Person #1: We tried everything and nothing seems to be working.
Specialist: Hmm..
Person #1: He just won’t calm down.
Specialist: What about—
Person #2: He’s been on so many types of—
Person #1: Let him finish.
Person #2: Well what about—
Specialist: Let me finish. If there’s nothing else we can do, we’ll have no choice but to give him even more of what he’s been taking so he does not cause any harm to himself or others. I just don’t see any better available options at this point.
Person #1: Okay.
Person #2: He’s suggested trying a meditation support group.
Person #1: And when we allowed that we had to go rescue him from that narcissistic cult leader remember!?
Person #2: We just found the wrong one.
Person #1: Well we’re not taking any more chances!
Person #2: Well if we’d at least somewhat join him in certain efforts to better himself then maybe he’d more likely function with more inner peace and emotional stability..?
Person #1: Trying to help him has been so much harder on us!! We’re empathetically fatigued! We’ve put up with so much!
Specialist: When someone is mentally ill it’s usually harder on the family. Families do need a break.
Person #2: And don’t try to fix him if you’re only doing it to make him feel he owes you!
Person #1: No! We’re trying to help because we care! Yet because of how hard it’s felt, we just need him to calm down in the quickest way possible since we just seriously can’t keep doing this! We just can’t!!
Person #2: What if joining him more often in certain stuff that he finds helpful will ALSO help us relieve stress..? Therefore helping him feel less alone in his efforts, will be providing us more of some collective mutual benefit..? Hence, we’ll all be connecting through some NON drug-induced inner stress reduction practice..?
Person #1: NO!! He’s NOT well!! We must NEVER consider anything he says!
Person #2: But he’ll get even more stigma with another label and more meds that will just make it worse.
Person #1: My meds have been great for me!
Person #2: You’re a different person! It’s not like people react the same to every medication! He’s different! And NO label can perfectly describe him!
Specialist: I’m thinking we should just stick with what we’ve been doing at this point.
Person #1: Yeah I agree! And who’s the specialist!? You or him!?
Person #2: You don’t listen. You say to have acceptance and tolerance for different points of view. Yet you don’t see how much of a hypocrite you really are.
Person #1: But I did try to have tolerance and understanding for him yet it has NOT helped! He’s not well! It’s a different context!
Person #2: No, you have very little consideration for trying other stuff that goes against your mainstream world views. When it didn’t work one time, you instantly ruled it out! You don’t see how quickly dismissive and controlling you really are!
Specialist: I think it is now time to settle down here!
Person #1: Yeah shut your mouth.
Person #2: Huhhhh.
Zach Dana Writing 