[x123]

I have an old friend who visits me every few years. In 2009, I apparently became mildly psychotic after he visited me. At the time, I believed that my friend was either willingly or unwillingly involved in some kind of conspiracy to harm me by casting spells on me or something. I didn't tell my friend any of this at the time, because he lived far away, and I didn't want to let him know that their spells had any effect on me.

So now it is 2017. My friend has visited a couple of times, and I tried to be as normal as possible. The first time he visited, I was honestly afraid for my life, but I tried to behave normally. The second time he visited, I was afraid at first, but I relaxed quickly. This will be his third visit. I'm much less afraid, and I wondered if I should tell him what happened to me in 2009. So much about that visit puzzles me. People around me were behaving strangely during the weekend (including my friend). Then I suddenly snapped after the weekend ended. I keep wondering if it was all in my imagination or not. I wish I could ask my friend if he remembers anything strange. Probably I should just keep the whole incident to myself. Any thoughts? I guess there is a part of me that can't accept that I imagined all these things. In the past, I never even considered asking my friend, because I assumed he would not be honest. Now I trust him more (which is progress), but I still keep wondering if some of what I experienced was real. (A therapist thought I had delusional disorder, but I think that was an overstatement. Delusional thinking has been a problem though.)

If you were to explain the situation to him he might be less likely to freak out if it was to happen again.

[Gojamadar]

Originally Posted by x123

I have an old friend who visits me every few years. In 2009, I apparently became mildly psychotic after he visited me. At the time, I believed that my friend was either willingly or unwillingly involved in some kind of conspiracy to harm me by casting spells on me or something. I didn't tell my friend any of this at the time, because he lived far away, and I didn't want to let him know that their spells had any effect on me.

So now it is 2017. My friend has visited a couple of times, and I tried to be as normal as possible. The first time he visited, I was honestly afraid for my life, but I tried to behave normally. The second time he visited, I was afraid at first, but I relaxed quickly. This will be his third visit. I'm much less afraid, and I wondered if I should tell him what happened to me in 2009. So much about that visit puzzles me. People around me were behaving strangely during the weekend (including my friend). Then I suddenly snapped after the weekend ended. I keep wondering if it was all in my imagination or not. I wish I could ask my friend if he remembers anything strange. Probably I should just keep the whole incident to myself. Any thoughts? I guess there is a part of me that can't accept that I imagined all these things. In the past, I never even considered asking my friend, because I assumed he would not be honest. Now I trust him more (which is progress), but I still keep wondering if some of what I experienced was real. (A therapist thought I had delusional disorder, but I think that was an overstatement. Delusional thinking has been a problem though.)

Hi,

I believed that my friend was either willingly or unwillingly involved in some kind of conspiracy to harm me by casting spells on me or something.

If you think someone can cast a spell on you, it is definitely delusional.
Hypnotists can hypnotise people who feel inferior to the hypnotist. It is logical as anybody who goes to the hypnotist must believe that the hypnotist is superior and has some advantage.
Hypnotism is a basic animal instinct to submit to undefensible force of a predator to save pain and fear.

[x123]

Originally Posted by Lefty the Salesman

If you were to explain the situation to him he might be less likely to freak out if it was to happen again.

That is a good point. I don't think this will ever happen again, because it has been several years, but many people have repeats. I am a very non-violent person, but I considered carrying pepper spray the last time my friend visited, because I was so concerned that he might try to drug me "again". Potentially I might have sprayed him with pepper spray if I had imagined him doing something suspicious. When I first became psychotic, I considered keeping a gun by my bed for protection, but I don't like guns and generally don't like violence. So that is a good point. I think it isn't a high risk after so many years.

[x123]

Originally Posted by Gojamadar

Hi,
If you think someone can cast a spell on you, it is definitely delusional.
Hypnotists can hypnotise people who feel inferior to the hypnotist. It is logical as anybody who goes to the hypnotist must believe that the hypnotist is superior and has some advantage.
Hypnotism is a basic animal instinct to submit to undefensible force of a predator to save pain and fear.

I was not aware of that explanation for hypnosis. I agree that I was delusional, but it isn't as clear-cut. Some things I thought were definitely delusional, but other things were more murky.

[TishaBuv]

Is this friend the only one you have had these feelings about? If so, I would just stay away from this friend. For some reason they trigger you.

[MickeyCheeky]

I think you should tell him..

[x123]

Originally Posted by TishaBuv

Is this friend the only one you have had these feelings about? If so, I would just stay away from this friend. For some reason they trigger you.

Yes, this friend is the only one I felt paranoid about. I always dread having him visit, because it brings back those feelings. Surprisingly, I made some progress after his last visit, because it forced me to confront my paranoia and see that it was unfounded. For better or for worse, I agreed to his travel plans, so I will see him in a couple of months.

I think part of the reason for my dread (besides the paranoia) is that I don't like remembering how much better my life had been in the past when we were close friends. It is easier for me to accept my present conditions if I forget about my past. That might be a factor in why I became psychotic after seeing him in 2009.

[x123]

Originally Posted by MickeyCheeky

I think you should tell him..

That is probably good advice. Maybe I will learn something psychologically by telling him. If the information makes him uncomfortable, then he will stop visiting me, and I don't mind that too much either. I do enjoy his visits, but they are hard on me psychologically.

[avlady]

yes i think you should tell him, then if he doesn't want to see you anymore you will know if he is ok with it, and if not, you won't be triggerred if he stops seeing you.

[x123]

Originally Posted by avlady

yes i think you should tell him, then if he doesn't want to see you anymore you will know if he is ok with it, and if not, you won't be triggerred if he stops seeing you.

I will see what happens. He doesn't visit for a couple of months. I think I will go with the flow. Mostly I hope that I won't have as much paranoia about him. On the last visit, I was mostly o.k., but there was still a little bit of worry. I didn't invite him inside to see my apartment, because I didn't want him near my cat. LOL

Well, I would discuss this with him and your primary mental healthcare worker.

I want to throw this out there.... On what is your friendship based? Evaluate this and consider how important it is having him in your life. If the answer is that his importance is relatively high to you, then cultivating it would be the thing to do; and, that means being forthright and honest. Put the ball in his court then and tell him about the impact of those occasions you get together. If he cringes and walks away, it was time to cut him loose anyway.

[x123]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

Well, I would discuss this with him and your primary mental healthcare worker.

I want to throw this out there.... On what is your friendship based? Evaluate this and consider how important it is having him in your life. If the answer is that his importance is relatively high to you, then cultivating it would be the thing to do; and, that means being forthright and honest. Put the ball in his court then and tell him about the impact of those occasions you get together. If he cringes and walks away, it was time to cut him loose anyway.

That sounds like good advice.

[TishaBuv]

I would trust my own instincts about him, especially since he is the only one triggering you. Maybe you subconsciously sense something not right with him.

[x123]

Originally Posted by TishaBuv

I would trust my own instincts about him, especially since he is the only one triggering you. Maybe you subconsciously sense something not right with him.

I have always felt that my friend had a mysterious dark side to his personality, but I've never known precisely what. Before the fateful visit in 2009, I had begun to suspect that my friend was bisexual or gay and was attracted to me. This made me apprehensive about the visit. Maybe that apprehensiveness triggered psychosis. The other problem with seeing my friend, is that his career and life has moved ahead over the past 15 years, and my career and life have gone into the gutter. It makes me angry at myself for giving up my career 15 years ago. This anger may have also triggered psychosis.