By definition, this is a strage business. The people who come to see me are not in the best of shape, mentally. They are not the happiest folks, and because of that, they are usually surrounded with chaos. Some of the chaos is the casue of their difficulties, some of it is the result of their difficulties. After a while, it becomes hard for them to be clear about which is the tail and which is the dog.
Just today I was talking to the man who works in the prison and has claustrophobia (has panic attacks once the doors close). He says that his job makes him feel ike he's in jail. Of course, he is. But he is good at his job. He is humane. He knows what he is doing. Prisoners get him a bit nervous. He thinks that many of them are bad people, and they are. I can't recommend medication for this guy or they won't let him carry a gun.
We talk about options. He can learn to calm down, or change jobs. He is having trouble doing either. We will work on the first option.
That was after I was talking to a sixty-two year old woman who has been afraid of men her entire life. She is charming and friendly, but has no use for anything more than that. Yesterday an admirer left a rose at her door. "Why me?" She asked. I'm flattered but it will only drive me away.
Maybe "just friends." Maybe.
Years ago, many years ago, I did research with a man named John Turner. It was so long ago his name won't appear if you Google him. But he had come up with three major factors of mental healh problems. He called them "mad," "sad" and "bad." it's still basically true. I have learned that they are not only basic, they all over-lap and interact.
And "mad" can be interpreted both way. And usually it is both, at the same time.
3 comments:
Mad, at best, is usually both ways. And we all have ghosts in the closets, and sometimes we take them out and wear them... get all dolled up and parade around in our other faces...our other selves. Very thought provoking posts, from the other side...
LOL, Jeeps I am busted! When I get PO at my dear hubby...I say 'I am so angry, I am mad!'
And, yes I agree for most of us anymore it is not of question of 'if' but 'who & when.' And as I grow older, I realize it's not just mental disease...it's all diseases.
LOL, but then again I guess alcoholism, addictions (self-medicating) & such lead to heart & liver disease....
We have our base emotions and they often overlap, but usually one is at the base. It is either sadness, anger, anxiety, fear, or shame.
Thanks for the post.
findingonespath.blogspot.com
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