Psycho-Babble Social Thread 547059

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I think I saw someone suffering from psychosis

Posted by Deneb on August 26, 2005, at 20:43:12

I think I saw someone suffering from psychosis today in the mall.

He kept walking around all over the place, sometimes running and saying, "Oh God, no, no, please don't hurt me!" He said this really loudly. It sounded like he was in an argument with someone but no one else was there. I didn't realize that he scared me until I found a wet palm print on the counter from where my hand was.

My question is...should I be scared? Is there reason to be afraid? How likely is such a person to be violent? He looked like he was in great fear and distress...like someone was running after him trying to kill him or something.

He did that for a few minutes. I kept expecting security to come handle the situation, but he went down the escalator before I could find out what happened. I think security handled things downstairs.

Deneb

Re: I think I saw someone suffering from psychosis » Deneb

Posted by JenStar on August 27, 2005, at 13:02:02

In reply to I think I saw someone suffering from psychosis, posted by Deneb on August 26, 2005, at 20:43:12

hi Deneb,
I think you need to use your best judement regarding interaction with *any* person, regardless of how they are behaving. If your gut tells you to watch out, then pay attention. Sometimes you may pick up on cues that you only later interpret, cues that tell you someone is dangerous, hostile, erratic, or unlikely to listen to reason.

If there is such a person in the vicinity, here's my usual response: Avoid eye contact, but not obviously so. Act busy with myself, but not overly so. Walk slowly and quietly away, acting "normal" so as not to attract their attention. Basically, act like they are just another random person and so are you, walking away on your busy day.

I used to sometimes encounter people like that in the subways of NYC or the el in Chicago, or sometimes downtown. I would neither stare nor scurry away as if terrified...I'd just casually make my way away. It seemed to work.

Now if someone was actually approaching me with intent to harm, I'd obviously do it differently! But with random "crazies" I think the casual avoidance works pretty well.
take care,
J

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