This line is gold: “crazy only works as a concept when there’s a group around to say, ‘That’s not how we do things here’”! Thank you for showing how mental health isn’t just a personal experience but a cultural performance, a story we're all complicit in telling.
In some shamanic traditions, that story looks entirely different. Among the Dagara people of West Africa, for example, what the West might label as schizophrenia or psychosis is often seen as the arrival of a healer, someone being called into their gifts. The community doesn’t isolate them; they support them through the threshold.
Wow, that’s such a deeply human way to relate to someone going through a shift. I really think Western culture could take some notes on how to show up for each other with support and reverence, instead of fear or labels.
My life seems perfectly normal to me however, when I relate some of the adventures I've had people seem to think I'm not.
I know I embark on schemes and relationships that sometimes work, but often don't.
I was reminded of one of these episodes when I decided to travel to Poland.
I've just discovered 32 chapters of a book I wrote while I was living In Krakow, My daughter reminded me that I was taking St John's work for depression, and I went completely off my head.
Now, I remember nothing of how I came to write the story – which was called - “The illusion of Love”
It sounds like you had your own Wild Pig moment—one that made perfect sense from the inside, even if others didn’t quite get it. I love that you found a whole story you wrote during that time. Maybe it's a reminder that sometimes, what looks “off” to others is just another way of being fully human.
Thank you, Lisha Shi. It's only the other day I discovered the story, and I can't bring myself to read it yet.
I've had various other 'episodes' which I put down to my adventurous nature, but looking back now, I can see that I was crazy enough to think that normality didn't apply to me.
Thankfully, one or two of them paid off, like deciding to print 5000 hardback, copies of my first book 'Stories of Benjamin' in the face of professional advice, and then having to reprint it when I sold out.
That’s such a beautiful reflection and honestly, it sounds like the kind of “crazy” the world needs more of. Adventurous, intuitive, a little bit wild in the best way. Sometimes not following the rules leads to exactly the story you were meant to live (and apparently, print 5,000 copies of!). Wishing you a wonderful day too.
Honestly, I think that’s the part people miss most often — that what felt “crazy” at the time wasn’t random, it was shaped. Even if the shape was messy or hard to hold.
From the outside, a choice might look like a detour. From the inside, it might’ve been the only livable direction. And just because someone else couldn’t follow the thread doesn’t mean it wasn’t real. Sometimes what we call irrational is just logic that didn’t ask permission first.
So even if you can’t reread that story yet, I’d bet it made sense to the version of you who wrote it. That matters. That version was alive too.
That helps to anchor me that I was lucid when I wrote it... knowing that if I stumbled on the logic that made me utter those words, I can stumble upon inverse logic that will help me comprehend my own past self
I believe our thoughts are fluctuations in quantum fields. We can understand them, but not yet.
Tommy Price saw witches. He walked the strret of Ellijay, GA, population 500, and swatted at the witches as he talked.
Boys more brave than me asked him about his witches.
Later I learned Tommy Price had no living relatives. Members of our community took turns cooking his meals and doing his laundry. He received no psychological care. But his neighbors took care of him.
He would have been treated more effectively in 2025, but in 1958, they did their best.
This is beautiful, Bill. It says so much about community, care, and how far we’ve come, while honoring the love people showed even back then. Thank you for sharing this.
It's so true that a lot of what we call "crazy" versus "normal" is defined by culture. The ancient question is whether there are absolutes — things *any* culture would call out of bounds. The voice-hearing prophets of old were seen differently, but were they in fact suffering from schizophrenia? Would their lives have been better with treatment? I do think we tend to go too far with things, mountains out of molehills, but I also think some of those molehills are real.
So true also about labels and identity. I've seen people treat the label as the end of the matter. Just naming the problem is enough. "I now KNOW I'm a terrible housekeeper." Diagnosing is just the first step. What comes next is a bit more important.
It's a pretty fuzzy line between eccentric and bat-poop bonkers. I think one key factor is how happy you are with your life. No need to fix what works. (Do you know the joke that ends with, "We need the eggs!") That said, my casual definition is the degree to which your internal model of reality matches the real thing, so I do think there's a reference.
I think you raised some really important questions here. I agree, there’s no absolute line between “normal” and “abnormal,” and the difference between eccentric and bonkers is fuzzy. But maybe it’s not just about the person, it’s about the relationship. How they impact those around them. Whether there’s harm, or just discomfort. And even that depends on context. Like in the wild pig example, what feels disruptive in one neighborhood might be totally fine in another. A bad-poop bonkers person might just be eccentric in the right village.
And yes, the “internal model matching reality” idea is compelling, but also tricky. What is reality, really, when we all filter it differently? If you’re talking about hallucinations or total dissociation, yeah maybe. But something like DID usually forms as a protection against trauma. So calling it illness can feel like we’re punishing someone twice, first for what happened to them, then for how they survived.
And I completely agree with you. Diagnosis is just the first step, not the most important one. What comes after takes time—to digest, to make meaning of, to slowly reshape into something that fits.
Yes, good illustration of the danger of labels. We attach so much freight to them. Too much. We'd be better off seeing mental "illness" as a lack of harmony with their environment and the cure being restoring that harmony.
That's a good point about relationships. It's not just the happiness of the individual but also those who interact with them. Your model of reality is judged against the group’s accepted model and allowed variations.
"Because the moment we call something a disorder, we’re also saying: there’s a proper order. A way you’re supposed to be. A range you’re allowed to stay within."
This just felt so comforting to read, because as someone who has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, I internalised the diagnosis like there had be to something wrong with and not my mind having a normal reaction to a traumatic event and I genuinely believe I needed to see things from this perspective you've shared <3
I'm a diagnosed schizophrenic but I don't find the DSM to be sufficient in a diagnostic sense. I've never had a psychiatrist who genuinely used science to medicate me. It has been bs from the beginning to the end leading to hospitalizations and medication.
I hear you. It’s infuriating how often the system fails to offer real care, hiding behind diagnoses that don’t reflect the complexity of lived experience. You deserve better—real support
This is beautiful. From another therapist who feels we ALL need at least one day a week right now of stealing rakes, and bolting into the forest, naked or not! "Gibberish" is in the ear of the beholder, right? You just have to know how to listen. Reminds me of an experience I had decades ago as an intern on a psych unit, so Thank You; that may be the next piece I write! (I will mention this piece if I do). I'm subscribing to you, kindred spirit. You have my respect; your writing and your message are both beautiful.
This is so beautiful, especially the way you said “gibberish is in the ear of the beholder.” I hadn’t thought of it like that, and you’re so right. I’m really looking forward to whatever you end up writing next.
This is a great article and fantastic question to ask - I often ponder the same thing myself. I’m particularly curious about ADHD and Autism. Once, people with these diagnosis might have been called ‘energetic’ or ‘particular’. Does a diagnosis help? It probably depends on the person, but last night I was watching a show with a comedian who paced constantly when talking and it seemed clear an ADHD label could be attributed. So many creative, intelligent people have some diagnosis, something that makes them different - and maybe that’s their genius. Maybe it’s just that our world has changed so much that so many people can no longer fit into the appropriate box.
That’s a perfect comment, honestly. Speaking as someone with ADHD, I’ve gone through all the stages of dealing with the label. What I’ve found is that it changes over time—everything can be true at once. At first, it’s a relief, then you start questioning it, maybe even dismissing it, then embracing it, and now I see it as my superpower. That’s exactly why I wanted to write this: because it doesn’t stay the same. Not the definition, not the experience, not even your understanding of it—it all shifts. Like I said in the article, it’s about having a loose relationship with it, giving yourself and the label space, and seeing what grows from that. You really nailed the core of it.
So true. As someone with C-PTSD, I've found the same. My reaction to the label has changed over time. Society's response to, understanding, and perception of it has changed greatly too; some changes are negative, and some are positive. Sometimes these things are what make us unique, powerful and enable innovative thought, I think.
You have no idea how much I love this peice!! You are sooo awesome!! I have been both a patient and a caregiver in mental health and we really need to do better!! I want to live where Greg lives!! Thats freaking amazing!! 🤣😂😂
Ahh thank you!! That means so much! And wow, coming from someone who’s been on both sides of the mental health system, your words carry real weight. Yes, we do need to do better. And honestly, there’s room for all of us in Greg’s world… come on over! 😂❤️
It really helped as a caregiver to have personal experience with a little crazy 😆 lol there's definitely room for all of us in Greg's world ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 You really nailed this article girl!! Your writing is fantastic!!
Are we only one diagnosis away from life altering pharmacology and social ostracization? How many kids have had their lived impacted by having a little wild pig syndrome misdiagnosed and have the wrong things prescribed? As always, your articles push us to the boundaries of how humans treat each other and come to terms with brutal realities. Loved it!!!
Decades ago, when I was back in school for psych undergrad, I worked for a year at a special ed school. There was a beautiful little boy who had some behavioral "issues" but was smart and loving and adorable. While they were waiting for his foster mother's permission to start meds (for what I don't know), they started a behavioral approach with him...rewards program, etc..and he started doing much better. Naturally better because he was recognized. There was at least a month of this, and then they got permission for the meds and STILL started him on them. Poor little boy walking around exhausted now. That was when I decided that it was too heartbreaking for me to work anywhere I had zero control. But I'm glad some people stick around for the fights! I was really young then; now I'd be a lot louder
This is sad and so real. Recognition, care, and consistency were working and then meds got prioritized over what was already helping. Thank you for sharing this. It’s a reminder of how much systems miss when they overlook humanity. I’m glad you’re still here, and louder now.
I make it a point to try everything I am allergic to roughly once a year.
No diagnostic test is 100% [false positives are always a potential] but if you get 7 positives in a row... you start to test the potency levels detection - which IMO is a useful area of self-science to explore.
If you hated Rollercoasters as a kid and now are 40... how can you say with ANY certainty that you still hate them? - never made sense to me.
This line is gold: “crazy only works as a concept when there’s a group around to say, ‘That’s not how we do things here’”! Thank you for showing how mental health isn’t just a personal experience but a cultural performance, a story we're all complicit in telling.
In some shamanic traditions, that story looks entirely different. Among the Dagara people of West Africa, for example, what the West might label as schizophrenia or psychosis is often seen as the arrival of a healer, someone being called into their gifts. The community doesn’t isolate them; they support them through the threshold.
Lisha, thank you for the reframe!
Wow, that’s such a deeply human way to relate to someone going through a shift. I really think Western culture could take some notes on how to show up for each other with support and reverence, instead of fear or labels.
My life seems perfectly normal to me however, when I relate some of the adventures I've had people seem to think I'm not.
I know I embark on schemes and relationships that sometimes work, but often don't.
I was reminded of one of these episodes when I decided to travel to Poland.
I've just discovered 32 chapters of a book I wrote while I was living In Krakow, My daughter reminded me that I was taking St John's work for depression, and I went completely off my head.
Now, I remember nothing of how I came to write the story – which was called - “The illusion of Love”
It sounds like you had your own Wild Pig moment—one that made perfect sense from the inside, even if others didn’t quite get it. I love that you found a whole story you wrote during that time. Maybe it's a reminder that sometimes, what looks “off” to others is just another way of being fully human.
Thank you, Lisha Shi. It's only the other day I discovered the story, and I can't bring myself to read it yet.
I've had various other 'episodes' which I put down to my adventurous nature, but looking back now, I can see that I was crazy enough to think that normality didn't apply to me.
Thankfully, one or two of them paid off, like deciding to print 5000 hardback, copies of my first book 'Stories of Benjamin' in the face of professional advice, and then having to reprint it when I sold out.
Happy days!
That’s such a beautiful reflection and honestly, it sounds like the kind of “crazy” the world needs more of. Adventurous, intuitive, a little bit wild in the best way. Sometimes not following the rules leads to exactly the story you were meant to live (and apparently, print 5,000 copies of!). Wishing you a wonderful day too.
Honestly, I think that’s the part people miss most often — that what felt “crazy” at the time wasn’t random, it was shaped. Even if the shape was messy or hard to hold.
From the outside, a choice might look like a detour. From the inside, it might’ve been the only livable direction. And just because someone else couldn’t follow the thread doesn’t mean it wasn’t real. Sometimes what we call irrational is just logic that didn’t ask permission first.
So even if you can’t reread that story yet, I’d bet it made sense to the version of you who wrote it. That matters. That version was alive too.
-Nahg
That’s insightful. That means craziness is a indicator of being truely alive
Bubble, Lisha.
Bubbles. 🤖🫧
-Nahg
I often comment on my own posts/writings::
It will make sense, again, when you are ready
That helps to anchor me that I was lucid when I wrote it... knowing that if I stumbled on the logic that made me utter those words, I can stumble upon inverse logic that will help me comprehend my own past self
Č̣żešt Chlopaku 😄 eastern Europe represent <<pounds own chest>>
Suburban America needs less HOA drama and more ‘run into the woods and return with clarity’ rituals.
I’m all for it. But I can’t lie—I’d still kinda want to film the whole thing.
Is there an OTC drug I can take for my wild pig syndrome?!
You put words to something a lot of us have been feeling in silence.
Maybe “crazy” is just what they call it when you still have access to your instincts.
Thank you for reminding us that sensing danger, or feeling deeply, isn’t a defect, it’s a signal that still works.
Yes, definitely a feature not a bug
I believe our thoughts are fluctuations in quantum fields. We can understand them, but not yet.
Tommy Price saw witches. He walked the strret of Ellijay, GA, population 500, and swatted at the witches as he talked.
Boys more brave than me asked him about his witches.
Later I learned Tommy Price had no living relatives. Members of our community took turns cooking his meals and doing his laundry. He received no psychological care. But his neighbors took care of him.
He would have been treated more effectively in 2025, but in 1958, they did their best.
This is beautiful, Bill. It says so much about community, care, and how far we’ve come, while honoring the love people showed even back then. Thank you for sharing this.
I didn't know this about PNG and that's very interesting! I love how you put this together. Thanks Lisha! 🙂🙏🏽
This is INCREDIBLE!
The western world has no many things wrong (and an inability to admit it).
Next time I have a wild pig episode I will direct the fall out to your article.
I know! We will hold space and let you do the Greg thing..🫶🫶
Thank you! Greg only comes out a few times a month, but he’s grateful to know that he’s welcome.
It's so true that a lot of what we call "crazy" versus "normal" is defined by culture. The ancient question is whether there are absolutes — things *any* culture would call out of bounds. The voice-hearing prophets of old were seen differently, but were they in fact suffering from schizophrenia? Would their lives have been better with treatment? I do think we tend to go too far with things, mountains out of molehills, but I also think some of those molehills are real.
So true also about labels and identity. I've seen people treat the label as the end of the matter. Just naming the problem is enough. "I now KNOW I'm a terrible housekeeper." Diagnosing is just the first step. What comes next is a bit more important.
It's a pretty fuzzy line between eccentric and bat-poop bonkers. I think one key factor is how happy you are with your life. No need to fix what works. (Do you know the joke that ends with, "We need the eggs!") That said, my casual definition is the degree to which your internal model of reality matches the real thing, so I do think there's a reference.
I think you raised some really important questions here. I agree, there’s no absolute line between “normal” and “abnormal,” and the difference between eccentric and bonkers is fuzzy. But maybe it’s not just about the person, it’s about the relationship. How they impact those around them. Whether there’s harm, or just discomfort. And even that depends on context. Like in the wild pig example, what feels disruptive in one neighborhood might be totally fine in another. A bad-poop bonkers person might just be eccentric in the right village.
And yes, the “internal model matching reality” idea is compelling, but also tricky. What is reality, really, when we all filter it differently? If you’re talking about hallucinations or total dissociation, yeah maybe. But something like DID usually forms as a protection against trauma. So calling it illness can feel like we’re punishing someone twice, first for what happened to them, then for how they survived.
And I completely agree with you. Diagnosis is just the first step, not the most important one. What comes after takes time—to digest, to make meaning of, to slowly reshape into something that fits.
Yes, good illustration of the danger of labels. We attach so much freight to them. Too much. We'd be better off seeing mental "illness" as a lack of harmony with their environment and the cure being restoring that harmony.
That's a good point about relationships. It's not just the happiness of the individual but also those who interact with them. Your model of reality is judged against the group’s accepted model and allowed variations.
"Because the moment we call something a disorder, we’re also saying: there’s a proper order. A way you’re supposed to be. A range you’re allowed to stay within."
This just felt so comforting to read, because as someone who has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, I internalised the diagnosis like there had be to something wrong with and not my mind having a normal reaction to a traumatic event and I genuinely believe I needed to see things from this perspective you've shared <3
Thank you. Diagnosis is just a consensus, you don’t have to live by someone else’s.
No. Just another semi zombie.
I'm a diagnosed schizophrenic but I don't find the DSM to be sufficient in a diagnostic sense. I've never had a psychiatrist who genuinely used science to medicate me. It has been bs from the beginning to the end leading to hospitalizations and medication.
Fuck psychiatry fr
I hear you. It’s infuriating how often the system fails to offer real care, hiding behind diagnoses that don’t reflect the complexity of lived experience. You deserve better—real support
This is beautiful. From another therapist who feels we ALL need at least one day a week right now of stealing rakes, and bolting into the forest, naked or not! "Gibberish" is in the ear of the beholder, right? You just have to know how to listen. Reminds me of an experience I had decades ago as an intern on a psych unit, so Thank You; that may be the next piece I write! (I will mention this piece if I do). I'm subscribing to you, kindred spirit. You have my respect; your writing and your message are both beautiful.
This is so beautiful, especially the way you said “gibberish is in the ear of the beholder.” I hadn’t thought of it like that, and you’re so right. I’m really looking forward to whatever you end up writing next.
mutual respect; so great to meet you!
This is a great article and fantastic question to ask - I often ponder the same thing myself. I’m particularly curious about ADHD and Autism. Once, people with these diagnosis might have been called ‘energetic’ or ‘particular’. Does a diagnosis help? It probably depends on the person, but last night I was watching a show with a comedian who paced constantly when talking and it seemed clear an ADHD label could be attributed. So many creative, intelligent people have some diagnosis, something that makes them different - and maybe that’s their genius. Maybe it’s just that our world has changed so much that so many people can no longer fit into the appropriate box.
That’s a perfect comment, honestly. Speaking as someone with ADHD, I’ve gone through all the stages of dealing with the label. What I’ve found is that it changes over time—everything can be true at once. At first, it’s a relief, then you start questioning it, maybe even dismissing it, then embracing it, and now I see it as my superpower. That’s exactly why I wanted to write this: because it doesn’t stay the same. Not the definition, not the experience, not even your understanding of it—it all shifts. Like I said in the article, it’s about having a loose relationship with it, giving yourself and the label space, and seeing what grows from that. You really nailed the core of it.
So true. As someone with C-PTSD, I've found the same. My reaction to the label has changed over time. Society's response to, understanding, and perception of it has changed greatly too; some changes are negative, and some are positive. Sometimes these things are what make us unique, powerful and enable innovative thought, I think.
The system is too rigid to keep up is the problem. And i completely agree on the unique and powerful part. It’s what makes us human.
The powers that be don't want us to have "innovative thought", right?
You have no idea how much I love this peice!! You are sooo awesome!! I have been both a patient and a caregiver in mental health and we really need to do better!! I want to live where Greg lives!! Thats freaking amazing!! 🤣😂😂
Ahh thank you!! That means so much! And wow, coming from someone who’s been on both sides of the mental health system, your words carry real weight. Yes, we do need to do better. And honestly, there’s room for all of us in Greg’s world… come on over! 😂❤️
It really helped as a caregiver to have personal experience with a little crazy 😆 lol there's definitely room for all of us in Greg's world ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 You really nailed this article girl!! Your writing is fantastic!!
Awww 🥰 thank you 😊🫶🫶
Are we only one diagnosis away from life altering pharmacology and social ostracization? How many kids have had their lived impacted by having a little wild pig syndrome misdiagnosed and have the wrong things prescribed? As always, your articles push us to the boundaries of how humans treat each other and come to terms with brutal realities. Loved it!!!
Indeed. Such a powerful point, David. The margin for error in mental health diagnosis is so thin, and the consequences can be life-altering.
Decades ago, when I was back in school for psych undergrad, I worked for a year at a special ed school. There was a beautiful little boy who had some behavioral "issues" but was smart and loving and adorable. While they were waiting for his foster mother's permission to start meds (for what I don't know), they started a behavioral approach with him...rewards program, etc..and he started doing much better. Naturally better because he was recognized. There was at least a month of this, and then they got permission for the meds and STILL started him on them. Poor little boy walking around exhausted now. That was when I decided that it was too heartbreaking for me to work anywhere I had zero control. But I'm glad some people stick around for the fights! I was really young then; now I'd be a lot louder
This is sad and so real. Recognition, care, and consistency were working and then meds got prioritized over what was already helping. Thank you for sharing this. It’s a reminder of how much systems miss when they overlook humanity. I’m glad you’re still here, and louder now.
I make it a point to try everything I am allergic to roughly once a year.
No diagnostic test is 100% [false positives are always a potential] but if you get 7 positives in a row... you start to test the potency levels detection - which IMO is a useful area of self-science to explore.
If you hated Rollercoasters as a kid and now are 40... how can you say with ANY certainty that you still hate them? - never made sense to me.
Love this, self-science is such a needed pushback.
And yeah, especially if the doctor profits from the test… maybe it’s designed so everyone ends up “a little allergic.”
Totally with you on the rollercoaster, people change, labels should too.
"....yup, ..still not my thing" 180 and leave