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Health
My Brain Isn’t the Fortress I Thought It Was
We aren’t who we think we are
Most of us have seen dementia. Whether it was an aging relative or a passing homeless person babbling to themselves, we recognize it quickly. We know when someone is “off”.
I hope that when you do see it, you feel empathy and sadness.
I have seen people react with disgust or fear. I can understand the fear; who knows what a person so obviously confused might do? Might they see you as an enemy from a long-ago war or even not as a fellow human? I understand that.
I don’t understand disgust. Perhaps that reaction comes partly from blame — the afflicted person must have done this to themselves with alcohol or drugs, so they don’t deserve anything but scorn and rejection. Or maybe it is more visceral; maybe the reptilian brain is interpreting odd behavior as illness to be avoided and shunned.
That could never be me
Have you ever had that thought? The certainty that you are too bright, too logical? If you ever saw tiny elephants floating near the ceilings, your logical brain would kick in and realize that you are in distress. You’d “come out of it” because your mind is strong.
