I think there may be some truth in your perceptions but maybe you took it too far. It's the same with my mania. I still believe there are spiritual insights to be found in altered states of mind. The term madness is just a term used to describe an altered stated of mind that deviates from the norm. Normalcy is defined by cultural values. Some cultures valued altered states of mind. Individuals experiencing altered states enjoyed positions of high status in their society. In my state of mania I got carried away and my enthusiasm took me too far. I still struggle with the idea that society need to change and accept a greater variety of human experience welcoming more diverse expressions of human behavior instead of defining it in terms of pathology.
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Originally Posted by mharleman
This reminds me of what I went through when they told me I was suffering from delusions. I certainly didn't believe I was suffering delusions. As a matter of fact, I didn't, and still am not sure I fully understand, what a delusion is. It's defined as a belief that nobody else has. That I did have. I was experimenting with the idea that right and left brain control different parts of the body. I didn't think that was delusional. It will be really funny if someday it's proven that I was right. However, I was doing some pretty weird stuff. I was writing strange things on paper and had paper all over the apartment. I scared my wife to death. Finally, they Baker Acted me and forced me into a hospital. When I came out, I was a different person (but it took awhile for me to trust my wife again.) Now I know she had no choice. I had gone off the deep end and never would have come back without help.
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