Posted by med_empowered on September 18, 2005, at 1:47:54
In reply to Re: what constitutes crazy? » spriggy, posted by crazy teresa on September 18, 2005, at 1:36:04
I've found that "crazy"--whether applied by others, or to yourself regarding your own experiences--is an isolating label...it makes you feel isolated from humanity. When I talk to people going through problems like mine, even if they're not exactly the same, I kind of realize that this isn't *crazy* or *insane*; for better or for worse, intense, soul-crushing spiritual/emotional pain and existential angst are a very, very big part of the human experience (though more so for some than for others...but, a surprising number of people are on the receiving end of a lot of anguish). I find that avoiding labels--bipolar, social phobia, etc.--when I'm outside the docs office really helps. There's a component of my issues, for me at least, that can be eased a bit by medication and therapy when necessary, but there's also a larger part that has to be understood and respected as being not necessarily pathological but simply troubling and painful...this part, the larger part of my problems, is something that I can share with others and which allows us all to connect to one another. Its also the part that pushes me to write as a form of self-expression; if I cant find an outlet for the driving, forceful un-ease, dissatisfaction, and pain that sometimes fills me, then it really will destroy me. Anyway, I guess I'm saying (sorry this is so long, btw) that being *crazy* is really just a sign of being *human* and being *alive*; I believe the doors once sang a line (lifted from a major poet) to the effect that "some are born to sweet delight/ some are born to endless night". I don't think its that extreme; I think we can all find happiness and meaning in our lives (I seriously recommend Victor Frankel's logotherapy work for more on this), but I do think that there comes a point at which we must acknowledge that life is more of a struggle for some people than for others; whatever the reason, it just takes some of us a bit more to stay afloat (or even stay alive) than it does other people.
poster:med_empowered
thread:556039
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050914/msgs/556309.html