Yes, there are differences between psychic condition and mental disturbs . I want to mention the work of Dr. Alexander Moreira de Almeida, psychiatrist by the school of medicine of University of São Paulo, that, through scientific methods brought real results of this matter -'Conclusions: The medium subjects included in this analysis displayed evidences of having a high social-educational level, a low prevalence rate of minor psychiatric symptoms and a sound level of social adjustment. Mediumnistic trance is very possibly an experience other than a Dissociative Identity Disorder. The majority of the subjects experienced the onset of mediumnistic experiences during childhood, and the mediumnistic process was characterized by experiences of replacement of the ego mind, or visual and/or auditory hallucinations not necessarily related to a definite diagnosis of schizophrenia".-
Phenomenology of Mediumnistic Experiences, Profile and Psychopathology of Spiritist Mediums, 2005/02/22, USP, Brazil, De Almeida, Dr. Alexander M.
Calm down, I know it sounds that he doesn´t disagree with the possibility, but let´s make it simple :
Schizophrenia, psychosis, and behavior disorders like bi-polar are hereditary. These pathologies are verifiable in brain scans. Psychic condition is not... yet.
With the immense genetical possibilities, is perfectly possible to be schizophrenic and psychic, psychotic and psychic, bi-polar and psychic , be in depression and psychic, have a loved one breaking up with you and be psychic, because psychics are people like everyone else and are liable to all amazing consequences to be 'alive' (and another thousand while 'dead').
Dr. De Almeida also verified that psychics who are working out their condition have a better social integration, including less unemployment, and consider their lives satisfactory. He didn't extend the research to psychics that are not working out their conditions because clearly they don´t want to talk about it at all! It´s difficult to make a parameter search, or a control group, in a research as such, but this psychiatrist is working on that, as far as I know, in the medicine school of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
I had the opportunity to see the difference between psychic visions and hallucination. There is a lot of differences, indeed.
Years ago I had pneumonia. The doctor gave me a strong antibiotic (I don’t remember the name), I was completely alone in my house, a friend came twice a day to bring me food and see how things were. After a day taking the antibiotic I heard music, symphonic music, than I woke up to see, even with high fever and barely walking, the miracle of music in the house, because I had no electricity installed at that time. So I saw the 'stair of angels' and I thought - Damn, I´m losing my mind! - and I asked the angels to turn off the music (I had terrible headache) and they did give a sh#t to me. It took hours to stop and when I could sit and read the prescription, I saw in minor letters the side effects that the doctor confirmed later : hallucination. But everyone hallucinates the away it fits better, mine was that 'stairs of angels’.
A lighter episode was in the birth of my second son. I had so much pain that the doctors had to inject me some morphine. The pain was out in a minute, and a sweet ,pink , fluffy dragon (that one from King Arthur of Disney) came flying in front of my eyes. I could feel the abnormality of the situation. I started to laugh and remember to ask the nurse to give one 'of that stuff' to my husband. He stared at me seeing I was not in my 'normal' behavior. I asked the doctor, later on, about what happened, and he said that this reaction to morphine is rare but not impossible.
To talk to 'dead ones' is like to talk to ' alive ones' - you can see details of what they wear, you know things you couldn´t by yourself, and they don´t behave the way you want, as an ' alive' one could.
So, if you have doubts about your mental condition, do as I did - don´t be scared to look for a recommended professional. I love to fulfill questionnaires and see the answers!
Another thing: schizophrenia, psychosis, bi-polar, etc, have no cure, but they are manageable, there are treatments. Shame is to have treatment and not to look for it. Alzheimer has no treatment, yet, and it is sad.
I apologize to all who were in search for an excuse to not talk to me, but my psychiatric tests says that I´m "normal", so far.
