The Psychology of House of the Dragon - Allicentâs Inner Turmoil - Therapist Reacts!
VloĆŸit
- Äas pĆidĂĄn 29. 08. 2022
- đ„ Get my NEW Nebula Class and ALL Classes for 20% off at nebulaclasses.com/georgiadow
Are you picking your skin? Fidget all the time? Psychotherapist Georgia Dow how dermatillomania affects us using the Alicent Hightower character from "House of the Dragon!"
#hotd #houseofthedragon #alicent
đ SUBSCRIBE czcams.com/users/georgiadow?su...
đ SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL / georgiadow
đš DISCLAIMER: This video series is provided for informational purposes only and should not substitute for a personal consultation with a professional.
đŠ Contact Georgia on Twitter: / georgia_dow
đș Need more help? Georgia co-hosts a self-help video series: www.anxiety-videos.com
đ Visit Georgia's website: www.westmounttherapy.com
Nebula homepage for Georgia!
Video: nebula.app/georgiadow
đ Thanks for watching, see you next video!
đ„ Get my NEW Nebula Class and ALL Classes for 20% off at nebulaclasses.com/georgiadow
Rocking the cosplay and looking gorgeous but I'm too focused on the cute boi you have on your lapđđđ
Thanks = ))
You can say the same thing to someone who twists their hair or pulls it out right?
Will your cute floofer join you in your Nebula Class, too?!
Can I start a petition for the Baby to make as many cameos as possible?!đâ€ïžđ¶
I suffer from anxiety and stress, and depression music help
The moment I saw how Alicent had gnarled up her nails, I realized she wasnât going to be just a plain old pollyanna character.
It was really rich that Otto asked Alicent why she's destroying herself, as if he isn't aware that pimping her out to an old ass man when she's clearly uncomfortable with it, isn't going to adversely affect her. Honestly, I love what they're doing with her character on the show. My favorite scene was definitely the part where she beckoned Rhaenyra into joining her in prayer with a subtle tilt of the head and a smile. It was like pulling a string and the princess just came sailing in lmao. After the end of ep 2, the following episodes are going to be rough.
Asks her to join in pray while buttering up her father.
Sheâs definitely one of the more interesting villains in the GoT universe
Sheâs definitely one of the more interesting villains in the GoT universe
Poor Alicent. She clearly feels so much pressure to do as her father asks even though she's not comfortable with it. I'm sure that her problem won't get any better now that she will marry the King and her best friend feels (understandably) betrayed by it. I noticed that they never show her picking her nails in the scenes with Rhaenyra, so she was clearly comfortable around the princess and now she's lost that. I'm not sure what she should do, as I don't know what healthy ways a highborn lady in Westeros could exercise her stress. As you say, you could put something bitter on her nails but that won't solve the root of the problem, as her stress will still be there.
I feel so bad for Allicent! She doesn't even want to be in this position! And she's still genuinely trying to help the king and princess connect. In the books Allicent is older by like 8 years so my impression of her was completely different. The TV show version is heart breaking
I have read the books as well and I never saw Alicent as straight up villain....Otto is more of a villain but most of GRRM characters are very complex and interesting...none of them is straight up hero or villain , Daemon is also very grey character doing horrible things but still having love for his family , I dont spoil the books but I am just saying that all characters in this story are very complex , I saw a interview with Olivia Cooke and she said that Alicent that show is creating is more grey than Alicent in the books
hmmmm. thats interesting. it would have been cool to see alicent as more of an older sister to an even younger rhaenyra... imo.
idk. i know lots of people are enjoying the show for what it is... but this show is still kind of letting me down in a big way. i just dont feel invested in these characters... i wish i did.
I noticed that she had some self-hate going on. Alicent is in an impossible position. She is burdened by this enormous duty her father put upon her. She is dealing with the grief of losing her mother. She is wed to an older man with gross sores, the only part of him not messed up is the part he uses on her. The scenes where he is just pumping away at her while she just submits is heartbreaking. Rhaenyra constantly complains about her position, never stopping to consider poor Alicent in all of this. She didnât ask for any of it. And nobody cares about what she wants. She has no control over her own life. Iâm feel a lot less sympathetic towards Rhaenyra.
thank you for helping people understand Alicent. she is not a monster or a snake just yet. shes so beautiful, elegant and interesting.
Oh but you don't understand we MuST ONLy LIkE RHaenYra (and Daemon of courseđ).
Alicent can't have the luxury of being a complex and flawed character nono shes just a opportunistic bitch without any kind of depth (as if anyone in this series hasn't their own kind of agendađ)....
jesus readers of GOT as a whole continue to prove themselves so dumb its embarassing.
Im looking forward to see what they will do with Alicent. The seeds for a complex and torn character are there.
thanks for the "just yet"
@@flufwukutarazard1675 i see the fandom already calling her that, thats my point
đźâđši think... hotd is functioning like a social gathering. people dont even have to enjoy sports to go to the events or support a team. i feel like this is similar. because im just thinking how i would have done so much differently already...
Itâs really refreshing for me to see a character doing this as itâs something I have always struggled with. Can it be linked to OCD as thatâs something I struggled with more when I was younger too?
Yes it is linked to ocd in some circumstances. I hope its better for you now
@@GeorgiaDow my ocd is better thanks :) I developed some strategies for my picking. If anyone else is struggling, fake nails work wonders at making the picking much harder to do which means I donât do it as frequently without realising, stops nail biting too.
Itâs weird that they seemed to have switched the finger thing from the book.
In the book itâs noted that Rhaenyra will constantly fiddle with her fingers or compulsively fidget with her many rings when sheâs either stressed, anxious or thinking deeply.
Oh interesting I wonder if they wanted Rhaenyra to be more self assured earlier
If you've seen episode 2, she actually does this. While she's watching Laena with her father, you can see her nervously turning her ring.
no, rhaenyra still fidget with her many rings, you can mostly see it from emma's rhaenyra
@@scorpioj3 but I wrote this when there was only one or two eps out. Emma definitely captures the compulsive fiddling more than Milly did. And after the first 2 eps they never seem to show Alicent picking her fingers again anyway.
For me, it was not my nails, it was my acne and my face. At some point I wouldnât even realise I was always picking at my pimples and my scabs, and people noticing and telling me to stop made it so much worse.... as well as situations of stress and anxiety. Watching Alicent doing that hit really close.
I do the same with my face, until i see Blood, everyday, and i never realise đ€Ł i try to don't touch It, but its impossible becouse i do It without think
My sister has been biting her nails for years, so I've always tried to tell her stop, but it's nice to see there are gentler ways to make them aware. I also try to be supportive when she shows me when small nail growth, but I know I can do better
"You're the most comely girl at court. Why do you destroy yourself?"
A caged bird plucks at its own feathers.
I still bite mine until today, sometimes I 'forget' and it bleeds, and for some reasons, it feels 'better' when it also 'hurts.' Which is weird. When I was smaller, my parents would scold me, but now as an adult I still do it when I'm anxious and the way to 'self-soothe' like you just say. Interesting when I see Alicent, I totally 'understand' why.
Bingo. The pain helps to relieve stress. It's a hormonal thing. Plus a distraction.
It's nice to see a character i can relate to on this issue, and the gentle reminder of her friend to stop when she sees it it instead of shaming her.
The best way to help Alicent in particular would be for her to get away from King's Landing. Her father making her do all these things that she never wanted to do is what's causing her stress. And also because of her father she loses the only friend she had.
I sympathize and deeply relate. I tend to pick my scalp and face so badly I have scabs and scars. It's SO difficult to stop and therapy hasn't helped so far.
Really great because through these psychological analysis you give even more context to understand the plot of the series.i sincerely hope you to do this for lotr: rings of power as there are many characters in need of therapy as well like such as protagonist Galadriel
I have had this since I was little. I have picked and bit until my fingers bleed or I chewed on my knuckles until they were misshapened. I've tried for years to stop, and sometimes I go through periods where I've stopped for short periods but I've never been able to stop completely. Seeing a character actually have this was kinda cool because sometimes I have felt like a freak for my biting and picking.
ThanksâŠI enjoyed your reactions. Blessings on your day đđ»
I'd love your take on Alicent and Rhaenyra's relationship. Are they just friends? Are they in love? How is that relationship going to change now that Alicent is going to marry Rhaenyra's father?
the actresses said they played the scenes as romantic
@@godemperorofmankind3.091 ooooohhh. did they? it did feel very intimate. i was wondering. as im sure a lot of other people were.
one possible interpretation is that rhaenyra feels betrayed that her closest relationship had kept something so important a secret from her AND she feels that she is losing alicent a bit.
alicent was probably a safe place for a person like rhaenyra. someone she can trust without all the expectations of society or politics. or family. and now alicent is front and center on that stage.
lots of layers of possibly feeling betrayed. i thought milly alcock did great looking upset, but the story doesnt necessarily make it very clear.
Let's just say they will become bestfriends to enemies đ¶.
i have friends im really close with. it doesnt have to be romantic
@@lauracatherine9925 perhaps but do you lay your head on their lap? do you gaze into each other's eyes? and theres one look from rhaenyra at alicent's back that was clearly flirty and lustful. and then alicent in the last episode can be interpreted as behaving like a jealous ex girlfriend
My boyfriend has done this a lot since I have known him. I always hold his hand and ask him if he's okay or what's on his mind. Calms him right away and makes it unnecessary for him to pick on his fingers anymore.
He is so lucky to have you, you do a nice job of caring support
@@GeorgiaDow đ„°thank you very much Georgia, I try my best and your videos help too. I learn a lot about how to care for people and myself from your videos as well.
I absolutely love you work! The way you brake things down as a therapist helps me understand other people and myself better.
Happy to hear that thanks !
Iâve had a similar problem since I was a kid! Itâs been way easier to manage since I now take medication to help with my anxiety and I wear rings to fidget with. I even have some rings that are specifically designed to be fidgeted with sometimes. Thank you for talking about this!
Thank you for the insight it was enlightening
I had a habit of picking my thumbs skin with my indexes until probably high school but I wasn't bleeding. It was stress and nervousness related.
Ooo great video! Alicent is very relatable for me. Iâve struggled with dermatillomania in various forms for most of my life. Fidget toys help but you canât have a fidget toy in every situation so sometimes I end up injuring myself and not even realizing Iâve done it until later.
thank you for sharing that =) I hope it helps you from it getting too bad
have you thought of keeping a small notepad and pen so you could practice drawing or writing notes? it could help you focus your energy and maybe feel a little less anxious.
Thank you for another great video! Love your royal garb (on point as always) and the adorable pupper! Speaking of which, your dog is showing signs of stress: Yawning, looking away, lip licking, panting - I suspect this kiddo isnât into cameos, but appreciate a peek at your cute furry family meme her :)
It is so wonderful to see how you noticed she was stressed. Yes there was a thunderstorm and she gets panicked so that's why she's on my lap =). She may make other appearances who knows
omg i do this constanly, i have opened little wounds on my fingers :( i bought a little cube to distract me. Great video as always!
This is why I subscribed to your channel. Your dog is so cute by the way.
= ) thanks Damian
@@GeorgiaDow donât mention it.
You know what cause me more greater discomfort while watching House of Dragons? No, it isn't the tourney, it definitely not the bloodsheed or seeing knights go on killing spree nor seeing someone's skull blasted open after getting hit by deadly weapon. It was Alicent picking, bitting & gnarling on her nails! I don't know why but seeing this small wounds of prolonged pain done from unconscious self-harm is more difficult to watch than seeing killing spree or bloodshed that happen during war/fights... goddamit Alicent! đ«đ”
Perhaps you could feel her inner turmoil she has no control over
@@GeorgiaDow or maybe its that people surrender to the idea that they cant control the bloodshed done by groups, but the self harm caused by nail biting is something that she feels that she can affect. the parent and maternal instinct is strong in some people.
Really the forced medieval C-section didnât bother you?
This is why I canât hate Alicent. The position she finds herself in is all due to her father and the pressure she feels because of what she thinks itâs her duty. Her life is not fully hers and up until now I canât help but think that she is miserable and trapped with a power she didnât want.
You'll change your mind given latest episode
Please continue your analysis on House of Dragon â€ïžâ€ïžâ€ïž
I may do another one = ) I will see < 3
@@GeorgiaDow đ„°
Signed up to nebula right away :D very interesting and kind of a different movie this time - loved it anyway :D
Hope you enjoy it! thanks so much
Could do an analysis of Prince Daemon next? Analyse his complex relationship with his brother and niece.
Yeah i do this too so it was neat because i knew exactly what it was and it was a really good way to show her stress
Wasn't familiar with Dermatillomania. I re watched this video and did a google image search. It isn't for the faint of heart. Great video. The show doesn't give and immediate sense of how far this could go without treatment. My original post here been removed as I can find a better spot for it.
I dont know this show at all. What is it about ?
Hey!
Any chance you could do videos on the show Hannibal?
I'm primarily interested in hearing your opinion about Will Graham and Hannibal
I feel kinda relate with Alicent, i have struggled with this behavior since i was child. I keep peeling my fingers skin whenever i feel nervous, worried, afraid and i do it subconsciously. Sometimes it bleeds, and indeed i can feel pain but itâs a âpleasure painâ.
I do the same thing as alicent except I'm ripping off the skin around my nails, very rarely do I cause actual damage (bleeding) but I usually start doing this when I feel nervous/anxious or when I'm procrastinating.
Interesting! I wonder - is chewing lips or scratching yourself part of the same suite of anxiety tics?
Remarkably well timed. Been going through a lot of anxiety myself, so I'll be checking out your Nebula series, pick up some tips.
Yes it is in the same area of body obsession. I hope you like the course and if you could let me know your feeling after seeing it thanks =)
Tearing at lips is something I do as well. Also part of excoriation.
well done as always but what's the name of your dog at the end? so cute~!
I like the scene when she gives the king a gift of the dragon statue he broke I thought that was nice of her to repair it for him as for her nail problem I got no advice I sometimes do it too
Georgia explaining something. Me: awww the puppy
i...bite away the skin around my nails... i am really ashamed of all the bleeding and wounds but tbh when i am under stress or sad/anger i can't really control it.
there was a time when i stopped completly but in recent months it came back with full force.
I haven't seen this show but I love that they included this. I've struggled with picking for years now. And I've never really seen it portrayed on anything cuz it's just...not pretty. Especially when a beautiful female character is doing it and causing herself harm. So I'm glad they actually made an effort to show this very realistic habit.
I don't bite my fingers but I do sometimes bite the edges of my pillow case/fold them in a triangle & run sharp side onto my hands' skin. Bcs I do this with pillow cases, it only happens when I'm on bed/couch, it's kinda easier to control the habit.
My favorite character is Otto Hightower, I hope you make a character analysis on him
he is a c.
Boo. #TeamDaemon
@@viktorstagnetti7491
I love Daemon too mate
It's just that Otto gives me huge Littlefinger/Tywin vibes that I love
This is what I like, when I hear people liking a not so likeable character to many
Beautiful dressđ
And cute dogđ„°
Thank you Victor I did like this cosplay and puppy say woof !
I have the tendency to peel off the skin on my lips when I'm lost in thought. It was kinda refreshing to see a character with a similar bad habit (most people think I'm biting my nails when I do it anyways)
True I do it and most of time I don't even realize I do it...I have ptsd and I don't know how to deal with it yet...
I cope with stress by unconsciously scratching my body - usually my leg or my hand đ interesting to hear
Try some of the various techniques and see if you can help curb it. I hope it works.
... i know that not everyone can do this... but an emotional support animal could help too. being able to pet, scratch, play, train, and cuddle with a furry friend in everyday situations is a way you could redirect some of those habits that possibly arise from anxiety.
I didn't realize that biting my nails was a mental health issue...
No it isn't, neither is picking its if you start to damage yourself (bite your nails till you bleed as its thats short) and it bothers you and you cant stop that you may want help stopping. Sorry if that wasn't clear
@@GeorgiaDow Oh okay. You just named the thing out of the DSM, and I'm like "oh, that's a thing"...
I think it bothers my mom a lot more than it ever bothers me. Wearing nail polish usually keeps me from biting them but I don't wear nail polish that often.
I can totally see how Alicent would be stressed. It always seems silly to me when a girl says "treat me like a princess"... You mean you want to be just a bargaining tool who is not permitted their own will? Well - at least we no longer have to deal with inhumanity such as that. Ok enough distressing banter - thank you for the video Georgia! ^^
But very true Jan it is a life of living for others not yourself. But the title is pretty
well in Dorne, being a Princess means you are the leader of that entire country. and they have much better rights for women than in the rest of the continent.
I hope you a video on Daimon Targaryen in the near future.
oh yes I do enjoy his character
Well alicent is constantly witnessing brutal violence. I feel like I'd tear my nails out too. Witnessing killing is traumatizing. I don't think "bite off" is gonna help. Living in a society full of such gratuitous violence and being sexually coerced, she can't deal. I couldn't deal with this. It's inhuman. She's not in deep thought, she's trapped in a horror. Sometimes the horror is too much.
I wonder how people being tortured should "cope." When people adopt such mechanisms as a child it's because they are being harmed. Alicent is being harmed.
Have been doing this like forever, It started in my childhood, sometimes it's better, sometimes is absolutely awful. My parents are saying that I should stop, that it looks ugly, but i just can't :')
Oh, the moment I saw the nails I knew it. I haven't bite my nails since my childhood but I pick my skin a lot and don't realize until someone warns me. I usually pick my scalp and face skin, although not intensely. Sometimes it seems like I even forget that's a thing and don't do it at all. Even people around me know now and say what am I thinking or stressing about as I pick at my scalp lol. Lately I felt pain on my left arm, right below shoulder part. I didn't even realize I picked at the skin there until I saw the scab. It really gets annoying, more annoying that biting your nails. When I was a kid my mom used to paint my nails with that transparent nail polish which tasted extremely bitter, unlike any other polish. For those who bite their nails, it's cheap and effective. It eventually deterred me, but I guess I found other ways without even realizing đ
Also, THE PUPPY! Oh my god, please make more videos with the puppy I love it!
I am happy you are past it it is such a common way of dealing with stress. Yes the puppy will probably be around sometimes hehe = )
I suffer the same thing but with my lips instead. I'm hurting myself and I don't know how to stop it. I try to keep them hydrated as much as I can, because I also suffer from dry skin, but somehow I can't help picking them.
I think she definitely needs a pet - a cat, and Iâd have her start crocheting to keep her fingers busy and do something constructive at the same time.
Both are wonderful ideas =)
đemotional support animals really do work.
Doggo cameo!
i didnt know other people did this too
Adorable little doggie, looks just like mine who is no longer with us. RIP my Peanut.
aww Peanut
@@GeorgiaDow Thanks. Peace âđ»
Iâve been struggling with this for forever now. One thing thatâs helped was getting acrylic or fake nails
Thank you that is a wonderful way to cope with it. And you get to enjoy the nails
I noticed that during Viserys and Alicent's painfully awkward bedding scene, she was tearing up her nails until he aggressively grabbed her hand. One may think he was trying to be more "intimate" but it really looked like he was disallowing her to use her one coping method to endure the awful deed, which makes the scene so much worse imo....
I used to do this.
Puppy Puppy! Puppy! Puppy! You have a puppy! :D What is their name? Are they a shih-tzu?! Look at that lil floofbutt with the cutest face ever! :D
My self-destruction has subsided a lot since getting a cat a little over a year ago. I don't want him to see that stuff, so I stop myself a lot and substitute it with still destructive behaviour, but it's less destructive. If that even makes sense? That's the reason why I like Alicent, because she's like me in that regard, and she seems like such a good character too. During almost the whole first episode, I almost thought there was something between her and Rhaenerys, because they had this teasing but super caring way of being around each other. And I think they are really good for each other too, Alicent is very proper and following the rules (Maybe even a little too much) while the princess is all about rule breaking and living life on the edge, so they pull each other more toward the middle where it's a little safer and also more healthy?
love your earrings, can u tell us where u bought them from.
sure thing
www.amazon.com/dp/B017RL03AQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
oops wrong ones those i got second hand sorry
I think the best way she can manage her anxiety is to separate herself from her incredibly manipulative father who's trying to force her into a marriage with the King for his own gain
second that
Yeah. Just walk away. Run away. So simple. So easy. Except when it's not. She wouldn't get far if she tried.
@@gmork1090 separating yourself from someone's influence and walking away are two different things.
alicent is 10 years older than rhaenyra
Not in the show
not anymore
The minute i saw her do this i thought, shit...that's me. I do it absent mindedly and i have made my finger bleed in the past. Thankfully i notice it now and I've been using medical tape on my fingers during the times I'm most likely to nibble (usually when writing). But if someone taps my hand or points it out i get very upset. I'm made at myself for doing it and I'm embarrassed and i just get flustered. It's usually best to ignore me. Glad to see I'm not alone though. I'm the only person I know who does this, so this was nice to see.
I used to chew the inside of my cheeks and lips until I tasted blood(age 14-28). I stopped when I started drinking(age 30- literally right now.) If I tried I cant even grip my skin with my teeth anymore.
Hmm, I too, dermatillomania my fingers until the skin on the sides come lose.
Do I have to go to a psychiatrist?
What if they throw me in the loony bin?
No loony bin =) and it is just something you try to work on on your own and if you are struggling a therapist can help you get past it. But many can work on it themselves to stop it as well/ I hope it works
@@GeorgiaDow Lol, it was just a joke, well the part of me getting institutionalized for it.
I know =P heh
ever thought of buying packs of gum?
is that why her dad is always holding onto her hands? to check to see if she is biting her nails and inspecting her? idk, but... that would be interesting if it was what they intended. i just thought he was being really creepy.
Yeah I get similar vibes, like he wonders why she does it since shes the prettiest girl at court. Not why are you hurting yourself or what's bothering you
please, react to the bridge scene from ep 2
you asked and you will recieve
@@GeorgiaDow i can't wait!
First: Your PUPPY!!!!!!!! EXCEPTIONALLY cute and cuddly and snuggly and huggable and soothing! EFFORTLESSLY makes my heart happy! Second: I KNEW IT!!!! Obviously, this is your everyday kind of outfit that you wear SINCE YOU ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE CASTLE AT DISNEYLAND!!!! Because you are...also obviously...a DISNEY PRINCESS!!!! (I'll wave at the upper window next time I'm there = ) Third: I will say it again: You would be a PRICELESS addition to ANY movie or television production for character building.analysis and in SO many other capacities! When I hire you, I'll give you your own trailer! (This is known in industry circles as a bribe = )
HAHAHA Oh CL you do make me laugh thank you so much for this !!! And for sure on the disney princess. If ever a film comes calling I will be there - )
Is cutting a more extreme version? I laughed when you mentioned pets. I thought of all those portraits of aristocratic women with their little pet dogs they always seemed to have in their laps.
So, did you all guess why she's holding a dog while talking to the camera ?
You look like a royal Lady here... đđ
why thank you =) that was what I was going for
Ive ruined my fingers due to this lol
I hope they are healing
since the very beginning i felt so sorry for the poor girl she didn't grow up as a princess nor was she her daddy's girl like rhaenyra was. besides , she got married at a very young age and viserys didn't look at her as a young teen girl but rather a woman. even as an adult she struggles to keep her children to bahave as royals and trying her best to be a good mother đ
idk why the whole fandom sides with rhaenyra while she was the one on the wrong
I mean if she stood up for herself like Rhaenyra she would be so much more happy.. Alicents downfall is her father Otto
shes standing up for herself as queen
Not seeing all this empathizing with that witch Alicent. Abd show creators giving that hand tick from Rhaenyra to Alicent đ€Šââïž
whats she done to deserve being called a witch so far? shes only ever defended and protected rhaenyra's claim and tried to help her.
Someone give this girl a piece of gum
I hated the character but more slowly I've grown to feel so bad for her. I thought she was into her dad's game but turn out, she didn't really a choice. poor girl. girls those days really did not have any other future choice even for the princesses, queens...
I do not agree that in Alicent's case she should have found other ways to deal with her stress. Dermatillomania is like a silent scream for help. Often times when you develop body focused repetitive behaviours the best solution is to remove yourself from the situation that made you get sick in the first place. In her case, that would have been refusing to confort an old man when his wife had just died and to stop trying to please her father. Even if she had a better way to deal with this, it wouldn't change the fact that she is in a horrible situation to begin with.
What a noble cosplay of my person. I'm quite satisfied ... Just this ermine of yours is a little suspicious ...
Why thank you kind noble lady *bows*
Because the Medieval age is awful to women and physically weak men.