The School Lunatic

[Seshat]

I wouldn't do the garlic/cross/holy water thing - that buys into her delusion; and might reinforce it. Or at least reinforce to her the idea that you're living in HER world.
Editted to add: 'delusion' in this setting has a very specific definition. The delusional patient genuinely believes the delusion; it's as real to them as the ground beneath your feet is to you. The delusion is usually neurochemically reinforced, and is an attempt on the part of the patient's mind to make sense of the sensory perceptions being passed to it by the brain.


She definitely needs help; so does her brother, and presumably her mother. Eevie, you are not qualified or trained to give her that help. Focus on keeping yourself safe.


The fact that she's in and out of mental hospitals, and spends a lot of time with the school counsellor, tells me that someone is trying to get her the help she needs. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, helping someone with seriously messed up neurochemistry can be extremely difficult.

What worries me is that both she and her brother (and potentially her mother) are genuine dangers to others (biting, pyromania); and yet they're not in a restricted-access/constant-supervision sort of setting.

I'll freely admit: I don't like locking people up just because they're sick. But if they're a danger to themselves or others, I do think that trained supervision is necessary.


Bah. Beyond this point, it starts to go into Fratching territory, and grey-areas, and continua.


Eevie; keep yourself safe. Since you are genuinely worried about your personal safety, talk to the police. Discuss self-defence, and what your legal options are. If the school isn't treating the situation as a safety concern, the police might.
Also, talk to your mother about it. Though it does seem you've already been doing so.
Even if there's nothing else that gets done, maybe your Mom can get you through a personal-safety course run by the local police; or some other organisation.
(I don't mean 'martial arts' or 'fighting', I mean the sort of course that teaches everything from situational awareness, to how to break a hold and run to safety.)

[Eevie]

Eevie; keep yourself safe. Since you are genuinely worried about your personal safety, talk to the police. Discuss self-defence, and what your legal options are. If the school isn't treating the situation as a safety concern, the police might.
Also, talk to your mother about it. Though it does seem you've already been doing so.
Even if there's nothing else that gets done, maybe your Mom can get you through a personal-safety course run by the local police; or some other organisation.
(I don't mean 'martial arts' or 'fighting', I mean the sort of course that teaches everything from situational awareness, to how to break a hold and run to safety.)

Thanks for the concern Seshat.

I actually took a few years Tae-kwon-do and learned actually a few things besides some kicks and punches. Pressure points, how to get out of different grips, etc.

Clayrissa hasn't actually been at school lately. My mom actually brought it up today. She tells me she doesn't know anything, but I pretty sure she knows more than she's letting on, which would be understandable.

What's strange is this family has no money for the most part, so moving would be a rather odd decision. But for Clayrissa to suddenly stop coming to school is strange. And it's been a few weeks... It definitely is a lot calmer around her I'll give you that...


Also, no I'm not going to be buying any rosaries or garlic. Clayrissa isn't the only crazy one in my neighborhood. (I have several neighbors worth mentioning... But that's another thread for another day) If there is anything I know, it's not the feed the crazy. For the most part, I just avoid her, and not make any form of eye contact. That seems to work for the most part. But I didn't want to deprive everybody of their fun with this kind of thing.

[AccountingDrone]

EDIT: Forgot to mention her reasoning for wanting Twilight on the poster. "Vampires are sexy and it would be like the honeymoon stage in an abusive relationship!" THAT'S what I dealt with for 3 full days while we worked on that stupid project....

Actually she did have a point - all sweet and seductive, definitely honeymoon. Then the biting and bleeding and dying ... if they aren't turned immediately, the ghoul slave time.

Seriously, I never understood what was so romantic about vampires, and Edward always skeeved me out - talk about ephebephilia, he is what, 100 years old?

[Seshat]

What's strange is this family has no money for the most part, so moving would be a rather odd decision. But for Clayrissa to suddenly stop coming to school is strange. And it's been a few weeks... It definitely is a lot calmer around her I'll give you that...

There are charities which will help a family move to where they can get more appropriate medical care; should the situation genuinely warrant it.

And, perhaps, someone with authority has noticed what I did: that Clayrissa and her brother are genuine dangers to others, and need to be in supervised care. So maybe she's been moved to such a situation.

Or maybe she's 'just' in hospital for a while again.


My best friend is schizoaffective. When she doesn't have the right medications, her 'self' isn't in control. The illness is. It's not 'split personality', it's more .. as if she's not in the driver's seat of her own body; she finds herself doing and saying things with no actual intent to do or say them.
With the right medications, it's HER running the show.

I pity Clayrissa. And I hope she gets the treatment she needs. Treated, she - like my friend - may become a useful, helpful contributing member of society.
But right now, she needs to be treated as a potential risk; as well as a medical patient.
(NOTE: if she had not shown any signs of being a danger to self or others, I wouldn't be suggesting constant supervision. Medical treatment, hell yes! But not separation and/or supervision.)
(Note II: that said, during certain types of medication change, a patient should be being supervised for side effects and adverse conditions. My friend had that, for many years.)

[MoonCat]

Seriously, I never understood what was so romantic about vampires

THANK YOU. I was beginning to think it was just me.

[Jay 2K Winger]

THANK YOU. I was beginning to think it was just me.

It's called "he will love you forever"*




* Or until he finds another chick he finds attractive in fifty years or so.

[Pixilated]

*snip*

Seriously, I never understood what was so romantic about vampires, and Edward always skeeved me out - talk about ephebephilia, he is what, 100 years old?

Many, many years ago Bram Stoker's Dracula was part of a literature course I took. The professor brought up the sexuality of the book and everybody just went, "HUH?!" But ... notice where the vampire usually feeds from ... the throat. The same spot where (non-undead) lovers often nuzzle each other. This despite the fact there are veins closer to the surface on the wrist, in the crook of the elbow, and also (if I'm not mistaken) on the scalp.

Have to add, though, that Twilight was definitely not my cup of tea. Struggled through Book 1 and that was as far as I got in the series.

[QUOTE=Jay 2K Winger;1111269]It's called "he will love you forever"*

" ... whether you want him to or not ..."

[Sapphire Silk]

I wouldn't do the garlic/cross/holy water thing - that buys into her delusion; and might reinforce it. Or at least reinforce to her the idea that you're living in HER world.

I concur. Feeding into this kind of behavior is a bad idea. Ignoring it is actually a better idea. Comments, positive or negative, encourage her to continue an unhealthy behavior (for her, this is not normal fan/geek behavior. It is pathological in nature).

What really bothers me about this whole situation is that the brother is a firebug. That's an early sign of sociopathy.

Clayrissa hasn't actually been at school lately. My mom actually brought it up today. She tells me she doesn't know anything, but I pretty sure she knows more than she's letting on, which would be understandable.

My guess is she's in the hospital again. There's a remote chance she's in juvenile hall, and even more remote that she's in foster care. The latter would probably be the best thing, but only if she were placed with a family capable of handling her needs.

Many, many years ago Bram Stoker's Dracula was part of a literature course I took. The professor brought up the sexuality of the book and everybody just went, "HUH?!" But ... notice where the vampire usually feeds from ... the throat. The same spot where (non-undead) lovers often nuzzle each other. This despite the fact there are veins closer to the surface on the wrist, in the crook of the elbow, and also (if I'm not mistaken) on the scalp.

Damn! You beat me to it. Yes, these are all homoerotic areas. Dracula, though partly a thriller, had erotic overtones in an era where sexuality was deeply repressed. That's why it was such an instant hit, and why it continues to fascinate. Unfortunately, most other writers in the genre can't recapture the original magic.

[MoonCat]

Dracula, though partly a thriller, had erotic overtones in an era where sexuality was deeply repressed. That's why it was such an instant hit, and why it continues to fascinate. Unfortunately, most other writers in the genre can't recapture the original magic.

I get that, but sucking blood out of a vein is still sucking blood out of a vein. Still squicks me out.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Have to add, though, that Twilight was definitely not my cup of tea. Struggled through Book 1 and that was as far as I got in the series.

Heh...I didn't get past page 1.

[Seshat]

I get that, but sucking blood out of a vein is still sucking blood out of a vein. Still squicks me out.

It's the everything-else.

Sure, the Nosferatu-style vampire is ugly, but the Dracula-style vampire is almost always some form of classically-handsome/classically-beautiful.

He/she is mysterious.

He/she is forbidden - thus the attraction of the taboo.

He/she is usually exotic.

He/she is usually supernaturally attractive in some way. IIRC, Stoker's Dracula had both voice and a supernatural 'attraction' ability going for him.

He/she is usually wealthy, as well. Which doesn't hurt in the attraction stakes.

And, of course, he/she wants you. Forever.

[dalesys]

...And, of course, he/she wants you. Forever.

Or as long as you last...

[Eevie]

Heh...I didn't get past page 1.

Hell, I read the back of the first book and was done...

[fireheart]

Hell, I read the back of the first book and was done...

I haven't even touched the BOOK and I was done

(Ironically, I read The Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries no problem)

[Gizmo]

I almost dropped another book when I saw the words "and now for another awesome release from us.... Twilight! Turn over to read the first chapter!".

Still considering removing those pages! lol!