Thread: Insanity??

Well, from a physiological perspective, I don't believe the term 'insane' is used to much anymore. More like 'imballanced'. Insanity is really a general purpose word, used to describe radical, behavioral abnormality. Now that we understand the biology of the brain better, we have terms for these disorders. Such names include OCD, Dissassociative personality disorder (multiple personalities), Bipolar Disorder (manic depressive), Schizophrenia (insane), and so on.

Most of these disorders are due to chemical imballances in the brain. The brain works off of chemical and electrical transmissions. When these transmissions are interfered with, or the method of the transmission is damaged, people display behaviors which we would consider 'insane'. Note that this isn't a perspective change. Most people with these disorders are more than likely born with them or possess genetic qualities that will predispose them to getting it later in life.

But what about shell shock and victims of abuse? We call that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. While the above disorders are mainly genetic in nature, PTSD is caused by extreme trauma which can be found in extreme situations such as one's life being threatenned, torture, sexual abuse, etc. PTSD usually occurs when the person is not allowed to recuperate from the previous stress levels of the traumatic experience(s), thus keeping the vollume of certain chemicals at a constant level (which they should not be at) and altering brain chemistry. Again, not a perspective shift. This person has had this disorder forced on them.

And that's insanity in a nutshell, that is to say, insanity is more of a buzz word these days. That's not to say that people don't display aberrant behavior, but that we have a better idea as to what causes it.

Edit: Answering the actual question. There's a huge line between perspective shift and insanity. Changing your opinion about something is not a mild case of insanity. Changing your opinion to say, "I once thought the sky was blue because of light passing through the atmosphere, but now I know better. A group of hyper scientists created aerosol to change the color of the sky. They marketted it as a way to easily force chemicals from a can under pressure, but of course they didn't tell anyone their true motive. Even the texts have been changed, saying that the sky has always been blue. But I know better, it used to be purple" is something else entirely

ISn't PTSD a reponce the brain naturally has to the intense conditions in order to cope?

You could call it a natural response, but we're also talking about conditions which are not. For example, you're not going to get PTSD from a lot of exam taking or a single, shocking revelation. PTSD comes from conditions which are extreme, along the lines of life threatenning.

Edit: And the chemical levels induced during stressful situations are not supposed to stay that way. Under normal conditions, they return to, well, normal. PTSD happens when they don't, or certain chemical levels stay elevated or depressed, which results in various symptoms, such as the infamous "flashback".

well then let my clarify/ When i use the word "insanity" I am refuring to only the conditions relating to those conected to high levels of stress. I don't mean genetic ones. I'm not talking taking a hard test i'm more talking torture levels.

Insanity is the brain trying to cope with the world but failing for some reason that varies from person to person.

Insanity can come in many different doeses as well...if u were to go to an asylum and see each person that was instituted then u will see some people that see things, some that talk to imaginary people, some that believe in fictional characters, and even some that are very much sane but have a lust to kill and also a lust to injure others. I myself have been tested because of my swordfighting and was classified as sane but then they tested me when my adrenaline was running and when I was angry and I was then classified as insane...but they called it a type of berserker or something like that because I would only go for those that wronged friends and such and would never attack an innocent person. But still knowing that I go into a state of insanity when I sword fight is kind of scary....

And that's insanity in a nutshell, that is to say, insanity is more of a buzz word these days. That's not to say that people don't display aberrant behavior, but that we have a better idea as to what causes it.

Edit: Answering the actual question. There's a huge line between perspective shift and insanity. Changing your opinion about something is not a mild case of insanity. Changing your opinion to say, "I once thought the sky was blue because of light passing through the atmosphere, but now I know better. A group of hyper scientists created aerosol to change the color of the sky. They marketted it as a way to easily force chemicals from a can under pressure, but of course they didn't tell anyone their true motive. Even the texts have been changed, saying that the sky has always been blue. But I know better, it used to be purple" is something else entirely