There is a theory in psychology that frequent socialization like most healthy adults have with friends, family and even coworkers is essential for mental health

There is a theory in psychology that frequent socialization like most healthy adults have with friends, family and even coworkers is essential for mental health. There are many reasons for that, but I would like to focus on the corrective behavior it implicitly propagates (Which is also a bit dystopian) if you start having deviating thoughts, then your social interactions will likely function as a correction. If you start talking about lizard aliens (horrible example) then you will get feedback either directly or indirectly that it is erroneous meme. The dystopian aspect of it is that this social control can over correct and serve to keep novel ideas and approaches from being pursued. History is filled with people going against the very center of common wisdom. Most of the time it is probably erroneous memes but now and again it a brilliant realization that will turn out to be correct. This social conditioning can also happen in reverse, when you end up in a social circle that already has established an alternate model with incorrect memes. This can lead to radicalization and anti-social and violent behavior. The mechanism is the same, but the outcome is the opposite. As modern western society tries to make strides to be more inclusive and trying to adopt a dogma of acceptable traits and behavior that are considered "inclusive" and then some go to great lengths to enforce and evangelize a particular dogma of inclusiveness, the result is that new section of society is excluded. There is much work to stop racist, sexist, etc behavior, but there is also a trend to enforce neurohomogenousness. As we learn to be more tolerant, respectful and inclusive work needs to be done to extend this to neurodivergent individuals. One should not judge or condemn a mentally ill person due to the symptoms and manifestations that they are often not able to control. Such a person might well be an individual with some great strengths and a lot ot contribute. Judging, ostracizing, and ridiculing a mentally ill person is bully behavior due to a lack of understanding of non-neurotypical challenges. We already tolerate deviant behavior based on certain criteria. Most feel that songs containing the N world are only acceptable if it is in the context of hiphop / rap used within a majority black group. On the other hand, it is used by a white pride group, the music is not tolerated, protested against and attempts to silence it. Since we already have a mechanism where intent of using an impermissible phrase and culture within where it is used decided if it is tolerable or not, should be extended to non-neurotypical people. It is in fact a great lesson in tolerance and inclusiveness to do so. I think the worst thing one can do to a person who suffers from mental illness is to vilify them and cast them out. This can only contribute to further decline, shame and alienation. It is withdrawing any chance of social corrective behavior. The goal here would not be compliance since that is clearly not achievable, it may help some in further decline. If a rant, or word comes, dont get angry dont condemn, dont punish, dont encourage, dont repeat, dont mock, dont laugh, tolerate it, even when it is difficult. It can mean the world to a mentally ill person to feel a bit of community, understanding and acceptance. Terry had a lot to contribute, and he was a smart person, and a hard worker. He was also suffering from mental illness that was well diagnosed. That was not his fault, nor anything he could control. Perhaps he did not take his medication regularly. This is common. A majority of mentally ill people find pills to one extent, or another dulls their brains and make them a vegetable. I am a mentally ill person. I do my best to take my medication. I hate what it does to my brain. It is in no way a razor to just tweak just the right part of the brain. It is a sledgehammer that may also help dull/tweak the part of the brain where the problem resides. Further they have little idea what chemical will work and mostly throw several types at you and then wait and observe. Some have exceedingly unfortunate side effects. If it is not working, or even worse it makes things worse, they throw another at you and the cycle continues. each prescription is tried for 2 - 16 weeks depending on reactions. My manifestations are not at all similar to what Terry was struggling with but I have my own. I wish people could see it more as a physical disability. You are in a wheelchair you can't walk and you try to be helpful and Pick venues etc that are wheelchair accessible. A mentally ill person can no more be blamed for his illness than a person in a wheel chair can be blamed for not walking. I urge everyone to work on being more inclusive also when it comes ot mental illness. (Side note: It matters what is wrong and how it manifests. Some mentally ill people need to be confined to an institution. In the US that often becomes prison, which is horribly wrong to treat mental illness. Some are violent and unpredictable, some have too many hallucinations to interact productively. I will say that ths is , in a less frequent manner, the same when you include people you think are "normal". Some are violent, some are scammers etc.)