Thought about using voluntary psychosis to escape depression

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7 Comments

While I was severely depressed I never thought of committing suicide because I figured there was no point. "Nothingness" to me is less appealing than pain. But I thought I would always be unhappy, so I thought about how the mind works and the subjectivity of daily experience and wondered if maybe it was possible to become psychotic by purposefully thinking about it in order to be psychotic. I contemplated doing that so I could escape to a euphoric fantasyworld of my own creation. I imagined that in reality I would likely be strapped to some hospital bed in a psych ward, but thought it wouldn't matter since I wouldn't be aware of that reality anyways if it worked. I never did this, because I was afraid I would mess up and only be partly psychotic(the way most psychotic people are) and experience mostly reality with just a few delusions rather than a complete separation from reality like I wanted. is it normal that I considered voluntary psychosis?

Since I'm no longer depressed I no longer feel like doing this.

Voting Results
62% Normal
Based on 37 votes (23 yes)
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Comments ( 7 )
  • hamfish
    7 years ago

    A lot of people, about 84% of the population, have a voluntary psychosis of varying degrees. They are known as "religious".

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  • Teller
    10 years ago

    I have always thought that my experience is reality. What I don't experience can't be perceived accurately, therefore reality is me.

    Is escape from depression through psychosis any different than Zoloft or psychotherapy?

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  • VioletTrees
    11 years ago

    I'm almost positive that that's not how brains work.

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  • YouKnowWho
    11 years ago

    Sounds like a great plan, but it's probably hard to voluntarily get psychotic.

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  • PerfectlyNormalBeast
    11 years ago

    "I went mad for a while,'' said Ford, ``did me no end of good."

    "You see," said Ford, "--- ..."

    "Where have you been?" interrupted Arthur, now that his head had finished working out.

    "Around," said Ford, "around and about." He grinned in what he accurately judged to be an infuriating manner. "I just took my mind off the hook for a bit. I reckoned that if the world wanted me badly enough it would call back. It did."

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  • sassafrassi
    11 years ago

    I've thought of this too before, but I'd rather be aware and suffering than oblivious and "happy." As a person who has had depression with psychosis and has lived with someone who is schizophrenic and unaware of that fact I'd choose being aware any day. I know that's not exactly what you meant but it's the only thing I can compare it to. I'll stick to daydreaming. ;)

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  • Airi
    11 years ago

    I have had depression for a long time and I think about this idea a lot. I also used to wonder if I could make myself schizophrenic in order to be with the ppl I'd lost. I'd say it's completely normal for someone to want to escape from reality. To me it's just a more extreme version of why ppl might game, read, daydream, write fiction etc. The minds a powerful thing and it's a fascinating idea to wonder if we could condition it in order to change reality, ignorance is bliss.

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