Maintaining relationships with crazy people

My dad is bipolar. So . . . yep. It's getting rough. He refuses to take his meds and he's been falling for a lot of weird conspiracy theories lately. If it weren't for my mom and sister supporting him, he'd be homeless by now.

 

Yes.

I don't care if I offend them or not. I just try not to trigger one of their rants.

There is no "hope" for them in the sense you aren't changing them.

I mostly just ignore whatever they are talking about when they are being eccentric. I have also learned to non-respond when they are asking a question. "I dunno" "No idea" or a simple shrug.

 

Melania is trying her best to stay married to a crazy person.

 

I'd appreciate it if you guys would keep the nasty political shots like that off of this wholly non-political thread. There's plenty of room in the political sub-fora to do that and some of us are dealing with serious family and relationship issues here.

 

Perhaps don’t go there.

 

I don’t know if he meant to insult Spooky, it’s a possibility that she isn’t affected by his narcissistic ways.

 

I believe you can't help people with personality disorders. Just told my son today who have a friend on antidepressants and has all sorts of personal issues, people like that will only make you drown when you try to save them... I think he was relieved... like he wanted to run anyway

 

It can be hard dealing with mental health stuff. I had a female friend such as you described. She was like mistletoe and sucked the energy out of me.

 

Most of us don't want help.

I wouldn't want to be normal, it's like losing a superpower.

 

I am sure he will disabuse me if he did not.

Actually, I am sure he would have already done so.

Probably the cruelest post I have seen here.

 

True, but not all crazy is equal, and someone shouldn't let themselves be dragged into an abyss due to a relationship with a crazy (however you want to define it) person.

So...case by case basis.

 

Sounds good.

There is no actual definition of insanity.

 

Like porn, I know it when I see it.

 

Yes they thrive on the energy you spend on them, I've heard the term used "emotional vampires" a bit harsh, but essentially that's the effect it has on those who try to help

 

Some say you are insane if you dream.

What if you can dream while awake, does that make you insane?

 

Depends on what you are dreaming about.

 

Why does the dream matter?

It is still seeing things that are only in your mind?

So someone says they see a ghost and people say she's crazy but then they go to bed and see ghosts in their dream but they are not crazy?

 

Daydreaming is perfectly acceptable.

 

See, its all a matter of degrees.

A very fine line between crazy and normal that nobody can really determine.

 

I know . As has been said, we are all mad to degree.

 

Normal is subjective.

 

I was being mischievous.

But the difference to me is that you can snap out of a daydream at will, and in my experience, you can't snap out of a night dream, especially if it's a nightmare, of which I thankfully have fewer as I age. In my early 20s I had nightmares almost every other night.

 

That IS a psychological disorder. The most common kind, and therefore the kind which harms the most.

 

No, there's a clear difference between psychotics and the personality disordered. The point is that for most of us, we're going to encounter far more disordered people than psychotic people. Hence it has far more potential to harm us, and is far more relevant to any discussion about mental illness.

I can't agree with the suggestion that they (the dysfunctional/disordered) are owed the same support and consideration as someone with a broken leg or cancer. Prejudice is actually essential, in that the harm done to us by such people is often greater than the harm they do themselves. Furthermore, they CAN alter their behaviour. It's difficult of course, but then so is giving up smoking. Their willingness to improve their behaviour in respect of those around them earns them support. Refusal to change does not.

 

Again, I don't care what the name of it is, or even if the scientific community agrees that it is a disorder. Everyone here knows what I am talking about: odd behavior or speech or thought patterns, of whatever label, that makes you and almost everyone else in the community uneasy due to fear of physical harm or social awkwardness. The kind of behavior or habit or speech that makes us say "Something's wrong with this guy."