A Beautiful but Fractured Mind
A journey into the mind of one with a mental condition.32 total reviews
Comment from Bill Schott
I can see why this won, Beth. having been surrounded by schizophrenics, it is easy to imagine this inner dialogue. I have a nephew who deals with it now. Although his meds control a lot, there are some delusions, like of a persona, that are so deep set they are difficult to dismiss.
reply by the author on 27-Mar-2023
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I can see why this won, Beth. having been surrounded by schizophrenics, it is easy to imagine this inner dialogue. I have a nephew who deals with it now. Although his meds control a lot, there are some delusions, like of a persona, that are so deep set they are difficult to dismiss.
Comment Written 27-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 27-Mar-2023
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Thank you, Bill. I've been around a lot of them too. I didn't have to do a lot of imagineing
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Thank you, Bill. I've been around a lot of them too. I didn't have to do a lot of imagineing. I just to repeat some of the weird thing they have said to me. It something I would hate to live with. I feel bad for them but most can be helped. I appreciate the six stars.
Comment from Ginda Simpson
You have done an excellent job in writing about the inner workings of a mind that is disturbed. It helps us imagine what it must be like to walk in their shoes. Heartbreaking. Well done. Good luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2023
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You have done an excellent job in writing about the inner workings of a mind that is disturbed. It helps us imagine what it must be like to walk in their shoes. Heartbreaking. Well done. Good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 25-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2023
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Thank you Ginda. I really appreciate the review. The contest ended and I did win. It is nice to see the member dollars go up a bit.
Beth
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Sorry I was late with my good wishes, but glad to hear you won.
Comment from estory
Told in the first person narrative, this post is a great illustration of what this schizophrenic condition can be like for someone living through it. The paranoia comes through loud and clear with all these hallucinations of voices and phobias about people watching and listening in on conversations. We see how someone in this condition can completely wall himself off from reality, and live in an alternate world. You could take it in another direction and turn this into a great science fiction story also. I like how you gave us an understanding of the state of mind of this person through the emotions seething through his dialogue. estory
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2023
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Told in the first person narrative, this post is a great illustration of what this schizophrenic condition can be like for someone living through it. The paranoia comes through loud and clear with all these hallucinations of voices and phobias about people watching and listening in on conversations. We see how someone in this condition can completely wall himself off from reality, and live in an alternate world. You could take it in another direction and turn this into a great science fiction story also. I like how you gave us an understanding of the state of mind of this person through the emotions seething through his dialogue. estory
Comment Written 25-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 25-Mar-2023
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Thank you so much for an excellent review. I was surprised to see this do as well as it did. I've know a lot of people with this condition, but thankfully there are methods of treatment that work for as long as they can get the correct dosage worked our.
Beth
Comment from Tom Horonzy
I mean, are there any sane people anyway. What one sees and believes doesn't necessarily make it true. We need to understand those we judge may have a different perspective. I never knew I could be, and I am not sure, ADHD but comparing me to my son-in-law, it's a possibility.
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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I mean, are there any sane people anyway. What one sees and believes doesn't necessarily make it true. We need to understand those we judge may have a different perspective. I never knew I could be, and I am not sure, ADHD but comparing me to my son-in-law, it's a possibility.
Comment Written 24-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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Who really wants to be totally sane. That's no fun. As for ADHD I don't consider that a mental illness. Two of my kids claim to have it, with pride. If you have trouble focusing on a thing and you get bored easily and keep trying to something different, or what your wife says goes in one ear and out the other, you probably have it.
lol. Beth
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With that definition I don ?t
Focus-mindedness making sales calls led me to lead N and S Carolina fourteen years consecutively
I need another diagnosis
Symptoms - stoic- silent - socially inactive
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Well that sounds like an old grouch but maybe not. Your writing is pretty entertaining.
Comment from Ric Myworld
Your certainly seem to know and understand more about schizophrenia than most, would have convinced me of your illness had I not been reading your work long to know better. Or at least think I do. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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Your certainly seem to know and understand more about schizophrenia than most, would have convinced me of your illness had I not been reading your work long to know better. Or at least think I do. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 24-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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There are a lot more out there, than you realize but I they stay on their midication you can't tell. I think I may a magnet for them wanting to talk to me, when they are off their meds. I am a good listener. LOL
Beth
Comment from Gypsy Blue Rose
Excellent entry for the "Why can't you see it? writing prompt contest"
Im bipolar and i had a few manic episodes so i understand. For me is the ups and downs that make my life hard to live. Im lucky i found the right medicine and doctor so i live a normal life.
You describe Schizophenia well. I had a friend that was an amazing artist but struggled with this disease.
I would add a suicide prevention crises number.... 988 .. its just 3 numbers.
I agree with you, it wold be great if we had a pill or cure for the peope who believe all the crazy conspiracies.
The story grabbed my interest. The dialogue is believable. And the characters seem real. I would you recommend it.
Gypsy
"Poetry heals the wounds inflicted by reason" -- Novalis
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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Excellent entry for the "Why can't you see it? writing prompt contest"
Im bipolar and i had a few manic episodes so i understand. For me is the ups and downs that make my life hard to live. Im lucky i found the right medicine and doctor so i live a normal life.
You describe Schizophenia well. I had a friend that was an amazing artist but struggled with this disease.
I would add a suicide prevention crises number.... 988 .. its just 3 numbers.
I agree with you, it wold be great if we had a pill or cure for the peope who believe all the crazy conspiracies.
The story grabbed my interest. The dialogue is believable. And the characters seem real. I would you recommend it.
Gypsy
"Poetry heals the wounds inflicted by reason" -- Novalis
Comment Written 24-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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Thank you Gypsy, I have several friends who are bipolar. They don't seem manic, but sometimes they are on top of the world and fun to be around, and other times they are dipressed to the point of being almost be suicidal. I'm so glad you've found a medicine that isn't too strong but works. Those mood swings would be hard to live with. My daughter has a light case of it, and takes medicine to her her stable and content. I really appreciate the stars.
Beth
Comment from Jim Wile
This was a very interesting take on this disease. I think you did a great job describing what it must be like. It's hard to fathom for those who haven't been so afflicted.
I imagine it's something like being in a dream. Very odd, but seemingly normal things can happen to you, and you experience emotions that you may never in the waking world feel to quite the extent that you feel in dreams--from great happiness to extreme fear. In a dream, it feels so real when monsters or other bad guys chase you, and I'm sure that schizophrenics feel these same emotions as being real.
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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This was a very interesting take on this disease. I think you did a great job describing what it must be like. It's hard to fathom for those who haven't been so afflicted.
I imagine it's something like being in a dream. Very odd, but seemingly normal things can happen to you, and you experience emotions that you may never in the waking world feel to quite the extent that you feel in dreams--from great happiness to extreme fear. In a dream, it feels so real when monsters or other bad guys chase you, and I'm sure that schizophrenics feel these same emotions as being real.
Comment Written 24-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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Thank you Jim. Most of what wrote were things I've heard from people who were off the meds. I have very close friend who has the problem but I've been around a lot more than her.
I started to writeabout it being like a dream, because I too beleive it is a lot like a dream. Can you imagine if your dream continued after you woke up and you tried to iinteract with peple who are fully awake and not dreaming. They would assume you were crazy.
Beth
Comment from Jesse James Doty
Wow, this is powerful stuff! I read it while on the edge of my seat! This speaks for so many of those with mental illnesses and just like you wrote they do believe in conspiracy theories along with their own insanity that takes them to their special place where they feel safe and comfortable.
I thank you for representing the mentally ill and for telling it like it is for a change instead of sugarcoating it.
Jesse
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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Wow, this is powerful stuff! I read it while on the edge of my seat! This speaks for so many of those with mental illnesses and just like you wrote they do believe in conspiracy theories along with their own insanity that takes them to their special place where they feel safe and comfortable.
I thank you for representing the mentally ill and for telling it like it is for a change instead of sugarcoating it.
Jesse
Comment Written 24-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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Thank you Jesse, I really liked you review and your thoughtful comments. I glad you think I told it as it is. I met a lot of people with this illness and they are intelligent people when they stay on the medication that help them stay stable.
Beth
Comment from humpwhistle
I think 'fractured' might be an understatement. Oddly enough, I've never run into a true schizophrenic. Odd because I knew a number of people who fried their synopses during the drug culture of the 60s, and later, the coke culture of 80s. I still don't know anyone who wears a tinfoil hat, or receives alien transmissions through Grateful Dead albums.
I really is sad when people go off the rails.
Beth, I think this piece might be a bit better if something actually happened. As it stands, the pace and tone remain pretty much constant throughout. A little variation would be more engaging for the reader. Or, that's what I think, anyway.
I'd be interested to read some of the other entries. I'm guessing they'll be similar to yours. In my opinion, you were hamstrung by a prompt that was too leading. But, I could be wrong.
Best of luck, Beth.
Peace, Lee
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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I think 'fractured' might be an understatement. Oddly enough, I've never run into a true schizophrenic. Odd because I knew a number of people who fried their synopses during the drug culture of the 60s, and later, the coke culture of 80s. I still don't know anyone who wears a tinfoil hat, or receives alien transmissions through Grateful Dead albums.
I really is sad when people go off the rails.
Beth, I think this piece might be a bit better if something actually happened. As it stands, the pace and tone remain pretty much constant throughout. A little variation would be more engaging for the reader. Or, that's what I think, anyway.
I'd be interested to read some of the other entries. I'm guessing they'll be similar to yours. In my opinion, you were hamstrung by a prompt that was too leading. But, I could be wrong.
Best of luck, Beth.
Peace, Lee
Comment Written 24-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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Thank you, Lee. I must be a magnet for them because I've been around so many of them. I put things I've actually heard them say all into one person. They don't all hear voices, but they are all paranoid. I wasn't trying to make a fictional story our of this. I was just paroting what I've actually heard from different ones over the years. There are at least two who write on this site. If they stay on the meds they act normal.
Beth
Comment from JT traveller
For me, your story was too loquacious to be credible. A fine effort and not an easy undertaking if you have not directly experienced the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia or psychosis. Best of luck in the competition.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
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reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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For me, your story was too loquacious to be credible. A fine effort and not an easy undertaking if you have not directly experienced the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia or psychosis. Best of luck in the competition.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 24-Mar-2023
reply by the author on 24-Mar-2023
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Thank you for the review. I understand your skeptcism, but I've known so many different people with this diagnosis and almost every word I word I wrote I've heard directly from various ones of them. One is from a best friend. She seems normal now that she is back on her medication, but she has been hospitilized numerous times.
Beth
