On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 08:20:50 GMT, el valle <nick@knak@paddy.wack>
wrote:

On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 16:24:28 +0930, Michael Gray <fleetg@newsguy.spam.com>
wrote:

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 23:08:21 GMT, Crotalidae <splif@splif.com> wrote:

[...]

I told you that I personally know several people who have
schizophrenia, not just "met" them.

(And to say they are "suffering" from it is a sign that you are
incredibly ignorant on this matter)

Well, I don't have schizophrenia, nor do I know anyone personally who has
the disease, but I have however done some research about the disease and had
extensive discussions about the disease with professionals.

I have also studied the reports of people who have claimed alien contact and
their medical records, and none of them had schizophrenia.

<snip>

Anyone suffering from the disease has my sympathy of course, it can be quite
debilitating.

Firstly, let me praise you, a little, on acknowledging where you
excised my comments.
There is precious little of that courtesy occurring of late.

It is my judgement that your research base is a trifle too restricted
from which to be making sweeping generalizations.
I have intimate long-term first-hand knowledge of three diagnosed and
self-admitted schizophrenics who claim regular alien contact of some
sort.
Perhaps your subset of medical reports was in some way either limited,
or biased; or a little bit less likely, that these are the only 3
examples in the world.

But again, you use the term "suffering from the disease", which
individuals who experience schizophrenia find both patronising and
offensive.
The schizophrenics that I know, as well as have just "met" are, to a
man, (for they all happen to be male), of what I would judge as above
average intelligence.
They are unusually creative, in the artistic sense of the word, and
tell me that sometimes schizophrenia is a positive advantage,
creatively.
I usually find that it is only their relatives and carers who do any
real "suffering".
Those in the general community, who are lack knowledge and exposure to
schizophrenia, seem to be genuinely frightened of those also in the
community who have schizophrenia.
I must admit that when I was a teenager, I shared that opinion, but
realised later that it was entirely unwarranted.
Of course, one should not be entirely trusting of any human being, but
that caution applies to every one in the community.
Statistics show conclusively that one should be much more worried
about priests, than schizophrenics.

As you seem quite genuine in your concern, I urge you to learn more
about this widespread phenomenon.
One amongst the hundreds of fascinating publications concerning
schizophrenia, and in this case: pre-history, is "The Origin of
Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind" by Julian
Jaynes, ISBN 0-14-017491-5, which convincingly posits that
schizophrenia was the usual condition of the human mind in antiquity,
and was partly responsible for emergence of human consciousness as we
understand it.
In this light, schizophrenia is seen merely as an alternative state of
mind, rather than something to be feared.

After you have read it, and met some schizophrenics personally, I will
be happy to discuss the matter further.