Because bubbles are a thing. If you rarely interact with neurotypical people you can start to see them as a kind of unicorn even if there are a lot around. Our perception of how likely things are, is shaped by the bubble we surround us with.
But also because the world sucks ass and people are getting more comfortable talking about their mental health. Two of the three coworkers I was close to at my job were on the same antidepressant as me. That’s not a “I only communicate with similarly fucked up people” thing, these are people I didn’t have a choice in meeting. Not that your comment isn’t accurate, I think it’s also just you’re more comfortable talking about your mental health with the friends and communities you’re close to.
You said it better. Everyone around me “looks normal”, and what the post is saying is actually bizarre for me to be amazed at. The poster may have been surrounded by people open about their mental health issues, whereas in my area mental health is still a stigma to a large extent. Most people I interact with are ostensibly normal, but I know there some out there who take medications for mental health but they would not be saying and showing it to everyone.
Perfect is impossible, Normal is a range. Everyone has a personality and individual quirks, but unless they are interfering with your life, that is normal, yes?
“normal” is not only unnatural, but a goal that cannot be reached.
Most of the things people call mental disorders are actually things we evolved to be advantages in a more natural competitive environment. When I say natural, I mean before cameras and machines that should be making a joke of scarcity of not for our greedy overlords.
By “normal” I don’t mean having no emotions or anxieties at all. I mean not having significant visible mental health problems.
Not sure what your last sentence has to do with anything. “Normal” people existed both before and after capitalism, and it’s perfectly natural, healthy, and achievable to some to have no significant mental health disorders.
The terms normal, healthy, and natural evolve depending on cultural and scientific ideas. Being gay is natural again, but some don’t like the word because they associate it with hate. Normal is a word I associate with hate and exclusivity. I have always been, and always will be, abnormal.
Valid, although I think it’s possible to view something as abnormal without hating or excluding it. I was using it in that sense (analytical rather than judgemental), apologies if that implied hate to you.
Ah jeez no I’m sorry, I was being much too severe and I had oversimplified it. Normalcy is great for all kinds of things like roads and statistics. Some of my best friends are normal!
To everyone in the comments saying he must have other mental health problems: do you really not believe someone can just be “normal” or is it a meme?
Because bubbles are a thing. If you rarely interact with neurotypical people you can start to see them as a kind of unicorn even if there are a lot around. Our perception of how likely things are, is shaped by the bubble we surround us with.
But also because the world sucks ass and people are getting more comfortable talking about their mental health. Two of the three coworkers I was close to at my job were on the same antidepressant as me. That’s not a “I only communicate with similarly fucked up people” thing, these are people I didn’t have a choice in meeting. Not that your comment isn’t accurate, I think it’s also just you’re more comfortable talking about your mental health with the friends and communities you’re close to.
Oh definitely, growing acceptance of mental health issues is also part of this.
You said it better. Everyone around me “looks normal”, and what the post is saying is actually bizarre for me to be amazed at. The poster may have been surrounded by people open about their mental health issues, whereas in my area mental health is still a stigma to a large extent. Most people I interact with are ostensibly normal, but I know there some out there who take medications for mental health but they would not be saying and showing it to everyone.
Perfect is impossible, Normal is a range. Everyone has a personality and individual quirks, but unless they are interfering with your life, that is normal, yes?
not having mental illness does not mean being perfect. Not in any way.
That’s what I’d say, yeah
“normal” is not only unnatural, but a goal that cannot be reached.
Most of the things people call mental disorders are actually things we evolved to be advantages in a more natural competitive environment. When I say natural, I mean before cameras and machines that should be making a joke of scarcity of not for our greedy overlords.
By “normal” I don’t mean having no emotions or anxieties at all. I mean not having significant visible mental health problems.
Not sure what your last sentence has to do with anything. “Normal” people existed both before and after capitalism, and it’s perfectly natural, healthy, and achievable to some to have no significant mental health disorders.
The terms normal, healthy, and natural evolve depending on cultural and scientific ideas. Being gay is natural again, but some don’t like the word because they associate it with hate. Normal is a word I associate with hate and exclusivity. I have always been, and always will be, abnormal.
Valid, although I think it’s possible to view something as abnormal without hating or excluding it. I was using it in that sense (analytical rather than judgemental), apologies if that implied hate to you.
Ah jeez no I’m sorry, I was being much too severe and I had oversimplified it. Normalcy is great for all kinds of things like roads and statistics. Some of my best friends are normal!
No worries, glad we agree :)