My name is Adrian, an investigative journalist from Poland driven by a thirst for uncovering hidden truths. Chernobyl held a profound significance for me, not only as a haunting scar on history but also due to a personal connection. My grandparents had been affected by the disaster, forced to abandon their home and lives. Inspired by their resilience, I embarked on this journey to capture their stories and unravel the mysteries that shrouded Chernobyl. Filled with trepidation and excitement, I packed my gear, ready to confront the demons lurking within its irradiated walls. Little did I know that this expedition would push me into a sinister web of conspiracy, blurring the lines between reality and nightmare, forever changing the course of my life.
We were a group of intrepid travelers, united by a shared curiosity and a thirst for the unknown. The journey ahead would take us deep into the heart of the Chernobyl exclusion zone, a place shrouded in mystery and haunted by the ghosts of the past.
Our guide, Igor, regaled us with tales of the ill-fated Chernobyl disaster. His voice, tinged with a mix of reverence and melancholy, painted vivid pictures of a once-vibrant city reduced to a post-apocalyptic wasteland. As we approached the border of the exclusion zone, the landscape began to transform. The lush, green countryside gave way to desolation and decay, a stark reminder of the cataclysmic event that had unfolded here decades ago.
As we drove deeper into the heart of the exclusion zone, a palpable sense of unease settled over the van. The silence that permeated the air seemed to amplify the weight of the past, the residual energy of lives disrupted and dreams shattered. Through the windows, we caught glimpses of abandoned buildings, their crumbling facades standing as a testament to the transience of human existence.
It was amidst the eerie silence of Pripyat that my fascination with the strange and unexplained lured me away from the safety of the group. A stray cat, with its radiant blue eyes and matted fur, darted playfully through the remnants of the city, drawing me deeper into the labyrinth of abandoned streets. The curious creature seemed almost otherworldly, an enigmatic guide leading me toward an unseen destiny.
As I ventured further into the forgotten alleys of Pripyat, the echoes of my companions faded into oblivion. The weight of solitude settled upon my shoulders, both thrilling and unnerving in its intensity. It was as if I had crossed an invisible threshold, stepping into a realm where time and reality intertwined, where the boundaries between the living and the departed became blurred.
In my solitary exploration, I stumbled upon a hidden path concealed beneath a tangle of ivy and overgrown shrubbery. It beckoned to me, an invitation to uncover secrets long buried in the annals of history. My curiosity overpowered any trepidation, propelling me forward, further into the heart of the enigma.
The hidden path led me to a dilapidated building, its weathered facade standing defiantly against the ravages of time. The faded sign, barely visible amidst the peeling paint, identified it as "Laboratory 23." The air crackled with an aura of mystery as I hesitated at the threshold, my heart pounding with a mix of trepidation and excitement.
Stepping into the forsaken laboratory, I found myself in a time capsule frozen in a perpetual state of abandonment. Broken glass and discarded equipment littered the floor, remnants of a hasty retreat. The air carried the scent of rust and decay, a haunting perfume that hung heavy in the atmosphere.
Amidst the wreckage, my eyes fell upon a collection of documents scattered across a table. Their faded pages held cryptic symbols, enigmatic diagrams that seemed to dance with arcane knowledge. As I traced the lines with my trembling fingers, a sense of foreboding washed over me. It was as if these documents were a portal into a realm of forbidden knowledge, a Pandora's box that held the darkest of secrets.
Driven by an insatiable thirst for truth, I delved deeper into the lab's forgotten chambers. Within the dimly lit recesses, I discovered a hidden room, concealed behind a heavy, rusted door. The moment it creaked open, I knew I had unearthed something unimaginable.
The room was lined with shelves, each holding a multitude of binders meticulously labeled with names. As I perused the contents of the binders, a wave of disbelief washed over me. Each name was accompanied by a photograph, a face frozen in time. But it was not the faces themselves that sent a chill down my spine. It was the realization that these were the faces of missing individuals, those who had vanished without a trace from society.
One binder in particular caught my attention. It bore the chilling label "clones." Opening it, I discovered an unsettling truth: the missing individuals had been cloned, their lives replicated in secrecy within the confines of this clandestine laboratory. The implications of such a revelation were staggering, a betrayal of humanity that defied comprehension.
The weight of the evidence I had collected threatened to crush my spirit. The room, suffused with an oppressive aura, seemed to tighten its grip around me. With the damning photographs and documents securely tucked away in my bag, I turned to leave, determined to escape the clutches of this nightmare. But as I moved toward the exit, a peculiar sensation prickled the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. It was as if the air itself carried an ominous whisper, a ghostly echo of footsteps echoing through the desolate laboratory.
Fear seized me, freezing me in place. The realization dawned upon me like a chilling gust of wind—I was not alone in this forsaken place. Someone or something else lurked within the shadows, drawing nearer with each passing moment. The excitement of discovery mingled with a growing sense of dread, creating a disorienting cocktail of emotions.
In that harrowing instant, instinct took hold, overriding rational thought. Without a moment's hesitation, I pivoted on my heels and bolted towards the exit, my heart pounding in my chest. Panic fueled my every step as I navigated through the dimly lit corridors, the clamor of my own breath and the echoing footfalls of my pursuer serving as a macabre soundtrack to my escape.
Every shadow seemed to shift, morphing into a sinister figure poised to snatch me back into the clutches of the unknown. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, propelling me forward, my only goal to break free from this labyrinth of horrors. The very air seemed to thicken, as if resisting my frantic escape, but sheer determination fueled my desperate flight.
Finally, I burst through the door, gasping for breath, my pulse thundering in my ears. The world outside the laboratory, though still cloaked in an eerie silence, felt like salvation. I sprinted through the desolate halls, never looking back, each step propelling me farther from the unseen terror that had pursued me.
It was only when I reached the relative safety of the open air, the sun casting long shadows across the abandoned landscape, that I allowed myself a moment to collect my thoughts. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead as I leaned against a crumbling wall, trying to steady my racing heart. The weight of the encounter pressed upon me, a reminder that the horrors lurking in the unknown were far more menacing than I could have ever imagined.
I knew, deep down, that the discovery I had made in that foreboding laboratory had unleashed something far greater than I had anticipated. It was a truth that demanded to be revealed, but it also posed a danger that threatened to consume me. With trembling hands, I clutched the bag containing the evidence—the only tangible proof of the conspiracy I had encountered. With a renewed determination, I vowed to bring the truth to light, no matter the personal cost. The echoes of footsteps and the ghostly whispers would forever haunt my memory, driving me forward into the heart of darkness, prepared to confront the unimaginable horrors that lay ahead.
Against all rational judgment, I made the fateful decision to return to the forsaken laboratory, driven by an insatiable thirst for the truth that burned deep within my soul. The weight of the knowledge I had gained hung heavily upon my shoulders, propelling me forward into the heart of danger, where few dared to tread.
As I cautiously stepped into the decaying lab, the air seemed to grow heavier, pregnant with an otherworldly presence. The soft glow of my flashlight illuminated the desolate scene before me. Each creak of the floorboards echoed like a spectral cry, a warning from the spirits of those whose lives had been extinguished in this place.
With renewed determination, I retraced my steps, reexamining the cryptic documents and peculiar biological equipment that had initially captivated my attention. But now, armed with new insights, I saw beyond the surface. I deciphered the enigmatic symbols etched onto the aged papers, connecting them to forbidden knowledge hidden within ancient texts and whispered legends.
As I ventured deeper into the labyrinthine chambers, the air became charged with an electric energy, as if the very walls pulsed with the secrets they held. Each room held its own story, its own secrets waiting to be unraveled. I meticulously examined every piece of equipment, every forgotten notebook, uncovering a web of interconnected experiments that went far beyond human cloning.
The further I delved into the lab, the stronger the sensation of being watched became. Paranoia gnawed at the edges of my mind, as if unseen eyes tracked my every move. Shadows seemed to dance in the corners of my vision, fleeting glimpses of a presence that eluded my grasp. The air crackled with a malevolent energy, leaving me on edge, my senses heightened to every flicker of movement and every whisper of sound.
Strange occurrences plagued me, testing the limits of my sanity. Objects inexplicably shifted positions, as if moved by unseen hands. Whispers, barely audible, resonated through the empty corridors, their cryptic messages fueling my determination to uncover the truth. Each encounter with the unseen presence left me trembling, yet I pressed forward, compelled by an insatiable curiosity mixed with a gnawing dread.
With each passing moment, the veil between the tangible and the intangible seemed to thin, blurring the boundaries of reality. I began to question my own perceptions, wondering if the presence haunting the lab was merely a figment of my imagination or something far more sinister. It was as if the very walls held the memories of those who had suffered and perished in this forsaken place, their specters reaching out from the past to guide or deceive me.
Piece by piece, the puzzle began to reveal the true magnitude of the conspiracy that had been woven within the walls of the Chernobyl laboratory. The Chernobyl disaster had been orchestrated, a calculated smokescreen to mask the clandestine operations of human cloning and organ trafficking. The government, entwined with a powerful and sinister cabal, had exploited the chaos and devastation to carry out their heinous deeds.
Through a network of corrupted scientists and government officials, they had perfected the art of human cloning, creating identical duplicates to fulfill their nefarious agenda. These clones were mere commodities, their lives extinguished to harvest their organs, which were then sold on the black market to the highest bidders.
As I pieced together the fragments of the conspiracy, my mind reeled with the implications. The very fabric of society had been torn apart, with those in power manipulating the lives of countless individuals for their own gain. The Chernobyl disaster had been not just a tragedy, but a meticulously planned cover-up, shrouding the dark underbelly of a far-reaching conspiracy.
But as the shadows of truth began to coalesce, so too did the darkness that had been lurking within the lab. Confronted by unidentified individuals, their faces concealed behind masks of shadows, I found myself cornered, my heart pounding in my chest. Panic surged through my veins as I fought against overwhelming odds, desperately clinging to the sliver of hope that remained.
In the chaos and desperation, a blow to the head sent me spiraling into unconsciousness, my fate hanging in the balance. What awaited me on the other side of consciousness remained a terrifying mystery, as I teetered on the precipice of oblivion, caught between the harsh reality and the realm of nightmares.
When I finally regained consciousness, I found myself alone in the eerie lab, the ominous silence enveloping me like a suffocating shroud. As my vision cleared, I realised with a sinking feeling that all the physical evidence I had painstakingly collected had vanished, leaving behind only blank, empty pages and hollow photographs. It was as if the truth itself had been stripped away, erased by an unknown force that sought to bury the horrifying secrets I had uncovered.
Confusion and frustration gnawed at my soul. How could the evidence disappear so mysteriously, leaving no trace of the monstrous conspiracy that had threatened the very fabric of humanity? Doubt crept in, whispering insidious questions about my sanity and the validity of my discoveries. But deep down, I knew that I had seen the truth, felt its chilling touch, and I couldn't let it be silenced.
Drawing upon the last reserves of my strength, I rose from the cold, barren floor. Every muscle ached, every joint protested, but my resolve burned brighter than ever. The forces that sought to bury the truth would not deter me. With a renewed sense of purpose, I vowed to press forward, to continue the fight against the darkness that had infiltrated Chernobyl.
Steeling myself, I navigated the labyrinthine corridors, my senses on high alert for any signs of danger. The lab had become a graveyard of secrets, its walls bearing silent witness to the atrocities committed within its forsaken halls. As I ventured deeper into the heart of the darkness, I clung to the flickering flame of hope, knowing that the final chapter of this harrowing journey was yet to unfold.
The chilling realisation that the powers orchestrating the conspiracy were far-reaching and influential only fueled my determination. With every step I took, I knew that I was walking a treacherous path, one that could lead to my own demise. But the truth had become my unwavering guide, guiding me through the murky depths of the unknown, urging me to shine a light on the horrors that had been buried beneath Chernobyl's haunting facade.
As the final pieces of the puzzle fell into place, I prepared myself for the ultimate confrontation. The shadowy figures who had cornered me before would not have the final say. Armed with knowledge, resilience, and an unwavering desire for justice, I would emerge from the depths of the lab to confront the conspirators and expose their malevolent machinations to the world.
Little did I know that the journey ahead would be fraught with danger and despair, pushing me to the very limits of my sanity and physical endurance. But I was prepared to face whatever awaited me, for the truth must be unveiled, even if it meant walking through the darkest recesses of human depravity.
With a heavy heart and unwavering resolve, I ventured forth, ready to unravel the final layers of the conspiracy that had gripped Chernobyl, determined to bring light to the darkest corners and emerge from the shadows with the truth firmly in hand. The culmination of my journey was yet to come, a reckoning that would test not only my own strength but also the endurance of those who dared to confront the unspeakable horrors lurking in the depths of the human soul.
Injured and disoriented, I found myself trapped in the labyrinthine depths of the desolate laboratory. Every step felt like a battle against the darkness that surrounded me, as if the very walls conspired to keep me captive within their clutches. But the flickering flame of determination burned bright within me, pushing me to navigate my way out of this nightmarish realm.
Wounds throbbed with each movement, a reminder of the confrontation I had faced with the unidentified individuals who sought to silence me. Despite the pain, I refused to succumb to despair. Through sheer grit and unwavering resolve, I charted a treacherous path back towards the world beyond those foreboding walls.
Every shadow seemed to breathe, every creak of the decaying structure echoed like a sinister whisper. The air hung heavy with an oppressive silence, broken only by the sound of my own ragged breath. Fear gripped my heart, but the urgency to expose the truth propelled me forward, my footsteps guided by a desperate hope for escape.
As I neared the exit, a surge of relief mingled with a haunting sense of loss. Leaving behind the horrors of the laboratory meant stepping into a world forever altered by the knowledge I carried. The once-familiar reality now appeared distorted, as if a veil had been lifted to reveal the sinister undercurrents that flowed beneath the surface.
Back to safety, I struggled to find a voice amidst the cacophony of disbelief and dismissals. The physical evidence I had collected, once concrete proof of the conspiracy, now lay blank and empty, a haunting reminder of the insidious forces at work. Desperation clawed at my chest as I sought to share my story, to expose the darkness that threatened to consume us all.
But the world, ensnared in its own illusions and complacency, rejected my claims. Labelled a conspiracy theorist, my words fell on deaf ears, dismissed as the delusions of a tormented mind. The weight of frustration and isolation threatened to extinguish the flame of truth within me, but I refused to be silenced.
Filled with an unwavering sense of purpose, I returned to the desolate location of the lab one last time, hoping against hope to find remnants of the evidence that had vanished into thin air. But as I stood before the site, my heart sank. The entrance stood sealed, the lab forever concealed behind layers of impenetrable cement. It looked like it was sealed for years. It was a stark reminder that the forces orchestrating the conspiracy were determined to erase all traces of their nefarious activities.
I lingered for a moment, absorbing the weight of the loss, before making peace with the fact that physical proof was forever beyond my reach. But the fire within me continued to burn, fueled by the belief that even without tangible evidence, the truth had a way of seeping into the collective consciousness.
Edit: Someone sent me a weird email with link to my nosleep post and this image. I have no idea what does it mean, have anybody seen this image before?

Hello!
iPhone 12 mini, smashed with a heavy object beyond repair (the plastic behind the back glass is broken, the metal frame is split). The impact was from behind, on the lower part of the back, through Spigen Tough Armor case. No computer backup, no icloud backup. The phone seemingly charges (heats up after some time with a charger) but still does not turn on and is not recognized by a PC when connected.
What are my options and cost to recover data if at all possible? Full phone repair is not necessary.
Thanks!

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2) what pitchers do you recommend ? Any certain material like glass or something else? I would like to avoid plastic
3) how many tea bags do you use for a pitcher ?

Prompt: Water pollution has become an increasing problem over the past few decades. What causes water pollution? How can we prevent this problem?
Essay: Over the past few decades, water pollution is progressively becoming a global issue. While there are multiple factors contributing to this problem such as the increasing use of plastics and discarding rubbish in the water bodies, it can be prevented by taking simple steps. This essay will explore the possible causes and propose some potential solutions to address this problem. A significant cause of water pollution is the aggressive usage of plastic products. It is becoming increasingly common and convenient to use plastic bags, plates, cutleries and similar household stuff. Because they are non-biodegradable, they are usually passed on to the water bodies, negatively impacting aquatic animals. Non-segregation of waste material is another important reason why we are facing this challenge. Due to lack of awareness of what classifies as recyclable and non-recyclable waste, people seem to misuse the well-segregated dumpsters, which eventually end up in the water and pollute it. Although this problem is prominent, it can be corrected by both individuals and the government. Government intervention is critical to educate people about the different forms of waste as this can help them take conscious decisions to throw appropriate waste into their corresponding bins. For example, nowadays, some shopping mall cafeterias have installed bins with displays to guide people in understanding which bin to select while discarding plastic, glass, paper or food items. Another way to mitigate this issue lies within the control of people, where they can carry their own shopping bags instead of getting plastic bags from the stores. Similarly, they can opt for biodegradable household materials to do their bit. The past few decades have provided a true picture of water pollution and its negative implications on society and aquatic animals and it has been constantly increasing at an alarming rate. This essay outlined two possible causes, reckless use of plastic and waste material dumps that are responsible for this problem. It also suggested some solutions like creating awareness among people about waste classifications and reducing plastic usage. To conclude, it is everybody's duty to sustainably use water and work towards minimizing the damage to water bodies.

This post is an overview of the blackmail tactics used to control most of the influential people and governments around the world. Obviously I cannot cover everything in a single post, so as with my previous posts I highly encourage you to research further yourself. All sources and links are at the bottom of the post. An understanding of what trauma-based mind control programming (MKULTRA/MONARCH) is, and how it works, is again necessary to understanding much of this. My other posts here:

• Deep Underground Military Bases
  
• Alice in Wonderland Programming
  
• Overview of the Mind Control Running our World
  

The world is run on blackmail, mind control, and shame.
There exist many collections of videotapes of 'high-up' people engaging in some of the worst, sickest things imaginable. Drugs, torture, pedophilia, and murder are common themes to these videos. These tapes are in the hands of many different people, groups, and especially intelligence agencies. 'Honey-trap' operations are constantly being run to gather compromising and incriminating evidence on people of importance. Child slaves will be used to compromise people on video. Global leaders are often covertly videotaped doing perverted things with sex slaves sent to them by intelligence agencies, the Illuminati, or other groups, and this is then leveraged. Rape and murder of a child (forced or not), one of the most repulsive things possible, is many times filmed to ensure future compliance.
"Back in 1966, Rothstein became the first police detective assigned to investigate the prostitution industry. Almost immediately he discovered an underground sexual blackmail operation that compromised politicians with child prostitutes. ‘Human Compromise’ is what he labelled the honey-trap process. Rothstein and his colleagues found that approximately 70 percent of top US Government leaders were compromised in this way. Rothstein said, the CIA conducted the human compromise operation, while the FBI was tasked with covering up any leaks."

• Fiona Barnett [6]

"One of the things I found out over the last ten years of studying governments and listening to intelligence and counter-intelligence is that those in government are sexually compromised, and their sexual secrets are collected and then they are promoted into governments and into judiciaries and into all the positions of importance. Paedophilia is the preferred dirt as it is easily photographed, easily presented in a range of media, immensely shameful, and the public demands your resignation."

• Greg Hallett [12]

"Paul Bonacci, one of the victim-witnesses in the Franklin affair, also clearly stated Larry King used him in blackmail operations in New York and Washington. The latter was in connection with the activities of a close associate of Larry King, Craig Spence, who was involved in a prostitution ring consisting of underaged boys that were supplied to Washington's upper class, which went right up to the White House."

• The Reality of Protected Child Abuse Networks [11]

"Sexually bent politicians in denial of their sexuality to the public are a threat to their own country and policies. They are easily setup, photographed, politically bribed, toppled, and supported in the destruction of their country. This method of altering a country’s policies is epidemic and now endemic to politics."

• Greg Hallett [12]

"Bob (Hope) was politically connected and knew how to lure people in and insure they would work for him. He invited them to his parties and dangled various kinds of illegal or immoral perversions in their faces. Once their perversions were uncovered, he could blackmail or control them. That is how Bob worked. Bob was very good at this. I watched him do it to people over and over. He lured them in, detected their weaknesses, then used that knowledge in his favor, for his connections, and ultimately for his personal gain."

• Brice Taylor [5]

These blackmail 'practices' are often used in conjunction with trauma-based mind control. This mind control is an integral component of, and is deeply intertwined with child trafficking, sex slavery, Satanic ritual abuse, and many other horrific crimes. Many of the children used for blackmail are programmed, and many of the people being blackmailed (including (sometimes future) politicians, leaders, presidents, etc.) are also programmed themselves.
"My personal belief, based on my experiences, is that over the years, more leaders were under mind control."

• Brice Taylor [5]

"Fritz Springmeier notes that 'It is a standard tactic of the Illuminati, their New World Order and its various branches to use fear and blackmail to bring people into line.' Cheryl Beck had a 'sexy Sadie' program that was used to blackmail government and military people as a child prostitute seductress. Cathy O’Brien’s daughter Kelly was 'being prostituted to the CIA for blackmail purposes.' Svali notes that using child prostitutes to blackmail political leadership outside of the Illuminati was very common."

• Veronica Swift [10]

"Beryl-Green said Epstein knew about MKULTRA. He was into mind-controlling victims and satanic ritual abuse (SRA). Epstein was into DNA mixing, human cloning and he knew about New World Order plans."

• Hope Beryl-Green [17]

"This dirty game has been honed to a fine art, which is a standard feature of the Illuminati/intelligence groups. The CIA term for blackmail is an 'OK FIX.' When they use a person’s past sins to force someone to do something they refer to this as 'biographic leverage.' Any weak point in a person can and will be exploited. Sexual entrapment for blackmail is referred to as a 'HONEY TRAP'. Black widow alters are being trained and sent out for this purpose. In order to blackmail, or threaten, you have to have something to threaten the person with. Men are frequently entrapped by sexual behavior which is criminal. Sometimes they are also entrapped by murder. The Monarch slave will be allowed to have children so that they can be blackmailed into complying to save the children or grandchildren. The Monarch slave in turn may be used to blackmail others. Certain alters are trained in this. A Monarch Beta model is highly trained in seduction. Many politicians and ministers are operating under blackmail today. The extent that blackmail is being used by the NWO would boggle people’s minds. Porn films are taken of the Monarch victims, so that they can be used to blackmail the victim. Monarch victims are forced to commit ritual murders which are photographed and then used to blackmail the mind-controlled victim."

• Fritz Springmeier [15]

Intelligence agencies all over the world utilize blackmail, routinely employing and exploiting it as much as possible. It is an extremely important 'tool' of theirs. Operations are done to gather the incriminating evidence.
"Other 'neutralisations' verge on the bizarre. An individual who must remain nameless for a variety of reasons - but whose name is known to this writer - underwent an experience that is both horrific and chilling. I shall call this individual 'Mr. X' or, simply, 'X'. Mr. X was a leader of one of the largest CIA-backed Contra groups. He recently testified before the US Senate Intelligence Committee. Formerly, X was a senior executive in a South American subsidiary of a leading US soft drinks corporation. During his Senate testimony, he denied any knowledge of CIA involvement in the narcotics trade, adding that condoning such activity would have been foreign to his way of life. Not so, says Tatum. Mr. X had been recruited into the CIA by then-Director William Casey, with the assistance of Oliver North. In 1990, when Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega announced there would be 'free elections', X was ecstatic. He began jostling for position and asked President Bush to ensure he be given a prominent position in the new government - in return for his years of toil at the behest of the CIA and the Enterprise. The pressure came in a form that Bush could not ignore. Failure to help his friend would result in X's intimate knowledge of Bush's involvement in the dope trade being made public. His threat left Bush with a sour taste. A Pegasus team was assigned to 'neutralise' him in early 1990. Mr. X, Tatum states, 'fancied himself a lover of women. Tall, large-breasted blondes were his favourite. It was determined that, if effectively neutralised, [X] could be an asset. Therefore, it was decided that intimidation would be used to control [X].' They chose to use the drug Scopolamine, which also went by the nickname 'Burundanga' or 'the Voodoo drug'. The drug is extracted from the pods of a flowering shrub that grows in remote regions of South America. In its processed, powdered form, Scopolamine is 'void of smell, void of taste'. When properly administered 'it causes absolute obedience' without this being 'observable by others'. Importantly, the target will not recall any of the events that occurred during the period they were under the spell of the drug. Tatum states that X was invited to spend a relaxing weekend at a luxury hotel as a guest of his friend George Bush. His host for the weekend was a trusted 18-year veteran field-intelligence officer. The evening started with cocktails and was followed by a fine meal. ''Nothing but the best' were the orders.' Following the meal, he was ushered into the suite of a 'blonde bombshell' supplied by the CIA. Mr. X had already ingested a dose of Burundanga during pre-dinner cocktails. X was gallant with the blonde as they both moved into the bedroom where video cameras were already set up in one corner. In short order, the blonde had X standing naked in front of her and began to indulge his desires. All the while, the video cameras whirred. Slowly stripping off, the 'blonde' revealed his manhood in all its glory. Mr. X was instructed to reciprocate the favour and perform fellatio. He obliged, his intimate activities recorded at 24 frames a second on videotape. Tatum says the male prostitute was hired from a bar in New York and killed that same evening. Two weeks later, X - wholly unaware of the events of that evening - was visited in Nicaragua. He was presented with a copy of the video footage, along with instructions. Tatum says that X can never allow that video to be seen: 'Not only does it reveal his homosexuality, but it also reveals his bestiality and satanic worship rituals.' As frame after frame flicked by, X reportedly wept, forced to watch himself kill his homosexual 'lover' and then engage in the most grisly cannabalistic ritual imaginable. Neutralised, Mr. X became a leading member of the Nicaraguan government a few short weeks later."

• The Pegasus File [13]

"Check out the FBI records on Scarlett: What was his original HOOK that got him so deeply embedded into UK Illuminati culture? He murdered the nanny of Lord Lucan in the 1970's. Lucan wasn't actually involved. Scarlett got it wrong. He was under mind control at the time. How we all laughed on his training sessions when we heard that one. Not funny, really. We were all in the same boat. Each had something terrible attached to us, in our past. That is all part and parcel of the Illuminati contract. Young people forced under mind control to commit murder when young and then later on, picked up by British Intelligence to be used and abused as they wished - as loyal servants of the British Crown. One can only hope that by exposing these HOOKS, that some sort of amnesty can prevail. If these people are freed from the demonic Illuminati contract by exposing their HOOKS - one can only hope that they will come forward as a sizeable and influential body of political and public figures, in order to put an end to it. Here's hoping. Check out Rimington's hook to see what sort of mind ran MI5 for so long. It's a game called 'mafia' and it is ALL about blackmail."

• Ex MI6 [2]

"...He had previously signed off on Epstein’s 'sweetheart deal' because Epstein 'had belonged to intelligence.' Acosta, then serving as US attorney for Southern Florida, had also been told by unspecified figures at the time that he needed to give Epstein a lenient sentence because of his links to 'intelligence.'"

• Whitney Webb [4]

"Detective Rothstein found that the CIA were behind a blackmail operation in which child prostitutes were used to honey-trap and compromise politicians, military brass, top businessmen, and key government officials. Rothstein, who arrested the key Watergate perpetrator, said Watergate solely concerned this human compromise racket, and specifically was an attempt to obtain a list of compromised pedophile VIPs and their proclivities that was held at the Democratic National Headquarters."

• Fiona Barnett [8]

"Michael Aquino was in the military. He had top Pentagon clearances. He was a pedophile. He was a Satanist. He founded the Temple of Set. And he was a close friend of Anton LaVey. The two of them were very active in ritualistic sexual abuse. And they deferred funding from this government program to use in this experimentation on children. Where they deliberately split off the personalities of these children into multiples, so that when they're questioned or put under oath or questioned under lie detector, that unless the operator knows how to question a multiple-personality disorder, they turn up with no evidence. They used these kids to sexually compromise politicians or anyone else they wish to have control of...they were taken to be used by professional pedophiles. People that have the money to buy what they want, take the kids wherever they want...and by splitting the children’s personalities they could then train each one of the personalities to do a different function. And the rest of the personalities within that host personality would not be aware of it or remember it."

• Noreen Gosch, Johnny Gosch's mother (of the 'Franklin Boys') [1]

"Vinson also told Nick Bryant that Spence and Larry King were 'partners' and 'hooked up with the CIA', stating specifically that 'King and Spence were in business together, and their business was pedophilic blackmail.' They were transporting children all over the country. They would arrange for children to be flown into Washington, DC and also arrange for influential people in DC to be flown out to the Midwest and meet these kids. Per Vinson, Larry King had confided in him that he had clients who liked to torture and even kill children: 'King said they had clients who actually liked having sex with kids as they tortured or killed the kid. I found that totally unbelievable.' After Vinson said this to Nick Bryant, he asked Bryant later on in the interview if King’s disclosure had indeed been true. He was unaware at the time that other evidence, including witness testimony, had suggested that it was."

• Whitney Webb [4]

"According to fugitive ex-CIA officer Frank Terpil, CIA-directed sexual blackmailing operations were intensive in Washington at about the time of the Watergate scandal. One of those operations, Terpil claims, was run by his former partner, Ed Wilson. Wilson's base of operations for arranging trysts for the politically powerful was, Terpil says, Korean agent Ton Sun Park’s George Town Club. In a letter to the author, Terpil explained that ‘Historically, one of Wilson’s Agency jobs was to subvert members of both houses [of Congress] by any means necessary. Certain people could be easily coerced by living out their sexual fantasies in the flesh...A remembrance of these occasions was permanently recorded via selected cameras...The technicians in charge of filming were TSD [Technical Services Division of the CIA]...The unwitting porno stars advanced in their political careers, some of whom may still be in office.'"

• The Reality of Protected Child Abuse Networks [11]

"Intelligence and counter intelligence ‘work’, and they ‘work together’ to create scenarios that are so unbelievable that they cannot be published in the mainstream media, and if they are, they will appear like a joke. The information to blackmail a country, to blackmail its politicians, to blackmail its Prime Ministers and Presidents, to blackmail its judges and lawyers is a very serious matter."

• Greg Hallett [12]

The Illuminati and other cults also engage in the same blackmail operations. There is a huge overlap between secret societies/cults and intelligence, with top intelligence usually being run by them. All of them do this.
"I was able to have first hand access to the Jeffrey Epstein case investigation documents. According to the documents, Epstein was the head of a global fraternity related to the Shriners called The Royal Order of Jesters. This order is covered with scandals and lawsuits related to human trafficking, but they are very protected because many members of the order are high-profile political figures and businessmen. It is crazy how these people manage to operate under the radar for so many years, decades...Now you may ask how they do this? Easy...By using blackmail tactics, they manage to have Judges and Law Enforcement licking their feet. That's how Jeffery Epstein got assassinated. After he was out of the game, the whole business is run by other people. Major names are involved and many high-profile people who are all bound to the order by means of blackmail. This is particularly disturbing when you find out that the cases of Catholic priests involved in sex scandals are events organized by The Order of Jesters. They run blackmail operations with the purpose of seducing people in power...With those videos in their power, the careers and the public image of many people are in the Jester's hands. They are free to do anything, they can turn even the President of the United States into a slave."
-- "Jeffrey Epstein Post" [7]
"Illuminati 'FROG ON A LILYPAD' programming: The FROG as a paedophile - with no 'tadpole tail/tale', as in no memory of what he/she has done until they get past 40 years old. It becomes clear that so many people were forced to be paedophiles and to abuse their children - only to wake up to all of this later on - post 40 years old. Then to have Stella Rimington on their doorstep with a videotape - telling them that she will send it to the police if they do not do precisely what she says. The ultimate blackmail weapons combined: A tape of you committing paedophilia - and even worse - incest with your own children. Guaranteed to 'silence' most people for life. The scope of this Illuminati blackmail project has been immense, in British society and it has to be exposed. There is safety in numbers."

• Ex MI6 [2]

"(Sue) Arrigo adds that the kids with the most smarts and/or looks, about 5% are skimmed off the top by the Luciferians in charge like the Bushes and used as either spies or corporate sex slaves or both. They’re typically pimped out on high priced loans to influential politicians as house boy and girls to ensure the puppets in Congress are happy and blackmail-able for control."

• Joachim Hagopian [14]

"The Masonic leadership of Freemasonry in a given area will have thousands of 'blackmail' files on essentially everyone of importance in their area. Upper echelon people such as judges, lawyers, and politicians are generally controlled via IRS infringements, and many of the lower echelon people are controlled through weird sexual items. This is where the Delta and Beta Monarch slaves are so helpful to the Illuminati. (This information comes from several witnesses who are informed about the blackmail files & their methods for blackmailing.)"

• Fritz Springmeier [16]

These people are already in power, and have set their system up so that nobody rises to a prominent, powerful, or influential position without being selected, extensively compromised, controllable, and usually under mind control. They are all 'in it together', and because of this they protect eachother. Most have 'insurance' on one another.
"The most common phrase associated with that one was ‘talk about the pot calling the kettle black’, meaning that each Illuminati slave had been caught on camera and from an early age – doing something terrible – as Rimington was fond of saying ‘we are all as bad as each other and all in it together.’"

• Ex MI6 [2]

"Oftentimes when I and others were prostituted to various government (New World Order) leaders, Dante had hidden cameras filming perverse sexual acts apparently for future blackmail leverage. These videos were scandalous in proportion and were usually ordered by Reagan. Dante turned the videos over to Reagan, and covertly kept copies to protect himself. Dante converted a small room of his Beverly Hills mansion into a security vault, where he kept his personal copies of the international blackmail porn tapes there. Blackmail was openly initiated to ensure that each criminal participant understood that if one fell, they all fell. Maintaining 'dirt' on each other through this Mafia-style method was seemingly the only way these criminals implementing the New World Order kept each other 'honest.'"

• Cathy O'Brien [3]

"The Watergate break-in was strictly based on one thing - the pedophile records that were being kept at the Democratic National Headquarters."

• Detective James Rothstein (NYPD, Retired) [6]

"In 1972, Rothstein arrested one of the five Watergate burglars, CIA operative Frank Sturgis. During a subsequent two-hour interrogation, Rothstein discovered the truth about Watergate (plus Sturgis’ and the CIA’s involvement in the Bay of Pigs incident, and the related assassination of JFK). Sturgis told Rothstein, the Watergate burglars sought something they nicknamed ‘The Book’ which listed the Democratic and Republican politicians who accessed child prostitutes, their sexual proclivities, the amounts they paid to rape kids, etc."

• Fiona Barnett [6]

There are certain places known for this, two famous examples being Little St. James island or Bohemian Grove (there are many, many others).
"For those of you who are interested in Bohemian Grove and the current list upon the Internet of those poor unsuspecting 'invitees' who will be pressganged into going (and subsequently blackmailed out of their minds afterwards, by the Illuminati)...the entrapment going on at Bohemian Grove is of an avaricious and esoteric nature - in relation to all of those unlucky 'invitees' who want to join this 'prestigious club' but then get videoed doing things that they wouldn't want anyone to know about - 'guests' who are then subsequently blackmailed out of their brains...and for the rest of their lives. But then that was what the Illuminati cult and their Sat B'hai contract has always been about...promising that you would get everything for nothing (if you agreed to be unquestioningly obedient to the Crown) and that you would now be part of an 'esoteric' prestigious Satanic club."

• Ex MI6 [2]

"Numerous videos are covertly produced at the supposedly secure political sex playground in northern California, Bohemian Grove. High tech undetectable cameras use fiber optics, and fish-eye lenses were in each of the elite club's numerous sexual perversion theme rooms. I was programmed and equipped to function in all rooms at Bohemian Grove in order to compromise specific government targets according to their personal perversions. 'Anything, anytime, anywhere with anyone' was my mode of operation at the Grove. My perception is that Bohemian Grove serves those ushering in the New World Order through mind control, and consists primarily of the highest Mafia and U.S. Government officials. Project Monarch mind controlled slaves were routinely abused there to fulfill the primary purpose of the club: purveying perversion. Bohemian Grove is reportedly intended to be used recreationally, providing a supposedly secure environment for politically affluent individuals to 'party' without restraint. The only business conducted there pertained to implementing the New World Order, through the proliferation of mind-control atrocities, giving the place an air of 'Masonic Secrecy'. The only room where business discussions were permitted was the small, dark lounge affectionately and appropriately referred to as the Underground. The wooden sign was carved to read: 'U.N.DERGROUND'. My purpose at the Grove was sexual in nature, and therefore my perceptions were limited to a sex slave's viewpoint. As an effective means of control to ensure undetected proliferation of their perverse indulgences, slaves such as myself were subjected to ritualistic trauma. Slaves of advancing age or with failing programming were sacrificially murdered 'at random' in the wooded grounds of Bohemian Grave, and I felt it was 'simply a matter of time until it would be me'. Rituals were held at a giant, concrete owl monument on the banks of the Russian River. These occultish sex rituals stemmed from the scientific belief that mind-controlled slaves required severe trauma to ensure compartmentalization of the memory. I witnessed the sacrificial death of a young, dark-haired victim at which time I was instructed to perform sexually 'as though my life depended upon it'. I was told, 'The next sacrifice victim could be you.' The club offered a 'Necrophilia' themed room to its members. I was so heavily drugged and programmed when used in the 'necrophilia' room, that the threat of actually 'slipping through death's door' and being sacrificed 'before I knew it' did not affect me. Other perversion theme rooms at the Bohemian Club included what I heard Ford refer to as the 'Dark Room'. When he not so cleverly said, 'Let's go to the Dark Room and see what develops,' I understood from experience that he was interested in indulging in his perverse obsession for pornography. In the Dark Room, members had sex with the same mind-controlled slave they were viewing in porn on a big screen television. There was a triangular glass display centered in a main through way where I was locked in with various trained animals, including snakes. Members walking by watched illicit sex acts of bestiality, women with women, mothers with daughters, kids with kids, or any other unlimited perverse visual display. I was once brutally assaulted by Dick Cheney in the Leather Room, which was designed like a dark, black leather-lined train berth. There was a room of shackles and tortures, black lights and strobes, an opium den, ritualistic sex altars, a chapel, group orgy rooms including poster beds, water beds, and 'kitten' houses. I was used as a 'rag doll' in the 'toy store,' and as a urinal in the 'golden arches' room. From the owl's roost to the necrophilia room, no memory of sexual abuse is as horrifying as the conversations overheard in the Underground pertaining to implementing the New World Order. I learned that perpetrators believed that controlling the masses through propaganda mind manipulation did not guarantee there would be a world left to dominate due to environmental and overpopulation problems. The solution being debated was not pollution/population control, but mass genocide of 'selected undesirables'."

• Cathy O'Brien [3]

News 'headlines' with hidden symbolic communication are also used by intelligence and other groups, many times referring to blackmail (among the many other varieties of covert operations).
"'Nuclear' is a comm used all over the world to symbolize extraordinarily explosive information, like blackmail. Which is why if we reconcile blackmail with news about nuclear, a secret truth will become clear. The two most powerful blackmailers ever? That would probably be Jeffrey Epstein and Hugh Hefner. And this is why the deaths of blackmailers like Hugh Hefner and Jeffrey Epstein both coincided with 'Nuclear Accidents':"
08/09/2019 Is Putin covering up a Nuclear disaster?

• 08/09/2019 = Russia Hides a Nuclear Accident!
• 08/10/2019 = CIA Blackmailer Epstein Dead
• 09/26/2017 = Russia Hides a Nuclear Accident!
• 09/27/2017 = CIA Blackmailer Hefner Dead

09/26/2017 Nuclear explosion kept secret by Russia
"Why are CIA blackmailers dying the day after Russia declares nuclear accidents? The reason for the -1 day in Epstein’s case is they likely died before the official day, and these comms were to give agents a heads up on the upcoming BOOM before it hits papers. In Hefners case they had to signal people to move the blackmail. The point as stated is a lot of 'nuclear' is all about blackmail. Not all of it, but a lot of it."

• "Symbolic Communication" [9]

Blackmail is a worldwide 'practice', with all countries and their governments engaging in aquiring and utilizing it to the fullest.
"Just as the 1986 Mirano scandal, the X-Dossiers contain evidence that sexual blackmail operations, whoever is running them, are not limited to the United States. In 1996, X1 reported how the same activities had been going on in Brussels."
"As the bewildered Belgians tried to make sense of what was going on, incredible rumours began circulating that Dutroux might have been protected in some way, that he had friends in high places. Pornographic videos taken from his home were said to feature prominent individuals, one a senior member of the Roman Catholic church. It almost defied belief. Who would protect a psychopath, other than people with something truly terrible to hide?...'It is quite obvious,' said Katarin de Clercq, Belgian coordinator of the pressure group End Child Prostitution Abduction and Trafficking, 'that some people were protecting Dutroux. The government tried to convince us that he was a lone serial killer and psychopath, but now we hear stories about unnamed famous personalities being involved in sex orgies and blackmail and pornographic video tapes. People feel that something is completely wrong here and we have to show we will not tolerate it.'"

• The Reality of Protected Child Abuse Networks [11]

"I was unfortunate enough to attend the IHS Templar Castle rite in 2001. Amongst the people in attendence were: J. K. Rowling. Gordon Brown. David Miliband. Stephen Daldry. Stella Rimington (she was the Dr. Mengele of the organisation, organising the torture and murder of kidnapped children). Dr. Joanne Collie. Andrew Marr (he spent most of the time naked and screaming - off his head on some form of narcotic). John Scarlett (he was so drunk/drugged up that he had very little idea of what was going on around him). The Templars had captured a large amount of people whom they called the 'snakes' i.e. slaves in a large dungeon underneath the castle. One brave person managed to set them free and the result in the neighbouring village of Mons and other places nearby, ensured that the British Army had to move in. Thus began the most incredible cover-up in recent European history. It was like WACO, Guyana. I was one of the 'slaves' taken at that castle but subsequently freed by the British Army (who also know what happened - a MASSIVE cover-up). The British Army ordered those in the Castle to come out. They then sent a tank in to bulldoze the walls. Prince Philip and Prince William were in that Castle. Both of them had murdered countless tiny children in their rites. The British Army assembled watched as both walked out with large, dark, woven potato sacks over their heads. They were then bundled into a van and driven away. The name SPUDNIKS was coined because Prince Philip and Prince William had to exit the castle with potato sacks pulled down over their heads and bodies. The British Army present at the time - may or may not have had any idea who they were but the SIS general there, certainly did. They might have managed to cover it up regarding the ordinary soldiers there but the videotapes are now on sale worldwide. The whole event had been closely monitored for blackmail purposes."

• Ex MI6 [2]

The CIA also blackmails incestual/pedophilic parents for their children to use in trauma-based mind control slave projects like MONARCH.
"My Uncle Bob, also implicated in manufacturing the porn, out of apparent desperation informed my father of a U.S. Government Defense Intelligence Agency TOP SECRET Project to which he was privy. This was Project Monarch. Project Monarch was a mind-control operation which was 'recruiting' multigenerational incest abused children with Multiple Personality Disorder for its genetic mind-control studies. I was a prime 'candidate,' a 'chosen one'. My father seized the opportunity as it would provide him immunity from prosecution."

• Cathy O'Brien [3]

"The expendables are the children of parents who were blackmailed into turning their children over to the CIA. This is all hidden by the power of the National Security Act. These are children, who have been sold by pedophile fathers, or pornographic parents. The programmers/masters program them with the expectation that they will be "thrown from the freedom train" when they get to age 30. (Freedom Train is the code word for the Monarch trauma-based mind-control. To be thrown from the Freedom Train means to be killed.) The CIA and the Illuminati are skilled at blackmailing parents to give up their children. They would watch the mail for porn. Pedophile and murderers who abuse their children are warned that they will go to prison for long lengths of time if they do not cooperate by selling their children into mind-controlled slavery. In return for the parent’s cooperation, they provide rich financial rewards to the parent(s). It’s clearly a case of 'if you don’t cooperate you lose in life big time, if you do cooperate you win big time.'"

• Fritz Springmeier [15]

Blackmail is the glue holding together all of the sick people in charge, and is the one of the top methods of control. This is the truth: blackmail, pedophilia, and mind control are how this world is really run.
"Former CIA director William Colby giving advice to John DeCamp, urging him to quit his investigations into the Franklin child abuse affair:"
"'What you have to understand, John, is that sometimes there are forces and events too big, too powerful, with so much at stake for other people or institutions, that you cannot do anything about them, no matter how evil or wrong they are and no matter how dedicated or sincere you are or how much evidence you have. This is simply one of the hard facts of life you have to face.'"

• The Reality of Protected Child Abuse Networks [11]

"Again, it’s built in, entrenched foxes guarding the predatory henhouse that permeate all levels of government, military, courts, law enforcement, entertainment and news media, corporate global finance and education. With pedophile puppet masters controlling the pedophile puppet strings of blackmailed, compromised and controlled Western politicians, courts and law enforcement, their diabolical infrastructure has afforded them living above the law continuing to rape and kill our innocents for centuries."

• Joachim Hagopian [14]

Links and Sources
[1] - Noreen Gosch Speaks About - Jeff Gannon, Johnny Gosch And The Attempted Theft Of Her Book 'Why Johnny Can't Come Home'

• Noreen Gosch

[2] - Master List of Quotes and Comments

• Ex MI5/MI6 Agents and Royal Arch Illuminati slaves

[3] - Trance-Formation of America

• Cathy O'Brien

[4] - One Nation Under Blackmail

• Whitney Webb

[5] - Thanks for the Memories

• Brice Taylor

[6] - Eyes Wide Open

• Fiona Barnett

[7] - "I had access to classified documents about the Jeffrey Epstein case"
[8] - Child Trafficking, Ritual Sex Abuse & MK-ULTRA Are A Single Worldwide Operation, Run by the U.S., U.K. and AUS Secret Services

• Fiona Barnett

[9]- Symbolism Communication
[10] - An Illuminati Primer

• Veronica Swift, Jessie Czebotar

[11] - The Reality of Protected Child Abuse Networks
[12] - The Hallett Report No. 1

• Greg Hallett

[13] - The Pegasus File

• David G. Guyatt

[14] - Anatomy of the Luciferian Elite’s Global Child Sex Trafficking Pedophile Operations

• Joachim Hagopian on CathyFoxBlog

[15] - The Illuminati Formula Used To Create An Undetectable Mind Control Slave

• Fritz Springmeier and Cisco Wheeler

[16] - Deeper Insights Into the Illuminati Formula

• Fritz Springmeier and Cisco Wheeler

[17] - Hope Beryl-Green Article

1.) Time abstaining from narcotics (12 months minimum)
This is the golden rule. From what I've gathered, from other users on this subreddit (myself included), Its generally a year abstaining from narcotics.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7703868/
Investigations suggest that substantial improvements in neurobehavioral functions occur during the first 4 to 8 weeks of abstinence, followed by more modest mid-term (i.e., approximately 1 year) gains. Verbal skills typically improve most quickly, while other domains, although improved, may remain compromised for several months to years. https://www.paterehab.com/about-abi/#:~:text=You%20can%20expect%20the%20most,affect%20the%20degree%20of%20improvement.
You can expect the most rapid recovery from acquired brain injury in the first 18 months to two years following the injury; however, recovery can be a life-long process.
https://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/sites/default/files/chapter-2-neurobiology.pdf
Supported scientific evidence shows that these changes in the brain persist long after substance use stops. It is not yet known how much these changes may be reversed or how long that process may take.
https://www.recoveryanswers.org/recovery-101/brain-in-recovery/
https://www.aspenridgerecoverycenters.com/how-long-for-dopamine-receptors-to-heal/#:~:text=So%20how%20long%20for%20dopamine,with%20proper%20treatment%20and%20rehabilitation.
So how long for dopamine receptors to heal? On average, it may take approximately 14-months to achieve normal levels in the brain with proper treatment and rehabilitation.
2.)Exercise
10-15k steps daily. I would recommend against strength training early in recovery, the professionals say to avoid strenuous workouts, when recovering from a head injury.
From what I've read, its generally flexibility/Aerobic/endurance exercises rather than strength/resistance/anabolic training, when recovering from an injury. This is low weight, high rep workouts. Steady-paced/long duration workouts such as walking, jogging or swimming. The aim is for overall physical health/vasculaoxygen flow to your tissues.
I personally do strength/endurance, aerobic/anabolic exercises now ( 18 months into sobriety).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3276339/
Epidemiological studies reveal that individuals who engage in regular aerobic exercise are less likely to use and abuse illicit drugs.
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_for_Traumatic_Brain_Injury
https://amoryurgentcare.com/7-exercises-to-do-while-recovering-from-injuries/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4380661/
In recent years, aerobic exercise has gained attention for its neuroprotective effects and has been studied as an intervention in healthy older adults,8,9 and in those with cognitive impairments10–12 and other neurological disorders.13 Aerobic exercise is associated with various physiological adaptations that have positive effects on cortical function, including angiogenesis and neurogenesis.14 Evidence from animal studies suggests that cognitive deficits associated with TBI can be improved following exercise.15–19 In rodents with experimentally-induced TBI, better performance on the Morris water maze15–18 and step-down avoidance task19 was observed when exercised compared to being sedentary. This suggested that both learning and memory had improved with exercise. The expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor was also found to be increased in the hippocampus,15 which is an area associated with memory and learning.20
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/benefits-of-aerobic-exercise-following-traumatic-brain-injury
In a systematic review of controlled clinical trials and randomized controlled trails with adults with neurologic disorders, McDowell and colleagues reported that aerobic exercise improved cognition, particularly attention and cognitive flexibility in adults with TBI, and improvements in motor learning for adults with stroke.7
Exercise may promote cognitive recovery via a variety of mechanisms, such as increasing neural repair and neuroplasticity, modulating neurotransmitter systems (particularly dopamine), and decreasing neuroinflammation.
3.)Consistent 8 hour rest.
Sleep comes at 2-3 months into sobriety.
https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/brain-injury-and-me/top-tips-for-a-good-nights-sleep/
A lack of sleep has many negative effects on a person’s physical and mental wellbeing, especially in the early stages of brain injury recovery. It may also exacerbate some of the symptoms of the brain injury, such as memory loss, lack of concentration, poor balance and mood changes.
https://news.ohsu.edu/2021/03/12/study-suggests-role-of-sleep-in-healing-traumatic-brain-injuries
https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/41/10/zsy147/5057802
​
https://www.verywellhealth.com/sleep-traumatic-brain-injury-study-5117032
https://nida.nih.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2020/03/connections-between-sleep-substance-use-disorders
Most common mental disorders, from depression and anxiety to PTSD, are associated with disturbed sleep, and substance use disorders are no exception. The relationship may be complex and bidirectional: Substance use causes sleep problems; but insomnia and insufficient sleep may also be a factor raising the risk of drug use and addiction. Recognizing the importance of this once-overlooked factor, addiction researchers are paying increased attention to sleep and sleep disturbances, and even thinking about ways to target sleep disruption in substance use disorder treatment and prevention.
4.)Reduced stress.
When I read about recovering from an injury, they "the professionals" talk about how stress hinders the progression of the recovery.
Following a head injury, it is very important that you use healthy ways of dealing with stress in order to promote a good recovery. Psychological factors like stress and anxiety can increase all of your head injury symptoms and slow down your progress.
https://www.cognitivefxusa.com/blog/journaling-techniques-and-ideas-after-a-brain-injury#:~:text=Journaling%20offers%20you%20a%20way,yourself%20in%20a%20creative%20way.
Write in your journal
I think keeping a recovery journal was key in my recovery.
https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/brain-injury-and-me/10-top-tips-for-coping-with-stress-after-brain-injury/
Take some time to consider what contributes to your stress. Identifying your triggers can help you anticipate issues and come up with solutions. You might find keeping a stress diary helpful, where you log your stress levels while performing your everyday activities.
-Im gonna work on this segement in my next update, I think its more important than the other segments. Stress plays a huge role in head injury recovery.
Avoid people and situations that are counter productive to your recovery(or rather recognize who means you help and who means you harm). In my experience over the past year of recovery, a blindsided stressor or a stress thrown at you that your recovering brain cannot handle, regresses your recovery 5 steps.
Let loved ones know what yourre going through, so they take it easy on you... get away from abusive relationships, move in with your parents.
Avoid group settings jobs/deadline jobs, maybe look for a job where you are isolated.
Let people know when you need your alone time. You have to tip-toe back into the pool when in recovery.
5.) Omega 3s dha and epa
https://www.shinesheets.com/why-omega-3-can-be-beneficial-in-substance-abuse-recovery/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7457439/
https://www.flintrehab.com/fish-oil-therapy-for-brain-injury/#:~:text=Reduces%20Inflammation&text=The%20EPA%20and%20DHA%20acids,therapy%20for%20brain%20injury%20patients.
Besides reducing inflammation, omega-3 also improves communication between brain cells. This allows the brain to work faster, which leads to a boost in cognitive function.
In fact, in one placebo-controlled study, patients who took 2000 mg of omega-3 fish oil per day performed significantly better on cognitive tests than those who did not take omega-3.
These patients especially showed improvements in executive function and memory, two areas that brain injury patients particularly struggle with.
https://indyneurofeedback.com/nutrition/omega-3-can-help-after-a-brain-injury/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5531869/
6.)Brain derived neural factors
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in neuronal survival and growth, serves as a neurotransmitter modulator, and participates in neuronal plasticity, which is essential for learning and memory. It is widely expressed in the CNS, gut and other tissues.
https://www.optimallivingdynamics.com/blog/21-proven-ways-to-increase-your-brains-growth-hormone#:~:text=Drinking%20coffee%20is%20another%20great,increasing%20BDNF%20levels%20(90)).
Intermediate fasting has been proven to increase BDNF.
https://www.bswhealth.com/blog/intermittent-fasting-brain-health#:~:text=Fasting%20can%20increase%20BDNF%20levels,the%20body%2C%20including%20the%20brain.
Fasting can increase BDNF levels, which may lead to improved cognitive function, learning and memory. Reduced inflammation: Intermittent fasting can help decrease inflammation in the body, including the brain.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5697621/
Drinking coffee is another great way to increase BDNF levels. Research shows that caffeine protects brain cells and lowers the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases. In one study, researchers found that caffeine significantly reduced age-related impairments in memory by increasing BDNF levels (90).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4697050/
7.) Vitamin B's
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105562/
https://www.hopeafterbraininjury.org/brain-injury-and-b12-deficiency/
Vitamin B12 is essential for our immunity, cognitive health, and entire nervous system.
8.)Sunlight
I think sunlight has the ability to perform miracles of science, in regards to health. They used to prescribe a glass house/glass room/sun rooms for certain mental illnesses back in the 1800s
https://www.northstartransitions.com/post/how-does-being-outdoors-help-addiction-recovery
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/3/1/8
https://centralglassutah.com/light-life-windows-contribute-improved-mental-health/
https://foter.com/types-of-windows-and-their-impact-on-mental-health-and-depression
Many of us have already heard of light therapy. Light therapy is proven to treat various clinical disorders like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and sleep disorders, which are often contributors to depression.
Evidence proves light or view from windows contribute to the prevention and treatment of mental health problems. Larger windows and glass walls permit more light, which impacts your brain chemistry and alters your emotional health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2728098/
We found that among participants with depression, low exposure to sunlight was associated with a significantly higher predicted probability of cognitive impairment. This relationship remained significant after adjustment for season. Among participants without depression, insolation did not have a significant effect on cognitive function.
Vitamin D,D3
I guess will help in the winter months. Nothing better than plain Ole sunlight.
https://www.webbernaturals.com/en-ca/learn/the-role-of-vitamin-d-in-mental-health/
9.) Diet
This is a highly contentious debate. Some say a complex carbohydrate diet, others say a high protein diet. I'll give you a few different articles from both perspectives and let you make a decision. I personally do a ketogenetic diet now, which is a high protein/low carbohydrate routine. (I primarly used the ketosis diet to lose weight.) The argument is whether or not ketones or glucose is a better fuel source for neurogenesis/neurometabolism.
What you eat, highly influences your endogenous opiate activity.
https://www.karger.com/Article/Fulltext/338163
Opioids are important in reward processes leading to addictive behavior such as self-administration of opioids and other drugs of abuse including nicotine and alcohol. Opioids are also involved in a broadly distributed neural network that regulates eating behavior, affecting both homeostatic and hedonic mechanisms. In this sense, opioids are particularly implicated in the modulation of highly palatable foods, and opioid antagonists attenuate both addictive drug taking and appetite for palatable food. Thus, craving for palatable food could be considered as a form of opioid-related addiction. There are three main families of opioid receptors (µ, ĸ, and δ) of which µ-receptors are most strongly implicated in reward. Administration of selective µ-agonists into the NAcc of rodents induces feeding even in satiated animals, while administration of µ-antagonists reduces food intake. Pharmacological studies also suggest a role for ĸ- and δ-opioid receptors. Preliminary data from transgenic knockout models suggest that mice lacking some of these receptors are resistant to high-fat diet-induced obesity.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.951376/full The administration of a ketogenic diet in this semi-controlled setting to patients with treatment-refractory mental illness was feasible, well-tolerated, and associated with significant and substantial improvements in depression and psychosis symptoms
https://neurosciencenews.com/high-protein-diet-depression-22760/
The results showed higher protein intake was associated with a reduction in symptoms of depression during the follow-up period. Additionally, several deviations from the recommended nutritional intake were reported by the athletes.
https://www.isisn.org/MHS-1-1-2021/63-68-01(1)2021MHS21-112.pdf2021MHS21-112.pdf)
Carbohydrates when taken in adequate amount and in right balance (complex and simple carbohydrates) in diet can sustain good mental health and improve symptoms of any psychological issues especially depression, anxiety, mood disturbances and stress. On the other hand, taking a prominent quantity of simple sugars can cause the onset or exacerbation of stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Following a western diet containing hefty amounts of processed carbohydrates has also been associated with poor mental health. However, current findings are still ambiguous to develop a certain well defined relationship between carbohydrates and their effect on mental wellbeing and more research is needed in this respect.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1147269/full
preclinical studies performed in rats and mice demonstrate that high fats and/or sugars diets have a negative effect on adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN). In contrast, diets enriched with bioactive compounds, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols, as well as intermittent fasting or caloric restriction, can induce AHN.
I've noticed, how much I craved sugars after ingesting opiates... I think avoiding sugars is important in recovering from any and all addictions.
10.) Cognitive behavioral therapy
Healthy thoughts = Healthy mind.
CBT is trying to control your train of thought, or rather recognizing and changing a negative thought pattern.
Negative thoughts affect emotions and emotions affect your behavior and your negative behavior reinforces your negative thoughts.
Thoughts - emotions --- behavior --thoughts---emotions---behavior
https://neuliferehab.com/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-after-traumatic-brain-injury/
CBT focuses on getting patients to understand why they behave in the way they do. At the root, CBT helps patients uncover distorted or unhealthy thinking patterns. Patients learn to understand:
What we believe creates feelings.
Those feelings lead us to behave in a certain way.
The way we behave then reinforces how we feel.
https://www.brainline.org/treatment-hub/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-cbt
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you to think differently about your experiences and your relationships, with the goal of making some positive changes in your life. CBT is based on the idea that how we think, how we feel, and how we act are all closely related.
CBT can help you identify and change negative or unhealthy types of thinking. For example, if you are dealing with PTSD, you might have overly negative thoughts about yourself based on guilt from the trauma that occurred. And triggers that remind you of your trauma might cause painful emotions, leading you to avoid triggering situations. Once you become aware that these thoughts are flawed -- that you did the best you could when the trauma occurred -- you can work with a therapist to change your thinking so that you can respond to challenging life situations in a healthier way.
CBT can also be used to help people who have had a traumatic brain injury. Many people with TBI struggle with depression or anxiety, often because of fear of further injury or further loss of functioning. In this situation, someone with a brain injury might be anxious about certain situations that present the possibility of another injury occurring. CBT would help identify this fear and teach healthier ways of thinking. People with brain injuries also sometimes have anger management problems or act more impulsively. This is due to changes in how your brain works after being injured. In these cases, CBT can teach someone ways to recognize when this is becoming a problem and strategies for how to solve it.
I also think, keeping higher oriented goals, or working on a project that requires constant input, gives you a feeling of progression in recovery(it also consumes your thoughts and gives you a directive to return to when feeling hopeless), as you feel so hopeless and nothing you do really matters in recovery. (a diary, financial goal, weight loss goal. any project that requires your attention and shows a progression.)
I think aswell, engaging in intellectual conversation/connections, stimulates neurogenesis in the brain. Any contact that changes your understanding of the universe(Its how we grow as people).
11.)Repetitive action
https://www.flintrehab.com/can-tbi-patients-fully-recove#:~:text=Therefore%2C%20a%20full%20and%20functional,can%20stall%20and%20even%20regress.
Research shows, repetitive actions promote neuroplasticity. Such as walking everyday, or writing down your thoughts in an app on your phone habitually,showing up to 9-5 day job on time everyday, etc. Neuroplasticity isnt brain cell growth, its change in your brain rather. The research on brain injuries Ive conducted, shows brain cell death usually doesn't regenerate, however your brain will rewire overtime to regain fuctionability.
So, can the brain heal itself from brain damage? Yes, absolutely – with the help of neuroplasticity!
"Neuroplasticity allows the brain to create new pathways and strengthen existing ones. This enables healthy parts of the brain to compensate for damaged areas. You can imagine it like this:
When a street or freeway entrance has been blocked along your daily commute, the GPS may suggest an alternative route. This alternative route may be unfamiliar and take longer to navigate, but it will still lead you to your destination. The same concept can be applied to neuroplasticity.
Use it or Lose it: The Importance of Repetition Now, you may be wondering how to activate neuroplasticity after brain injury.
Neuroplasticity is best activated through repetition, or massed practice. The more you practice a certain task, the stronger your neural connections become.
As previously mentioned, the brain adapts to experiences. Therefore, when the brain encounters a certain experience or action repeatedly, that pathway is reinforced and strengthened.
For instance, to improve your ability to walk, you should practice walking in safe environments. Additionally, there are leg exercises that you can do to strengthen your body and assist with mobility.
It’s important to practice impaired skills after a brain injury to prevent loss of function altogether. For instance, if your dominant hand was affected, you may be tempted to use your non-dominant hand instead, especially during mealtimes."
12.)Constant work
One of the things ive learned, is recovering from a head injury is not linear. Youll regress and grow in your recovery. It requires constant attention and effort, as I possibly had several TBIs while also addicted to narcotics, maybe leaving me partially brain damaged.
Around month 10-11 of my sobriety, I went back and relearned all of the basic disciplines. Grammar, social studies, algebra, etc. Everyday, I attempted to spell a paragraph of unfamilar,difficult to spell words or recite the preamble of the constitution,etc.
13.) Collagen peptides,magnesium and trace vitamins(multis),minerals
Collagen
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. Its fiber-like structure is used to make connective tissue. Like the name implies, this type of tissue connects other tissues and is a major component of bone, skin, muscles, tendons, and cartilage.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5950659/
Furthermore, hydrogels can be used as bulk scaffolds to fill in lesions in the CNS that are formed due to tissue damage after traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury in order to provide mechanical support and a favorable microenvironment for axon sprouting and cell infiltration (Zhong and Bellamkonda, 2008; Orive et al., 2009). I
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0142961211013949
These results suggest that the utilization of CG scaffolds can be considered as a potential clinical strategy for tissue regeneration and functional recovery after brain injury.
Magnesium
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6024559/
Restoring the balance of magnesium within patients with depression has been proposed to have anti-depressive effects by protecting brain structures associated with depression by reducing the cascade of cell death caused by excitotoxicity [95,96,97]. Magnesium may also impact depressive symptoms by interacting with the HPA system, as discussed with anxiety disorders [97,98]. As seen in several other neurological disorders, lower magnesium levels have been associated with depression. One recent study reported a negative correlation between dietary intake of magnesium and depression [93].
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5637834/
Magnesium should also be considered as an adjunct for depression, attention deficit disorder, prevention
Magnesium sulfate has been successfully used in agitated depression as far back as 1921 [71]. In fact, rapid recovery of depression has been reported with the use of Mg glycinate or Mg taurinate [72]. There is an inverse correlation in adults between Mg intake and psychiatric states such as anxiety and depression [73]. Magnesium is required as a coenzyme to convert tryptophan to serotonin, a neurotransmitter recognized as a major determinant of mental health and mood. A systematic review suggests that Mg supplementation may prevent depression and may be useful as adjuvant therapy
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physrev.00004.2014
14.)Neuroplasticity/Neurogenesis
Here are various articles on the matter. Its as simple as believing in Neurogenesis, the idea the brain can regrow/heal after an injury/change, gives hope to the hopeless in substance recovery.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/brain-plasticity-in-drug-addiction-burden-and-benefit-2020062620479
https://www.altamirarecovery.com/blog/the-brain-that-heals-itself-neuroplasticity-and-promise-for-addiction-treatment/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6758482/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01657/full
In summary
Just to clarify, a traumatic brain injury is anything that damages/disrupts the brains natural functioning.
TBI is a broad term, I see the terminology "non-traumatic acquired brain injury", as the medical terminology for drug induced brain damage (stroke, hypoxia, neurotoxins, etc), they both are treated similarly. PM if you need help or have suggestions/pointers. Dont expect miracles, the damage is already done, some more than others. The goal is to try to regain as much functionality as possible...This list pertains to a polydrug addiction.

First/Previous/Next
Happy Friday Everybody! Here's the second part of Chapter 3. As always comments and suggestions are more than welcome. Enjoy!
​
The Golden Citadel Chapter 3 Part 2
​
Sooner rather than later, to Mannad's almost inaudible relief, they had made it through the maze of tunnels and reached a hole to the surface. All she needed to do was climb yet again, except instead of a ladder it was a pile of rubble. Far easier in a way, at least this time she wouldn't have to exert herself going straight up. The incline and abundance of handholds was far more forgiving to her than she would have thought, not needing to climb far either as she merely needed to cover the single height of the tunnel before she was standing in the exposed chill of the open air.
Wind and dust blew gently around her whilst she stood and revelled in the exposure.
"Guess you haven't seen the sky in a while" said Shand as they walked up beside Alice.
"Even before I was frozen, my life was labs and orbital stations" she replied. "I’ve seen plenty of skies. Just rarely from the ground."
"I can’t imagine growing up without a sky. But we don’t have green anymore. Not like this planet. In our capital the only nature remaining are isolated to the parks. Instead, skyscrapers go as far as the eye can see with the occasional spacescraper reaching up like giant fingers of the Empress grasping the void. Hell, from my living hab alone you can see the dawn sun rise above the peaks of the spires, the way the light strikes and reflects off the glass…" Shand trailed off.
They stood there in silence, each lost in their respective memories.
Alice broke the shared silence between them “I tried asking earlier but you were cut off. So tell me, please, just how long was I asleep for?”
Shand seemed to shift awkwardly, as if she had been dreading the question. “I'm sorry, I don’t know for sure. Hundreds of orbits at least. Maybe a thousand. There’s something else as well”
Alice looked at her, wondering what more there could possibly be.
Shand continued “Since you woke up you seemed to have been under the impression we’re fellow survivors of… whatever happened. I’m sorry but we’re not. We’re not even from here”
Alice grabbed Shand by the arm in an attempt to get them to look at her “What do you mean you’re not from here?”
“My race are the Leasha. We came to colonise and strip mine the system before detecting your bunker’s faint signal. We barely picked it up, the only reason being we’re far removed from Sovereignty space” Shand informed her.
“Surely you must have picked up something else besides me when you approached? Anything at all” Alice begged.
“When we arrived in orbit we did very thorough scans. Beyond basic plants and lower food chain lifeforms… I’m afraid we didn’t find any signs of civilisation.” the Leasha officer revealed.
Alice let go of the arm she’d been holding like a vice. She turned to get away from the person before
her who wasn’t even human. They had looked human, but she should have known better. Surface appearances in a galaxy with multitudes of races inevitably overlapped.
Shand attempted to comfort her as she stepped back. “Don’t leave this place without a memory, this could be the last time you see the sky of your home”
"It doesn’t matter anymore anyway." Alice said curtly as she wandered away to find a secluded spot, not waiting for an answer or permission. “What good is the sky when everyone’s too dead to see it anymore”
She rushed away with long strides, around the corner of a rockslide that had formed a wall encircling where they had exited the bunker, almost like a guard keeping it safe.
Checking over her shoulder that none of the aliens had followed her, she reached out with her right hand and a holographic menu appeared before her, projected from the chest plate of her suit. She tapped an icon in the upper left and the seal around her helmet popped, releasing a small amount of pressure with a slight hiss. Dismissing the blue light with another wave of her hand, she reached up and lifted her helmet off her head, revelling at the feeling of fresh air on her unnaturally pale face. Her short coal black hair fluttered slightly with the breeze and dust blowing around her.
Alice closed her eyes and basked in the faint rays of the setting sun that had nurtured the Earth for so long. The warmth running across her body like the caress of all those she was leaving behind bidding her farewell.
She opened her red eyes again and looked at what had become of her world. The sight was almost too much to bear and tears threatened to well up.
The once grand city nestled below the mountain range was no longer even a ruin like she had thought she had seen on the camera. For a moment she could picture in her mind's eye how it was in its prime, with the packed walkways between spacescrapers that reached like the fingers of giants towards the edges of the atmosphere. Skies full of the majestic ships flitting about like worker bees tending to their queens. But as much as she could imagine, it was undeniable it was gone forever and the image faded.
Mangled wreckage rusting away to nothing marked the mass grave in front of her. Encroaching vines marred the souls staring back at her. Sightless eyes staring at her from between the shadows. All who had perished in the final moments, helpless before the inevitable fire that had consumed them.
She wished she could have stayed there forever, letting her bones form with the earth. What was one more corpse amongst the untold billions. She wished it hadn’t even happened. That the fathers and mothers and children before her had never suffered the fate that had been inevitable by the end. Mercilessly butchered by those who had sworn to protect them. The anger suffusing her being from earlier threatened to bubble back up again. A scream begged to be bellowed from the depths of her chest to the silent sky, one last howl to ward off the night. Balling her fists, she struggled to contain her primal rage. Instead, she swore a promise to the innumerable souls watching her. Begging her for vengeance so they could finally rest. An innumerable mass listening from beyond the veil for the promise they demanded.
I’ll make them pay. All of them
But just hurting them wasn’t enough. Not to satiate the shades before her.
I’ll make them hurt until the last of them begs for the mercy they never showed us. And then I’ll wipe them out from the face of existence.
Her helmet slammed back on her head, automatically sealing with a small hiss. Deep and long breaths helped to find her composure she needed to maintain in front of the strangers. Earth held nothing for her now. It was a memorial of the past and better left to the guardianship of the dead and damned. She'd miss the sun but at least now she wouldn't be trapped underground or alone.
She moved back towards the awaiting shuttle. The others had extricated themselves from the hole and were milling about while Yurisa appeared to be talking on her radio again with how her head was cocked. Shand was waiting nearby for her to return and walked with her to the strange shuttle. The lines put her in mind of a ray with two too many fins meeting at the tip. As she walked she could almost feel the heat from the burning questions Shand must have been desperate to ask but still managed to hold back.
"Take any seat you like that's free" said Yurisa as she walked past.
The rear of the shuttle was open and the rest of the squad had already boarded the troop compartment inside. Ten seats lined either side of the walls, two being taken up each side around the middle of the sections. Iftan and Mannad were on the right with Doane and Hedi on the left.
Alice was unsure where she should sit, nervous at sitting with beings she didn't know or how they would behave. Most of all she didn't want any pestering questions on the flight out of atmosphere. So she took a seat on the left just on the inside of the doorway, the furthest she could get from anybody else in the cramped vessel. Shand came on behind her and sat next to Doane with the commander taking up the rear and ending up opposite Shand, next to Mannad.
A voice came over a hidden speaker as the boarding ramp began to rise with dull motorised hums.
"Ladies and gentlemen, especially the ladies, we have a short flight back to home base with a slight chance of buffeting, please keep your seatbelts on and any in flight entertainment will be provided to you by our lovely steward"
"Can it Seash!" yelled Iftan.
If the pilot heard him or not over the whine of the engines spooling up Alice didn't know. Instead she turned and looked out of the long window which lined the wall behind her.
The ground gave away without a jolt as they took off into the sky, slowly building up speed as they climbed. The cityscape fell beneath them to slowly be replaced by a horizon of gold and green. She was happy to see green, at least her planet wasn't completely dead and maybe she could return one day.
The golden hues of the sunset sky slowly gave way to pale blues which thinned to the pitch black of space. She couldn't see their destination even if she craned her neck, the shuttle was approaching in a manner where the ship was hidden from view.
Instead, Alice watched the Earth slowly rotating below, the night side as dark as the space surrounding it. It was odd to see none of the city lights she had known so well when growing up in one of the orbital stations as a child. She remembered how she would watch the small glittering patterns like fireflies frozen in the dark. She could even name all the cities just from the patterns alone. But now there were no fireflies, no cities, no lights. The only glittering came from the stars in the void.
Her home was replaced by a large mass of purple metal of an outer hull as the shuttle must have been approaching a docking hanger. Certain enough, the purple hull was replaced just as quickly as it had appeared with dull grey utilitarian metal. As the shuttle turned she could see mighty doors beginning to close behind them, like a giant maw sealing them inside the belly of the beast. The tiny ship settled in position inside the wide empty space and engines whined back down. The boarding ramp opened again as the soldiers began to collect their equipment and disembark onto the far larger vessel.
Alice remained in position, remembering what the commander had said about quarantine. Shand disembarked with a small wave before Commander Yurisa motioned for Alice to follow her.
Disembarking behind the stern woman, Alice spotted two purple beings in long light blue fully sealed uniforms with clear plastic breathing masks affixed to their faces waiting for them.
The similarity to how human they appeared should have startled her, they even appeared to have been anticipating it with tensed stances. After the revelation given to her from Shand, she had been fully prepared for creatures ranging from the completely bizarre to those not so dissimilar to herself, like the wider galactic community she had seen in the education vids growing up. These people comfortably fell into the latter. Two eyes, two ears, mouth, nose and even hair.
If it weren’t for how they were bright purple she would have thought they were human. As she stared the more she noticed. As similar as they were, they were still distinctly alien. Their facial features were slightly too sharp, the eyes a fraction too large and the same colour as their skin, the mouths smiling wider than a human could. The effect was disconcerting, like they didn’t mean the expressions they were pulling. And their ears were pointed. Almost like elves of fantasy crossed with bats. A thin waxy sheen formed a layer on top of it all, like a second skin. As she studied the features of these people, she noticed how the sheen was attached to the masks they wore. Which meant that it wasn’t part of their anatomy after all, but rather a way to form a physical barrier not unlike a hazmat suit.
“These are the medical staff who will be performing the scan, please follow them to the quarantine room” said Yurisa.
The kindly smiling aliens waited patiently for Alice to overcome her initial shock at the sight of what her rescuers actually looked like beneath all the heavy armour. She looked at Yurisa. The commander must look similar to them beneath that helmet she realised. Shand too. And the others.
Perhaps it was the way they had seemed so unguarded around her and the full body coverings creating an illusion within her mind, but it only now hit her that her rescuers were truly alien.
Seeing that she still wasn’t moving, one of the kindly aliens took her gently by the arm and began directing her towards a door opposite the exit ramp of the shuttle. Her steps fumbled across the unfamiliar metal floor of the hanger.
As she was led off, Alice turned her head back in time to see the commander remove her helmet, revealing her own light purple skin. A small smile was also on her face, although not as large as the ones the medical personnel sported. Yurisa’s piercing and equally purple eyes gazed back at her, somehow looking into her own, past the glass faceplate.
A slight chime and smooth whoosh of the door admitted Alice into the quarantine room. The alien let go of her arm, allowing her to step inside. Another chime and whoosh of the door closing and the Commander’s gaze was cut off, replaced by a plate of glossy glass and metal. Looking at her new surroundings Alice saw the room was made from the same dull grey metal of the hanger. Perhaps the entire ship followed this pattern. It would be exciting to find out, not to mention meet the rest of the crew. A cushioned bench jutted from the wall to her right which Alice sat down on. There was nothing to do but wait for the scans and think.
Thoughts she had forced to the side in the moment began to catch up with her now she had time to pause. The first moment of peace after the completely overwhelming past few hours. Alice bent over, hiding her head in her arms from any cameras that would definitely be watching her. Rage and sadness battled for domination in her mind. Which would come out the victor only time would tell.

This post is part of a series of reviews. To see them all, click here.

Character Information

• Actor: Caroline John
• Tenure (as a regular character): S07E01-25 (25 total episodes, 4 total stories)
• Doctor: 3rd (Jon Pertwee)
• UNIT: The Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney), Sgt. Benton (S07E16-25)

Retrospective

When Caroline John got the role of Elizabeth Shaw, brilliant scientist recruited by UNIT, she decided she needed to learn the meanings of a lot of scientific words and phrases. After all, if she was going to play the part surely she should learn the vocabulary. Naturally, she was sorely disappointed when she realized that she wasn't going to get the chance to use most of what she'd learned.
There are two reasons for this. The first is obvious: Doctor Who is the softest of soft science fiction. The science that goes into it can reasonably be described as "the bare minimum". Preparing for such a show by learning a bunch of scientific terms is a bit like preparing for a trip to Seattle by packing all of your post-apocalyptic survival gear. But the second reason is that Liz spends much of her time on Doctor Who being overshadowed by the Doctor.
Liz is a Scientist. Not in the real world sense, no Liz is the same kind of scientist that the Doctor is – a Scientist with a capital "S". By that I mean that she appears to by an expert in every single scientific field imaginable. In case you weren't aware, real scientists don't do that. But you see the issue is that Liz looks a lot less special than she actually is because she's paired for most of her lone season with the Doctor.
It's worth comparing this to Zoe, since she worked so well. Zoe, like Liz is highly, though maybe not unrealistically, intelligent, and like Liz that intelligence is presented as the primary thing she brings to the table. But see, we have a new Doctor on the show. Patrick Troughton's 2nd Doctor often liked to play the fool, to the extent to sometimes he would actually be foolish, which allowed the counterplay to be Zoe showing him up from time to time. Meanwhile, the 3rd Doctor is a much more serious character. Based on how Jon Pertwee plays the Doctor, it never makes sense for Liz to outshine him in her areas of expertise, often leaving her with a lack of things to do. I think it says something that arguably her time to shine is when she gets kidnapped by the villains of The Ambassadors of Death because sure, she's been captured, but she's actually of value to villains for her scientific knowledge.
All of this is frustrating because it started so well. Her first scene is the scene that reintroduces the Brigadier and UNIT, and she plays off of the Brig quite nicely. Liz has a sardonic quality that plays off of the Brigadier's serious soldier brilliantly. Like the Doctor she doesn't exactly want to be at UNIT, but as the season progresses we see that unlike him she doesn't quite want to leave either. Instead she sees the value in UNIT and the work they do, but still chafes at being constrained by military rules and values. That tension is something that could have been very effective as a sort of more subtle version of the natural conflict between the Doctor and the Brig.
But, like with Liz's scientific pedigree, that potential conflict is overshadowed by the Doctor and the Brigadier's version. And look, I actually like Liz a lot, that's why I'm so critical of her tenure. Because it feels like she never quite finds a spot to fit into the show. And that leads to the obvious question:
Was this inevitable? Was Liz always going to be overshadowed by the Doctor, or could she have succeeded with a different approach to her character? In other words, was Liz poorly suited for the show she was created for? I've already argued that a companion was unsuited for Doctor Who when I talked about Victoria. But no, I can imagine a world where Liz could have worked. There were hints of it throughout the season. I've already mentioned the period where she was kidnapped in Ambassadors of Death. There's also the period before the Doctor fully joins UNIT in Spearhead from Space, and to a lesser extent her taking care of the Doctor when he returns from the alternate universe in Inferno. These represent flashes of what Liz could have done for the show – essentially to be the Doctor while the Doctor wasn't around to do the science.
As you can imagine, I wish they'd kept her around longer.
Liz was a creation of Derrick Sherwin's. Then Sherwin unexpectedly left Doctor Who after Spearhead from Space to work on the Paul Temple TV series with fellow former Doctor Who producer Peter Bryant. And so the producer's job moved over to Barry Letts. And Letts wasn't a fan of Liz. He felt that she wasn't able to perform the role of audience surrogate, because of her scientific knowledge.
Personally, I think that's silly. The whole concept of Doctor Who needing at least one companion to be an audience surrogate is overblown honestly. Jamie and Zoe were a great companion duo, and neither of them were really audience surrogate types. Regardless, Letts fired Caroline John at the end of Season 7. Caroline John believed, incorrectly, for years that she had been fired due to her acting, but no, Letts just didn't like the character.
For whatever it's worth, Caroline John was likely to leave anyway. By the tail end of filming for Season 7 she had become pregnant (with future one-off Master Geoffrey Beevers' baby) and would likely have had to leave the show. While she wasn't showing, when the production team found out, they did choose to shoot around her parts in Inferno to avoid having her do anything to strenuous (which apparently included showing her shoot a gun for some reason). The decision to fire Caroline John occurred before the production team knew of her pregnancy, so it didn't enter into the decision by the way.
Liz could have been great. Given the time, I suspect she would have been. But unfortunately she was never quite given the chance to shine.

Key Story

Just one key story for Liz, as she was around for such a short period of time
Spearhead from Space: As Liz is introduced we get a sense of how she would likely interact with the Brig and she gets the chance to do some science early on. The Doctor tricking Liz into facilitating his (failed) escape from Earth allows us to see her be both trusting and a bit hurt, and she even gets a pretty significant role in the climax of the story, the only time that happens in her tenure.
Next Time: The Autons are back…and someone new is joining them.

I don't think I have OCD, but i know i have a problem that people with OCD probably know how to fix.
So basically, this has been me for the total amount of time I've been allowed to drink out of glass cups (i'm 15, so i was a child recently, and hence not allowed glass cups). Plastic cups have fun little designs, so I never really struggled with those. But glass cups all look the same and its driving me crazy.
I get a cup out, drink from it, leave it somewhere, go back to it, and completely freak out about, what if someone drunk out of it, what if its not even my cup, what if its poisoned etc etc. No biggie, i grab another cup, fill it with water, leave it in a special place so i can know it is mine, but when i come back i still cannot drink from it. I've tried just ignoring the thoughts but the water always tastes terrible even if its only been a couple minutes. Sometimes ill even set out a glass for a meal and then be unable to drink from it once i put my food down because i got up so it must be contaminated.
Nobody in my family drinks out of the glass cups, they all drink sparkling water, so they are fed up with this. There will be like 20 cups in the wash at the end of the day and they're all mine. So what do i do? And, no, i can't set it nearer to me so i can watch it. Basically all surfaces that aren't in the kitchen i cannot set my drink on. Maybe i should just hold it? or maybe stop drinking water?

Little background on my bartending experience before going into the conundrum at hand — picking between 2 bartending gigs.
I used to work at this local Japanese spot in a smaller city, and hosts there also needed to bartend for server’s tickets, or the servers would come behind the bar and make their own drinks. It was never just, like, a solo bartender behind the bar. It was always a host who bartends or server who bartends, and, well, I was both a host and server. I was always quick on my feet since this place was always understaffed, and yeah, I’d make drinks. But also, just to be upfront, it was a real rundown place so a lot of it was just simple 2-ingredient cocktails, literally liquor and mixer. That’s it. Then I continued to serve in a bigger city. I’ve served at high-volume restaurants with a pretty mid bar program that’s made for high-volume. I’ve served as a cocktail server at a craft bar with more of a high-end bar program. You get the gist. The background base knowledge is there, but nowhere near in-depth.
Anyhow, now I am fully bartending at a casual hotel bar. Not a huge or even a stellar bar program — but it does the job. I’ve been practicing my free pours, and pouring with jiggers. I’ve gotten fairly accurate. I am not really happy with the bar program here, or the management. To exemplify… I’ve had to do runs to the liquor store because management forgets to order liquors and mixers and cordials, pretty much every week. They also had me make up my own menus because they never have the liquors required for the corporate menu. They would supply me with 10 glasses at a time. I told them we’ve been out of flute glasses since March, & up to now we still don’t have any.
Sooo, with all the lack of support from management, I decided to shoot my shot and I applied to tons of other hotel bars and craft bars in my area. Long story short, I landed it in two different hotel bars.
First, is a hotel bar AND full-fledged restaurant. Amazing bar program. Top of the top. Nebbiolo, blabla, you get the gist. $75 entrees. Huuuuge space for a hotel restaurant. They also told me they marketed towards locals and tourists that may not even be staying at the hotel — and I could tell. Felt like a stand-alone restaurant, really. Their offer is 7.50 per hour in a 2.15 state, and I asked for part-time, which they said they can work out 3-4 breakfast/lunch shifts at either their lounge bar downstairs, or pool bar upstairs. If I wanted to do full-time, they said they can work that out as well.
Listing my concerns here: intimidating bar program (it’s a biiiig huuuge selection of bourbons, some wines I’ve never tried nor heard of, everything is done with jiggers and I’m working on that but still scary, I feel like I’m too slow but I know that jiggers are better, I just gotta get used to it), less hourly compensation (super important for a hotel bar, since sometimes the volume is pretty low compared to a restaurant, however like I said this place looks promising in terms of guest volume)
Listing my pros here: intimidating material but it would push me, definitely know that even if I make less hourly, I’d make more in tips, there’s table service from actual servers so they tip out the bar
Second, is another hotel, with a very intimate lounge bar downstairs, and an open rooftop bar on their top floor. It’s a much smaller hotel room count — about 50 suites compared to the 300 rooms at the first hotel — but the price point of each suite is similar to the first hotel. So… ranges of 300-400 slow season, 700-800 busy season. Same type of higher-end clientele. Their bar program is pretty solid for a very new hotel too. Their offer is 12.00 per hour, and I asked for part-time/full-time, they said part time would be about 2-3 nights, full time would be 4-5 nights, either rooftop or lounge.
Listing my concerns here: lower guest volume (director mentioned that they’re not focused on marketing to locals or other tourists, they’re definitely focusing on the hotel’s clientele), smaller food menu so less chance of a big check
Listing my pros here: lower guest volume may enable me to master accuracy over speed first, which I think is much more important to learn before going fast, smaller food menu would encourage a focus on alcohol with guests, it’d also enable me to learn more about wines and spirits (their wine selection is pretty good too, lots of old world wines there), seems like from what the director mentioned, all their new bartender hires (they just opened their bars) are entry-level, and I have more experience than most of them, which is a little bit less intimidating than the first hotel.
Sorry for the word vomit. But from experienced bartenders, I would really love some guidance as a newbie. Heeeeelp. Which one should I take?

My teen has two MRIs within the next week. We couldn't find anyone who had glass jewelry, so we got plastic retainers and tried them today. They are a smaller gauge than their current jewelry (vertical lip piercing...angle fangs), and now they can't get their original jewelry back in. Are there any tricks to get the original jewelry back in? Or do we need to go back to the piercer?.
Piercings are well healed, 8 months old. Labret. Internally threaded. Titanium. Aftercare is clean daily with saline from the piercing studio.

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/wXJrsxV
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