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My definition of a 'delusion': A belief that is unusual, that others don't share, and that interferes with functioning in the world in a manner considered competent. Note: Delusions can be contagious when held by a person who has the power and/or position to convince others.  

I begin this week's edition with important points to make. People who have never been diagnosed with any kind of mental illness are subject to delusional thinking. Some are stuck in a delusional belief and cling determinedly to it. The absence of a diagnosis, and/or the ability to be taken as 'normal' and function 'normally' are no guarantees of accurate thought. "How could this be?" --you might ask. This is because there is no inherent mechanism in the undiagnosed person's mind that makes human thinking accurate. Most people depend on other people and the mass media to give them their beliefs. Those who rely on only themselves are potentially in a danger zone. For the 'intellectual' it is a combination of the speech and actions of others, the news media, and independent observations and thought. 

For those of us with a mental illness diagnosis, one that includes 'delusions,' we have strayed too far off course and have been unable to sync our thinking with the accepted "normal" enough to be able to function in society. Medication makes us more receptive to our surroundings and to the things that other people are telling us. 

Medication has done more things for me than it has taken away. I am able to have a large portion of my thinking accurate to the extent that I can function in life as a competent adult. On the other hand, medication interferes with lot of life abilities that I probably would have had without it. Medication, especially antipsychotics, also affect the available energy level for the worse. Being on antipsychotics might mimic having Parkinson's. But I don't know enough about Parkinson's to say that for certain. 

But I don't have a choice, because whenever I've gone off medication, I've relapsed. The recovery time following these relapses, to get back to a good level of function, has been about five years following each relapse. Therefore, it is not viable for me to go off medication. And it is not worth trying. 

Yet, medication does only so much to alleviate delusions. I continue to get delusional thinking. And when I have delusions running, I make every effort to track them. Part of my mind is able to recognize delusions even though I am not able to eradicate them fully. Then, I'm left with the need to get things done in order to have my life continue to work. Delusions sometimes stand in the way of this. 

In some instances, I'm looking at two contrasting pictures. There is the picture painted by the delusions, and there is the picture I am expected to believe. If I'm in a situation where I can do so, I will choose a course of action that fulfills both pictures. 

If I have a delusion, or a belief that I question, I will try to speak about it either to someone whom I know well, or to a mental health professional. This allows my mind not to be isolated and allows things to open up. This is very therapeutic. 

Additionally, mindfulness helps in the struggle against delusions because it causes a reduction in the amount that I cling to a belief or a thought. When someone is psychotic, often they are emotionally attached to their delusional beliefs. When you can take this attachment out of the picture, it becomes easier on an emotional level to let go of the beliefs. The tendency for psychotic people is they don't want to let go of their delusions because their minds are hooked on them with an emotional charge. Mindfulness addresses this. If I am 'okay' whether or not a thought is correct, I am in more of a position to release a delusion. 

In some instances, I function on gut level instinct. While this is not always correct, sometimes it is a better guide than thoughts. 

A mental health 'expert' of some kind espoused the belief that you should do the exact opposite of what your impulses are telling you to do. This, to me, is grossly inaccurate. Some of the time your impulses are right on. Other times, they are off. You have to go by the sum total of what you think and what others are advising. There is no exact rule of what you should do and when. You take your best guess/estimate of the correct course of action and see what you get. That's life. 

Jack Bragen sells books on lulu.com in the U.S., and they are currently available on Amazon in the United Kingdom and other regions.  

ON MENTAL ILLNESS: For Those with Delusional Problems: How to Successfully Function while Delusions are Running 

Jack Bragen 

My definition of a 'delusion': A belief that is unusual, that others don't share, and that interferes with functioning in the world in a manner considered competent. Note: Delusions can be contagious when held by a person who has the power and/or position to convince others.  

I begin this week's edition with important points to make. People who have never been diagnosed with any kind of mental illness are subject to delusional thinking. Some are stuck in a delusional belief and cling determinedly to it. The absence of a diagnosis, and/or the ability to be taken as 'normal' and function 'normally' are no guarantees of accurate thought. "How could this be?" --you might ask. This is because there is no inherent mechanism in the undiagnosed person's mind that makes human thinking accurate. Most people depend on other people and the mass media to give them their beliefs. Those who rely on only themselves are potentially in a danger zone. For the 'intellectual' it is a combination of the speech and actions of others, the news media, and independent observations and thought. 

For those of us with a mental illness diagnosis, one that includes 'delusions,' we have strayed too far off course and have been unable to sync our thinking with the accepted "normal" enough to be able to function in society. Medication makes us more receptive to our surroundings and to the things that other people are telling us. 

Medication has done more things for me than it has taken away. I am able to have a large portion of my thinking accurate to the extent that I can function in life as a competent adult. On the other hand, medication interferes with lot of life abilities that I probably would have had without it. Medication, especially antipsychotics, also affect the available energy level for the worse. Being on antipsychotics might mimic having Parkinson's. But I don't know enough about Parkinson's to say that for certain. 

But I don't have a choice, because whenever I've gone off medication, I've relapsed. The recovery time following these relapses, to get back to a good level of function, has been about five years following each relapse. Therefore, it is not viable for me to go off medication. And it is not worth trying. 

Yet, medication does only so much to alleviate delusions. I continue to get delusional thinking. And when I have delusions running, I make every effort to track them. Part of my mind is able to recognize delusions even though I am not able to eradicate them fully. Then, I'm left with the need to get things done in order to have my life continue to work. Delusions sometimes stand in the way of this. 

In some instances, I'm looking at two contrasting pictures. There is the picture painted by the delusions, and there is the picture I am expected to believe. If I'm in a situation where I can do so, I will choose a course of action that fulfills both pictures. 

If I have a delusion, or a belief that I question, I will try to speak about it either to someone whom I know well, or to a mental health professional. This allows my mind not to be isolated and allows things to open up. This is very therapeutic. 

Additionally, mindfulness helps in the struggle against delusions because it causes a reduction in the amount that I cling to a belief or a thought. When someone is psychotic, often they are emotionally attached to their delusional beliefs. When you can take this attachment out of the picture, it becomes easier on an emotional level to let go of the beliefs. The tendency for psychotic people is they don't want to let go of their delusions because their minds are hooked on them with an emotional charge. Mindfulness addresses this. If I am 'okay' whether or not a thought is correct, I am in more of a position to release a delusion. 

In some instances, I function on gut level instinct. While this is not always correct, sometimes it is a better guide than thoughts. 

A mental health 'expert' of some kind espoused the belief that you should do the exact opposite of what your impulses are telling you to do. This, to me, is grossly inaccurate. Some of the time your impulses are right on. Other times, they are off. You have to go by the sum total of what you think and what others are advising. There is no exact rule of what you should do and when. You take your best guess/estimate of the correct course of action and see what you get. That's life.