Casey Thomas15 said:I guess the whole point is that neither mainstream science nor organized religion really has the full answer. Even though they don't exactly get along, both sides—like psychiatry and theology—have had to face the fact that there’s something out there they just can't wrap their heads around, something they actually influence. It all seems so obviously connected, you know? Like dreams, intuition, hallucinations, mystical visions... maybe even telepathy or prophecy if you look at parapsychology, though that field is kind of all over the place with its conclusions. But nobody wants to bridge those gaps to figure out what humans actually *are*. Instead, everyone just sticks to the script they were taught and shuts down anything that doesn't fit their specific "worldview." Is schizophrenia, as it's defined by international medical standards, just a massive misinterpretation of reality? Science feels like it *has* to provide a solution, even when things aren't totally clear. And I should probably mention that there is NO proven cause for schizophrenic !!! (and for the scientific crowd, experimental proof is the only thing that counts). In so many different religions and cultures—and honestly, among most people, including atheists, since that's a worldview that didn't just pop up out of nowhere—there's this lingering, sometimes intense belief that we aren't just some animals that evolved to a certain level on Earth. People often fall back on that classic line about there being SOME higher power, and then they just stop talking because it gets too deep. For a lot of deeply religious folks—and yeah, I know religion and faith aren't always the same thing—they sometimes have these "mystical" experiences that actually go way beyond their standard faith. If they weren't part of the same thing, they wouldn't feel so connected. In this specific case, it started from the religious side. But from a scientific perspective, he was already labeled as having delusions and hallucinations. Even though it was realistically understandable—and I won't use the word "incredible" because that kind of language ruins logical thinking and complex etiology, not to waste space here—that he was receiving "information" that isn't scientifically provable but felt incredibly real. Any psychologist or psychiatrist would call that PURE COINCIDENCE. They might secretly believe it's true, but they won't validate it because they don't want to seem inconsistent or even "crazy" themselves (you know, that whole "induced psychosis" thing in psychiatry). What's even weirder is how the "angel" figures actually led the person to "believe he was wrong," causing him to flip from a mystical experience straight into what medical practice calls CLASSICAL SCHIZOPHRENIA! There are millions of these Voices convincing people; just in the USA, there are about 2.5 million schizophrenic !!! It's just the approach that changes depending on the culture. Think about Native Americans, for instance, where hearing the voices of deceased relatives is considered completely normal. Nobody calls them crazy, because they aren't. So, did we make a mistake somewhere? Did it become obvious that schizophrenic people hear the same voices as mystics, but modern society just labels it as madness? I wonder if the role played by "angels, demons, or command voices"—whatever they may be—creates these different categories, ranging from psychics and mystics to the "insane"?
Bravo. Look, a mystic and a madman are basically the same thing. The only difference? A mystic keeps a grip on their perceptions. A lunatic loses it when they can't control themselves—overwhelmed by those intense mystical experiences. It triggers fear. Usually happens between ages 18 and 27 while your character is still forming. Our civilization doesn't train us for mysticism; it trains us for this so-called "reality." So, people with those "mystical" experiences...
People lose their minds right when they’re supposed to be growing up. Honestly? Our precious psychiatry system is out here killing people. Run. Get away from the meds and learn about mysticism instead. Sleep, eat, read, pray—heal yourself after those first psychotic breaks. You're better off sticking with Native Americans than trusting psychiatry. Once they poison you with drugs and wreck your intelligence and nervous system, you won't be a mystic anymore; you'll just be a pathetic, sick person. A healthy lifestyle, nature, art... all of that can help. But mostly, you have to help yourself. Don't look for friends; they'll just talk you into seeing a psychiatrist. Find yourself and don't tempt fate. One day we'll live with a new consciousness. For those already hooked on meds, those poisoned by years of psychiatric care, there's unfortunately not much help left. But if you're still young, help yourself before it's too late.