[changethecycle]

I know so many un diagnosed people who could us a bit of therapy....So what is normal anyway? It seems so elusive at times....or is it? I don't know how many times I have had to check myself from saying I wish I was normal....maybe we are normal and the rest of the world is in denial...food for thought I guess...what do you think?

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[Webgoji]

From my perspective, normal is a baseline. So if we are talking about mental health, then normal is someone not affected by a mental illness. If we talk about social norms, then normal would be someone that does the things socially that most people do.

[changethecycle]

Great points wbgoji.....can we then assume that their is no specific normal? Is normal just a word placed as an average of all people.....Who is really to decide what is normal? Perhaps normal is what you make of it....thanks for the post?

[Alone & confused]

Originally Posted by changethecycle

I know so many un diagnosed people who could us a bit of therapy....So what is normal anyway? It seems so elusive at times....or is it? I don't know how many times I have had to check myself from saying I wish I was normal....maybe we are normal and the rest of the world is in denial...food for thought I guess...what do you think?

Sent from my C5120 using Tapatalk 2

I said pretty much the same thing on a different post!
That the "hopelessly optimistic" people are probably just turning a blind eye to all the suffering & evil in the world.

[changethecycle]

Originally Posted by Alone & confused

I said pretty much the same thing on a different post!
That the "hopelessly optimistic" people are probably just turning a blind eye to all the suffering & evil in the world.

I agree....mental illness is a real issue that plagues most people at least once in life...at least in my oppinion...even if its just slight depression based on temporary circumstances....I think its high time people stop trying to sweep us under the wrong, because the way things are going...perhaps we are the new normal...just saying.....good response!...thank you for your input!

Normal is the setting on a dryer.

I think everybody could be diagnosed with something. What we think of as "normal" could probably be better described as "healthy," "productive," or "effective."

[changethecycle]

Originally Posted by Lovebird

Normal is the setting on a dryer.

I think everybody could be diagnosed with something. What we think of as "normal" could probably be better described as "healthy," "productive," or "effective."

I agree...well said!

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

Normal is not being like we are; that's what I mean when I say "I wish I were normal".

[Webgoji]

Originally Posted by changethecycle

Great points wbgoji.....can we then assume that their is no specific normal? Is normal just a word placed as an average of all people.....Who is really to decide what is normal? Perhaps normal is what you make of it....thanks for the post?

Yeah, from my perspective, nobody is completely "normal". We all have traits that fall outside some baseline. We can be normal TV watchers (watch the average number of hours that everyone does), but not be normal with computer time (spend far less time on the computer than the average user).

It's all based around one action relative to a large group.

Let's take an example. According to Nielson, Americans spend 34 hours per week watching TV. I myself spend about 20 hours per week watching TV. Ergo, normal would be 34 and I'm not a "normal" TV watcher.

[changethecycle]

Originally Posted by Zwangsstörung

Normal is not being like we are; that's what I mean when I say "I wish I were normal".

I understand, and it makes clear sense.....from that stand point couldn't we then establish a set of standards of what "normal" is based on the way we "are" maybe that could take away some of the sting that comes with not feeling normal...if that makes sense....anyway thanks for posting!

Normal is the polar opposite of myself.

[changethecycle]

Originally Posted by Webgoji

Yeah, from my perspective, nobody is completely "normal". We all have traits that fall outside some baseline. We can be normal TV watchers (watch the average number of hours that everyone does), but not be normal with computer time (spend far less time on the computer than the average user).

It's all based around one action relative to a large group.

Let's take an example. According to Nielson, Americans spend 34 hours per week watching TV. I myself spend about 20 hours per week watching TV. Ergo, normal would be 34 and I'm not a "normal" TV watcher.

Good point yet again....I say let's do away with the word normal and substitute it with the word average.....not being "average" is something I would be proud of.....but then people would try to break that down to above and below average...why can't we just "be"

[changethecycle]

Originally Posted by Useless Me

Normal is the polar opposite of myself.

Who is to say that's not a good thing? Normal by any standards is boring....it means to be like most people....if being an individual with a mind of your own is not normal well then I'm all for it! Thanks for posting!

[Webgoji]

Originally Posted by changethecycle

...why can't we just "be"

But if we don't separate ourselves from others and point out their flaws to make ourselves feel superior, then we'll have to deal with our own flaws and insecurities.

I'm being sarcastic, but it's basically true. Obviously, the scientific, medical and advertising communities want to know the averages so they can work with those. But from a social perspective, we want to point out other's flaws so we can feel better about ourselves. How better to direct attention to yourself than to show everyone around you that the other person isn't like you? Artificially creating an "us versus them" situation.

If we can prove we're "better" than someone, more like everyone else, "normal", then everyone will like us better. It's easier to hide behind the faults of someone else than to try to correct them within ourselves.

Do not find the faults in others, but find them within yourself and purge them like bad blood.

Atisha's advice to the Tibetan people

[Gus1234U]

technically, 'the norm' is what 60% of the people (or animals or things) who were observed or questioned reported At That Time. of course things like Height rarely change after 'adulthood', which might be from 10 yrs old to 25,, (where's the 'Norm' in that ?) it's different for males and females, too.

but all subjective things (like states of health, brain function, social acceptability, self image,) have a very flexible 'Norm' and one might as well try to find ones own personal 'Norm'... i am normally very quiet, because i am normally alone, but put me with a live person, or in a chat room, and ZOOM,, reality changes. for me that's normal

i don't like the terms "mental health" and "mental illness"... i prefer "brain chemistry dysfunctions", "cognitive impairments", and "behavioral adaptations". when i worked at a psych rehab center one time, we used to joke about the Diagnosed and the Undiagnosed, and how hard it was to tell one from the other~!

in the end, it comes down to how you feel about yourself, what you think about yourself and how well you like yourself, i guess. if you do like yourself, even if other people have a problem with that,, you are fortunate... but if you don't like yourself, no matter what other people say... how sad~

therefore, i strive to become a person i like better than the one i was yesterday~ and that of course is the advice i give others,,, because i like it~!

thanks for the thread~
Gus

[changethecycle]

Originally Posted by Webgoji

But if we don't separate ourselves from others and point out their flaws to make ourselves feel superior, then we'll have to deal with our own flaws and insecurities.

I'm being sarcastic, but it's basically true. Obviously, the scientific, medical and advertising communities want to know the averages so they can work with those. But from a social perspective, we want to point out other's flaws so we can feel better about ourselves. How better to direct attention to yourself than to show everyone around you that the other person isn't like you? Artificially creating an "us versus them" situation.

If we can prove we're "better" than someone, more like everyone else, "normal", then everyone will like us better. It's easier to hide behind the faults of someone else than to try to correct them within ourselves.



Atisha's advice to the Tibetan people

Very insightful!!!! I'm impressed! Love the quote!

[Grey Matter]

Normality is simply an ideal constructed by neurotypical people who fear being "abnormal". In my less "professional" idea, it's really rather dull, isn't it.

I feel when people claim to be normal, or some sort of "normal", they miss out on so many learning experiences. They don't learn how to read their own bodies, minds and put it into a certain type of practice. I am not at all attempting to romanticize mental illness, I just think those of us who are diagnosed/un-diagnosed have been given certain tools to look deeper within ourselves and our places in reality.

[changethecycle]

Originally Posted by Gus1234U

technically, 'the norm' is what 60% of the people (or animals or things) who were observed or questioned reported At That Time. of course things like Height rarely change after 'adulthood', which might be from 10 yrs old to 25,, (where's the 'Norm' in that ?) it's different for males and females, too.

but all subjective things (like states of health, brain function, social acceptability, self image,) have a very flexible 'Norm' and one might as well try to find ones own personal 'Norm'... i am normally very quiet, because i am normally alone, but put me with a live person, or in a chat room, and ZOOM,, reality changes. for me that's normal

i don't like the terms "mental health" and "mental illness"... i prefer "brain chemistry dysfunctions", "cognitive impairments", and "behavioral adaptations". when i worked at a psych rehab center one time, we used to joke about the Diagnosed and the Undiagnosed, and how hard it was to tell one from the other~!

in the end, it comes down to how you feel about yourself, what you think about yourself and how well you like yourself, i guess. if you do like yourself, even if other people have a problem with that,, you are fortunate... but if you don't like yourself, no matter what other people say... how sad~

therefore, i strive to become a person i like better than the one i was yesterday~ and that of course is the advice i give others,,, because i like it~!

thanks for the thread~
Gus

Very thought provoking and well said!

[changethecycle]

Originally Posted by Grey Matter

Normality is simply an ideal constructed by neurotypical people who fear being "abnormal". In my less "professional" idea, it's really rather dull, isn't it.

I feel when people claim to be normal, or some sort of "normal", they miss out on so many learning experiences. They don't learn how to read their own bodies, minds and put it into a certain type of practice. I am not at all attempting to romanticize mental illness, I just think those of us who are diagnosed/un-diagnosed have been given certain tools to look deeper within ourselves and our places in reality.

I agree...well said! Excellent perspective!

[changethecycle]

I have to say...the posts so far have blown me away!......I'm intrigued, enlightened and feeling anything but normal at the moment! Lovin it! Thank you all for making this topic come alive!