This place has gone mad!

[noodleroo]

Quote:
I know, right? I took an EMT class when I was 20 yrs. old and in part of the training I had to do in the hospital I had to do some hours on the '7th floor'. I was really scared to be there; I had no idea what to expect. Nothing happened during my training shift, but I'll never forget the feeling I had from nothing more than my imagined perception of the mentally ill.

These days, I think what scares me is that I know it can happen to anyone. Anyone.

I work in the court system. One of the attorneys who is very well known and successful, top of his graduating class in High school, college and law school began exhibiting some odd behavior. He tended to be somewhat irritating at times, just his nature so we didn't recognize his behavior as mental illness until he threatened a judge in our county and then in another county. After an involuntary commitment and evaluation, he was diagnosed with dimensia. He is at the stage of illness where he can hardly speak and may not live another year. He is my age, 52 yrs. old. He has gone from diagnosis to being incapacitated in less than 3 years.

I try to be less judgmental these days. Mental illness can happen to anyone.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I guess it depends on your definition of 'mental illness'. For some, it is any bad or antisocial behavior. For me, it is specific illnesses, severe depression unrelated to situation or events, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder.

Everything else, I think is personality disorders, 'problems of daily living', addictions, etc.

Depression isn't always that poetic movie and soap opera thing. It can really affect a person's ability to function and to think. It is normal to be unhappy and down after sad life events. I'm not sure it really is 'depression', though some say they are depressed any time they are sad. I think when it's chronic and unremitting it is depression. Some people define a 'situational depression' that heals in time. I think of that as grieving, sadness and 'that's life'. But if it is lingering and interfering with the person's function, I think it has gone beyond 'that's life'.

What about abuse? I think it can bring about anger, depression, isolation and bitterness, even self destructiveness. But with help, a person can enjoy life again. Sometimes living well and moving past those events is the best revenge on the abuser.

Normal grieving is a normal reaction to life's events but has a start and an end. Sadness and remembrance can last the rest of someone's life, but is a normal reaction.

 

[noodleroo]

I have a theory about some behavior today that I'd like to hear your thoughts on.

I believe that the constant substance abuse of the parents of newborn and very young children is affecting our society in ways we never expected. When infants are deprived of nurturing - not being held and loved, no proper nutrition, unhealthy living conditions - it seems that they lose the ability to connect to life the way we expect. They have a low sense of 'care' for themselves, animals, others; its so sad. I see the threads on this forum about what is wrong with children these days and even though I know every generation has asked that question, I really think the human race is quickly losing an important element of being.

I don't believe that this should be catagorized as some sort of mental illness. Its more of a social pattern. What do you think?

 

[PineappleMama]

^I know I've seen an article or such about that very thing... the kids need 'touching' and whatnot.. derned if I know where to find it though.

What bumfuzzles me is knowing the risks, just the physical ones or just the legal ones, but hey there's also the mental ones... why in the nine hells do people even start using drugs? It's not like it's some mysterious ambrosia we know nothing about... not a new miracle diet pill... and 10 years later people see effects... the bad effects from drug use are totally documented AND aren't hidden at all, they're talked about in schools... not to mention home, church, commercials... and so on..

Keep in mind I'm including myself in that confusion... why in the nine hells did I ever pick up a cigarette? I'm not just pointing fingers, and not at any specific thing... anything from booze to cigs to crack... I still haven't been able to wrap my head around the why of that one...

For me it's the cigs, for mom it's booze, for Sis it's crack (or is it speed? something that involves foil 'pipes' is all I know)... I've been wracking my brain for over 20 years on this problem... and in that 20 years I picked up cigs myself... so what the crap is that?!?!

 

[welsummerchicks]

I think there are more than twice as many people in the US than a short time ago (population growth in the US is huge), and I don't think the percentage of pathology in the population has gone up. I don't think there are more 'bad' kids today (percentage wise) or that there is more mental pathology today (percentage wise). I don't think drinking, mental pathology or 'bad kids' are more percentage wise in urban areas than rural. I think the news unrelentingly reports on disturbed offenders and youth delinquency because it sells. Anything that outrages and upsets people sells.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Quote:
I know, why don't those people just get straight to the point and kill themselves FIRST!

 

[welsummerchicks]

Because they are mentally deranged. By definition, much of their behavior is not going to make any sense.

'He's crazy! He's acting crazy! His behavior makes no sense!'

By definition, people who are mentally deranged don't consistently do things that make sense.

 

[PineappleMama]

Quote:
I know, why don't those people just get straight to the point and kill themselves FIRST!

Misery Loves Company? And not even being sarcastic ... I've often wondered if that wasn't part of the thought (if any thinking was actually happening, maybe subconscious) involved when they ended up offing themselves anyways...