How would you know if you were "mad"?

[Lark]

And would it what kind of difference would it make? I'm reading a book of writings by Philip K. Dick, one of my very favourite authors, he muses at length about how he believes that he was an undiagnosed schizophrenic but also that it helped him to write some good science fiction stories (although he wanted to make it as a straight mainstream literature writer and was sort of over taken with the idea of the great American novel).

There are a lot of successful people who arent exactly health personalities, some of them are driven by private trauma or being fortunate enough to transform maladaptive traits into an adaptive pattern of behaviour.

 

[Halla74]

And would it what kind of difference would it make? I'm reading a book of writings by Philip K. Dick, one of my very favourite authors, he muses at length about how he believes that he was an undiagnosed schizophrenic but also that it helped him to write some good science fiction stories (although he wanted to make it as a straight mainstream literature writer and was sort of over taken with the idea of the great American novel).

There are a lot of successful people who arent exactly health personalities, some of them are driven by private trauma or being fortunate enough to transform maladaptive traits into an adaptive pattern of behaviour.

Please define "mad." Is "mad" more than 2 standard deviations from the mean of the bell curve of the psychological profile of the human race?

There is no law that I know which states one must be "psychologically healthy" to be succesful.

 

[cafe]

Because my family, as per my instructions, would call 911 and tell them I said I was going to kill myself and I would suddenly find myself picked up by the cops and involuntarily committed for 72 hours observation.

The theory is that during that time, the docs would notice I was out to lunch and get me on the proper meds.

It's not a great plan, but it's something. I don't ever want to go off my nut and make things bad for my family.

 

[tinkerbell]

Difficult one really, many mentally ill people don't see themselves as ill, they have problems they can't deal with, that overwhelm them etc, make them depressed etc.

If you are the stage of suicidal thoughts or not making it out of bed, hopefulyl freinds and family kick in.

If you are risking other peoples lives, or get arrested in a supermarket... do strange behaviour etc then you are likely to be sectioned.

Most ill people don't see themselves as I'll I don't think

 

[Lark]

PKD believed he was able to recall life as a Roman centurian and was able to speak in the language of the time, he also suggested that there where either Russian or American intelligence operatives burglarising his house to steal correspondence between him and a Russian scientist he talked about scientific advances with (it later turned out he'd burglarised his own house but didnt remember doing it).

He was dependent upon family members for much of his life and earned a pitence writing pulp sci fi which wasnt testing him to the limits but now he's one of the worlds greatest writers and many of the movies and books now try to copy his style.

Its just one example which has intrigued me.

 

[tinkerbell]

most health care professionals categorise alternative beleifs are mental illnesses....

Many inatuatives (ie people who have pretty alternative beleifs not N types...although I suspect there will be some correleation), have a harder time dealing with their sanity... Also terribly bright people can have a terrible time with their sanity....

I suspect that etherial thinking has a lack of bounaries therefore can leave people free falling which can result in beakdowns.

There are many types of mental illness from NDP through to depressions... some are nurotic, some psycotic... I think both are dificult to deal with in different ways. Untill recently psycosis wasn't that easy to treat... advances in madication has reduce mental illness to manageable levels... I have soem concern over "over medicating", everything from ADHD, to maladaptive behaviour disorders.

I nursed people wiht learnign difficulties - and I rememebr a lass being looked after by a close friend of mine - she had really distrubed beahviours, she was on a medical cocktail... and her behaviour was pretty off the wall. In certain sistuation, where people are a danger to themselves or others nurses had the sanctioning to hold down patients and give them emergency medication - during one of these situations, the person in question begged to be taken off her medication because it wasn't doing her any good. My freinds perspective was one of semi anti meds (ie right sometimes, wrong others)... on this occation she weighted up the whole managing behaviour v's suppressing the person dicotmoy that care staff go trhough with long term care people... and she decided to discuss with her doctor weaning her off. The lady was weaned and her behaviour improved dramatically to the point she could be discharged into a more community living situation

Never easy because mental health issue and sanity are on a continum, and symptoms of mental health are also normal in specific bounds, it's when they cross over as becomign problematic or collecting a number of them.

Paranoia for instance is normal in some circumstance, but when it prevents you going out or participating it's a problem.

 

[pyromaniac]

I think I'd notice myself going mad when I start wearing tin foil on my head and spend my time peaking through the corners of my windows. Somebodies watching me...

 

[Lux]

And would it what kind of difference would it make? I'm reading a book of writings by Philip K. Dick, one of my very favourite authors, he muses at length about how he believes that he was an undiagnosed schizophrenic but also that it helped him to write some good science fiction stories (although he wanted to make it as a straight mainstream literature writer and was sort of over taken with the idea of the great American novel).

There are a lot of successful people who arent exactly health personalities, some of them are driven by private trauma or being fortunate enough to transform maladaptive traits into an adaptive pattern of behaviour.

I think there are many undiagnosed people with mental illnesses. But I don't think that is an issue. I think the issue is with deeply mentally ill people. Some cannot function in society.

Some people do overcome their illness, such as Nobel prize winner John Nash. He was brilliant and who knows if his schizophrenia helped in some regard. It is certainly possible.

Difficult one really, many mentally ill people don't see themselves as ill, they have problems they can't deal with, that overwhelm them etc, make them depressed etc.

If you are risking other peoples lives, or get arrested in a supermarket... do strange behaviour etc then you are likely to be sectioned.

Most ill people don't see themselves as I'll I don't think

I agree.

I used to work with schizophrenic patients. The majority of them had a plethora of mental illnesses. Schizophrenia was just the most apparent. They never thought that they were mentally ill. When most of them were admitted into the State Hospital they were forced there by either their families or consistently by the police. They never believed what people were telling them. I cannot imagine to live in such a frightening world as some of the patients I encountered.

 

[ObliviousExistence]

I think I would know I'm going mad when I start forcibly trying to conform to behavior associated with normalcy because I have no ability to think for myself.

 

[Betty Blue]

And would it what kind of difference would it make? I'm reading a book of writings by Philip K. Dick, one of my very favourite authors, he muses at length about how he believes that he was an undiagnosed schizophrenic but also that it helped him to write some good science fiction stories (although he wanted to make it as a straight mainstream literature writer and was sort of over taken with the idea of the great American novel).

There are a lot of successful people who arent exactly health personalities, some of them are driven by private trauma or being fortunate enough to transform maladaptive traits into an adaptive pattern of behaviour.

It does depend of the defination of mad. When i was 18 i spent a brief time in a psych unit because i was severley depressed and suicidal. I went volutarily as i was told if i didn't i would be sectioned. If i was sectioned i wouldn't be able to leave of my own free will. So i went voluntarily. After about 10 days i really REALLY wanted to get out, i did not see myself in the kind of state the others were in. I spoke to my daily shrink about it...it went like this

Me "I need to leave, i'm not mad like theese other people"
Shrink "We don't use that word in here"
Me "ok then crazy, i'm not crazy and i don't feel so depressed"
shrink "we don't use that word either"
Me "ok, insane, nutty what ever, i just wanna leave i came of my own free will and i can leave too, right?"
Shrink "If we think you no longer pose a risk to yourself then yes"
Me ""
It took me a couple of days longer to get out, it was very scary.
I was fairly wacko at the time but not in comparrison to some of the other patients. And i am perfectly sane now

 

[Lethal Sage]

Hah, own free will. Once you're in there there is a reason why your clothes say "PROPERTY OF". Hell, I just got something in the mail just letting me know that the government owned my estate. GREAT.

I get nutty when I get angry probably as a defense mechanism to avoid being so.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Self-identification. Works for some.

 

[ThatGirl]

Being that "mad" is a perception based opinion, you probably wouldn't. I've read case studdies on schizophrenics for fun, and most of them are aware they are different but in a very rationalized way. Intricate systems of logic built around asinine assumptions that fills the blanks between perception and "reality." Which is really similar to the way most people think.

 

[sleepy]

'Mad' is I think a deviation from the norm. If one know this, and one is aware that one is 'special' one should be able to find out that one is 'mad'. It will require faith, since the person in question won't really be 'mad', only in relation to it's surroundings.

 

[highlander]

I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!

 

[wolfy]

Joining a typology forum is always a good sign you might be mad. Or at best semi-normal.

 

[JustHer]

I think I'd notice myself going mad when I start wearing tin foil on my head and spend my time peaking through the corners of my windows. Somebodies watching me...

Sounds like me when I'm getting highlights

 

[Betty Blue]

My sister did an A level in psychology (way back), i seem to remember her telling me that on average each person had seven (i think it was seven) traits of madness, but it was termed differently. It was a while ago!
I don't believe in the "norm" there are very few people who fit into that stereotype, hence it not being very normal.