in a ton of trouble in first grade. Took them a year or two to stop prescribing it to me. I fucking hate doctors for a lot of reasons but that was one of my earliest reasons.
very good chapter loved it keep up the good work also when will sunset ask twilight out
Of course, Sunset and Twilight have additional reasons for needing mental health care. They've encountered a force that dragged all their negative personality traits out and gave them dominance over them for a short period of time as well as enough power to make those dark impulses very dangerous indeed. If it were not for the magical involvement, a psychiatrist would call it a 'psychotic episode'. So, yeah, a lot of post-episode reaction and recovery would be a likely real-world consequence.
heck up til a couple years ago I took meds for my ADHD there really is nothing to be ashamed of bout it.
I personally use CBD oil that you can find at Vape shops for my anxiety, and it works wonders.
I was on meds when I was younger and it made me feel like shit. Though I managed until about last year, the oil has made it better, though I still go to therapy to talk things out and get a better understanding of things from someone who knows what they are talking about. Glad you found your solution :)
8113764
Reminds me of the ADHD craze (best word I can think to describe it) when I was in Elementary and Middle school. At the time, a lot of parents with remotely energetic or unfocused kids were absolutely convinced that they had ADHD and would whine to and switch doctors until they prescribed something. Between pressure from parents, abuse of medications for tests, and other issues (like the actions of schools), eventually everyone gave up and ADHD medicine was prescribed easier than pink eye. If I didn't know someone with actual ADHD, I probably wouldn't even have thought it was a real thing (I know my parents didn't at the time). I actually had a lot of teachers who were against mental health due to it. It's pretty bad when the best representation of mental health I've seen come from My Little Pony fan fiction.
8113764 I get that. Recently, a doctor prescribed something which is normally prescribed to seizure patients, because he discovered that I'd had anger management issues when I was younger. Thing is, I wasn't looking for anger management. That was in the past. I was looking for help with depression. He didn't care. All he saw was that I had a rare anger-related issue in my past, and damnit! He was going to treat it!
All that drug did was make me more prone to emotional swings. I got off of it as fast as I could, and haven't touched it since. I'm also looking for a new doctor. How can I trust someone who'd rather use me as a checklist of historical issues he's never had a chance to treat before instead of a person who needs help?
Yeah I can relate I was pretty recluse and insecure in my teens then it got worst as I got in my twenties. Then back in Febuary 2012 I stumble onto pinkie cupcakes song and tell myself "hey I remember something like that on tv once when it rained while in vacation in Southlake in March of someyear, outside there was muddy slosh, it was too cold for raincoat and too wet for snowsuit too late for breakfast and to early for dinner. There was carebears on one channel and their formula of friendship rainbow did not get well with me so I zapped on this other channel there was that huge rock dog attacking ponies and a mountain with a heart of ruby. This bring us back to the pink pony singing of cupcake confection. The animation seem good and I had to see if the scenario of that one is holding up to that of that dreary day treat" it actually stalled the symptoms of what I had, uplifting me. By the time John de Lancie voice joined the fray I was already sold. But then a conga line of unfortunate event arrived, bedbugs, great uncle and aunt died then granpa, mum decide to renovate the whole house, we stay in a museum to my great aunt life that was her condominium, I get to sleep in the living room, then I discover my room got moved elsewhere in the new design of the house, I play fallout 4 get invested in the plot and get hit hard post credit by the repercussion of my choice (oh god! I destroyed the life of a virtual person! What if that could happen IRL? I am the butterfly I have to stop my wing beat.). That is the point I crumbled inside only held up by ponies and other fictional worlds, Then the ongoing trubulation about the relics of the dead all seemingly converging to our house. Now I am waiting for a social worker to be assinged to me and get anxious over nothing (I go grocery shopping as USUAL, then suddenly I am not sure I can do it or even of the desire to do it. Worst it get like that with every endeavor, I start a fanfiction, get insecure, abandon, get back in but take it in an other direction, I end up with an ever expanding universe of ideas loosely linked by a not fully realised ark narrative but riddled with subplots. And I came to the realisation I just discrived my life.) and insomnia getting worst at dragging my schedule around-the-clock and all over. Maybe meds could potentially help hypothetically.
8113382 8113251
"Calm down" & "It's okay" are usually met with "Don't tell me to calm down!" & "It's NOT okay!" angrily shouted back. Best response to ease the other person, if you're a close friend, is a comforting but not constrictive hug with no verbal comment. It generally brings back the sense of primal safety comfort that was provided to the individual in their infancy/developmental stages. Though sometimes; just letting them go hide somewhere alone while letting them know that you'll be there if the need you is what is best. I live with my depression and anger management issues every day for the past 30+ years (no meds & no counseling anymore), my friends no longer live in the same city, and my family doesn't fully comprehend even though some try. Yes, I still have the random suicidal thoughts run through my head, but 'talking' with members of the fandom with similar issues helps.
8113566 I used to be labeled at work and school for: admitting I took meds for my problems, went to mental hospital, or that i had those issues anyway. It's another possible anxiety trigger as well, telling others you not 'socially normal'.
8115068 For me reading fan fiction is part of my 'medication'.
8128924
You have my sympathies.
re reading this story and something i should have said in my first reading but i didnt
i to am on pills mood stabilizers for me
Effexor and Lithium, among 6 other pills.
I take meds myself. Nothing wrong or shameful about taking meds. I wish there was NOT such a stigma against getting the Psychological help that people need.
Going to see a physical doctor about a physical problem? Not a big deal
Going to a Therapist or Psychiatrist? BIG DEAL!
Going on Physical Meds like antibiotics or pain killers? Not too big a deal
Going on Psych Meds like Lithium> Big deal for no good reason
WE really should NOT be treating Physical & Mental health so differently. There shouldn't be any shame or judgment in ANYONE taking care of themselves and getting the help they need
8113764
That medicine is an "upper" that is well known even back then to send people who don't need the drug into a really noticable hyper state do to it's very nature. The fact that it took them even a year to get you off of it means that you had really crappy doctors.
Wow. You're a high-functioning Aspie on anxiety meds? Dude, welcome to the club.
I recall being on medication to help equalize my ADHD back in school, sod that stuff made me so depressed. Easily the worst time of my life, getting off of that stuff and being done with school was the best thing that ever happened to me.
What did it for me was coming to an understanding of how it all fits together in my head. I use the OCD to focus the ADHD, and I use the ADHD to temper the OCD. Everything in balance, yes?
9410721
No idea on ADHD meds, but of course everyone is different and needs different things. It is great that you have found a place that suits you as being depressed is just the absolute worst.
I guess it is just the case that I am so fed up the of "pill shaming" that society ladles all over mental health. I mean, my friend is type 1 diabetic and no one makes it a problem that she needs insulin. My grandad is on chemo tablets for his cancer and no one kicks off. But a guy I have known since he was a baby and is now coming up to adulthood has had family pressure to quit the medication that stops him wanting to kill himself. So, yeah, people who find pills that work for them and make them well should never quit.
Got Autism myself, but never needed medication for it. The only medication I take is for a hormone imbalance (unless I need cold medicines, but that's different).
Then again I don't have extreme Autism, it's more like I'm just in the 'Spectrum' (beginning-Autism I guess is the best way I can put it). Plus if I get stressed out or end up in a bad mood I just relax with a kids' show (Blue's Clues is one of my favorites), or I watch a fun movie (I never get tired of Who Framed Roger Rabbit). Or I just read one of my favorite books (like a mystery series or The Boxcar Children). That always makes me feel better.
9628412
dude thats nothing compared to what i have, I HAVE TWO, AUTISM AND A.D.H.D AS WELL.
Bipolar, PTSD, anxiety, possibly autism (though I've never been tested for that) and depressional issues, and also I should probably mention anger management issues though that last one's a lot better than when I was a kid I used to blow up at the drop of a hat in fact bullies used to just line up to pick on me until I explode and laugh in my face as I freak out
9410746
Speaking about that I have ADHD myself and still medicate mostly to stay focused at work. Those meds we take Adderall, Ritalin, etc. are amphetamines and function similar to stimulants for normal people, they'll keep you up for 12 hours and give you energy. For me at least they help me focus and tones down the chaos and randomness in my brain. However I've found that they are also depressants and can amplify my negative emotions. Then again I also feel more extremely than the average person. I've found it that even among ADHD and ADD people the meds we take affect us in different ways.
An unexpected bookfu challenger has arrived and snatched victory.
Please tell me that's intentional? LOL
Figured shed have a book on it.
Seems like she isn't the only one who takes medicine at night, and I do too.