Fleeing down the hallway - I knew that I could not run away from myself

1. Sanity is giving up the illusions for reason. "Mental Health" they cry out when a better phrase would be "Mental happiness". Some people are mentally healthy but are as miserable as sin. Of course the belief that all people have the unalienable individual right to seek happiness through whatever method they choose, likely inhibits a richer metaphor. A good dollop of hedonism never goes amiss, either. Happy people tend to cope well with the vagaries of life.

2. Therapists don't realise that the patient has to move mountains to reach logic. To reach a state of wellness, all belief in any paranormal things like intuition, precognitive insights, or any area that cannot be tabulated as 100% fact are best to avoid. These concepts can be revisited later in a relative place of safety. And you need a haven, a place of refuge where the healing processes can begin and a place to retreat to, if things aren't going well.

3. The universe is not governed by logic, though there are pockets of it. There IS cause and effect and probably karma.

4. Black Dog, (deep depression) is as bad as Churchill spoke of.

5. The "Fugue" state is beyond depression. The mind is vacant and when suffering from this condition, even answering a yes or no question, feels like scaling an emotional Everest. The amount of energy expanded in uttering one word is synonymous with inertia. Even the most distressing thoughts are a welcome aside to ease the terrible vacuum. Often it is too much stimulation coming in to the mind as opposed to other times when there is insufficient. Do we have the vision and strength of character to understand that to master all things, suffering, regretfully, is the key to open the gateway of knowledge and wisdom.

6. Manic depression, (Bipolar disorder) it is said, took people out of the caves, as it dared those sufferers to explore further than the average person would.

7. Visitations. Do these come from within the mind or from without? Are they real or are they false? Is schizophrenia a psychic awakening? I believe it is. Trouble is a "sufferer" needs a well traveled guide rather than someone trying to relieve them of this condition. Instead of thinking there may be some value here, let's look at this, psychiatrists tend to want to combat the patients ravings, evoking their own personal misgivings, attempting to calm the patient, rather than understand the condition. Pills only suppress emotions and thoughts and are unconstructive.

8. Not all "sufferers" want to give up the delusions - the price to do so can be a vacuum. How brave are we to give up the illusion of grandeur, as not all beliefs are dark, some are light and others offer great hope. We had the problems in the first place because of boredom, static patterns of thought that lead nowhere; a hesitant introversion. The eloquent actor, Stephen Fry, with Bipolar disorder; said he would accept the rock bottom lows, the price to pay, for the contrasting, enlightening highs and wasn't prepared to get "well".

9. The mind is not a logical organ but far more dynamic than that. This extreme adherence to logic is sedating our fears, and the truth that we don't have much control over the universe, though we do have plenty of power and ability.

10. Rebuilding your own life is the hardest thing to achieve. Often the spur is one of anger to prove a psychiatrist wrong. If you prove that one is astray in his/her theories then you have dented the reputation of all. Holding on to a glimmer of hope can lift the spirit. Even if it is false hope, no matter it will serve its purpose. Latch on to anything that will elevate you to a more constructive mood.

11. Freud is now much maligned because of his non politically correct views. He is still streets ahead of any other theorist in my opinion. His theories about fear, sadness and anger turned inwards being the central cause of depression. is refuted. It is more complex than that I was told by a therapist. All emotions should be fluid and must not become a state. The word "Emotion" breaks down into energy, and motion.

Fear is probably the most difficult to face and to deal with. It is very intangible. There are three central fears; explored in the publication "Thinking in the Shadows of Feelings" ; these are the fear of rejection, the fear of engulfment and finally, the fear of non-being- the most alarming of all. It is often masked as the fear of death. You can test them out for yourself, and then make your own decisions. For the release of anger, use a pillow and bring it down in front of you upon the floor, as many times as you see fit. You should build yourself up into a healthy rage. Sadness; a lot of grief we hold in our shoulders, so any massage of the shoulders tends to release this. And tragically those who have breakdowns aren't encouraged to get angry because anger is associated with violence. Ironically those that hold in their anger are more likely to lose it, in periodic volcanic outbursts.

12. Does madness have some value?

13. The intensity of the experience and the return journey back from insanity has given me some gifts. Regretfully, as it can be somewhat of a curse, I now have some psychic ability. This is not constant and tends to wax and wane and is certainly not readily accessible. Believe all people can develop these skills.

14. To become lucid also, never burn the candles at both ends, stay off all drugs, (legal or illegal) Treat yourself with respect and don't expect there to be a fast cure. Patience and steady resolve are your best allies. Support people like parents are invaluable. Their kindness and love have been a healing saviour. Friendships and relationships ease the journey. 15. I have the greatest respect for psychologists and psychiatrists though I believe that the basis of these sciences need to be re- evaluated, and their horizons extended to include many more esoteric disciplines. The fact that there is only one private psychiatrist in a city the size of Christchurch, New Zealand (400,000) speaks volumes. You can draw your own conclusions.

15. I have the greatest respect for psychologists and psychiatrists though I believe that the basis of these sciences need to be re- evaluated, and their horizons extended to include many more esoteric disciplines.


About the Author

This article is submitted on behalf of author Ray Mutton, a contributor for Social Anxiety Support: http://www.socialphobia.org.nz

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