| We all go nuts sometimes. Even someone | | | | goes beserk, it can last a few days. |
| as sublimely well balanced as myself | | | | During that time he will be manically |
| goes off the deep end once in a while. | | | | obsessing about whatever insult or |
| When this happens, the bizarre behavior | | | | injury they perceived to have happened. |
| of the suddenly wacko can bring damage | | | | He is not negotiable yet; don't even try |
| to themselves, their business | | | | unless your idea of fun is bashing your |
| relationships, and yes, even their | | | | head repeatedly into masonry. |
| furniture. | | | | 3. Watch (from under the desk if |
| Why do we go bananas? Sometimes we allow | | | | necessary) for the real person to |
| frustrations to accumulate without | | | | return. After such an intense |
| releases such as "talking it through", | | | | outpouring, Dr. Jekyll will crash from |
| physical activity or masturbation until | | | | exhaustion. When he emerges, he might be |
| we boil over. | | | | in the sheepish, "What happened?" mode. |
| Sometimes a situation pushes a button in | | | | That is the time for love and support. |
| our psyche which releases a gusher of | | | | Try saying, "Wow, you really went |
| emotion stored from long-ago pain. This | | | | through something there, didn't you?" If |
| eruption can come seemingly from nowhere | | | | he says something normal, like "yes", |
| and usually scares the piss out of | | | | you are making progress. If he snarls or |
| everyone in range including the eruptor | | | | throws his mouse at you, revert to #2 |
| himself. | | | | above. |
| At Evanston(IL) Hospital Outpatient | | | | 4. Have some sympathy. Remember, you |
| Psychiatry, where I spent a six month | | | | have gone daffy yourself. Remember what |
| internship bringing better mental health | | | | it was like. It came from pain, didn't |
| to scores of afflicted suburbanites, it | | | | it? That's what happened to your psycho, |
| was openly discussed that more people | | | | he had a tsunami of pain. Remembering |
| would flip out during the full moon. I | | | | this will help you be sympathetic. You |
| believe the term they used was "we have | | | | might need this help if el loco stabbed |
| more patients in crisis". Is this human | | | | you in the eye yesterday with a letter |
| response to the 28 day lunar cycle the | | | | opener. |
| etymology of "looney"? | | | | 5. Let him talk and offer only gentle |
| Perhaps not so coincidently, another 28 | | | | guidance. If a person talks enough, he |
| day cycle which can bring occasional | | | | will eventually realize that they got |
| bouts of wackiness is the so-called | | | | "out of line", but he will need some |
| female cycle, which is not to be | | | | space in order to realize this. If you |
| confused with a Vespa motor scooter. | | | | offer this insight yourself, especially |
| This caused some UFO theorists to opine | | | | too early, you might get your hand |
| that women might actually be aliens not | | | | stapled to your ear. |
| from Venus as originally believed, but | | | | 6. Listening is key. Here's how you do |
| rather from the Moon, come to disrupt | | | | it: Look into the person's eyes with a |
| the football games and bank accounts of | | | | slightly sad frown. Nod slowly and |
| men. | | | | knowingly after they say each sentence. |
| Some say that men have a similar cycle - | | | | Resist the urge to offer your wonderful |
| not to be confused with a Harley | | | | opinion - this part is called "shutting |
| Davidson - but men are either too | | | | up". Wait until he stops talking. Count |
| complex, or more likely far too simple | | | | to 10. Then say one carefully chosen |
| and random for a true pattern to emerge. | | | | sentence which is either insightful or |
| Whatever the reason, when someone you | | | | encouraging. Repeat until cool. |
| know goes apeshit, do the following: | | | | 7. To take lunatic handling to the state |
| 1. Get the hell away. People in the | | | | of the art, try to get him to analyze |
| throes of a psychotic episode can have | | | | the triggering event and why it was so |
| superhuman strength. They experience | | | | extroardinarily evocative. |
| something similar to the legendary | | | | 8. To really bring it on home, get your |
| adrenalin rush which allows animal | | | | nutcase to commit to monitoring his |
| activists to lift cars off pinned-down | | | | reactions, so that if another triggering |
| pussy cats, a frequent sight in my | | | | event occurs in the future, he will be |
| neighborhood. Nutcases in full bloom can | | | | ready with a better, more adaptive |
| easily turn your head all the way around | | | | behavior. This might include removing |
| - remember Linda Blair in The Exorcist? | | | | himself from the situation with a |
| - by grasping it lightly between thumb | | | | planned excuse like, "Pardon me but I |
| and forefinger. | | | | must leave this meeting unexpectedly |
| 2. Stay the hell away. When a person | | | | because my dry cleaning is ready. |