A person I know

a reply to: RighteousTwiglett

Our culture is filled with liars and deceivers - from government to companies to private citizens. Nothing but lies, obfuscation, spin and misdirection.

Of course by "filled with" I mean it is prevalent not all-encompassing. Sadly, this will become more common place as we continue losing faith in government, our institutions and ourselves.

Politics aside, damn those Whiny little brats who caused these issues to flare up. But even that doesn't adequately explain it... we've been lied to for at least a century probably since the start. First instance I can think of is Roswell - but that is only because it was all in our recent (OK-fairly recent) history. I will never believe an Army Major got "flying disc and alien bodies" wrong no matter how many times "experts" say it was a weather balloon - then a "MOGUL" nuclear weapon monitoring balloon - then "crash dummies" (why would crash dummies be on a Nuke monitoring balloon is beyond me). Then you have JFK's assassination - which the truth behind that is *still* covered up to this day. The level of needless secrecy and degeneracy only breeds conspiracy theories and a total lack of trust in government.

Another great example is Area 51 - which they stupidly denied even existed until 2013 despite 50 years of base observers making reports. Now, these Gmen are stupid but not that stupid... they knew the USSR and our other enemies knew exactly what was there and probably even what was going on there. So why keep lying to us about it?

It is just a collection of lies and systemic problems causing this.

Next lets pivot to the lying agenda-ridden MSM. This isn't just liberal media, it is ALL mass media. Always an agenda. Always a spin. No such thing as "objective truth" anymore and it is driving this country and its people to a very bad place. I would argue these times are worse than the 1860's and period leading up to it because we now have the ability to beat one another over the head hundreds of times in one day, immediately share information and there is always a race to get information out there "first" accuracy be damned

Sorry for the rant, but it is getting to me as well. I used to know what was good/bad, right/wrong, black/white, round/flat... but these days? Who knows? And just when you think you do know and can pin something down... they'll go on and change the very definitions of these things right under your nose

Best of luck to your friend and to all of us. But to me, this merely foreshadows a very bleak future.

How long ago was the last time you saw them behaving normally?

It sounds like a mental illness might be rearing its ugly head. Schizophrenia? How old are they? I read somewhere that schizophrenic episodes can start really showing up and becoming obvious in the mid-20's.

originally posted by: RighteousTwiglett
Hey ATS. I'd love some advice on this. Somebody I know has gone far too deep down the rabbit hole. I'll keep it brief...

So, I visited this individual last night and they're usually very easy to chat to. We would stay up for hours many years back and discuss everything from aliens to philosophy.

But my gosh! I'm not trying to dramatise this but they no longer believe in any form of science, fact or anything. I'm talking any little thing from units of measurement to gravity to the entirety of anything. Even the prospect of anything being what it is, even the people they know...

Secondly, they believe that anything that happens is fake and I mean anything.

Finally, they will no longer discuss anything because they believe that anything I say is just wrong because "nobody" knows anything. I attempted to explain how the moon rotates in relation to the earth with a very easy thought experiment and their response was that I can't prove it so it doesn't happen.

To top it all off, contradictory everything above, they get 100% of their information from history channel "documentaries". They literally take anything on there as 100% gospel. Sasquatch that live in pyramids and anything else you can imagine.

I cannot stress enough how odd their views have become.

It had saddened me to see somebody fall into such a depressing pit of nothingness. I understand the need for special information to make us feel unique as though we know more than others, but this person now has nothing.

Any thoughts?

Am not quite understanding: seems to me the first 75% (or so), of the OP is about how your friend believes absolutely nothing, (hello!), and doubts everything; then the last 25% (or so), says he does have many beliefs.

Could you explain please?

originally posted by: RighteousTwiglett

... I assume they're mentally ill in some way and as much as I used to care for them, they were a total dick all night so I'm done with them.

Somebody disagrees and shows clear signs you're not welcome anymore and your response is "mentally ill"? Sounds like you're really fun to hang out with and this is totally their fault...

originally posted by: KansasGirl
How long ago was the last time you saw them behaving normally?

It sounds like a mental illness might be rearing its ugly head. Schizophrenia? How old are they? I read somewhere that schizophrenic episodes can start really showing up and becoming obvious in the mid-20's.

Another expert... I Read somewhere people diagnosing others with serious illnesses without ever having seen them or knowing them are full of #.
Come on, all we know is they hung out and got along now they don't.

Philosophically speaking, your friend could be accurate in everything he is saying (being accurate does not necessarily mean correct, or even in the same ballpark as correct).

I personally would have asked him how he reached the conclusions he had come to, because that would probably be the most enlightening portion of anything you could have talked about. As that elaboration would help in the understanding of how he came to the conclusions that he had. As an example, "science" as most laymen know it, is not really science but a dogma related to knowledge sets.

Something as simple as understanding or learning about the true nature of science as a process rather than as a known could easily throw someone for a loop and the beginning of questioning everything. Imagine you have been told incomplete truths your entire life, about everything you think you know. This is the state that he is in it appears, and it holds true for everyone that is not a pre-eminent person in their specific field of study, they are mostly not aware of this however. As most people don't know that they don't know, and are told falsehoods that are a good enough fit for a layman throughout their entire life as they are not required to take a deep dive into any specific subject matter.

If we think critically about this, we can say we have been lied to our entire life. Then this thought dawning on a person who truly believed that they knew a lot about a lot of things their entire life could be switched over to the point that they deny everything and anything. This is the system that we all live in, most just don't bother to look into it beyond a passing fancy in which everything adds up, and they would be rightful in distrusting everything after discovering they had been told "white lies" their entire life.

a reply to: dubiousatworst

It is a she, and she didn't really have any points. She rambled about being spied on and I went along with it and engaged with her views, then the rest was simply yelling "No!" or "You're wrong" when I so much as got a word in about anything at all. My favourite was that "we don't breathe air because scientists say we can't prove it". I was curious and asked who the "scientists" were so I could research it for myself, at which point she responded with "it was on this TV show, you don't need to know because I just told you".

I've cut her off now because she winded up messaging me five times in a row this morning asking if I recorded her for "them". After the obvious "no..." she said I'd infected her WiFi lol.

I forgot to add, I asked her ex (of three months) if she's been alright as of late since they still talk. Turns out, they broke up because she'd smashed his gaming PC to bits looking for his "monitoring equipment. He also said she'd worried him because she had contacted aliens on several occasions late last year and she could hear their voices...

I hope she does get help but after the barrage of messages I've cut all ties because some of them were quite threatening.

a reply to: RighteousTwiglett

She smashed his gaming PC, those things cost a "bag of sand"
And you just remembered this after peeps and others called you out at the fact your "lost" friend prob doesn't deserve you commentating on the mental illness you diagnosed.
Verdict, total fabrication.

a reply to: ManyMasks

Verdict, total fabrication

That was my first thought too.
Trollish op

I have a friend who is convinced the drug squad has wifi in their cars which sit outside his home

O the paranoia when i visit

now we know that she is female - the answer = obvious

take her a loaf of bread , some cooked meat , cheese , lettuice and butter

and before you know it - she will be acting normal again

mmmmmmmm........... sammiches

a reply to: ManyMasks

I only messaged him last night.

a reply to: JBurns

The more you learn the less you realise you know.
We have been taught to believe the lies.
Nothing would surprise me anymore.

If you are a sick little pup like me you would drive them over the edge

Prank call them - often .

cut out the newspaper say we are on to you photo copy and mail it to them .

Phone banks etc to cancel everything , then pop by to sell you some good xxxx and make you more PARANOID

To be honest, I think this is not all that unique and I've heard of similar things before - excluding the history channel factor. I understand where he is coming from b/c I went through a period where I had similar thoughts but realized that just as other things are unproveable, so is that line of thinking - both are equally unproveable.

Say, you prove there is a table in front of you. Is it still there when you leave the room? A camera in the room doesn't prove it, it only proves that there is an image of a table being broadcast on a screen or as a file/picture/video.

The problem with that line of thinking is that IDK where it leads and it seems that it can't be anywhere "comfortable" as I'd think it leads to nihilism. So you have to make a decision, choose to take the world "on faith" or believe in nothing.

Agree with every thing your friend says

He is your friend after all

He is on to some thing 82.221.129.208...

But sshhh it,s a secret

a reply to: RighteousTwiglett

Your friend is suffering from paranoid delusions.

Very common in Schizophrenia.

I wish I had more advice, I suffer from this illness.

Medication can help control the delusions....I've been on mine for two years now and can barely remember the things I once stressed out about (aliens, mind control, human stockyards) things I saw everywhere and had my suspicions confirmed by various voices in attendance.

Seriously.

If you want your friend back, seek out professional psychologists.

They can help get him the help he needs.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

A psychopath freaks at the strange voices in their heads, a genius knows they are not strange.

Psychologists don't know shhh, I studied psychology, each discipline disagrees with the other, cognitive, biological, analytical etc... Different views and they all think they are right.... Tesla said if we studied the paranormal side we would take giant leaps in evolution but they won't do that, because it's occult and it's how the world is moulded it's their dirty little secret.

a reply to: ManyMasks

My psychologists did nothing in the way of telling me way I thought the way I did, they just diagnosed me so I could get into a medication regime. This was after eight years bouncing in and out of inpatient all over the country with whatever drug they wanted to "try out" on me so on that aspect you're right.

Where I'm going now is a Community based Behavioral Health and Wellness center, I've been seeing doctors and counselors for twelve years now. It's a lengthy process, I was tried out on all the newest drugs but in the end good old Haloperidal (an generations old anti-psychotic) was the only thing that helped calm the delusional mindset.

It's obvious his television viewing habits are contributing to his delusional frame of mind.

If he's isolating and doing drugs (even marijuana) psychosis can rear it's head.

Whatever your stance on psychology may be, it helped me immensely.

They patiently waded through my therapy discussions about aliens and other phenomena related to my delusions and never once told me what was "really going on". For the most part they just listened and asked how I was dealing with my symptoms, maybe a kind word or two about being strong and how they can't imagine what it must be like.

Say what you want, the System does work if you have the right cocktail of diagnosis, talk therapy and medications.

(Having ATS really helped me in having a vocal outlet for some of my thoughts and experiences while I was going through them, just being able to get instant feedback about phenomena I didn't feel comfortable bring up in therapy.)

ETA: The occult aspect you speak of is true, but that's a rabbit hole I just finished digging myself out backwards from.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

I'm happy you found your way, having someone to listen to you without prejudice would have helped you a lot imo, and now they are all going Eastern with their methodologies, breathing excercises, concentrating on the now, mindfulness... If I was you I would be looking to take the pills out there equation
In favour of meditation and mindfulness, I don't trust big pharma, many of the happy pills come with bad side effects when you try and come off them. Of course never just come straight off them, that's dangerous but maybe start using less as u balance it out with mindfulness etc.
Just my opinion.