Rules of Engagement - How to deal with Mentally Challenged People IRL & on the Net (depression, smoke)
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I'm starting to believe that 3 out of 4 people have some sort of mental disability. Whether it is social anxiety, pathological liar, depression, bipolar, OCD, narcissism, paranoid schizophrenia, or something else. What's extremely difficult nowadays with social media sites like City Data forum, is that you just never know with whom you are communicating, and what their age and mental capacity is, as well as if they could be suicidal.
I know in the past that I might have responded to someone with something like "that's crazy" or "are you crazy?" and I wouldn't usually mean it literally, but more or less figuratively. Now, I'm just not sure anymore what's appropriate to say or rather not say when you think someone is 'koo koo for cocoa puffs' or 'off their rocker' or possibly just plain off their meds or in need of some 'med adjustment'.
What are some helpful, constructive, and respectful ways to deal with people who appear to be mentally challenged? Please differentiate your answers between those people that you would meet or know in person vs those that are online only.
I got to visit my oldest brother for Thanksgiving. He stayed with my parents that night. My wife was playing cards with the folks after dinner and I was watching football... and my brother go to the garage or backyard to smoke his 15 minutely cigarette, then watch him/hear him slurp a sip of his 15 minutely Dr Pepper, pace the floor, then he showed me a laminated card he had made at the Bus Depot that said "Top Secret" on one side and some jiberish on the other.
But he was engaging in conversation with me and it was somewhat entertaining. You ask him what he wants for Christmas... which is also his birthday, and he says, "Money."
And he's not kidding. I bought him some nice cologne and an mp3 with some Rolling Stones recorded on it for him one year and later that night, when my wife and I were bringing some stuff out to our car, we noticed the cologne bottle and the mp3 player laying on the ground in my parents' yard. But he pocketed the cash we put in his birthday/Christmas card.
It's funny watching him open his card. He rips it open, digs out the money and pockets it, then throws the card away as he says, "Thank you." He doesn't even bother to glance at the card. He's blunt and to the point.
I think retarded is a pretty good catch all to call anyone who disagrees with me.
I believe your thread was started in an effort to start an honest dialogue about how to interact with people that may be mentally unbalanced and this is the best the first poster could come up with...Really???
Society has gone from selfish and indifferent to brutal in less then 20 years...Is it because our young people don't see a future for themselves? Is it because video games and rap music have de-sentized our culture to the point that it is almost kill or be killed..I see so many kids today that live in fight or flight mode all the time... This causes me great concern.
Yes, I grew up in a more innocent time but my life has been far from innocent. I learned early on that people can be cruel and heartless so I can relate in many ways. What I learned, that I feel is most important, is to treat everyone with respect and dignity. Understand that everyone is different and have different life experiences.. Don't judge someone because they are different then you..it is the difference that is the beauty of the human experience. Engage those that you are comfortable with and steer clear of those that you aren't. But never resort to name calling or judging those you don't know personally. Not only is it simply not necessary it is rude and offensive. It might be easy to resort to that kind of behavior but it is NOT right.
I think retarded is a pretty good catch all to call anyone who disagrees with me.
C'mon, how old are you? Your maturity in this response tells me you are a "narcisisitic" (sp) 2 year old. Were you trying to be funny? I sincerely hope you are not serious! BTW, I am not a lib, "old fart", religious nut, or a "politically correct" believer. Just a compassionate person with manners and a conscience that tells me that some of the terms used in the past ARE insulting and hurtful, so I am offended by them. "Retarded", in the way you are using it, is one that is offensive. If you are going to post, and want to be taken seriously, then speak your mind in a way that readers will take into account your opinions.
Thank you from all of us on this forum who feel the way I do.
You deal with them online the same way you would in person...with courtesy and respect. If they continue to be belligerent or confrontational, avoid them.
The burden is not on you to determine whether or not someone is having a bad day or going through a life crisis. If they aren't treating you with the same degree of common courtesy then they share an equal amount or responsibility for any misunderstandings or disagreements that take place.
If you want to take the high road, just kill them with kindness. That cliche about catching more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, not a bad approach.
I believe your thread was started in an effort to start an honest dialogue about how to interact with people that may be mentally unbalanced and this is the best the first poster could come up with...Really???
Society has gone from selfish and indifferent to brutal in less then 20 years...Is it because our young people don't see a future for themselves? Is it because video games and rap music have de-sentized our culture to the point that it is almost kill or be killed..I see so many kids today that live in fight or flight mode all the time... This causes me great concern.
Yes, I grew up in a more innocent time but my life has been far from innocent. I learned early on that people can be cruel and heartless so I can relate in many ways. What I learned, that I feel is most important, is to treat everyone with respect and dignity. Understand that everyone is different and have different life experiences.. Don't judge someone because they are different then you..it is the difference that is the beauty of the human experience. Engage those that you are comfortable with and steer clear of those that you aren't. But never resort to name calling or judging those you don't know personally. Not only is it simply not necessary it is rude and offensive. It might be easy to resort to that kind of behavior but it is NOT right.
Jesus, you know what they did to retarded people more than 20 years ago? Man, talk about rose colored glasses.
This is the internet - text - you'll never know if a person is crazy, or retarded (or maybe English isn't their primary language). There's no enunciation or inflection.
C'mon, how old are you? Your maturity in this response tells me you are a "narcisisitic" (sp) 2 year old. Were you trying to be funny? I sincerely hope you are not serious! BTW, I am not a lib, "old fart", religious nut, or a "politically correct" believer. Just a compassionate person with manners and a conscience that tells me that some of the terms used in the past ARE insulting and hurtful, so I am offended by them. "Retarded", in the way you are using it, is one that is offensive. If you are going to post, and want to be taken seriously, then speak your mind in a way that readers will take into account your opinions.
Thank you from all of us on this forum who feel the way I do.
I'm the narcissist? I think on the internet that is determined by how unnecessarily long a post is... And how much of that post is them talking about their glowing personal attributes. *cough*
I think retarded is a pretty good catch all to call anyone who disagrees with me.
LMAO!
Ok, I'll probably get slack for that, but I had a chuckle. Everybody's gotta be so PC now a days!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chanygirl
I believe your thread was started in an effort to start an honest dialogue about how to interact with people that may be mentally unbalanced and this is the best the first poster could come up with...Really???
Society has gone from selfish and indifferent to brutal in less then 20 years...Is it because our young people don't see a future for themselves? Is it because video games and rap music have de-sentized our culture to the point that it is almost kill or be killed..I see so many kids today that live in fight or flight mode all the time... This causes me great concern.
Yes, I grew up in a more innocent time but my life has been far from innocent. I learned early on that people can be cruel and heartless so I can relate in many ways. What I learned, that I feel is most important, is to treat everyone with respect and dignity. Understand that everyone is different and have different life experiences.. Don't judge someone because they are different then you..it is the difference that is the beauty of the human experience. Engage those that you are comfortable with and steer clear of those that you aren't. But never resort to name calling or judging those you don't know personally. Not only is it simply not necessary it is rude and offensive. It might be easy to resort to that kind of behavior but it is NOT right.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michigan Transplant
C'mon, how old are you? Your maturity in this response tells me you are a "narcisisitic" (sp) 2 year old. Were you trying to be funny? I sincerely hope you are not serious! BTW, I am not a lib, "old fart", religious nut, or a "politically correct" believer. Just a compassionate person with manners and a conscience that tells me that some of the terms used in the past ARE insulting and hurtful, so I am offended by them. "Retarded", in the way you are using it, is one that is offensive. If you are going to post, and want to be taken seriously, then speak your mind in a way that readers will take into account your opinions.
Thank you from all of us on this forum who feel the way I do.
But on topic, I try not to attack posters and call them names, such as rude, insulting, and narcissists. Who knows, rimmerama might be in a deep depression, drug himself out of bed to seek some human interaction, tried to make a joke, and now the above two attacks might send him into a tail spin and cause his suicide. I certainly wouldn't want to be responsible for that just because I have a different sense of humor.
So my response would be, online, I try not to be sarcastic or judgemental, although this post reminds me that I probably have to try a bit harder. And I try to stay away from the forums where people tend to be emotionally unstable, like the cats and relationship forums ..... and now the mental health one as well.
well, I'm crazy, so I prefer people to either ignore me or be nice to me bith in person and on the 'net..
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Your maturity in this response tells me you are a "narcisisitic" (sp) 2 year old. Were you trying to be funny? I sincerely hope you are not serious! BTW, I am not a lib, "old fart", religious nut, or a "politically correct" believer. Just a compassionate person with manners and a conscience that tells me that some of the terms used in the past ARE insulting and hurtful, so I am offended by them. "Retarded", in the way you are using it, is one that is offensive. If you are going to post, and want to be taken seriously, then speak your mind in a way that readers will take into account your opinions.
