Today's Topic: "INSIGHT & INSPIRATION into INSANITY!"

INSIGHT & INSPIRATION into INSANITY

By: Stephanie Anne Allen

            Mental illness and insanity are not the same.  While mental illness affects our moods and thoughts, insanity is a condition in which a person (who may or may not have mental illness) is not touch with reality.  They are not in control of their actions and their behaviors can become “socially unacceptable” or even “criminal” without the insane person’s awareness.   A person with mental illness may never experience “true insanity”.  Just as a person who is considered insane may have no history of mental illness.  But there are a handful of people who experience both insanity and mental illness. 

            A mentally ill person may experience symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations, but this is not “true” insanity.   True insanity is when a people loses “touch with reality” and has absolutely no awareness of what is happening around them, and no control over their behaviors.  These insane people may commit crimes, and they will not even be knowledgeable of what they had done and will certainly have no awareness while committing the crime.

            We have seen it all over the news lately with people blaming crimes on mental illness.  No, these crimes do not occur because someone has a mental illness.  Some of the crimes may occur as a result of actually insanity, but that is rare.  Most of these crimes are committed by people who have full use of their faculties.  They are committed by people who are truly criminal and no regard for society, decency, and morality. 

            There are only a few actual people who commit crimes due to insanity!  These are good people who lost touch with reality and had no idea what was going on around them.  These are decent, kind, and respectable people who have broken the law, because they were “insane” and had no understanding, whatsoever, of what they were doing.  People in this category often receive a Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity ruling during their criminal trials.  They are then committed to a state forensic hospital for a term of incarceration.

            Is there hope for those who suffer from insanity?  Can we “reform” them back into productive members of society?  Are they capable of fully recovering?  Yes, it is certainly possible, as I myself am an example.  I fought the hard battle with bravery and persistence.  I emerged from this insanity, and I feel that I have become a much better person due to all the adversity that I had endured.

            I was successfully treated for my severe mental illness and insanity.  I put into use my “survival skills” and I transformed what was a “bad situation” into one that is hopeful and offers inspiration to others in similar situations.  I went through hell, in order for me, to become the person I am today.  I was never a bad or evil person at all, but going through this hell helped change me into a much better person than I ever was.  I gained insight. I gained strength, courage, and faith.  I became a much more empathic and compassionate person.  I became grateful for things I had always taken for granted.   Using coping skills, I was able to emerge from my disturbing world and find the light once again.

            It is possible to recover from both insanity and mental illness.  It is doable.  And I promise you that it will be worth it in the end.  Each life was created for a purpose, and you will find yours.  Mine was to spread love and inspiration to all who suffer from mental illness and insanity.  I embrace this as my reason to exist in this very world.  And I hope that you shall pull through your problems and reach out and take control of your world, too!

Books by Stephanie Anne Allen:
My Mental Madness Memoir
How to Survive Depression
How to Survive Bipolar Disorder

Buy now!
www.amazon.com/author/allenstephanie