Shit What I Found Out.

I have a friend … more so, a friend of a friend, who has had a few psychotic episodes. I feel like the sanest person I know. Mentally, I think I have real strength, because I’m a battler, in the truest of Aussie ways ... mate. I live alone so I tend to talk to myself a bit. As we all know, I carry a few personal issues around with me but, end o’ the day, I’m rock solid. Thanks. When I saw him after he had recently departed the institution, he didn’t look good at all. Vacuous, might be a word you could use. Drugged to the eyeballs; an appropriate phrase, lithiumised; an applicable made up word. Slowly yet clearly he has made headway, until we find ourselves in the present day - or yesterday to be more precise - at the bar, slightly sozzled; mildly minxed etc. (I would say 7 standard drinks.) We chatted properly for the first time. I am inquisitive by nature. I am sure that you all have stories that would interest me. But that’s no surprise to anyone though, is it? Is it? He brought up his recent "trip away", and I asked many questions. Here are some things I found out about psychotic episodes from the horse’s mouth: One man’s opinion. - He knew it was coming, but felt incapable of doing anything about it. - He tried to hack his arm off with a plastic spoon because he thought his arm was robotic, and ‘the machines’ were taking over him. No serious damage as he was seized and drugged before he even broke skin. He told me this knowing as well as I did that ‘I am an RC-30’ was in no way a reality. But let’s not define reality here. - He had to partake in bead counting, whist, movement classes, and theatre sports. Does crazy mean that you’re suddenly 4? ‘Was there a library?’ I asked, ‘No.’ He replied. I must say that I would happily challenge any of you to whist … anytime. - He described it as worse than prison. The food was repulsive, he can’t smell dettol without his arms slowly creeping around his waist. - He doesn’t do drugs ever, because nothing can compete with the high of being psychotic. For a period of 2 weeks he was delusionally off his chops, and loving it. - The two-month come down that followed (nipping at his heels) was nigh on impossible to make it through. He has had three episodes now. If it happens again, he doesn’t think he’ll come back. When he told me this, I got goose bumps. Death. Brr, tis cold, is it not? Can it happen to anyone at anytime? Is there anything worse than mental illness? Chemical imbalance? I feel general remorse and empathy from anyone who has to go through this stuff. I really do. Next week: Cancer.