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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Deneb on July 27, 2005, at 21:59:09
I would like to meet some people here IRL to help me dispel any myths I may still have of mentally ill people.
Working in a mall, I see lots of "strange" people now. Everyone just assume that they are "crazy." Somehow this also seems to mean that they don't understand things or can be violent etc. I don't fear violence from these people. I find it amusing to interact with them.
Once I spoke to a delusional man in the library. At first I didn't know he was delusional, but it was pretty clear that he was after speaking with him. I was drawn to him because he went to the library everyday. There are some pretty strange "regulars" in the public library downtown...I guess I was becoming one of them! (I was in a strange anxiety ridden time and I took my plush animal with me everywhere and thought he was my friend...I even took him to the movies with me...I must have seemed a little "crazy" myself!)
He seemed to be studying very hard. I found it strange that he wore a surgical mask all the time. He told me that he was studying to be a neurosurgeon (he couldn't even spell neurosurgeon). He had a strange way of communicating...he would write things down on a piece of napkin because he stuttered too much. He was looking at a human anatomy textbook and his notes did not make sense...he was just copying down terms. He then proceeded to tell me about how he was a prince in his country and a bunch of other stuff that made no sense. It was very interesting. I went along with his delusion, I didn't challenge him and he seemed to like talking to me.
There's also this man who walks around the mall where I work everything. I'm not sure if he is homeless, but he seems to have some money to buy things with and he doesn't carry everything with him. I wonder if it is a good idea to talk to him one day. Hmmm...maybe he isn't even "crazy"...maybe he just likes to walk around in the mall.
Now that I think about it, it must seem pretty "crazy" to ride the bus all day pointlessly. I did that for a while and I don't consider myself "crazy."
What does it mean to be "crazy" anyways? Does it mean psychotic? Not being in touch with reality? I just wonder if many of us seem obviously "different" to other people...I mean, sometimes one can sense that someone is not quite "right".
I don't know where I'm going with this anymore. I just know I want to understand people with mental illness more. You all seem normal enough, yet some people have some pretty serious diagnoses.
Deneb
Posted by Dinah on July 28, 2005, at 0:23:29
In reply to Interacting with crazy people (long), posted by Deneb on July 27, 2005, at 21:59:09
> I don't know where I'm going with this anymore. I just know I want to understand people with mental illness more. You all seem normal enough, yet some people have some pretty serious diagnoses.
>
> Deneb
>We *are* normal enough.
You've mentioned this a few times. I assure you, the people I met in Chicago are no different from the people I meet at work. And much saner than most of my relatives. Most of whom don't have any diagnosis at all.
Posted by alexandra_k on July 28, 2005, at 0:35:19
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long), posted by Dinah on July 28, 2005, at 0:23:29
I like 'crazy people' by which I mean the people who should probably be in hospital or something. But then that is typically where I meet them! And in supported accomodation. I used to live there. In the spirit of deinstitutionalisation and all.
I used to behave a lot more 'odd' than I do now. Because in hospital certain social norms don't really apply. So you kind of get into that variety of disinhibition. I remember a couple habits that took a while to go. Pacing. Drug treatement knocked that one out of me. Apparantly pacing is jail behaviour which you aren't allowed to do in drug treatment. I told them it was also mental hospital behaviour but they still wouldn't let me do it ;-) Another was rocking. I used to have to be in constant rocking motion. Another was my habit of sitting down whenever and wherever I felt like it. I didn't purposely try to be obstructive, but I'd just sit down. I did that round uni too. I'd just sit down in the middle of a paved area and read my book. And in the hallway waiting for the right time to go into the room. I didn't think it appeared odd until one day my supervisor sat down across the corridor from me. That gave me a suprise and I thought 'how odd'! And realised... That it was.
I'm afraid when people are hostile.
But as for the rest...
I like 'em.
They are more understandable than most 'normal' people IMO.
Posted by alexandra_k on July 28, 2005, at 0:35:55
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long) » Dinah, posted by alexandra_k on July 28, 2005, at 0:35:19
though of course dinah can read it if she likes :-)
Posted by Dinah on July 28, 2005, at 0:56:00
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long) » Dinah, posted by alexandra_k on July 28, 2005, at 0:35:19
Is it now considered odd to sit down outside class? My, you young people!!! Sprawling about in the hallways was de rigeur at my college.
Posted by alexandra_k on July 28, 2005, at 1:11:28
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long) » alexandra_k, posted by Dinah on July 28, 2005, at 0:56:00
mmm. took me a bit to learn to scoot over so the people didn't have to walk around me.
actually i still do fairly much sit down ad lib...
but... i try and find a wall or something like that. before i'd just sit down wherever i happened to be located. usually right in the way i see in hindsight.
Posted by alexandra_k on July 28, 2005, at 1:13:35
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long) » Dinah, posted by alexandra_k on July 28, 2005, at 1:11:28
then there is the point that in nz its not considered pc to sit on any surface that one might use for preparing or eating food.
its a maori thing.
good to know.
Posted by Dinah on July 28, 2005, at 1:14:54
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long) » Dinah, posted by alexandra_k on July 28, 2005, at 1:11:28
yeah, i'll admit most of us found walls. :)
it was way cooler to sprawl down against the wall. looked like you couldn't be bothered to stand up, you know?
Posted by caraher on July 28, 2005, at 16:21:50
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long) » alexandra_k, posted by Dinah on July 28, 2005, at 1:14:54
I used to run into a fair number of people who clearly suffered some psychosis or other as I walked to work. One morning was especially interesting. I lived in the low-income part of town and this tall, ummm, "crazy-looking" guy asks me where the state mental hospital is. Well, the answer was that it was still miles away but he must have just gotten of the bus or train or something. I pointed him in the right general direction which, as it happened, was also the direction I was going. So he walked along with me...
He proceeded to fill me in on the details of his day's journey. I didn't say much. He was from a city about 100 miles away and he told all about some judge forcing him to go there for an evaluation. He never did fill me on on what brought him to court but he was clearly pretty upset by this judge. His monologue was beginning to drift in the direction of revenge fantasies, which started to worry me. I didn't wish to approve of them but I didn't really want to cross him, either.
Finally he made some remark to the effect that regardless, in the end, "God is going to get that judge." I don't know what possessed me but I chipped in with, "Yeah. Either God or the devil..." He really dug that remark! "Yeah, one or the other!" In any case, my comment was enough of a hit that he rolled it around in his head pretty much the whole time until we parted.
Posted by Dinah on July 28, 2005, at 17:04:13
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long), posted by caraher on July 28, 2005, at 16:21:50
I think it's also important to remember that that is only one face of mental illness, even mental illness that includes psychosis.
I've not only got relatives, but also have met in professional situations people that occasionally have psychotic breaks. It's not easy for them or their families. No serious chronic illness is easy for the people involved. But most of the time they hold down a job, manage their families, and are charming people to have a conversation with at a party. It's a bit scary if they're in the midst of paranoid delusions.
But I can't imagine it makes it any easier for them if people think psychosis and homelessness or nonfunctionality are synonymous.
Posted by Deneb on July 28, 2005, at 19:36:14
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long) » Dinah, posted by alexandra_k on July 28, 2005, at 0:35:19
> I like 'crazy people' by which I mean the people who should probably be in hospital or something. But then that is typically where I meet them! And in supported accomodation. I used to live there. In the spirit of deinstitutionalisation and all.
I didn't meet any one during my 3 day stay in the psych ward. I was just scared. It didn't do me any good at all. I think I know what you mean about social norms because I just about threw a major tantrum because I was so frustrated that people thought I was crazy or something...so I wanted to act crazy to spite people. (It's counterproductive to getting out btw).
>...I remember a couple habits that took a while to go. Pacing.
I *loved* to "pace" as a kid! I was a weird kid...instead of playing with the other children during recess, I would pace around the playground...making up stories in my head...living in my fantasy world, it was super fun! I did that at home a lot too. Once in a while I indulge in a little pacing now, but most of the time I go to fantasy land while in bed before I go to sleep...it is easier to think while pacing though, but I don't want ppl to think I'm weird.
> Drug treatement knocked that one out of me. Apparantly pacing is jail behaviour which you aren't allowed to do in drug treatment.
Not allowed to do? What's so wrong about pacing around? It's good exercise!
> I told them it was also mental hospital behaviour but they still wouldn't let me do it ;-) Another was rocking.
I do that a bit sometimes when I get in a really bad way...also combined with whining noises and saying repetitive things to myself. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I think one phrase was something like, "Inside, outside, gotta go around the sky." It was some sort of compulsion I think. :-(
>Another was my habit of sitting down whenever and wherever I felt like it. I didn't purposely try to be obstructive, but I'd just sit down.
I think that's ok. :-) Tired, sit down...who gives a hoot what others think. :-)
>I did that round uni too. I'd just sit down in the middle of a paved area and read my book. And in the hallway waiting for the right time to go into the room.
Don't all uni students sit in the hallways to study, wait to get into class etc.?
Deneb
Posted by Deneb on July 28, 2005, at 19:49:12
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long), posted by caraher on July 28, 2005, at 16:21:50
Also at the library:
Once I saw a guy masturbating with this pants on. He sat across the table from me and kept looking at me! It was freaky but I wasn't afraid or anything. I pretended not to notice. To tell you the truth, it was interesting to me...I'd never seen a man masturbating before.
I think I should have reported him to the security guard on duty, but I didn't. :-( It didn't occur to me that this type of behaviour might really upset other people.
At the place I work now:
Not too long ago a man wanted to buy a soft drink...he freaked over how much it cost and then proceeded to tell me that being ripped off like that makes him want to shoot people in the mall! He then pretended to shoot a rifle at people sitting in the food court! Ok, I was a little scared then. I think he was under the influence of drugs.
Deneb
Posted by Deneb on July 28, 2005, at 19:58:52
In reply to Re: Interacting with crazy people (long), posted by Dinah on July 28, 2005, at 17:04:13
> I think it's also important to remember that that is only one face of mental illness, even mental illness that includes psychosis.
I'm glad you brought this up. I wasn't trying to perpetuate stigma or anything.
> But I can't imagine it makes it any easier for them if people think psychosis and homelessness or nonfunctionality are synonymous.Very true.
I think maybe the best way of combating stigma is for people to meet people with serious mental illnesses in person...ask them questions, interact with them, connect with them on a personal level and realize that they are just people after all. People can be educated about stigma, but I don't think it would as effective as actually meeting people with mental illnesses to challenge their preconceived notions.Deneb
Posted by Dinah on July 28, 2005, at 21:33:00
In reply to Re: Interacting with strange people (long), posted by Deneb on July 28, 2005, at 19:49:12
A guy used to do that in the kids section of our public library. I was too young to know I was supposed to tell. I was mainly scared and disgusted in a fascinated sort of way.
I think it had a negative impact on my sexuality as a whole. It wasn't just one time or anything. He was there all the time. And since I had the run of the whole library at a young age, sometimes he would follow me and do it in the next aisle. I knew what he was doing, sort of. But didn't really. I didn't know what to tell anyone, or how to prove it.
So I just stuck to the public areas once I knew he was around.
It was awful, because we went there at least once a week, often more. And he'd sometimes arrive when I was already there, so I didn't know to stay in the open.
Not sure he was mentally ill, though. In fact, I think probably not.
Posted by JenStar on July 28, 2005, at 23:53:34
In reply to Re: Interacting with strange people (long), posted by Deneb on July 28, 2005, at 19:49:12
gross! (abt the library guy)
Once when I was running (X-coutry team in high school) in the park, our group came across a homeless-looking man who was, er, hanging out. Of his pants. He looked at us girls and started, er, going to town with Mr. Grubby. He also called out 'encouragement' to us and 'invitations' to assist.
We declined and ran away, giggling and horrified and grossed out, but also busy, and we forgot about it later on. At the time I wasn't offended or scared, because we were in such a big group, and it was day in a big city, and if he had tried anything we could have screamed for help and people were around in the park. And I think I thought it was kind of "cool" (in a gross way) that we'd seen something so taboo and weird and freaky and grungy-big-city and weren't freaked out. I think I felt strong and cool and powerful NOT to have been freaked out, and that it was an interesting thing to see. Not enjoyable, but interesting.
Today, I think now that I'm older and more picky, I'd be more offended today if I saw that. Not offended, exactly...maybe irritated, annoyed that he was trying to get a reaction out of me.
Weird stuff!
JenStar
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