next »

[JRoss]

... I just have to say that the people on this board are the most intelligent and polite group I've EVER come across online!

I'm fascinated by Mental Illness... thought about checking myself in just to see what its like inside...but chickend out.  This fascination has opened me up to work on a personal research project to explore what its like for anyone who experiences life "differently" than the norm.  Who knows.. maybe all this research will lead into a book... a one woman play... a tv show...or ...dunno...  darkness is scary... and usually that means a "go"-sign for me... to move through and to understand.  

I think people who may appear to be a little off center by social norms are the most fascinating... I wish our health care system was doing a better job of attending to people who feel challenged in their life... or that at least ABC would do an EXTREME HOMELESS MAKEOVER as a way to help the community one person at a time...    

...I'm currently reading "OUT OF HER MIND"... which is beyond fascinating... ON THE EDGE with Cillian Murphy was such a great movie... and I cant wait for CAMILLE CLAUDEL to arrive via netflix.  

I associate mental illness with oppression mostly and lack of understanding... is that naive?  I hope and pray for less loneliness and more acceptance and self love... I dont even have to ask... yes that's cheesy... but I mean it.

I've been through most of the threads on this page... everyone here is amazing!

...and yes... I'm apparently very fond of using "..."

I'm on a journey to explore the "POSITIVE" sides of NOT BEING NORMAL.  I try not to judge but when I put on my Joe- "normal" glasses to deal with the volcanic life of today I see conformity and fear, and lack of self-awareness... no one asks questions anymore...

I'd be most appreciative if anyone who reads this wants to start a dialogue or turn me on to articles, experiences, or resources that focus on people overcoming challenges, savants, anyone who has ever been viewed as an underdog because of their thoughts/views/mental conditions... or just any conditions that provide an opportunity to be a hero.

Thanks for reading!

Explore2Enchant@hotmail.com

(P.S. ... all of a sudden I feel exposed, responsible and terrified... what doors is this post going to open up?  )

[Dr Sketch]

Well, I can give you a good starting point: do a comments search for Lynne or Lyric!

Lynne's Comments
Lyric's Comments

Both are very knowledgable about the mental health industry, and have put a ton of information up in the comments!  Of course, there are a lot of jokes in there too (some really funny ones!), so it helps lighten things up a bit...  If you see Lynne mention ranting, or either of them go "Thump thump", you know you're in for something enlightening...

Most of us don't put our e-mails up in here, but have them linked through our profiles (for instance, at the bottom of my post there is a button that says "E-Mail"; if you click it, you can send me an e-mail).  I doubt that there is really an issue with spammers, but you never know, and some of us (yours truly especially) have made enemies of some ex-forum members (I'm not always nice!) and would rather not have that information freely available... Just a thought!

Anyway, welcome to the forums, get comfy, try to avoid the sitz baths, and never feed the mods after midnight! :lol:

[Lyric]

Sketchie!  You forgot Serrena's comments too... Since she is currently workin in Mental Health care, and I am retired from EMS.

You're in luck.  All of the moderators here, (especially Lynne and Serrena) are pretty well versed as Sketchie said.
Some of the members are very involved with several aspects of care ranging from healthy medicine to mental health issues.

But, like I said... sharing somethings can be detrimental to our careers and our reputations among colleagues.
So..  we'll share what we are comfortable with.

To truly get a feel for what goes on in an MI/MR situation, try volunteering at a facility.  Some places welcome visitors to come in and spend time with these people.
Some don't.

[autoguy]

Well JRoss, if you were looking for something out of the ordinary, you have found that, that's for sure!  The site may be UE and abandoned places, but the old institutions attract many involved in that area.  Hence this strange little corner of the forum.  All of it is interesting, right down to the bazaar dark corners.

"when I put on my Joe- "normal" glasses to deal with the volcanic life of today I see conformity and fear, and lack of self-awareness... no one asks questions anymore..."

Lots of scared people running around, yes.  Definately step aside when it's needed or the herd will stampede you!

I got lucky and found a used copy of "Mad in America" on Amazon cheap.  Just under $15 to my door!  Should be on it's way to me.  I'm told that is a remarkable book.

What are you saying up there sketch?  You're not all warm and fuzzy all the time?  :wink:

[Dr Sketch]

I didn't forget, I couldn't remember how she posted (Serrena, serrena, Serrena_de_Singe, etc) and was pressed for time (was at work, and actually working!).  Lyric is right, Serrena's comments have a great wealth of info too...

Serrena's Comments

Please don't kill me Serrena! Just remember, you need me alive to fill that bucket and turkey baster... :lol:

Now... if you wanna read some really FUNNY comments, go read my stuff, I'm almost never serious... I'm surprised Mottsie hasn't kicked me off yet! :twisted:

[StareGirl]

I have yet to find a book that I feel accurately portrays life in a mental health ward.  Perhaps this is because most authors are coming from their own biased  perspective.

In all honesty, the best I have read was the old Sane in an Insane World study.

[autoguy]

Some history.

Title:    The North American review. / Volume 79, Issue 164
Publisher:    University of Northern Iowa
Publication Date:    July 1854
American Hospitals for the Insane: pp. 66-90

http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=ABQ7578-0079-6


Enchanted! (Moe)
Enraptured! (Larry)
Embalmed! (Curly)

[Kim]

I haven't read this but it was a true study dune in the now gone RIP ypsilanti hospital  in michigan in he did from 58- 60 I believeare the years. thre research is conduced

The three Christ of ypsilanti
 by Milto Rokeach
  Backcover  " in the statemental hospital at Ypsilanti, Michigan are three men -a farmer,a clerk,and aneledtrician- each of hem whom belives that he is Jesus Christ.  Wha impelled hem to renounce their real identities? what led led them to adopt the name that symbolizes thegreatest and the best in man? and would they give up their delusions if they were brought face to face? These are the questions Miltion Rokeach set out to explore when he overtook the investergation descrived in this book. the story of the three Christs presents a piognant and fascinnting picture of three lost men and at same time constutes a major psychological study which reaches to the very roots of the human personality.

The three Christs of Ypsilanti is more than a record of an experiment in the outmost reaches of social psychology. amoung other things it repesents, in an unpretentousbut remarkablyvivid way, what institutionalized madness is like"
     Seven Marcus, new york time review of books



  The best place to find this book is in a used book store it was published in 1964 and I have a narrative form of this book I saw this on amazon.com  it mayne hard to get it .

[Jude]

Just remember, you need me alive to fill that bucket and turkey baster... :lol:

quote]

Oh good lord,  I forgot about that!!   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Ma