Mel Gibson - the Mother of all Meltdowns

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I think your professional diagnosis of a-hole may be extremely accurate, my friend !

No, in all seriousness....here's what's bothering me about the mental illness slant of this whole situation. Having worked with those who are mentally ill (like Nancy has as well) - I've worked w/ chronically schizophrenic adults (and children), bipolar (aka manic-depressives, using old terms), major depression, personality disorders, dually-diagnosed adults etcetera...

Of all the bipolars I've encountered, during their "manic" stage, they are often in a state of euphoric energy - where they work on projects for days on end, may spend loads of money, may keep going and going without sleep. I have rarely, if ever, witnessed a bipolar person in a state of rage and threats. If there is a concurrent stage of continued rage - there is something else going on in addition to bipolar disorder.

So, what's bothering me is that the media seems yet again to be misrepresenting what being Bipolar Disorder is -- being bipolar has almost nothing to with rage, actually. An outburst, sure, but not really "rage" and threats. Rather, it ranges btwn being euphorically happy and being horribly depressed.

(so...Mel may have more going on than just bipolar, is what I'm saying...)

What you have seen is generally the most common, but I'm just telling you what I learned, and mania can affect the same person both ways, and each episode of the illness may affect them differently. Most people love the euphoria and get so much done during these periods. Think of his movie Apocalypto, it was a huge undertaking and the manic period would be very useful. At first it's just a little extra energy, but after a while it can be like a tightly wound watch. These periods are often the reason why people don't want to take medication, as it will eliminate these euphoric periods as well. Their brain really is working much better than it normally would, and it's not unusual for highly successful and creative people to have this illness. Many people go for years with only the euphoric type of energy, and some people come down from this and are relatively normal, and don't even enter the depressed state. Although most bipolars experience both euphoria and extreme depression, some are considered unipolar with either depression or euphoria. The agitated part isn't considered part of the depressed stage for some reason, I guess because of the extreme energy, but it's seems like it's closer to the depressed stage then the euphoric stage. The high can be a euphoric high or it can be an agitated high, which leads to rage. Every emotion is highly exaggerated. The rage is considered the most dangerous time, and a person may have many episodes of bipolar psychosis without ever going into the agitated rage stage, but this stage usually does make them get court ordered treatment. Also, it's very possible that alchohol or other drugs influences how the illness would affect someone.

[dogbert]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Most people do not want to admit they are bipolar, just like with most serious illnesses they go through stages of denial, anger, fear, hope, and acceptance. Until they reach acceptance, they often don't want to take their medication unless court ordered. Remember, the illness does not strike everyone the same way, but rage is very common, and now that technology allows people to so easily tape others maybe we'll see more of this type of behavior. Really, it's ok with me if you don't like him, it just when someone said he had been earlier diagnosed with bipolar, I just thought it was interesting, and that explained a lot. Lol, he may be bipolar and an a-hole!

We were told this person is bipolar and what ticks me off is that when they could not afford their meds nobody helped them. Which is what lead to the episode I mentioned earlier. Now that that has happened a couple times the court has ordered that the person must be able to obtain their meds even though they are unemployed with no insurance. To bad all that had to happen for them to have access to the meds they NEED DAILY.

[mojo]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Hmmm, interesting. I'm not sure being mentally ill is "trendy". I actually think what is *more* trendy right now is "blame-shifting".

Take the Mel-Oksana case, for example -- late last week and since then, there has been a concerted effort to shift the blame back toward the victim (Oksana). In my opinion, Oksana is clearly a victim here (of emotional abuse and threats, at the very least, and quite possibly physical abuse). However, there has been a real effort (and rather sick effort) to shift "blame" back onto her.

Whether Mel is mentally ill or even if he has some brain damage from chronic alcohol abuse - it wouldn't excuse any behavior, it may only help explain the extremity of some of it. It wouldn't, however, change the intent of threat - nor whatever abuse has already occurred, ya know?

Malingering in mental illness is taken very seriously, especially in court - and it is extremely difficult to do here in the U.S. - so, even if someone tries to play this card, they will be evaluated at length before the claim would ever hold a shred of legal validity.

At this point, Oksana's motives for creating the tapes, in my opinion, are really a moot point - the real point right *now* is whether or not she and her child are truly safe...whether Mel Gibson is capable of harming them, or not.

Exactly! I've heard it on the radio, people I work with, comments on the internet all blaming her! She somehow entrapped him to behave this way. Or who cares, she is just a gold digger. On and on. Really, those are valid excuses for hitting a woman holding a child or threatening to kill her or speaking to her in the most vile manner I have ever heard? Just amazing!

[nana911]

I've been fortunate to never work with the mentally ill in a therapeutic setting. I say fortunate, because that would be a very difficult job. I mainly have dealt with the receiving end , and in the course of my job, the crisis times. I've talked to them in suicide mode and in confused mode and just trying to keep them together in different situations while waiting to get an ambulance or police or some kind of help there, and sometimes it takes 30-45 minutes in a big city. From my experience and mine only. When mentally ill people are in a crisis state they are usually out to harm themselves. If it is a hostage situation and they want to hurt others, they are also going to take themselves along. They rarely, rarely ever want to hurt, target someone else and leave themselves whole and untouched in their mind's scenario. My ex when truly going through an episode would be suicidal or suicidal with thoughts of taking his kids (we never had any together) down with him. When lucid and playing the system it was deliberate. ""oh you told the doctor you were scared? here is something to be scared of""" that kind of thing, always directed out, never at himself. That seems to be the difference.

[dogbert]

Sometimes your knight in shining armor is just a retard in tin foil.

[nana911]

Originally Posted by dogbert

Sometimes your knight in shining armor is just a retard in tin foil.

Holy crap that is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time!!!!!

[YorkieChick1]

He's an idiot, which is a shame because I used to think he was funny, especially in the Lethal Weapons movies. Now I can't look at him the same way and won't go see another one of his movies.

[red98vett]

as all of you- I'm totally against abuse and not blaming the wife but they keep playing parts of those tapes on the news and I swear she sounds like she's reading from a script.

There is no excuse for the things he said - none - and if he is mentally ill - maybe all this will wake him up AND help others who may suffer with the same problem and wonder 'Is this how I sound' ?

I've never heard any human say such vile things ....but she seems just too calm and I had to wonder if she made those recordings on purpose.

after all - this is a hollywood couple

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by red98vett

as all of you- I'm totally against abuse and not blaming the wife but they keep playing parts of those tapes on the news and I swear she sounds like she's reading from a script.

There is no excuse for the things he said - none - and if he is mentally ill - maybe all this will wake him up AND help others who may suffer with the same problem and wonder 'Is this how I sound' ?

I've never heard any human say such vile things ....but she seems just too calm and I had to wonder if she made those recordings on purpose.

after all - this is a hollywood couple

I haven't been following this all that closely ~ just heard bits on the news and TV and here on YT. How is she claiming these recordings came to be, if not on purpose? I just always assumed she recorded him after being tired of his tirades and wanted proof

[nana911]

Originally Posted by sugarmamma

I haven't been following this all that closely ~ just heard bits on the news and TV and here on YT. How is she claiming these recordings came to be, if not on purpose? I just always assumed she recorded him after being tired of his tirades and wanted proof

I figure they are a toxic couple. It has been going on a long time. She knew which hot buttons to push to get these reactions and so knew she could tape him easily. She probably did try to extort him. She probably is a gold digger. They may well not be admissible in court since he wasn't aware he was being recorded. In that respect it was probably a set up. Bottom line, no one forced those particular words and phrases to come out of his mouth. And if she mishandled the battery in an effort to get more money, that does not negate the battery. Whoopi can defend him all she wants, sometimes the ends really did justify the means...not the money...the 'outing'....JMHO

[dogbert]

I believe the recording laws are different in CA than here.

[marcie]

He totally had me fooled. Truth comes out I guess

[dogbert]

Words spoken when drunk are only thoughts you were afraid to say sober.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by dogbert

Words spoken when drunk are only thoughts you were afraid to say sober.

If that were true, therapists would recommend people have a few drinks before counseling sessions so that they could reach the truth sooner. Alcohol does take away inhibitions, but that does not mean your thoughts are your true thoughts and beliefs. Our emotions can be overwhelming when we drink, and things seem much stronger at this time, but our true thoughts are when we are sober and sane. I would guess that there is a seed of truth in an alcoholic's ravings, however, sometimes people say things just to see how others will react.

[dogbert]

Alcohol is not truth syrum, but it sure lets the jaws flap more freely.