So yeah, fuck satanic panic. It's bullshit.

(I cannot stress enough how grateful I am for my employer's EAP service that, years later, allowed me to specifically request a counsellor who was familiar with D&D. That counsellor was an angel, and her understanding of the dynamics of D&D really helped her help me through a very difficult time.)

...but it became apparent pretty quickly that the counsellor I spoke to also had no idea what D&D was, and had some negative notions about it that really made it difficult to connect on how this was affecting me and why.

Another experience was when my relationship, and hence that D&D group/campaign, fell spectacularly to pieces and I landed in one of the worst depressions of my life. I sought support via my university's counselling service...

It took me a few minutes to realise she meant "games where you raise Satan from hell so he can infuse you with freaky sex puppet energy and persuade you to murder all your friends and family and then unalive yourself".

Which, like, she already believed I was Satan so idk why it made any difference.

I looked her full in the face and said, "Yeah? What sort of game is it, Mum? Is it a:

- Card game?
- Board game?
- Roleplaying game?
- Computer game?
- Parlor game?
- Miniatures game?
- Strategy game?
- ...

Hmm?"

She spluttered, words totally lost.

I walked out and slammed the door behind me.

For example, one afternoon when I was leaving the house to head to my then-boyfriend's place to play D&D, and my mother walked in as I was putting on my shoes and told me to stop playing D&D because: "I don't like you playing that sort of game!"

"This year's celebration was sponsored by Green Giant"??? What does that mean??

I was able to get the shingles vax despite being in my 30s due to another medical condition - no doubt you've already checked with your doctor but if not, it may be worth asking them if you're eligible.