Am I crazy?

As someone who talks and writes about psychic phenomena I often see or hear the words in conversations, "nuts" and "crazy" online and off. To me, "insanity" and "nuts/crazy" are different concepts. I won't use dictionary definitions but more what I see as common parlance. "Insanity" is a legal term. To me, I understand it as "dysfunctional and incapable of understanding right/wrong, incapable of living within legally accepted norms". On the other hand "nuts/crazy" are words we use to describe those who simply don't fit in.

I have a t-shirt on one of my stores that reads "Everyone is someone else's weirdo".

Everyone is odd or different from someone else's point of view. So are we psychics "nuts/crazy"? Yeah. If you are uptight, anal, overly obsessed with fitting in (laugh) ... which makes you "nuts/crazy" from my point of view. There is no such thing as "nuts/crazy". It's a value/ego judgment with little real meaning. In my opinion most of us are afraid of being "nuts/crazy" because we don't want to be different. We're not so much afraid that we might be mad, we're afraid that we'll get bullied.

No one can bully you with the "nuts/crazy" label unless you choose to own it. A long time ago I made myself comfortable with the idea that some people would doubt my experiences. I let go of needing to "prove" anything. If you doubt yourself, start keeping a journal. If your insights, visions or dreams are right more than 50% of the time, there is some objective evidence that your experiences are psychic. You won't be infallible, but you can learn to use your intuition to improve your life.

A little skepticism is a healthy thing. It doesn't have to carry the "nuts/crazy" stigma if you are wrong on occasion though. I think we all do this to ourselves during the occasional fallow times where our intuition seems to dry up. After a while you get used to the fact that sometimes psychic ability waxes and wanes. That's normal.

Somewhere in between "nuts/crazy" and "insanity" is mental illness. To me this is a wide range of both physical brain disorders and assorted thinking dysfunctions. No doubt some of us have suffered from mental illness at times. Most of us have. Depression is a mental illness. I've suffered from depression in the past. Quite serious, long-term depression. I've gone through trauma and suffered PTSD. I wager that just about everyone has some form of mental illness at some point in their life. We have to get rid of the stigma here, or we won't be able to address it when it really is a factor. Mental illness isn't always permanent, it is often easily treated. There are both cognitive and medical treatments that are effective. What is "crazy" is refusing to seek help because you are afraid you might be "nuts".

Any time you have strong psychic experiences, voices in the head or strange compulsions, and physical sensations or symptoms like headaches or dizziness, your first step must be to rule out a physical cause. So I'll often recommend that you see a doctor. I'm not a physician, and it is legally and ethically required that I refer you to a doctor, even when I don't really feel that's necessary. I will suggest you be discrete what you decide to share. Find out your doctor's attitudes towards psychic experiences before you share any "voice" experiences. If you are leery, there may be good reason. If their attitude is hostile, see another doctor. Don't see a doctor you don't trust.

Generally speaking, if you hear voices and they are positive and you find that the information they give you is accurate more often than not, you are probably a channel. If they are hostile, there is pain, they persist even after being told to leave, or the experiences are causing havoc in your life, then get to a doctor and be fully honest with them. Even if it is something psychic, and not true mental illness, you need a counsellor who can help you sort out some boundary issues. Healthy, balanced people don't pick up negative entities as easily as those who have emotional or mental challenges. You may be fully sane in the clinical sense of the word, that doesn't mean you won't benefit from some professional guidance.

Having a diagnosis of mental illness doesn't mean that your experiences aren't objectively "real" either. I think this is another big fear I commonly see. People become attached to their entities, to their experiences, and even when they are scared silly, to the drama of being in the middle of this kind of experience. They don't want to be told that it's not real. I've learned that just because one may be mentally ill, it doesn't mean they aren't also psychic. In fact it is a common observation that schizophrenics are often strongly psychic.

In the end, if you are afraid, you have to drill down deeper. What is it you are truly afraid of? Is the fear even an issue? Are you addicted to the drama? That's what's really "crazy" in people for the most part. Accept your abilities, make a resolution to step past your fears, and you will find in 99.99999% of cases, that very quickly things calm down and you will find that what used to scare you is a source of great value and insight.

Clairsentience - Turn it off? (2)

I don't want this, it's made my life hell, I have been ostracized by my peers, no one believes me, or they believe me and just believe I'm nuts. I can't control it. It won't just appear on command, so it makes me look even more nuts. Depression seems to play a factor in this, so does stress. I will give you that. It seems to hit hardest when I feel like crap or I'm really stressed.

I have studied meditation, the tarot, and even astrology, a friend of mine recommended them because of the feelings I was having, they aren't really visions, they are more like feelings. They only seemed to make the stupors last longer and become audible, they make them worse. I have no control what so ever.

I'm so ashamed, my priest says im going crazy too, he thinks I should see a dr.

I am alone...

You are not alone. I went through the exact same thing, and I have gotten many many letters over the years, just like yours. It's heartbreaking to me to read your pain and know I cannot provide the answer you are hoping for, but I don't believe you are crazy, either. You are just a hyper-sensitive empath living in an unsympathetic situation.

I don't have any real control over my visions or impressions either. I have come to accept that too. They come when they do. The more journaling I have done though, the more the evidence has mounted up that what I sense is real, and the more I am able to tell the difference between fearful thoughts, wishful thinking and a real intuition.

One thing that has made a huge difference to my happiness is that I don't try to convince anyone else that it is real anymore ... not even you. I don't care if you believe me that my gift is real or not. What matters is that I believe it. If you are still doubting yourself, it is no wonder you are unhappy. Start journaling and meditating. You will benefit from it in ways you can't begin to imagine.

Some of my friends are doubters too ... but you know what? I don't care! Those who truly love me, love me anyway, and those who are mean about it ... well, I weeded them out of my life a long time ago. Life is too short to have closed-minded, fear-based people around me. That includes family in my case. The only one I really talk to much is my mother. That may sound sad, but the truth is I never had much in common with the rest of them anyway. I have a new circle of friends now who are the most loving and supporting people I could hope for, and I am the happiest I have ever been. When I look back, the truth is I am better off without some of those people in my life.

I felt strongly from the beginning that depression is a factor in your situation, and the best thing I did for depression was taking The QuinnTessential Experience classes. If you don't feel that is for you, and you cannot get to Toronto, then the next best thing is to go see your doctor and see if you can get a referral to a cognitive therapist. That's the closest thing in traditional medicine to what they teach at The QuinnTessential Experience. Watch the movie "The Secret". There are some clues in there as well. I think you are not "crazy" if you are just depressed. I think your priest is probably trying to get you to get help for your depression, but unless he actually used that word, then you are projecting your judgments onto him. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I don't understand why you feel ashamed. What have you done to be ashamed of? If in the rare event you do have some sort of mental illness (I am not a psychiatrist but you sound sane to me), then that is not your fault. Talk it over with your doctor, he or she will be able to see if you need intervention. If you don't have a mental illness, then all you are guilty of being is sensitive and gifted! Cut yourself a break. It's bad enough that other people have been unsupportive, you don't need to put yourself down as well.

I do think you should avoid Tarot or astrology for now. It will open you up more, when what you need to do is ground yourself. Focus your energy on physical activity. Meditate, learn how to ground yourself. Pray. Once you get to the stage where you can accept this, that is the time to broaden your studies.

Brandi

My sister is tortured by evil demons.

My sister is tortured by evil demons. How can I help her or how can she herself get rid of them? It has been going on for years. Doctors have diagnosed her w/ all different things. She thinks she has schizophrenia and multiple personalities. Here are a few things I have seen. I have seen her as herself, I have seen her at times where a "black shadow" crosses over her and she begins talking about horrifying things to scare/ depress herself and people around her. She never leaves her house. She is not able to take care of herself - shower, dress. She absolutely hated my Christian pictures at my house-- sacred heart, last supper..bad things happen when she is around-- my daughter's dog got hit by a car when she was at my apartment, I have lost many things financially and personally. It is like grieving one death after the next. Her husband has not left her, but he has become an alcoholic. Her son never leaves the house and has dropped out of high school w/ one year left to graduate. It is what is inside of her that is affecting everyone and she does not see it. I don't know how to approach her on it but, I have to sooner or later because I will not have her inside of my house. She needs to know. Also, since it has been years and lots of doctors and she is just getting worse. The doctors prescribe meds and she does not take them right and also when she does take them, she drinks alcohol w/ it and she has taken up chain smoking 3-4 packs/day. I think it may have been ouija board, tarot cards when she was a teen. Also, she had neighbors (25 yr ago) that were involved with some type of devil worship. She is not a spiritual person. I have seen her change within seconds -- her whole face and then she is all gloom and doom -- the sky is falling kind of thing. I have recently found a medal of St Benedict. I think that may have been an enlightenment or confirmation of what I believed to be going on. If it were a medical thing, then she should have been getting better over the years, but she is getting worse by the day. I think her husband is planning on leaving her so she has to get herself together quick. I don't think that I can help her since I am her sister, and I don't know how to tell her that she needs spiritual help-- she will most likely think I'm crazy. Any thoughts??

V

Dear V:

I'm not a doctor, and I share some of your doubts about the medical establishment, but I do have some familiarity with schizophrenia. I have a second cousin who suffers from it, and have had encounters with others during the time I did psychic readings. It can get worse over time, in fact, that is common. It can be treated but there is no cure. It will get worse for certain if she does not stay on her medication, and most of the meds have really awful side effects, many schizophrenics can't handle them.

As a psychic, I believe that schizophrenia can be both a medical and a spiritual problem at the same time, the "causes" are not necessarily mutually exclusive. I believe that schizophrenia can, and often is, a sign of a torn or broken aura. Most schizophrenics are incredibly psychic when they are lucid (and sometimes more so when they are not). There are some doctors who are beginning to believe that some of the visions schizophrenics have may have a basis in reality, or that they tap into the dream space in a waking state. They just can't "shut down" and stay grounded. If this is her problem, she isn't going to get herself together "quick". She will need all the support she can get, but she may not make that easy for you. You could try talking to her doctor(s) - they will not share any confidential information with you about her, but they may be able to offer you some advice for dealing with her. If you can't do that, speak to your own doctor. Get more information on this side of it.

I do feel negative entities can be attracted by Ouija boards, but I have seen no evidence of that with Tarot. I've used them myself for over 20 years with no negative effects. I have report after report of negative experiences with Ouija, though. I think the reason for this is that Ouija is designed specifically to invite comment from spirits, where that is not the case for Tarot. It's a bad idea to play with Ouija - we would never think of inviting strangers into our homes, but that is exactly what the Ouija does on the spiritual level. No wonder there are so many horror stories. At the same time though, it is rare that negative entities hang around long if everything else is well. If there is a negative spirit around her, it's not about these tools, or her exposure to negative neighbors, it is about choice. If it is true that she is possessed, then on some level she let this in, and she is going to have to be the one to decide she wants to overcome it.

That's also true if the problem is medical. Either way, she is a grown woman, and her negativity is destroying her life and her family. I am certain that you are right about one thing here: She needs to know how you feel about this. The question is, how do you approach her? Have you spoken to her husband? Other family members? Can there be a loving intervention where everyone encourages her to get some help? The same concern can be expressed without quite as much risk of a counter-productive reaction if you leave your religious suspicions out of the conversation. Just tell her that her mood swings and negativity are affecting her relationships, and that you are worried about that.

Use "I" language: "When I am worried all the time how other people will react, when I am constantly treading on eggshells, when I cannot be sure from one moment to the next how someone will react, I feel fearful and unsafe. When someone around me is always negative, that brings me down. I feel that this negativity is affecting many areas of our lives. I'm afraid you may lose the people who love you the most." Use your own language, but try to be specific about how you are affected by her behavior. Don't focus on the behavior itself. That will come across as blaming and shaming, no matter how sincere your faith and love for her.

As for your religious concerns, I recommend you speak to a priest. The Church is very careful of confirming demonic possession, I understand it is actually a very rare thing that they do exorcisms, and I have not heard of one done on someone without their willing participation. He may have ideas in addition to mine, but I suspect he may say that until she is open to receive help, the most you can do is pray to God for healing for her, and strength for yourself. I do not encourage people to pray for specific outcomes, such as "Please God, drive the evil spirits from my sister" ... why? I sometimes tell the story of one case where my mother was praying for me to go back to church, and I ended up with awful nightmares and headaches. Things got a lot worse until I figured out what she was doing, and asked her instead to pray that "God's will be done". Things changed for the better immediately. I have had other experiences that have taught me to always ask before I pray for others for a specific outcome. Whether it is prayer, meditation, healing or visualization, we should do nothing for others without their express permission. As hard as that may be to hear, as much as your heart is in the right place, it isn't right to put your will over hers.

If you are not sure how she will react, if there is a chance of reaching her, and you still want to raise it with her, you might get better results from her by "asking" instead of "telling" ... "Do you ever wonder if there might be a spiritual component to this? What are your beliefs? How can I help you? Do you mind if I pray for you?" ... gently ask her to share her experiences and beliefs and listen to her without judgment. What she tells you will be a guide to ways you might open up a dialog. If you tell her blunt outright that you believe she is possessed, you might drive her away at best, at worst, if she is schizophrenic, you could trigger symptoms she is not showing (you said nothing about demonic voices telling her to do bad things, for example).

What you can do for sure is be a loving example to her while you also protect yourself and your family. Since your faith is important to you, I would start with prayer. Pray for God's strength and guidance. Ask for angels to protect you and your family. Light white candles. If you are Catholic, you should be able to get some holy water from your church - sprinkle it around the house in a counter-clockwise circle, and command any negative entities to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. Salt will also work (I'd do both). After you do this, do a prayer of gratitude for the protection you will be sent. Light a candle and walk around the house clockwise as you ask God to send in a spirit of peace and love to fill your home (never just cast things out - don't leave an empty space for them to come back to). After you do this, after any visit or call from her, and whenever you fear that something negative is around, command it to leave, and immediately focus on something loving and positive. Negative entities feed off fear. Show them love, they will run from that.