Reading for the mentally ill or unstable?

[Grizabella]

Here's the thing:

If a mentally ill person whose illness is well treated and under control comes to a reader, the chances are the reader isn't even going to know they're mentally ill unless the sitter tells them.

On the other hand, if someone who is obviously mentally ill and not treated or under control goes for a reading, it would be obvious. Then if I were the reader, I'd certainly think twice about doing a reading. If I did choose to do it, I'd tread extremely carefully.

This isn't about discriminating because we don't like mentally ill people. It's just common sense and a concern for the well-being of both the sitter and the reader.

 

[Milfoil]

What an interesting thread.

Seems that a lot of this comes down to how we define mental illness but regardless of how each of us feels or experiences mental disturbances, 99% of the time I think its pretty much impossible to distinguish a so called 'normal' person from a mentally ill person. I would even go so far as to say that virtually all people go through periods, however brief, of mental instability.

As a reader, perhaps we should operate a degree of discretion with our readings regardless of the client. Few of us can know for sure just how anyone will react to a tarot reading, their state of mind or how they will use the information laid before them. I'm not saying we have to put a positive spin on everything, far from it, but rather that we should perhaps treat every word with care and consider how ambiguous words can be. Careful delivery then doesn't discriminate between anyone.

 

[Milfoil]

How do we know that the person reading FOR us is mentally stable?

 

[gregory]

If the decision to not read for someone is based solely on the fact that a person has a mental illness, then that is discrimination. Plain and simple. There are perfectly "normal" people out there that might not be able to handle aspects of a reading just as there are mentally "ill" people that might not be able to either. It should be taken on a person to person basis and not some twisted measure of mental health.

Hooked

That's about as sensible a generalisation as saying if the decision not to feed sugar laden food to a diabetic is based only on the fact that they are diabetic, it's discrimination.

Of course there are people without a mental illness out there who will have trouble dealing with some readings - but the chances they will develop - for instance - a suicidal ideation as the result of one are FAR lower than the chances that I - for one - might have done if I had received certain kinds of information in a reading when I was at my illest are very considerably less. Sure - we can TRY and determine whether a sitter can cope with a reading and I'm sure we all do - but as someone who knows for a fact that I could not have handled some readings - and it would NOT have been obvious to the reader that this was the case - I would tread with caution. And yes, some treading can be helpful to those who are ill - but not always - and the potential for damage is greater.

If it isn't obvious that someone has a mental illness - we aren't going to be able to "discriminate against them" anyway.

And YES, Milfoil - there is indeed no way to tell if a reader is "stable" either.....

 

[moderndayruth]

Hi Dhamma, since i guess it was my post about the cousin's friend that you read, let me explain my personal view.
Myself i suffered from depression in the past and i am in no way against reading for people who had this or similar kind of challenge before or are facing it right now - if they are taking care of it, seeing a therapist, taking medicins or whatever helps one at that point of time.
Most members here know by now my style of reading - i always say it's not set in stone, i never did some kind of negative predicting and my general approach to reading Tarot is quite spiritual and positive.
Yet, the reading i gave back than didn't have a therapeutic effect - to the contrary and the reaction to it was far from usual, very upsetting both for the sitter and for me.
I wouldn't go into more details because it's someone else's privacy, but i hope i am making myself clear enough.
Personally i am strongly against any kind of stigma or discrimination against anyone or anything and myself i wouldn't have a reading done by anyone who is discriminating other people on any base - be it their health condition, faith, sexual orientation or anything else.

 

[Nevada]

That's about as sensible a generalisation as saying if the decision not to feed sugar laden food to a diabetic is based only on the fact that they are diabetic, it's discrimination.

Well I wouldn't take it on myself to tell the diabetic that she shouldn't eat any birthday cake. Would you? If I were serving cake and a known diabetic stood in line for a slice, that person would get a slice. I leave decisions like that up to the individual, and figure if they need to they'll ask about ingredients if they need to -- sugar or allergens, or what have you. I would assume, if someone is walking around and hasn't been locked in a psych ward for their own protection or isn't accompanied by a caretaker, that they're capable of deciding for themselves whether to get a reading, what to eat and so forth. How would I know better than they do what they can cope with? I'm not a doctor or therapist, nor do I tell anyone that I am.

I assume that an adult can make decisions about their needs. That includes anyone who may or may not be mentally ill. To me this is a matter of respect.

Now, if I run across someone who for whatever reason looks or seems as if right this moment they aren't up to having a reading, then I might refuse them one if they asked. But I take decisions like that moment by moment and not based on general diagnoses of mental illness or any other illness.

That said, I usually only read for self, family, and friends.

Nevada

 

[moderndayruth]

Nevada, i understand what you are saying and generally i agree, yet...

Well I wouldn't take it on myself to tell the diabetic that she shouldn't eat any birthday cake. Would you?

yes, i would - my mother is a diabetic.

 

[Nevada]

Nevada, i understand what you are saying and generally i agree, yet...


yes, i would - my mother is a diabetic.

As her daughter perhaps that's your right -- if she puts up with it or isn't capable of making her own decisions. But as a stranger slicing cake, it's not my right to make that determination for her. I too have diabetic family members, but this isn't about family taking care of family -- and respecting the family member's right to care for themselves. It's about a reader doing readings, presumably for the public, if I understand the question. I would no more expect a tarot reader to make that decision than I would expect a store clerk to know whether to sell beer to an alcoholic, or a bakery worker to know whether to sell cake to a diabetic.

There's a fine line between taking care of others and trampling all over their personal freedoms. I take that line very seriously, and I hope others would take it seriously on my behalf.

Nevada

 

[moderndayruth]

As her daughter perhaps that's your right -- if she puts up with it or isn't capable of making her own decisions. But as a stranger slicing cake, it's not my right to make that determination for her. I too have diabetic family members, but this isn't about family taking care of family -- and respecting the family member's right to care for themselves. It's about a reader doing readings, presumably for the public, if I understand the question. I would no more expect a tarot reader to make that decision than I would expect a store clerk to know whether to sell beer to an alcoholic, or a bakery worker to know whether to sell cake to a diabetic.

There's a fine line between taking care of others and trampling all over their personal freedoms. I take that line very seriously, and I hope others would take it seriously on my behalf.

Nevada

Nevada, i simply answered your question on would i take it on myself to tell the diabetic that she shouldn't eat any birthday cake.
You see - though the answer to your original question is 'yes' - it doesn't have anything to do with your personal freedom which i am certain everyone takes very seriously on your behalf.

 

[Tansey Ella]

I knew this was going to be an interesting thread.
There is so much stigma about mental illness or seeing a therapist or a psychiatrist that most people take great pains to keep it private, even from family. I too have battled with depression, and other problems . I cannot share that much of my life or post too much at all on-line.

I know this is a touchy subject, but I wanted to see how others felt. If I did a reading for others ( which I DO NOT DO )I too would be concerned that the person might go out and off themselves as the result of something I said or they THOUGHT I said.
In particular if you were reading, WHAT CARDS might you see that would possibly indicate to you the person was very unbalanced?

CAN A PERSON HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS AND STILL BE PSYCHIC? and or read for others? I know someone said they heard voices. that is not all that uncommon, a lot of people just lie about it. ( THE SAME WAY A LOT OF PEOPLE LIE ABOUT EXPERIENCES WITH GHOSTS. ) if you had ever heard voices, would that affect your ability to believe you had psychic gifts? I think myself that voices are a complicated thing-- some persons report hearing voices outside their head. that can often be the result of medication problems or being toxic on meds or believe it or not a UTI in women., esp older women. I vividly recall that I had taken my first Prozac and heard my cousin in the next room calling me. I immediately called my doc and we got me off Prozac. Most people who say they hear voices hear them inside their head, much as it would be like to have your thoughts out loud in your head. To get an idea of what hearing voices is like- imagine every thought you had you could hear. Most of us are not aware of our thoughts unless we stop for a few moments to ponder. things go through our mind all the time. with those that hear voices it is often nonstop . Or it can be just when they are stressed. some hear voices degrading them, very common, and others just hear a running commentary on what they are doing.
those with MPD or better known now as DID often hear voices conversing in their head. there is so much more too it than just saying " i hear voices" it is not that black and white. There are other mental disorders that can cause you to hear voices that are not a psychosis at all. I also belong to a board for the mentally interesting. If anyone would like that URL, just pm and i will send it to you. It has been a good resource for me to bounce ideas off of . I Can tell you now that most of them do not believe in the psychic. that is b/c the medical profession assumes that anyone who hears voices is psychotic. Not necessarily. It could be but not all the time. I think it is quite possible to suffer from forms of mental illness and also be psychic.
your thoughts?

I do know the times i have tried to read for myself while in a funk - it did not turn out good.
I know this is a touchy subject, there is a lot of stigma attached to being mentally interesting, as i like to call it. insurance companies stigmatize us, by paying less for the care we receive. ( in the USA anyhow) There is a bill passed by congress recently to stop this but it seems insurance companies find ways around everything.

http://panicdisorder.about.com/b/2008/03/08/house-passes-mental-health-parity-bill.htm


People are often afraid to seek care b/c they are afraid It will be on their work record.
I am very grateful to that the psychic who read for me despite knowing i was ill. she did ask it if i was seeing a doctor and encouraged me to continue seeing the doctor.
it can be hard to find a therapist who is OK with tarot or the parapsychology area. My current therapist is slightly open to spiritual things, but we do not spend much time talking about it.