We're All Crazy

When I first choose to be a clinical psychologist I have to be honest that I JUST NEED THE TITLE! You know…to sign some psychological reports, to open my private practice, to be admitted by the HIMPSI as one of them and not to looked unemployed while my carrier as an actress is being held! To say it blatantly, career as a clinical psychologist is not very promising in this country (esp. from my calculation as “enci-enci”): 1.there are only around 0.1-2% of the population in abnormal section plus potential clients are clouded with taboo and sensitive with labeling . Not to mention the competition I have to face with psychic, pastor, mbah dukun, paranormal, ustadz, kyai dkk on daily practice. So why do I even bother to specialized in it??!?

BUT, I just realized that I wasn’t vigilant enough in learning the statistics: according to DSM-IV (freaklist manual for the scientist!) the prevalence rates of schizophrenia are 0.5-1.5%, major depressive disorder are 5-10%, panic disorder are 3.5%, posttraumatic stress disorder are 8%, generalized anxiety disorder are 3%, paranoid personality disorders are 0.5-2.5%, antisocial personality disorders are 1-3%, obsessive-compulsive disorders are 2,5%, somatization disorders are 0.2-2%, pathological gambling are 0.4-3.4% . They are just few of many more not to mention disorders usually first diagnosed in infancy- adolescence, substance-induced disorders, sleep disorders, paraphilias, adjustment disorders and sexual and gender identity disorders. I’m not good with numbers, but if you do the math….am I crazy or the statistics show that WE’RE ALL CRAZY!

So why should we be so allergic to talk about insanity, madness, mental illness, lunacy or psychosis (aka sedheng)??What makes you and I allergic to bring the topic up in our daily chat at the coffee house, while picking up the kids or reunions? When a neighbor ask us “How are you doing?”…can we answer lightly that we just had a depressive episode just like we had a migraine? Why do the media put Mariah Carey or Britney Spears’ mental breakdown on big headline and we all rumored about it with bitchy tone while we talk about Kyle Minoque’ s cancer with sympathy? When Kyle was healed, we call her survivor and gave her medal for her courage in fighting cancer but when Mariah got back to business after a mental breakdown we treat her as ex-lunatic who will blow again anytime!

After meeting so-called “pathological” cases myself, I can relate to most of their feelings and thoughts. After all whom of us never had depression (lost interest to do anything) in dealing with life challenges, never had a mania episode (overexcitement till you can’t sleep) while waiting for defining moments such as wedding. Whom of us never had delusions that everyone is staring and talking about us when we got ret-hot pimple on the tip of our nose? Who never had an obsession over ex-lover who now engaged with a supermodel? Maybe we’re not that mentally-tuned as we thought we were. So let’s just bring it out in open…your madness, my insanity, your disorders, my lunacy, your neurosis and my psychosis. Let’s just deal with the everlasting questions….Am I Crazy or…..What?