The inside and outside of my head.

After my first wife died I thought that being a longstanding Christian, strong in faith, Spirit filled and any other cliché you could think of, well I thought that I would cope with the loss quiet easily.
I was under that impression until one day, whilst shopping in Debenhams, I had a stress, I sat on a step and protested that I did not need the coat that my new lady was trying to buy me.
That and other events caused my new lady to name me her grumpy gnome.

I came to realise that from the inside of my mind I was fine, but from the outside it was another story entirely.
This apparent duplicity can often be mis-understood as just being out of control, dificult and unpredictable.

Having spent time talking to folk who have Psychotic problems, I realise that from the inside of their minds they are reasonable, they are just trying to express the frustrations of their position, but from the outside they are unpredictable and explosive. They are not trying to be difficult, they are trying to be "normal".

To dope such people up with anger management drugs does not solve the inner frustrations, it does in some cases make them worse as they are nolonger able to "vent their anger" and move on. Drugs may correct perceived behavioural issues and in the short term aid concentration and learning, but it is storing up problems for the future.
These turns and twists of the mind need to be handled by the patient with the support of others.

As in my simple circumstances, those around tolerated my behaviour as I readjusted, but for those who are in more serious condition the answer is not that easy.

Mental health problems rarely have quick simple answers, and to rely only on drugs, I believe is very dangerous.