How to Lose Your Mind

It hardly seems necessary in the current environment to dedicate a blog post to the various ways to lose your mind, but I was inspired to do so by this article from How Stuff Works: 10 Surprising Ways to Lose Your Mind. I found most of them to be not particularly surprising, as you will see from my comments on the list, discussed below:

10. Having a Child. The article focuses on the impact of childbearing and child rearing on women, but I can tell you from experience that being a father - particularly of a girl - can easily cause a man to lose his mind, too. As someone famously said, "Insanity is hereditary ... you get it from your kids."

9. Experiencing a Trauma. A serious accident or illness, physical or sexual assault, or other form of major trauma can cause serious mental issues. This is pretty obvious, and we see it around us in the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder in soldiers returning from war. It does not apply, in my admittedly humble opinion, to the perceived trauma of dealing with unpleasant facts or "trigger words," even though some idiots do lose their minds over them.

8. Falling in Love. I think this one goes without saying.

7. Visiting Paris. I found this one interesting ... it's based on the disconnect between the experience of the beauty and cultural richness of Paris and the fact that it's a big city with all the usual big-city problems ... not to mention it's full of Frenchmen.

6. Visiting Jerusalem. Like visiting Paris, this one is based on overload: the sense of "being overcome by the historic, political and religious importance of the holy city." Religion - whether Christianity, Judaism, or Islam - can cause people to lose their minds in any case (see below).

5. Dementia. This is at the top of the list of things that scare me, as the thought of actually losing my mind is the most horrible thing I can imagine. I watched my mother slowly decline from a witty, well-read, well-educated lady to an empty shell, and the thought it could happen to me is utterly terrifying.

4. Talking to an Attractive Woman. Speaking as a man, I agree that this is 100% true. No matter what he tells you, any man - no matter how studly and self-assured - can be reduced to a drooling imbecile by an attractive woman.

3. Menopause. I'll never experience this one, but from the experience of knowing many ladies who have gone through it, I can only imagine its impact on one's mind.

2. Solitary Confinement. This is another one I'll never experience (at least I hope so). But as a pretty social sort of guy, I think I'd probably go totally batshit crazy in short order.

And finally,

1. Exuberance. In the context of this article, exuberance refers to the mental and emotional changes that occur in teenage humans during puberty, when the pressures of social and physical challenges associated with the transition to adulthood can lead to ... well ... often inappropriate behavior.

Now, those are ten interesting ways to lose one's mind, but I can add a few more ...

Extreme Political Beliefs. Look at the most extreme adherents of the right and the left in modern America, able to communicate with each other only in sneering insults and completely unable to accept that their opponents may have worthwhile ideas and that they share the same goal, which is a better country for everyone.

Extreme Religious Beliefs. Donald Trump and the far right hyperventilate over radical Islamic terrorism, but religious extremism is hardly limited to Muslims. Few things can make people lose their minds more than complete and total focus on a set of religious beliefs that demonize those who believe in any other faith.

What are the things that make you lose your mind? Leave a comment now, before it happens.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo