How Mad Are You?
abracad, · Categories: reviewsBBC TV recently broadcast a fascinating 2-part episode of popular science documentary Horizon entitled How Mad Are You?. It featured an experiment in which 10 volunteer strangers - 5 previously diagnosed as mentally ill and 5 "normal" spent some time together in an English castle. The conditions of the mentally ill were social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, bipolar disorder and an eating disorder.
Over several days the 10 carried out a variety of tasks (from card sorting and VR train travel to paintballing and stand-up comedy). Throughout the tasks the volunteers were observed "big brother" style by 3 psychiatric professionals. The object of the exercise was for the pros to identify the "mentally ill" and the conditions they suffered from.
The experts successfully identified two of the "mentally ill", but incorrectly assessed one as the most "normal" and failed to identify two others. Two "normal" people were identified as having mental problems.
What can be made of this? It shouldn't devalue the work of the mental health profession who I'm sure help many troubled folk through counseling and medication. But if nothing else it casts grave doubts over whether the condition of "normal" really exists at all.
There are numerous psychological measures, each of which exists as a spectrum from one extreme to another, on which we all fit somewhere at any given time. A mythical normal person would sit dead center on all measures all the time. But of course s/he doesn't exist. We all have unique characteristics, some of which may cause us difficulties in certain areas. These do not, however, make us abnormal or ill.
If you're struggling with life, try first simply to come to terms with who you are and how you function as an individual. If that doesn't work you might consider psychiatric help, but ultimately the answers lie within.
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