Better Places

The illustrated (mis)adventures of Dr. Lauren Derricks as she attempts to heal the bodies and SOULs of every tiny monster who makes their way to her establishment! Here you will find hope among the recovering patients of the Better Places Ebott Bitty Rehabilitation and Therapy Center, as well as in the SOULs of Lauren's own Bitty companions. Stop by for a visit and send in some inquiries if you'd like! Find more info in the tabs! <3

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

I’m so sorry it’s been a while, everyone!!

But, hey... I’ve been making a lot of progress with Bing.

We introduced him to cherries the other day. You can probably guess how well that went, lol.

He’s a very sweet little guy! Anxious, but sweet. With any luck he’s getting used to things around here.

Look at his face!! Cutie. <3

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

Hello! I just adopted a pair of bitty brothers, and all three of us are having a blast! I'm their first home and I was wondering if there was anything I should keep an eye out for? They're a pair of classic Sans and Papy bitties and I heard that Sansy types can be prone to low moods and Papy types can have self-esteem issues? Is this something I need to watch for or does that not happen often?

Oh wow, that's great news!! I'm glad they're adjusting well and you're all having a good time! :)

Honestly, that's all pretty true. Sansy types can tend toward a little bit of depression at times, but often just having a good home, being happy and healthy, can head that off. If for some reason yours is prone to developing it, you just need to be on the lookout for those depression symptoms; although they vary, they can include an increase in sleep, changes in appetite, loss of interest in favorite hobbies, low motivation for anything, and just general behavior changes.

Papy types are usually pretty confident outwardly, but same as with Sansy types, self-esteem issues can happen. Sudden behavior changes are a big sign, as is the urge to be overly helpful or shying away from others. Receiving lots of praise can help prevent those issues from developing, though sometimes they do anyway because brains are weird, you know?

So, those things usually are more the exception than the rule. It's like certain dog breeds or certain ethnicities being genetically predisposed to certain conditions. Not a guarantee, but a risk factor.

By all means if you notice any of these signs in your little guys, book them for a checkup!! You can never be too safe, and unless they have mental issues surrounding doctors, it's not going to hurt.

But on the whole, if they seem to be doing okay, you probably don't have much to worry about with them. They sound like they're pretty happy and healthy right now and you're giving them a good home. It's just something to keep in mind if you happen to notice those kinds of symptoms.

I wish you guys all the best!! 💚

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

I’ve mentioned him a few times, so here’s a picture: this is my assistant, Jamal!

He’s someone I recently brought on board after realizing I couldn’t do things all by myself, haha. It’s been hard  to accept, but Jamal is really helping me out.

He was one of the first humans to work in the field of monster/magic medicine, which is really cool! He’s got tons of experience, being like... what, 30 years older than me or something like that? So he’s gonna be able to give me insight on how to best treat any physical ailments or injuries that might happen to come up. This is a rehab facility in addition to therapy, so his help with that stuff is gonna be invaluable.

I’m a little jealous... Moony let Jamal hold him for a few minutes!! He’s gonna be a great influence for the Center, though, so I can’t be too upset, lol. 😆

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

I read in a previous post that Edgies chew and it's normal, but do they usually chew their humans? Mine has plenty of other things to chew but I don't mind him nibbling on me as long as he doesn't break the skin. I wasn't sure if this was normal or not

Yes, Edgies chew!! Like. Often quite a bit. They got them teeth. XD

As for whether or not they chew on their humans... well, they can. If you’ve ever seen the fingers of someone who regularly interacts with an Edgy, they might have several Band-Aids. I know a couple of people who have Edgies and their hands get nommed on mercilessly, haha.

I’d say that if it’s not a new behavior, like he’s been doing this for a while now, it’s probably normal. Most Edgies tend to break skin especially at first because they’re... testing the waters, I guess, on what a human will let them do? And usually once they’ve gotten comfy with a human, they sometimes keep chewing on them, both as a form of affection and because they want/need something ‘safe’ to chew on.

As long as you’re okay with it, it’s likely he chooses to chew on you because he loves you and knows you don’t mind it. Unless it escalates into hurting you or he does it even when you ask him not to, it’s probably all good. 😊

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

Hi there! Sorry I dropped off the face of the earth, but I'm the one who reached out to you about how my Boss had been nervous about going out in public. Well, I think we got a handle on what was up! He was having issues with being in crowds or getting on the bus because he was afraid of someone running into us or the bus stopping suddenly, and one or both of us ending up hurt. He was scared that he wouldn't be able to help. He's so much better now, and is fine with being on buses again!

Hey, it’s all good! Things have been bananas over here, so I’ve been busy haha.

Aw, I’m so glad to hear you guys were able to figure out what was going on and work out a solution! That makes a lot of sense, Boss Bitties especially tend to be a little overprotective where their companions are concerned, and prone to anxieties like that. So it’s not surprising at all that’s something he was worried about.

Good to hear he’s doing better! Keep me posted if anything else ever goes on with him, yeah? 💚

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

I don't think my brother would agree to let you come over... He recently told ME not to come over because "you know it upsets Bruiser." Translation, the bitty will hurt me more if you try to intervene. I'd say your best option would be a surprise visit, honestly-- that limits the amount of damage that can be done before there's an opportunity to help. I can go with you, if you want; you can handle the bitty side of things, but someone's gotta look after my little brother. I know he doesn't want to "quit" on his rescue, but it's getting too extreme to ignore.

Yikes, this definitely sounds like a bad situation. That’s probably one of the biggest red flags that screams abuse to me.

Okay, well, sometimes the help does have be a surprise, unfortunately... at least this way, neither of them will be able to plan for everything to look ‘normal’ or for the Bitty to be on his ‘best behavior’.

I’m in agreement that your brother is pretty much the person in the most danger here. This doesn’t sound like a healthy relationship between someone and their Bitty. It sucks, because if the Bitty really is a rescue, he’s probably been through some bad stuff too, but... that doesn’t give him an excuse to hurt the person who took him in. And I’m sad to say your brother probably underestimated the amount of work rescues take, especially if they’ve been through bad situations. As much as I wish loving someone would solve all their problems, it usually doesn’t. 😔

So, yeah, a surprise visit sounds like the best plan going forward. Just let me know when you’re ready to do it, okay? My assistant Jamal can take care of stuff while I’m out, so I have no problems going at a moment’s notice.

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

I'm a little worried about my brother's bitty. He has a soft heart and took in a rescue Edgy because it had been there the longest, but now the bitty seems to be actively abusing him. I went to visit and my brother is covered in bite marks and flinches whenever the bitty speaks, and a lot of his possessions seem to have been torn apart. He made me leave pretty quickly because the bitty began growling nonstop and I swear I hear it say "make the bitch leave." Essentially I'm scared that my bro is being abused by his bitty because he doesn't want to admit it's not working and doesn't want to "give up." What's the appropriate plan here? I'm this close to calling the cops for a welfare check.

Yikes... yeah, you're definitely right to be worried.

A lot of people think Bitties can't be abusive or can't do damage because they're small, but some of them are seriously determined. Just because they're little doesn't mean they can't hurt, like a small dog who's prone to biting and stuff like that. The big difference is that most of the time, unlike an animal, a Bitty knows what they're doing.

Edgy Bitties are... I don't wanna say they're more likely to be abusive than others, but they tend to be the more aggressive types. Aggressive Bitties can easily channel that into actual abuse.

The fact is that Edgy Bitties are definitely biters. However, they usually bite or nibble on fingers, and most of the time it's no worse than a paper cut. It's a big reason I recommend chewies for Edgy Bitties so they're biting something that isn't somebody else. For one to be biting their companion all over, frequently, and enough that their companion is scared of them, that's not normal.

You're not wrong to consider the police, but... even though things are changing, they might not understand how to handle this.

Is there any chance your brother would let me come over and check things out? It does sound like something needs to change, and I'm not gonna let either of them scare me off if I think something's wrong.

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

Thanks a bunch, I'll look into that post! My new sf!Pap (he told me his name is Blush) is settling in and he's even started exploring a little. I came to you mostly because I've never had a bitty before, so I have no idea how to look after one! But I love him and he's got a forever home with me! -- 🐌 snail the sf!Pap anon

Aw, Blush; that's really cute! I hope he continues to settle in and feel safe and comfortable in his new home.

Thank you for coming to me! It's true I haven't been running this place for too long, coming up on my second year here at Better Places, but I like to think I have a good amount of knowledge on how stuff like this works. It means a lot that you trust me!

If you ever need any info or advice, please just let me know, okay? That's what I'm here for and I'd love to help you make life for your new companion the best it can be! 💚

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

I found a bitty out at the park. I think his old family left him there because he was living in a little plastic box. He refuses to let me go and he will run after me if I get up to get something and don't take him with me--even if it's from the other side of the same room! I think he's a sf!Papyrus type? He's such a sweetie but I need advice on how to better take care of him.

Oh, my! That's similar to the way I found Moony...

SF Papyrus... that would be kind of like a mashup between a L'il Bro and a Boss? Interesting, I don't hear of many of these guys!

How long have you had him? Sometimes the separation anxiety with Bitties in a new environment is temporary and stops after a few weeks or months once they settle in.

There's also some advice you might find useful in a post I have from a couple weeks ago, someone who was having similar problems with a Sansy they adopted! You might be able to find something potentially useful there if you wanna have a look, I talk about possible techniques for separation anxiety there. https://thebittyrecoveryjournals.tumblr.com/post/651529174023028736/i-have-a-few-bitties-in-my-home-and-theyre-my

Have you asked him about this, or is he not opening up to you much yet? I know it sucks when someone is so obviously scared and anxious but doesn't want to talk about it.

If you're able to, I'd love to have more information if you can answer my questions! The more detail I have, the better advice I can give you. :)

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

Hello again, sorry I took so long to respond. Boss says he's ok with a meeting! How do we set this up?

Hey, no worries! Life happens. :)

Well... I don't know when you're available, but I can tell you when I have openings! Tuesday and Thursday are all completely clear if you want a morning appointment, but I also have some open slots in the afternoon tomorrow, Wednesday, and Friday.

I do have my own patients as live-ins, so I might be just a few minutes late for appointments if something with one of them comes up. I'll do my best not to keep you waiting too long, though!

Right now all my appointments are virtual through this website just because it's usually easier, haha. So you just have to bring him along and have him talk to me as well!

Just let me know what day and time works best for you, okay? I'm looking forward to meeting you guys!

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

(Happy belated birthday!!) I've asked Boss about it, but he sort of, I don't know, avoids the whole topic? He has said that he doesn't enjoy crowded places, but that was even before all this started. :( I don't like crowds either, but I don't growl if someone gets too close! Other than this behavior, Boss is a big sweetheart and a total softy!

Aww... that's so nice that he's such a sweetheart!

I'll admit it's a pretty weird case and it's got me scratching my head a little! My only possibility at this point is that it's an atypical presentation of social anxiety disorder... but there's still a part of me that feels like that isn't the whole story.

Would you be at all able to bring him in for an appointment with me, if you're okay with me seeing him? I'd honestly love to get a more hands-on session with him if he's comfortable with it. That, I think, might help me get a better idea of what might be going on. :)

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

Yes, Boss does like to meet with my friends and neighbors! He is a little bit of a show off hehe! But...he prefers that they visit us instead of the other way round. He doesn't seem anxious per se but...he does seem really moody when we have to go out into town, and he won't stay at home if I go. He's ok with trips to the park or out to a hiking trail, but not with going into town. As for that friend? They were just bitter and unpleasant.

Aww, he sounds like such a darling, haha!

Hmm, so it doesn't really sound like it has anything to do with your friend..

I'm wondering if maybe he has some kind of problem with crowds around you? It could be like a form of social anxiety, because social anxiety isn't always limited to just anxiety; it can also include aggressive behaviors. The fight or flight instinct gets triggered, and if they can't flee from the situation, they fight.

That said, it's still a little weird that, if it's social anxiety, it's focused on you rather than on himself.

Have you talked to him at all about this, or why he feels the need to be protective of you all of a sudden? Sometimes insight straight from the source is more helpful than any clues I can dig up, if he's willing to talk to you about it. :)

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

I'm the anon with the Boss Bitty! Umm, I don't THINK he's hit his head and he's eating and sleeping just fine. He has been a little moody but only if we're out in public. The only thing that's happened to ME is going no-contact with a former friend. Oh and he doesn't mind my older neighbors or my remaining 2 friends. He's normal around them too.

Good, that's all perfectly normal, then...

So, let me ask, and feel free to decline answering if this is too personal, but-

This former friend of yours, did they ever display any abusive or toxic behavior to you? If he witnessed that kind of thing, it's possible he became convinced that everyone except for your neighbors and other two friends might hurt you. It's a bit of a stretch given that he's still okay around them, but he might be turning overprotective and aggressive out of fear because someone hurt you.

Hmm. (That is kind of a stretch, so I'm not sure I'm too confident in that theory of mine...)

Does he seem okay leaving the house to visit your neighbors and friends, and it's just in public with strangers that he gets moody? Or does he seem anxious about leaving the house at all? Part of me is thinking it's possibly agoraphobia, but not if he's fine leaving to visit some people.

Alternatively... this new aggression and possessiveness might be due to a different phobia, a fear of loss, or more specifically a fear of losing you. Obviously most people are afraid of losing someone they love, but potentially something could have triggered him into an actual clinical phobia.

I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm playing detective! I kind of am, haha; sometimes the smallest clue can make things click into place!

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

This might not related to any bitty therapy in particular.... From what I gathered, you believe Bitties to be sentient. The whole Regular Monster but Small thing. If so, don't you think it's illegal to put them on sale (or 'adoption' center)? I'm planning to revolutionize the 'bitty' society and just called them Monster, cause bitty sale is just slavery sugar coated in cutesy fake wholesome façade. Are you in?

Yes, Bitties are definitely sentient and sapient, I've learned from firsthand experience! They really are just tiny monsters.

On one hand, I do agree that a lot of the whole industry and trade is corrupted, especially the places that have them for sale outright. The adoption centers are actually a bit better to me, because they're usually not in it for the money and they tend to have Bitties' best interests at heart most of the time, kind of like a cross between a pet shelter and an adoption agency.

On the other hand, I think that because humans (and other monsters, actually) breeding Bitties for so long has made it difficult to untangle things in a big way. Humans and bigger monsters have been breeding these little guys for a long time, to the point where a big chunk of them are bred to want to be companions to humans; which, in turn, makes it hard for them to accept that they don't have to be, in a lot of cases. That in particular is going to take a lot of work to undo. It's not impossible, but it won't be easy or instant.

There are differences between larger monsters and Bitties, not just size, and they're mostly the result of breeding, but also some of them just have this natural instinct to seek out human companionship. I don't think the name needs to be entirely done away with, because it's a descriptor, sort of like you'd describe any other monster by their attributes like 'skeleton monster' or 'fire monster'. Though it certainly would be a nice step to add it for something like 'Bitty monster', maybe? I usually just use Bitty because it's a good shorthand that most people recognize.

Definitely agree with most of what you're saying, of course! Bitties being sold in pet stores and stuff has never sat well with me, so I think it's a good first step to be trying to get laws passed that keep them out of the pet trade. Some of them do like being treated as pets, but it really shouldn't be the default. Thankfully, there are a lot of laws now being put into effect that realize Bitties are more people than pets, so hopefully that will ban them from being sold in pet stores.

Adoption centers do a lot of good, though. My center is actually sort of an adoption center in that once I feel that a Bitty is ready to be released from regular therapy sessions, I do house them here until someone adopts them. Like I said, adoption centers for Bitty monsters are like a cross between foster care and an adoption agency, looking after these guys and facilitating adoptions. Based on my personal experience, most Bitties who get adopted out from an adoption center go to good homes which meet their personal needs and wants.

Some of them aren't great, but then the issue is holding them all the same standards we hold foster care and human adoption agencies, performing regular inspections to make sure they're meeting those standards, and having consequences for the bad centers. Sometimes these places are the only options for some Bitties, so I don't think this kind of resource should just be taken away completely. Reform is always good, though!

Above all I really think it's important to respect whatever the Bitties want. Some of them do want to be pets, and some of them don't. They need to be heard and listened to and have their wishes respected, whatever those wishes might be. Just like some humans might prefer to have lots of roommates, and some might prefer to not have any, they need to have the choice.

I'm in for a lot of this! Though I do want to make it clear that I don't think excessive violence is the way to do it, so I hope that isn't in your plan! Some violence can serve its purpose, but it needs to be balanced with peace.

On the whole, count me in for lots of negotiation and protests! Most of the pet stores near me have already banned the sale of Bitties in their stores... so, while change is slow at the moment, it certainly is happening. Anything constructive I can do to speed it along, put me down for!

(... As long as it doesn't interfere with Blueberry's bedtime story. 💙)

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

Maybe you can help me? My little Boss Bitty hasn't been doing well. He's relaxed with me but very recently he's been showing aggression towards other people. Never other Bitties though! Just people. It's making me worry. He's never been abused and he's got a happy home here! This just started a couple months ago when he yelled at someone who put their hand on me by mistake when the bus we were on had to brake suddenly.

Oh, yikes... yeah, that does sound like something to be concerned about.

I'll do my best to figure it out, though! We'll get the bottom of it one way or another.

Some Bosses can be like that because they often have a bit of a possessive streak in them, but this is recent, so it's probably not just a facet of his personality. Sudden changes in personality like this are definitely a reason to worry.

So, let me ask a few questions here. Are there any other behavioral changes you've noticed alongside the aggression? Any changes in sleeping habits, appetite, energy level? Any mood swings, increased or new anxiety, withdrawing from others?

And has anything happened to you recently that might have seemed scary to him; like an argument with a friend or family member, even if it wasn't necessarily physical, or something like that? Sometimes that kind of thing can make a Bitty think other humans are a potential 'threat' to their human companion and they can get aggressive around any other humans.

(It's also possible that the incident on the bus was what kickstarted this, too, since the other person's touch might have looked like a lot of force to him.)

And, I assume he hasn't had any recent head trauma - like falling and bumping his head or anything like that? Just to rule this out, since often even a small head injury can mess some things up in the brain and lead to personality changes.

Let me know and we can hopefully get this sorted out!

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

Yes thank you so much for your response! Papy moves around just fine. He's been checked before and he was found to be perfectly healthy! It was a relief! I was just a little concerned because someone commented on how "lazy" he was while her Papy couldn't sit still. He has all the personality, but he doesn't just go go go like the others.

That's good, it means it's definitely not chronic pain! And if the doctor was worth their title they would also do a subtle check for mental health issues during a wellness visit, so that can probably be ruled out too.

Unless he starts displaying any kind of new behaviors or anything, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Especially since you said this is the way he's always been, some Bitties are just in total defiance of their type, lol. I've seen Edgys who will just melt in your hand and super energetic L'il Bros, so I mean, nothing is ever a set rule, just like with people!

It's almost certain that he's totally happy and healthy and he's just... Like That, you know? Haha. As long as you don't notice anything new going on that's different from his usual personality, he's probably doing fine. Unless he suddenly goes unresponsive, being lazy isn't anything to worry about; people think lazy is a bad thing, but it's all relative! If it's normal for him, then it's normal.

At any rate, he sounds like a sweetheart! I'm glad he seems to be doing well. :)

[thebittyrecoveryjournals]

I have a Papyrus bitty and he's not as energetic as his fellows. He actually prefers staying home with his Sansy brother, helping me garden and playing with my cat. He'll ride on my shoulder during walks, but he usually ends up in my hood. I've never heard of a Papyrus bitty being so calm and unbothered. He is just as positive and chipper as the other Papyruses, but he just doesn't move as much and he's always been like this. Should I be worried?

Hey, thanks for asking! He's a classic Papyrus, Papy-type?

I mean... it's possible that there's cause for concern with him, but if it's the way he's always been, it might just be his personality. Even though Papy Bitties are known for being over-the-top and energetic, it's not a hard and fast rule. (The main one I knew as a kid, Boots, was very mellow and shy, though in that case it was due to abuse.)

You said he likes to garden and play with the cats, so, does he seem to be able to move okay when he does choose to move? Sometimes a lack of movement, especially certain kinds of movement, can indicate pain, either because a part of the body has been injured or because of an underlying condition. If it were that, it would probably be some kind of chronic pain since you say he's always been like this.

But if he's able to move just fine, doesn't seem to be in pain when he's moving, that likely isn't an issue. If he's generally honest with you and doesn't hide things, you can ask him whether or not he's having any pain.

Clinically depressed individuals also tend to not move much and keep to themselves, and often they mask their depression with cheerful attitudes. There would be other symptoms, though - difficulty getting out of bed and/or excessive sleeping, struggles with personal hygiene, lack of appetite. It's also an ongoing, chronic illness in most cases, so it has the potential to have been affecting him since before you two met.

When it comes down to it, the fact that you're asking about this means you probably are a little worried about him already. (Which is good, because it's healthy to be concerned about the people we care for!)

My professional opinion is this, though: it's unlikely there's anything to be seriously worried about if none of this is new behavior, because every Bitty is different. But, there are potential reasons for his lack of movement and low energy besides just personality.

Since you seem a bit concerned, I'd honestly recommend bringing him somewhere for a checkup if he hasn't been to the doctor in a while, and let the doctor know about your concerns. This way it's a routine exam to make sure everything's okay, and any good doctor should be able to tell if there's anything more than just a chill personality going on.

I'm more than happy to schedule a checkup for him myself, or I can direct you to some other doctors if you'd prefer! 💚