Is the belief in conspiracy theories really just a sign of mental illness.

If not trusting the government, politicians, lobbyists, banksters, and corporate elite as having our best interests in mind is what's considered to be a mentally ill conspiracy theorist...

Then slap my britches and call me crazy.
Bring on the paddy wagon, boys.


I'll be damned if I'm going to wander around living in la-la land like the rest of the walking brain-dead out there.



(No offense to real zombies, of course)

I will say no and yes. No at first, because you are still able to dismiss thinking about things you do not have answers for, and then yes after prolonged search for answers you cannot readily obtained.

Crazy is probably just a coping mechanism of a brain tired of thinking too much. Too many neurons firing and the brain just spits out some weird idea so it doesn't overheat, and so you'll leave it alone. (Like my brain just did for this answer.) lol

I think if it weren't for the crazy people though, we wouldn't have progressed at all technologically/scientifically/academically. Seriously. All the great minds were nut jobs. Einstein married his cousin, tesla became ocd and feel in love with birds, etc etc... You over use that noggin and you will short circuit. :laughs hysterically:

Oh and this is from first hand witness. I have to fight thinking about stuff too much at times, but I have always been this way so I'm used to it. It does suck though.

eta: oh more ideas... I bet Einstein was able to mentally cope because he smoked a pipe all the time. The heightened blood pressure, without the need to cool off the other body organs, probably helps to keep the brain cool. It is like exercise cools down the organs and all but if those organs aren't over heated they will not heat up the blood and the brain will be able to get cooled down a lot better. I bet if we could find a way to keep the brain cool, a lot less people would fry their synapses and go crazy, and we could potentially reverse insanity over time.. the only thing is though, the blood cannot be rushed to the skin to keep the body cool, it must be used mostly for the brain. Alzheimer and other mental problems might even be due to lack of blood pressure causing decay of synapses because the brain is overheating. Someone should test these ideas - I think they're probably close to being right. Brains are awesome.

A conspiracy is a secret bigger than a few people. So it would in fact probably be deemed a mental block of some sort to not acknowledge such things.

Maybe thinking everything is a conspiracy might be an issue.

reply to post by December21st2012


Not a sign of mental illness unless it interferes with your present functioning. Meaning, if you miss work, don't pay your bills, neglect your loved ones, etc all because of your interest it might mean a person is engaging too much. If your managing your day to day affairs as usual - nothing is really bad for you if it brings you pleasure (its a hobby which is social and makes you a critical thinker). If not harming you or anyone else it's likely not bad.

To ask yourself this question means your insight is good and you have checks and balances in place. I find most people here are really intelligent and good natured, and simply expanding their knowledge through good old exploration. We are curious and for me - its relaxing.

Not a funny post like everyone else's (you all make me laugh which is good medicine) but wanted to contribute.

reply to post by December21st2012


Most conspiracy theories involve secrecy for the sake of benefiting others over others
Unless I have heard wrong, that is a good enough reason to believe many of that nature.
Many people are in business for sole pursuit of wealth and power to control.

Likewise, with that pursuit in mind, it would be quite naive to believe there would not be plots to further others wealth and control over others.

Originally posted by U4ea82
reply to post by December21st2012

 

How do we know that NOT believing in conspiracy theories isn't a sign of mental illness?

Chew on that for a bit

edit on 22-3-2013 by U4ea82 because: (no reason given)

I do not know about mental illness, but holocaust denial is a crime in Europe. And psychiatric staff were first on board with research and development with weapons such as trick showers that turn into gas chambers.for the NAZI death camps.

reply to post by Bleeeeep


Brains are indeed awesome. I suppose in a way sanity and being insane help define each other, without one there wouldn't be the other. Or is that just a derranged way of seeing it?

reply to post by December21st2012


It sounds good to me, but if it is wrong, I would say it's specious, not deranged.

It really depends on what type of crazy we're talking though.

This might be specious reasoning, but what the lady in the article is probably referring to is chemically induced damage to neural connections. She thinks her husband has self-hypnotized himself to become overly paranoid. Each time he accesses his neural network, his body automatically produces paranoia, because he has so often used his brain while thinking paranoid thoughts - thus making him some sort of a schizophrenic.

What I think crazy is, is actual physical brain trauma, due to over use of the brain. To put it in more technical terms, neural connections get damaged, due to too many electrical synapses. Once too many neural pathways are damaged, the brain has no choice but to come up with illogical ideas, because all the reasonable ideas cannot be accessed. aka you're truly crazy. one flew over the cuckoo's nest - almost irreversible crazy - not something you can prescribe medicine to fix the chemical imbalance of, because there isn't a chemical imbalance - the brain is just fired.

But back to your point, yeah I guess we cannot know one without knowing the other. Without actual sanity, how could you diagnosis insanity? And if everyone is insane, then everything we think is sane, is just deranged. lol

I think the brain gets a jolt of something, some chemical, when reading "far out" theories like 9/11, sandy hook, illuminati, reptilians, moon hoax, moon is a death star, etc, and it becomes addictive

might explain why "real" conspiracies get no play here like pearl harbor, jfk, iran contra, watergate, etc etc

not "far out" enough to get a fix

reply to post by December21st2012


do not be fooled into questioning

your ability to think for yourself.

facts speak for themselves.

using your brain to understand

the facts in any theory is a good thing.

weather it is a scientific, criminal,

political or conspiratorial.

I'd like to thank a few of you for, well... confirming my position (at least in some respects.)

I expected the responses. I probably could've written them myself.
Nothing said here, in defense of "belief in conspiracy theories" surprised me at all.
I did like seeing a few people willing to see the issue for what it is and hold that mirror up to the "community".

As for those playing the "believeing what (the government, MSMS, those in power, corporations, the ubiquitous THEY, et al) say is the REAL sign of mental illness." or the "I'm an individual! Believing in conspiracies and not just what your TOLD is the mark of an independent thinker blah blah blah blah."... I'm sorry, exceptions don't prove the rule.
Of course, as i said, there ARE conspiracies out there and it's an interesting discussion. But let's not pretend all the conspiracy theorists out there are sane, rational people.
Conspiracy theories draw the crazies like flies to, well, you know.
So, please. Don't confuse the point. Does believing in conspiracy theories mean you're mentally ill? No, of course not. Is it a sign of mental illness? Yes, absolutely it can be. The proof is in the pudding.
For instance, the other night on Coast to coast a woman called in talking about how she speaks with and receives "advice" from the archangel Michael....(that is just one case, but it is NOT the only one.)
And, also, please understand that I'm using the term "Conspiracy theory" as a catch-all for ALL of the topics covered on ATS and like-minded sites, not just conspiracy in the strict definition of the term.

Oh... That reminds me. I wish people would stop acting as if "Conspiracy theory" or Conspiracy theorist", as terms, are part of some "disinformation" campaign or that those terms were MADE to have negative connotations.
It's a little disingenuous. The reason people think negatively about those terms is because the crazies are, by and large, the public face of them.
While that may not be FAIR, it's true.
THEY made it negative in the eyes of the public, not some disinformation agent or program.
For every good idea, well-reasoned discussion,, or well-researched theory, there are thousands upon thousands of crackpots telling the world about Demons, how they talk to angels, that aliens speak to them telepathically, holographic planes were used on 9/11, The Queen of England is a lizard Alien, Nibiru is going to make a "return",etc. and so on ad infinitum

If people would take the time to be skeptical, critical, and separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to these things, we'd all be the better for it.
With the way things are "we" will NEVER be taken seriously.
We will continue to exists on the fringe, with our communal reinforcement, selective thinking, arguments to ignorance, Self-deception, circular reasoning, (another list that could go on and on) and just plain old mental illness.

There is no real way of defending against the OP's original statement.You may not want it to be true, but most defenses add up to little more than the hole getting deeper.


I will continue to be interested in these topics. there is a lot to learn here, but I don't kid myself about it. Most of this stuff is bunk. But, with a little work and research I can learn something I may not have known or see an issue from a different perspective. Hell, I'm sure I'll even stumble across a genuine conspiracy! Who knows? What i DO know is that i will approach it rationally, skeptically, and with the ability to separate fantasy from reality (something, it seems, MANY in the community have trouble doing.)

reply to post by December21st2012


Uhhhhhh . . . . this psychologist has opinions about the topic . . .

1. [color=6699FF]DENIAL of CONSPIRACY FACTS is NOT good reality testing. That is . . . DENIAL of Conspiracy facts is more akin to mental illness than belief in those facts.
.

1.1 The old joke . . . The neurotic builds dream castles in the air . . . the psychotic moves in . . . the psychologist collects the rent . . . it is close to psychosis to DENY the REALITIES slapping one upside the head daily in the PTB VERY !CONTROLLED! MEDIA; in the political farce that pretends to be our lawfully "elected" government; in the deliberate destruction of our economy, our jobs, our health system, our educational institutions and our food supply . . .
.

1.2 It is AT LEAST living in la la land to pretend day in and day out that the ever more rapidly encroaching global tyranny will leave life going on more or less as it always has.
.

1.3 [color=6699FF]The 135 or so quotes from TPTB in their own words and documents--including some PRIMARY SOURCES--document the globalist cabal as FACT--for at least the last 200+ years.
.

twoday.net...


.

2. Only those with their heads in the sand fail to see the neon sign handwriting on almost every other large wall--so to speak. TPTB are so understandably convinced that they can no longer be stopped that they are brazenly openly bragging about their flooding the planet with increasing tyranny and genocidal population reduction efforts.

3. Cluelessness and denial are NOT good survival habits.
.

4. The Biblical prophecies are coming increasingly true at a faster and faster clip. Those who take the Mark of the Beast chip implant will be excluded from Heaven. That leaves satan's lair as the only other abode option.
.

5. The useful idiot stooges of the global oligarchy helping to bring them more overtly to power will be among those first to the firing squads and death chambers. History has demonstrated that fact repeatedly. Why would the oligarchy tolerate their useful idiot stooges to remain alive when the oligarchy knows that as soon as their useful idiot roles are over--said stooges will become their arch enemies as the stooges realize what they've helped bring to power and how utterly cooked their goose is. Besides--who wants clueless idiot traitors on their leadership team?

6. Tyranny is always greedy; full of power-mongering; ruthless; increasingly eats its own; demonic; relatively short-lived; corrupt; irrational; violent; brutal; joyless; addicted to pain--sadism and masochism; arrogant; myopic; shallow; farcical; built on sand while pretending to be a thousand year Reich . . . .

7. Let the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob arise and His enemies be scattered.
.
.

Originally posted by BO XIAN
reply to post by December21st2012

 

Uhhhhhh . . . . this psychologist has opinions about the topic . . .

1. [color=6699FF]DENIAL of CONSPIRACY FACTS is NOT good reality testing. That is . . . DENIAL of Conspiracy facts is more akin to mental illness than belief in those facts.
.

1.1 The old joke . . . The neurotic builds dream castles in the air . . . the psychotic moves in . . . the psychologist collects the rent . . . it is close to psychosis to DENY the REALITIES slapping one upside the head daily in the PTB VERY !CONTROLLED! MEDIA; in the political farce that pretends to be our lawfully "elected" government; in the deliberate destruction of our economy, our jobs, our health system, our educational institutions and our food supply . . .
.

1.2 It is AT LEAST living in la la land to pretend day in and day out that the ever more rapidly encroaching global tyranny will leave life going on more or less as it always has.
.

1.3 [color=6699FF]The 135 or so quotes from TPTB in their own words and documents--including some PRIMARY SOURCES--document the globalist cabal as FACT--for at least the last 200+ years.
.

twoday.net...


.

2. Only those with their heads in the sand fail to see the neon sign handwriting on almost every other large wall--so to speak. TPTB are so understandably convinced that they can no longer be stopped that they are brazenly openly bragging about their flooding the planet with increasing tyranny and genocidal population reduction efforts.

3. Cluelessness and denial are NOT good survival habits.
.

4. The Biblical prophecies are coming increasingly true at a faster and faster clip. Those who take the Mark of the Beast chip implant will be excluded from Heaven. That leaves satan's lair as the only other abode option.
.

5. The useful idiot stooges of the global oligarchy helping to bring them more overtly to power will be among those first to the firing squads and death chambers. History has demonstrated that fact repeatedly. Why would the oligarchy tolerate their useful idiot stooges to remain alive when the oligarchy knows that as soon as their useful idiot roles are over--said stooges will become their arch enemies as the stooges realize what they've helped bring to power and how utterly cooked their goose is. Besides--who wants clueless idiot traitors on their leadership team?

6. Tyranny is always greedy; full of power-mongering; ruthless; increasingly eats its own; demonic; relatively short-lived; corrupt; irrational; violent; brutal; joyless; addicted to pain--sadism and masochism; arrogant; myopic; shallow; farcical; built on sand while pretending to be a thousand year Reich . . . .

7. Let the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob arise and His enemies be scattered.
.
.

edit on 27/3/2013 by BO XIAN because: forgot link

edit on 27/3/2013 by BO XIAN because: additions

Not to be so brief in my retort but.... yeah, did you read that?
Case closed.

Originally posted by syrinx high priest
I think the brain gets a jolt of something, some chemical, when reading "far out" theories like 9/11, sandy hook, illuminati, reptilians, moon hoax, moon is a death star, etc, and it becomes addictive

might explain why "real" conspiracies get no play here like pearl harbor, jfk, iran contra, watergate, etc etc

not "far out" enough to get a fix

Very much so!

Also another good example of how information is made "unimportant". Since they aren't sensationalized and don't give that "fix", people just skim over them and the practice continues.

Instead of grabbing onto this "far out" things and falling into the trap that's set, people should focus their intelligence on things that are at least plausible and hold the people responsible for them accountable.

But, they'll continue with the far out crazy stuff and people will continue to take the bait. Real conspiracies will continue and they'll continue to get away with it due to the folks that just want the quick fix

reply to post by December21st2012


If you DO NOT believe that conspiracies exist you have a form of mental illness. It is called Ignorance.

reply to post by December21st2012


I think if it ruins some ones life its probably a mental illness.

I think some people have an " indenial" response to events that happen and cant handle the truth so need to fabricate one .

Originally posted by December21st2012
Are us conspiracy theorists really just mad?

So I stumbled on this and it got me thinking, well almost questioning my own sanity. I have never been to see a psychiatrist, should I be worried just because I have an interest in these theories?
Then I also began to wonder, how many people that post actively here might also have these concerns, perhaps have already been diagnosed or even on medication.

Is this the road down which we are travelling?

The proposition is easily disproved by the accepted and academically-verified historical fact of conspiracies.

Here is a recent thread outlining some real conspiracies throughout history:

ATS - Top Ten Real Conspiracies

Conspiracies are a real thing.

On the other hand, too much water will kill you. (Or as a friend of mine from a rural town in West Texas would say, "Too much puddin'll kill you.").

Individuals can take the idea of conspiracy too far and engage in behavior that shares characteristics with paranoid schizophrenia.

However, using that fact to paint with a broad brush in regards to conspiracy theorists generally is not any different than saying:

"U.S. Soldiers were responsible for the My Lai Massacre, therefore, U.S. Soldiers are murderers."

Obviously, that statement is false. Just like the sensationalist concept in OP's original linked article.

Lots of people fall into the trap of The Fallacy of Composition.

Well I guess if you are seeing winged creatures or any other abnormal visualatory observations that no one else sees than you could and would be classified as hallucinatorty and would need imediate medical intervention. However, Not all those who would fall under certain menatl classification would or should be considered crazy. I have a saying Crazy normal and normal crazy. It's the normal crazy you have to look out for.

The definition of delusional is to believe in something that isn't real. Which I would think most conspiracy theorists would fall into this catagory.

I have paranoid schizophrenia and I'm bi polar. I've been to the farthest reaches of insanity and back thanks to modern medicine.

I've had the most severe delusions one could suffer from. So much so at one point I totally lost touch with reality. I was so far gone the doctors told my mom I would need to be committed for life in a institution.

I've been symptom free for over 10 years now. From my own observation most people have delusions in some form of another. I'm able to recognize them fairly easy. Religious people and pot heads seem to be the most delusional.

Most people that are delusional aren't able to recognize it or are in denial. Because of my condition and the medications I take I have insight into my own delusions and have been able to overcome them.

One doesn't need to have schizophrenia to be delusional. Most people are able to live their own lives without any problems from it.

For one to be considered mentally ill from delusions and believing in conspericies they would have to have other symptoms associated with delusions like hallucinations.

Most doctors or any doctor with a credible background would be unwilling to give a diagnoses of being mentally ill unless a certain criteria is met.

There are a lot of people that suffer from mental illness but can function and live life without treatment. I'm not an expert on delusions or mental illness but I've been living with schizophrenia for the past 15 years. I've spent some time on funny farms and talked to a few doctors in my day

Originally posted by December21st2012
Are us conspiracy theorists really just mad?

So I stumbled on this and it got me thinking, well almost questioning my own sanity. I have never been to see a psychiatrist, should I be worried just because I have an interest in these theories?
Then I also began to wonder, how many people that post actively here might also have these concerns, perhaps have already been diagnosed or even on medication.

Is this the road down which we are travelling?

I can only speak from *personal* experience.

Many, many years ago I was plenty interested in UFOs (I still am) and I had sort of an episode where I a was convinced that "foreign powers" would be on to me because I posted something on Usenet. (What's today called "Newsgroups"). It went so far that I expected NSA/CIA people around the corner watching me, and my modem line tapped. AT that time I was in Europe I wanted to send a friend a message online about my fear but I was so paranoid that I couldn't do it without believing the message being read by some three letter agent, so I was thinking about ways to encode the message somehow so my friend could read it etc.etc

Short: I was entirely PARANOID but didn't realize it, for me it was real or at least "likely", at that time.

Today, many years later, I realize that I was sort of "mentally ill" at this point because it sounds utterly ridiculous what I thought at that time but I myself didn't realize the absurdity of my own fears/thoughts.

I see very strong similarities between psychological illnesses and what many people here on ATS write and think, almost every day. ("Voices in my head", paranoia, "I am attacked by people with psychic weapons") and similar...and I think it's a very lengthy and complex way until a person really "believes" into a conspiracy theory where what they believe is somehow replacing "real" reality. But maybe it's not really a mental illness in the sense, it's more like a mental conditioning (which sometimes can take a very long time) which the individual themselves does not even realize. Because of the self-conditioning, it's like a pseudo-reality is created which at some point really "becomes" real, where single puzzle pieces somehow "fit"..even when the entire theory is utterly absurd and doesn't make any sense whatsoever. But the ability to see this is getting lost.