What is crazy, anyway?

People always use the word, sometimes as a pejorative, sometimes just casually, as in "Ties were on sale, so I went crazy and bought 6" kind of thing.

I don't feel crazy. I know who I am, where I am, I function completely in the real world. And I suffer a lot with C-PTSD. I tend to have a lot of suicidal imagery. Healthy, no. Crazy, I don't think so, I know what the act entails, finality and desperation, what it would do to,those left behind. I certainly don't want to ever go there.

Why do people have to be cruel, treat us as somehow less than or dangerous or whatever? Especially the latter, because of the acts of a tiny handful of people, many of which may be sociopaths but not mentally ill? That is acting crazy, being irrational towards people they don't bother to understand.

You are not crazy. You have an illness but you are not your illness. It is only a label. I think the media is to blame for a lot of the sterotyping of the mentally ill. And, so called, normal people buy into the hype after all they have know way of understanding mental health issues if they don't have them.

I can't tell you why people are cruel. I suspect it is fear of the unknown. And who knows, some of those that are cruel may have a mental illness themselves and it is untreated. Hang in there.

I'm sorry you have been treated as less than because that is only in the eyes of the one that trys to undermine you to make themselves look better.

I would be willing to bet that virtually everyone in the US has some diagnosable MH issue at some point.

I often wonder about the 'crazy' label myself, and appreciate very much, your use of the word 'cruel.'

It's a bizarre world we live in. Let me give you my life, example. I have this ex husband. Who has apparently, vilified me, in my community, well, certain factions. I'm the one, in therapy, and have prescribed medications. A small dose prescription, comparatively, but still a prescription. Even, when married, this 'crazy' label, has flowed through his mouth.

Ironically, my neurologist, once said to me, that I had to be one of the sanest people he knows. I never mentioned, what's been said, but he has said this. I had another doctor, upon telling her, about something or another, mentioned, that it sounded like a very logical and rational decision I'd made.

Now, when I have doctors telling me, I am logical and rational, where on earth did 'crazy' come into place here?

See, I wonder about certain 'normals', and I wonder why such stigma around seeking counseling.

This isn't to say, I don't have a diagnosis, MS/anxiety/depression is what I have. Speaking of stigmas and labels, I once had this online friend, say, so sorry what's going to happen to my mental capacities with my MS. ugh....does the lack of awareness, ever cease to amaze me?

it's crazy how for so long you can hold onto the idea you might be crazy, despite all evidence to the contrary. most of us are just people trying to live out normal lives, and we care for others, help others, enjoy peoples company, laugh, kid, have fun... and for some reason - not for one moment in all that do we think hey what the hell does it mean to be "crazy," because if i am "crazy," then everyone else is to.

i have what i believe are abnormal experiences. intrusive thoughts, which are no more than my illness, but they kind of make me think that. but then again it's a silent epidemic. everyone has those kinds of thoughts. come to think about it i'm not sure if they're abnormal, but if they are, it's not me, it's my illness. and it follows that... of course they have no bearing.... in anything i concern myself with.

oh, and if someone tells you you're crazy. that's just bs. you know yourself, and you know what you go through. and you know where you stand, and what you're about. don't let them touch you.

I don't think its the media. I think its lack of knowledge. Not only about the mind and disorders by researchers, psychologists, neurologists, etc. but also what they know being readily available to the average person. The internet is making that easier. I can't help but wonder though about the interactions of animals. When one is different, mutated, sick, etc. they often get excluded or anandoned. I wonder if sometimes we are not so high above instincts as we like to put ourselves and maybe this is another contributing factor.

I love the word "crazy". I especially love discovering what kind of odd associations people might have with the word/concept "crazy" [as in mad or insane].

Some of the best reactions I have gotten out of people, regarding pretty much anything, is when I, say have a nice long chat with someone about philosophy or culture or music. Ya know, something totally "normal"... and then a flippant comment is made about someone being crazy, and I often go something like:

"Totally, we crazy people are quite the handful"
-person laughs, until they see I am not really joking-
"Oh, by the way, I'm certifiable. For serious, I'm crazy. So, what were you saying about free will and personal responsibility and such?"

Either conversation continues genially on any number of subjects, or there is a lot of coughing and attempted back-pedaling.

Either way the person is often a bit taken aback, and it's an interesting experience.
...I should probably stop with the social experiments...

I would say 'what is normal'? I think people live in the dark ages when it comes to mental health and through ignorance and fear they call it 'crazy' - 'mad'. Everyone is an individual not just an illness or disorder. Most illness' can be managed, treated and even cured. I think people should look beyond the illness and see the person - why is there still this stigma?!

Yup, totally agree. Normal is a continuum, too, we all have eccentricities and issues.