Not easily done, not a sleight of hand trick, but for me, I can affirm it, and only using the cut off method, of partially differentiating various series of ideoscenes, with or without definite characters, can it be conjured up.
The cut off method is kind of like compartmentilization where some ideogram or signal remains, without anything but the most minimal of associative links to other compartments.
The closest to this is the Beckett idea in ‘How it is’
One can be objective in ones analysis (if by objective you mean scientific, rather than absolutely accurate and comprehensive) and personal in how one relays the message.
Observing my fellow man in the past year, in his bizarre behaviors, I have come closer to the theory that mental illness is a symptom of things that are wrong with society.
Systemic cruelty leads the members of that system to become what is called mentally ill.
This, I figure, is why the kindest and most compassionate humans are usually the first to slip into psychosis.
The consultant you describe would be trapped in such a cruel system and pass on this cruelty onto those that come to him for help.
You can tell a therapist:
“We live in a negative zero sum existence, meaning, that for every success and because of that success you are ruining at least one other life if not billions of lives”
“To understand that while you’re having the best time of your life is intentionally shattering other peoples hearts to give your meager soul a sense of power is sadism, sadism is psychopathy defined; you are a psychopath and I’m not: and you’re trying to fix me, it’s absurd”
You know what happens after this? They agree with you, but they don’t change. Suddenly, my therapist is my client, and I hate power differentials. I didn’t come here to fix you, I just need loving kindness in my life.
“Suddenly, my therapist is my client, and I hate power differentials.”
omg I know man. When you’re like way smarter than your therapist. awkward! Bro I had at least two shrinks quit on my old man when he had me in therapy in middle school. They were like ‘mr. prom’s dad, i can’t help this kid, I’m sorry.’
I think that psychiatry and psychology needs people to be present to help them most. My time in the day clinic was boring to begin with, but I felt that it was a good idea to be there. After a while I felt I could leave, although I returned later for a short time, which also helped. It may be because my symptoms were somatic rather than emotional.
I think that there is a big difference in how people experience treatment according to the country you’re in. What I hear from the USA makes me glad that I was in Europe when I became ill. I found that people were very considerate here, and they offered a number of helpful methods to combat my problems. It was up to me to decide what was better. Sometimes, probably because COVID hasn’t helped my condition, I wish I could return to the clinic, but presently it is either full time or not. I’m not too keen on a full-time psychiatric ward. The day ward is a different thing.
It is the third year of the pandemic, and still my mental health providers don’t know whether to wear masks or not. The counselors wear them; the psychiatrist–not necessarily.
I’m wondering how much the pandemic has exacerbated overall mental illness. It seems the country has gone mad with conflict between pro vaxers and anti vaxers. The future of therapy may hinge on who believes what–whether a vaccination is an imposition on one’s personal rights or a necessary attempt to cure this plague. I’m reminded of Daniel Defoe’s “Journal of the Plague Year”, which tells of carts loaded with bodies being pulled out of the cities during the black plague. Covid and its mutations seem to be everywhere nowadays. It’s enough to cause normal depression, if there is such.
I have the feeling that mental illness overall will have been exacerbated, with depression and paranoia worsening. My wife and I have noticed that we are more reserved than before and avoid people rather than approach them. I have several friends who have developed depressive symptoms, and one person who has suffered depression in the past felt overwhelmed by everyday occurrences.
In the northern hemisphere we have also had the winter months when it is dark and sometimes murky, unpleasant to go out in. In that kind of atmosphere, you could have a feeling like in the bad old days. But we have noticed that the days are becoming lighter earlier, which is an upside, and despite freezing temperatures the sun has been shining now and then, which makes an immediate difference.
I have taken up several penfriends, two of them in Australia, where the opposite weather conditions are, although they have had a lot of rain. It helps to hear them talk about working in their gardens and see their pictures. All in all, it makes difference, and we are mutually eager to get the eMails from each other. That way we give each other a bit of a boost each week.
If you want to receive my eMails PM me and send me your address. We’ve been in contact for some time now and perhaps it would be interesting for you to get the European perspective. I would like to hear your perspective and on Forums you always get people interrupting … 
Thanks, Bob.
I would be interested in knowing how the pandemic is playing out in Europe, especially how it affects the mental conditions of those facing it.
I see my case manager on Monday, if the weather permits. Friday night was a minus 2F with about a foot of snow on the ground. Roads are cleared, but not all sidewalks are.
I lament that my depression makes me over concerned with myself. There is so much misery everywhere.
Weather here at 9AM, 1/27/22 is one degree F., a time for cabin fever. Next week we are to get weather above freezing. Maybe then this depression will ease up a bit.
_
Have you tried vitamin D liquid drops Ier…? I started taking them a few months back, even though my levels were fine, and it perked me up, so might be worth a try… that, and an electric blanket. 
I’m glad that sunrise has gotten earlier… dawn at 8am was demoralising, but now it’s currently at 07.46… which does make a difference.
54F/12C here…
Hmmm, that’s -17°C which is colder than it has been for some time here. But still, windy drizzle at 2°C can be pretty disturbing too. Added to that, the core renovations above us have been very loud and driven us out of the house. I agree with MagsJ, a little more sunlight does make a difference, even more so if the sun actually shines. Tomorrow should be better. Hopefully I’ll have the peace and quiet to write a bit more.
I’ll have to try those vitamin D liquid drops though.
Bob, I don’t want to cross bounderies, but are You originally German, or did You begin to live there after immigrating there? Bob appears a very Anglo name.
I have been in Germany quite a few times, as a child and later as a teenager.
As all of you may guess, my depression has been always a conversion to anxiety, when I drink , it appears to allay the anxiety, at the cost of a erconversion to depression.
Guess that is what’s underneath the ‘periodic alcoholic’. Other than that , I am pretty sure, the underlying structural elephant is a reactive and not an affective disorder, primarily, but as self medication sometimes mixes things up, they do convolutedly. I was on Zoloft at one time, but read something about the painful effects of weaning off them so I quit that.
The cognitive underlying structure falls on the autistic - schizotypal continuum, and most of it comes from ‘situational’ effects. It took a long time to come to terms to view that as more of a gift, then it’s punishing aspect, insight being one.
That ‘gift’ has been a particularly expensive road to pay, but not something that could have been avoided.
“I am a European born in England” is what I told people for a long time, but I’ve been in Germany a very long time.
I have primarily somatic symptoms, which feel like anxiety although my head is free of anything of the kind. It is true that alcohol can relieve the symptoms but I am wary of the side-effects. There are times when it is excruciating, but I generally then try to sleep, which I have always been able to do. However, I am thankful that I am retired, since I believe that it was stress that caused it, and my last years at work were quite stressful. So, yes, it was probably reactionary like you said.
Ok I said it. Then what certainty is there between the discribed situation made by me to the opinion I based my acknolewedgement toward You?
I may be way off in my estimation.
Although my major depression is recurrent, my present concern is with how to get my apartment ready for bedbug spraying. Third time in 5 years It is an ordeal requiring much laundering, bagging clothes and mopping of floors. I’m nearly 80, so these things are difficult—for me and my cat. He has to be removed to another apt. for several hours during the spraying, and he hates getting into the pet carrier. Then, pending is the required move this Spring to another apt. while this one is renovated. The idea of rerouting mail, phone, internet and t.v. services is overwhelming.
I apologize for the doom and gloom attitude. My mother suffered from major depression also. She died of congestive heart failure, which her wine addiction did not help. I gave up cigarettes and alcohol in the Fall of 2016. Have not touched either since them.
My cat and I live alone. My step-nephew lives in an apt. above us. He transports me to my doctor’s appointments and to the stores for Rx and food. He’s a part-time alcoholic, mostly beer. I have to catch him between binges. Well, I’ve gabbed too much. Must prepare for mopping the apt. today. Current depression is situational plus.
Pray for me…
Is there anything like certainty?
Certainly there is an approximation of it within reasonable limits based on spatio-temporal progression; a guesstimate.
Psychic gifted have an uncanny gift of base such reason on subtle limits, and going out of the bounds of reason by exterpolating such signals from outside reason.
“We look before and after/ and pine for what is not. . .”–Shelley. Our only certainty is the experience of what’s happening here and now.
We pine and then, opine…