Some concerns I have about the Gray Area

OK,

I am ready to be flamed, abused, accused of being a paid government agent etc etc etc. However I still feel I need to say this.


I have seen several posts in this area in particular by people I am concerned have genuine mental health problems. This is not an insult, I am not abusing them, I just have concern.

I have particularly seen evidence of depression, extreme paranoia and schizophrenia. Until the dawn of the internet and forums, it was very difficult for undiagnosed people to gather in groups and feed each others fears and wellness issues. With a place like this, which is dedicated to conspiracies, plots etc, the chances of lots of people who suffer from delusions and other similar mental health issues is quite high. I have some concern that it is not healthy for these people to feed each others illness by giving each other verification and support in their beliefs. A great example of this was the cowboy guy who believed he was being hunted and persecuted around the world for his witnessing of the plans for 9/11. After a period of time it became very clear that he was not a well guy and suffering from sever paranoid schizophrenia, I don't think that the other people who were telling him he was right and there was a plot to give him MRSA and kill him helped his mental state at all.

I don't really have an end goal with this post, nor am I trying to drive any action from the mods or admin. I just saw something a few times, with several posters that gave me concern for their wellness outside of a name on a computer screen and wondered quite seriously if their activity on this site was not further detrimental to their health.

Please. I'm going to diagnose that you are mental by posting this.

Some, people have issues grant it, but you can not make a clear diagnosis without seeing the patient first, and you need to have a license before even making such a diagnosis.

Have you done either?

Just because people act different and post different from you, doesn't make them mental. Maybe they post what they post because they have been drinking, maybe they want to see your reaction. etc.etc.etc.

I do admit though, some of the topics are a bit far fetching to say the least. Makes for good entertainment though.

You may be right, I am not saying I am definitely correct, I just had some concerns for some of the people I saw posting.

reply to post by SirCoxone


It’s a difficult one, if I see a post and I become pretty sure that the OP is living with a mental health condition I try to avoid the thread. It’s not our job to spot people who might be suffering a genuine mental illness, that being said some of the stuff I have read on ATS does concern me. I get really worried when people start to feed other people delusions, for example a user posts that he thinks MIB are following him then another user starts to reinforce this delusion by discussing tactics of the MIB and accusing the members who point out he is being paranoid of being MIB shills. Before you know it this guy thinks everyone is following him.

I get really annoyed at the people who start this rubbish about how Schizophrenia is not a mental illness but a “third eye” into some kind of higher level of existence or pretend they are doctors who know the secret truth about mental illness and how the drugs are part of how they are under the NWO control. I like to challange them or anyone who is feeding the delusions of somebody who is genuinely suffering a mental illness. The only problem is that the odds are the people feeding the delusions are probably mentally ill themselves so its very difficult.

Like I said though, its not our jobs (well it might be yours) to watch out for these people its the jobs of medical professionals. All we can do its avoid them and not feed their delusions, its hard at times but unless you are with the person there is very little we can do about it. The only solution would be for ATS to start banning the mentally ill and let’s face it done of us want that, it would just lead loads of people getting banned who don’t deserve to be banned and loads more becoming even more paranoid.

Basically there is nothing we can do about it, we just have to put up with it and help them where we can.

reply to post by SirCoxone


I agree with your sentiments. There are some posts or threads that are on the fringe of sounding totally paranoid or psychotic. I also get concerned when posters talk about doing bodily harm to people. It's one thing about getting mad or upset with something you are passionate about, but trying to justify it by threatening to kill someone, doesn't sound very stable to me. I'm sure some of it is just over reacting, but threatening violence over the internet isn't the smartest thing in my opinion.

i do agree, at times I have seen some pretty disturbing posts made by people and you must wonder... are they going to be ok.

but , what can one do... its the internet...

Ok, so, I just looked up on the seach engine, "I'm being followed" and read some of the posts. ROFL.. I can see your point now.

Originally posted by OtherSideOfTheCoin
reply to post by SirCoxone

 

It’s a difficult one, if I see a post and I become pretty sure that the OP is living with a mental health condition I try to avoid the thread. It’s not our job to spot people who might be suffering a genuine mental illness, that being said some of the stuff I have read on ATS does concern me. I get really worried when people start to feed other people delusions, for example a user posts that he thinks MIB are following him then another user starts to reinforce this delusion by discussing tactics of the MIB and accusing the members who point out he is being paranoid of being MIB shills. Before you know it this guy thinks everyone is following him.

I get really annoyed at the people who start this rubbish about how Schizophrenia is not a mental illness but a “third eye” into some kind of higher level of existence or pretend they are doctors who know the secret truth about mental illness and how the drugs are part of how they are under the NWO control. I like to challange them or anyone who is feeding the delusions of somebody who is genuinely suffering a mental illness. The only problem is that the odds are the people feeding the delusions are probably mentally ill themselves so its very difficult.

Like I said though, its not our jobs (well it might be yours) to watch out for these people its the jobs of medical professionals. All we can do its avoid them and not feed their delusions, its hard at times but unless you are with the person there is very little we can do about it. The only solution would be for ATS to start banning the mentally ill and let’s face it done of us want that, it would just lead loads of people getting banned who don’t deserve to be banned and loads more becoming even more paranoid.

Basically there is nothing we can do about it, we just have to put up with it and help them where we can.

edit on 28-6-2011 by OtherSideOfTheCoin because: (no reason given)

Nah it's not my job either, sometimes though empathy for the human condition hooks you into someone's story

just because i feel depressed sometimes, have pts, love fighting, smoke weed, have delusions of grandeurand after sparking out afew aleins in my time using the power of true grit badassness and feeling paranoia that they might come back looking for trouble dosent make me have schizophrenia ...................no wait a minute......who said that .............................................you want me to kill who ??? ...............ok ............ by your command master.


ok sorry about that lets get back to this post. Feel concern about me dude in this "paranormal" forum lol you just must be in here waiting for a bus or something. I dont know what you were expecting to see in a ufo form

keep up the very productive concerns lol good work why dont you pm the people you have concerns for it could be your mission in hear to help the crazys because you feel that strong about it to make a thread
i have to go mindmeld with my cat

I agree with you as I have a mental health professional in my own house.
But I think it will be applicable to only some of them but not all the
people posting here.