Archive for February 28th, 2012
sitting alone
– photo by Mitch Waxman
All ‘effed up.
In one of those odd moments which often cause my steps to falter, whilst walking down hoary Kingsland Avenue in ancient Greenpoint, this discarded workman apparel seemed to be trying to tell me something.
Clearly, it was pointing at something.
from wikipedia
Ideas of reference and delusions of reference involve people having a belief or perception that irrelevant, unrelated or innocuous phenomena in the world refer to them directly or have special personal significance: ‘the notion that everything one perceives in the world relates to one’s own destiny’.
In psychiatry, delusions of reference form part of the diagnostic criteria for psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia, delusional disorder, or bipolar disorder during the elevated stages of mania. To a lesser extent, it can be a hallmark of paranoid personality disorder. Such symptoms can also be caused by intoxication, especially with hallucinogens or stimulants like methamphetamine.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
For a moment, the ridiculous notion that its missing owner was in mid gesture and then suddenly dissolved away struck me. The fence seen behind the glove is laden with signs that promise electrocution to those who might attempt trespass of the property it surrounds, and I thought that perhaps its owner had ignored these warnings and had been consumed by torrents of voltage and the sole survivor of the man was this garment.
That’s when I thought “perhaps it’s trying to tell me to look behind me, and offering a warning”.
People suffering from persecutory delusions believe that they are being conspired against or persecuted in some way. Common manifestations include the belief that one is being followed, that one’s mail is being opened, that one’s room or office is bugged, that the telephone is tapped, or that police, government officials, neighbors, or fellow workers are harassing the subject.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Luckily, nothing was amiss, and your humble narrator remained the lord of his near vicinity.
“I’m all ‘effed up” was all I said, out loud, and then continued walking back to Queens.
also from movementdisorders.org
The subject’s behavior is unusual, bizarre, or fantastic. For example, the subject may urinate in a sugar bowl, paint the two halves of his body different colors, or kill a litter of pigs by smashing their heads against a wall. The information for this item will sometimes come from the subject, sometimes from other sources, and sometimes from direct observation. Bizarre behavior due to the immediate effects of alcohol or drugs should be excluded. As always, social and cultural norms must be considered in making the ratings, and detailed examples should be elicited and noted.
The Newtown Pentacle 