Extra

When we are looking at very rare things, especially those subject to skepticism, a person with psychosis, if they believe something improbable is happening, must temper their belief with the fact that their mind is subject to delusional content. For example: When we are having thoughts of extraterrestrials or E.T.'s, we are probably having a delusion, even if there could be a few actual E.T.'s flying around in their flying saucers. Consequently, in having thoughts of E.T.'s, the question arises: "Am I dealing with the imagined aliens or the real ones?" 

The preceding is an imperfect example, because if you talk to ANY psychiatrist, they will vehemently insist there is no such thing as extraterrestrial aliens visiting Planet Earth. Closer to the realm of improbable but which instead is a "maybe"--the idea of a conspiracy. There are conspiracies, big ones and little ones, each with their own agenda and/or objectives. I have seen the effect of people planning something against me. The motives vary. And not everyone is my friend. 

The question might arise: "Is this a conspiracy, or is it delusional content?" This is a healthy question for me to ask myself. This is an area in which some "reality checking" could be applicable. 

Not all delusional thoughts seem fully "crazy." If you believe a parade is being done on your behalf outside of the doors of inpatient psychiatry, it is a completely odd idea and can be dismissed easily. But if you believe that a person is making plans to act against you, it is harder to know whether that is delusional content or might have a grain of truth. Yet you must never act on an unproven and dangerous belief of that kind. At least not unless you have a reliable person or group of people who are not mental health consumers, who might affirm that your idea is credible. 

Illegal and/or violent actions have no excuse. This is true, including when you believe a person is acting against you. 

Some ideas are "crazier" than others. Some ideas don't have evidence to support, and if you believe them, you are acting on a thought and not on something you know. The psychotic mind lacks filtering. 

If you are to be well, it matters that you remain in treatment. The more years you cooperate with treatment, the better off you will probably be. It is a good policy to take only actions that are appropriate and that are based on fact. A gut feeling can be wrong. So can going against a gut feeling. Actions are produced as the final output of what your mind is doing. It is a worthy pursuit to learn more and more to have reality-based thinking. If in doubt, ask someone you know and trust who is not subject to psychosis. 

Jack Bragen lives and writes in the East Bay.