Posts by mistybison

briskgull27 said:Hi everyone
I had the best intentions, but I'm feeling way too much
pressure to maintain the briskgull27 persona.
For those wondering, my name comes from an Elton John song in the Moses cartoon.
🙂 🙂 👋 👋 👋

You aren't actually leaving, are you? 😢 You really are a breath of fresh air on this forum. 🙂

Then again, looking at it clearly, we are all just forum addicts here, so we probably aren't the best crowd to hang out with anyway. 🤔 😁

Superskeptik said:That’s what we call "preaching to the choir."

The issue is that when dealing with serious matters, simply presenting arguments isn't always enough to make an impact...

How you present your views is vital—whether you choose to share your own perspective and invite others in, or if you take an aggressive approach by forcing change upon someone else. People are sensitive by nature and tend to recoil when they feel attacked, so the way you frame an argument often determines whether anyone will even consider your position. This is especially evident in online forums. Arrogant or condescending contributors rarely win people over; more often than not, their ideas are rejected not because the logic is flawed, but because of their abrasive delivery. While that shouldn't be the case, people react emotionally to different stimuli, making it difficult to remain completely objective and ignore the persona behind the message.

Superskeptik said:How do you change someone's mind if they simply refuse to accept arguments?

I find myself asking that quite often, especially in trivial situations—like when someone insists a sentence shouldn't start with a capital letter. 😁 It is one thing if someone wants to believe their own rules in private, but it becomes a problem when they step out into the world and try to convince everyone else that their incorrect view is right, often finding allies among those who lack critical thinking skills. 😱 I have encountered many absurd moments where even appealing to authority, such as citing the Chicago Manual of Style 😁, proves useless, leaving one with no choice but to stay silent and let the other person feel like they "won." These situations are incredibly frustrating, and I haven't yet found a way to convince someone of obvious, provable facts when they are determined to ignore them. 😢 I try to avoid such people, though sometimes they don't avoid me. 😬

Quincy:

Alternatively, what specific arguments would lead you to change your worldview? (regardless of whether you are an atheist/believer/agnostic, vegetarian/meat-eater/vegan, smoker/non-smoker, etc.)

That is a much simpler question. 🙂 Regarding matters I am absolutely certain about—for instance, if I were a non-smoker deciding to become a smoker—no one could persuade me to change my choice. However, for things I am uncertain about, a reasonable, rational, logical, intelligent, and non-aggressive conversationalist could certainly prompt me to consider their ideas. That doesn't mean I will adopt them; the final decision remains entirely mine.

Quincy:

Is there anything at all that would cause you to radically change your worldview?

Yes, if I discovered that certain beliefs or behaviors were actually harming me, or if I simply realized I was wrong.

Quincy:

And if the answer is NO, how can you expect anyone else to do so?

I rarely engage in that kind of mental exercise. I lack both the patience and the desire to convince others to change their views, except in cases like the grammar example mentioned earlier. Those minor things truly drive me crazy. 😁I’m sure the issue lies with me, but I just can't seem to pinpoint what it is. 😬

funky Daemon said:the issue is they use them to manipulate and exploit people...

Anything can be misused. Even spirituality can become nothing more than a tool for gaining power in the material world, whether through controlling others or simply generating profit.

briskgull27 said:But what is "bre" actually an abbreviation for?

I am not entirely certain. There are several theories out there. Some claim it is short for a slang term used among friends, while others suggest it might have roots in foreign slang meaning something like "fool." It would be best to consult a language advisor.

VeronikaN said:...and her intelligence often "thinks" on your behalf😍

😁

It feels as though the primary intellect somehow gets sidelined. It seems they struggle to function in unison, where one side inevitably overrides the other. 🤔 😁

briskgull27 said:Would you be offended if I asked where you're from?
And why on earth would you ask that?

Me? Not at all. 🙂 However, I find it quite amusing when people from other countries try to mimic an American accent or slang; it usually sounds rather forced and doesn't quite capture how people actually talk or joke here.😁

normall said:He physically lashed out at his wife and sons on several occasions, causing them injury. Following these episodes, he was always hospitalized, though he has no memory of what happened. His explanations are distorted because he perceived them as something "other" rather than his own family. During those moments, his wife found it impossible to reason with him since he was simply lost in hallucinations and obsessions.

It seems his hallucinations become so consuming that his sense of self vanishes, much like a dream where we transform into different beings and battle shapes that feel entirely real in the moment.
It is possible that hallucinations vary widely, ranging from intense episodes like this to the types experienced by briskgull27.

That man has been "stable" for about ten years now, as the medication helped eliminate the hallucinations. 😛

When the mind and body cannot find their own equilibrium naturally, external aids are available to step in. 😉

blue bird said:It isn't just happening 'on the fringes,' dear...there is plenty of this going on in other subforums too...it is everywhere you look, which is exactly what I keep telling you.🙏 🤣

You have to admit, it is quite refreshing. 🙂 In my daily life, I am mostly surrounded by people practicing a sort of 'forced normalcy,' so I truly appreciate seeing so many individuals on this forum who aren't afraid to express their true selves.

briskgull27 said:I started this thread because schizophrenia has completely upended my life five different times.
I am not the same person I used to be, and I never will be again. Right now, things feel even worse.

What do you mean by "worse"?

outoftheblue said:That story is twenty years old; it’s nothing more than a broken record.
I am quite unsettled by the idea, and if someone actually showed up like that, I’d feel like I was living in a Ghostbusters movie. I certainly wouldn't forget such a fascinating experience, let alone try to toss a ghost out a window.
Watching enough horror movies actually builds up a certain level of courage.😂 😂 ☕

No, no, no—it definitely isn't a dream.

Then can you learn to live with it, accepting that these are things that simply don't happen to most people?

crimsonhound80 said:He walks into the room, and this tiny, bizarre creature is just sitting there, laughing at him and saying—I’m going to kill you all; I’ve been watching you for months and now it’s finally over.

The schizophrenic—essentially, the man just snapped, grabbed that "creature" from the bed, opened the window, and tossed it out.

That is what truly confuses me. 😕 This man is clearly intelligent, serious, and mature; he knows such creatures don't exist. So why wasn't his first instinct to call his wife and ask if she saw it too? (Most people would do that when facing something unexpected.) It seems then that a person experiencing schizophrenia isn't aware the hallucination is unreal; instead, the hallucination takes total control. He loses his grasp on himself and reality, landing in a dream-like state where anything is possible. Or is he? 🤔

(Sorry to be a bother. 😁 )

briskgull27 said:but I have been on medication for 11 years

And if you weren't taking them—if you were perfectly "healthy"—your chemistry would shift again, and you wouldn't be the person you are today. 😉

outoftheblue said:True, but what do you think about this? I was never so sensitive before that I felt the need for total isolation.
Society pushed me out, sure, but humans have an incredible ability to adapt.
Just like someone who thinks they're the best carpenter in town, my hair would fall out if I suddenly had to be the social butterfly I was 12 years ago.

People evolve. No one is the same person they were 12 years ago.

Why would I ever want to belong to a society that discards anyone it deems inferior?
And what kind of superiority vanishes just because of a defect?
I won't accept that.

Fair enough, if it's not for you and you don't want to. 🙂

briskgull27 said:It sounds idealistic, but I’d personally prefer a more harmonious world, like one inhabited by the Vulcans.
I try my best to follow along with everyone else,
but unfortunately, that's where it ends—I only play the part so I can have something
from the "real" world to show for it.
The real issue is that I simply don't want to conform to societal norms.

It isn't just wishful thinking. I would also embrace a perfectly orderly world like the one in Star Trek. 🙂 Very few people find reality, in its current state, to be an ideal choice. We all have different needs, and we would all thrive in differently structured societies; consequently, we all sacrifice a piece of our individuality to live within the society we know. It is impossible to be "entirely yourself" while still belonging to an environment. Life is a series of compromises. Otherwise, society tends to marginalize you. It sounds harsh, but it is the truth. You can see this playing out in your own experience.

briskgull27 said:It wasn't quite like a scene from a movie.
I was just standing there in my kitchen, feeling this sensation of swaying as if everything around me was spinning.
The thought of an atomic bomb was just a thought, without any vivid imagery. I could see the window and everything outside perfectly clearly.
Looking back, I realize it happened, but at that moment, it didn't feel real.
Well, except for the fact that they actually drop those bombs...
If I ever have a hallucination where my husband turns into Quentin Tarantino, I make sure to say it out loud; I kill the hallucination by joking about it.

It sounds like your dreams, imagination, and reality tend to blur together, meaning your boundaries aren't as distinct as they are for most people.
When you have a thought—for instance, that your husband is suddenly Quentin Tarantino—do you realize it isn't true right then, or do you only realize it later once the moment passes and he goes back to being himself? I am trying to wrap my head around that, but it's a bit difficult for me to grasp. 😁

He sometimes wants to discuss more serious topics, but I don't.
I prefer staying in my own little world.🙄 😲 😍

We all possess internal mechanisms that allow us to escape into a world of imagination where we feel happier and more carefree. Or, at the very least, it's more interesting. 😁 However, that retreat needs to be balanced; otherwise, one risks getting stuck in their inner world and losing touch with actual reality.

briskgull27, I have a question for you regarding hallucinations. When you experience one, such as the one you described about the atomic bomb, I assume that while it is happening, it feels completely real—much like how our dreams feel entirely authentic while we are immersed in them. However, once the hallucination subsides, are you able to recognize it for what it was? In other words, can you distinguish reality from the hallucination the same way we separate dreams from waking life?

briskgull27 said:Even mistybison is gone now.

I am still here. 🙂 I read everything you all post.

I don't believe anyone is ever truly perfectly adjusted. We all struggle to some degree to strike that balance between fitting into society and holding onto our own sense of self. For some, it’s effortless; for others, it’s a constant battle that eventually leads them to retreat into their own private worlds. That’s why I think the ultimate solution would be the development of Holodecks—just like the ones you see in Zvezdan Staza—where we could safely build and inhabit the exact environments we desire. 😍 (Though, I do worry many people might quickly develop a dependency on them and end up needing professional help. 😁 ))

Brenda Cook4 said:Where is this global surge in depression and other mental health disorders coming from?

Is this happening globally, or is it specific to the West? It would be fascinating to compare different cultural environments. I recall an old forum discussion suggesting that brain scans show Buddhists possess the "healthiest" brains. While I am unsure how much those studies have been verified, if they hold true, they certainly open the door to some great discussions.

...perhaps the cause lies in the world around us, the madness surrounding us, and our ability to adapt to it...

It might also stem from the massive gap between actual reality and the unrealistic expectations we are fed from early childhood.