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Page C4-The Chronicle, Thursday, May 17, 1984
Coping
A psychologic;
By CHARLES FAULKNER
Syndicated Columnist
^ .
Have you ever been ashamed of your behavior? Have
you ever done something and then said, "Did I really do
that? Am I going crazy?"
^Many people question their own behavior and reluctantly
go to a psychologist or psychiatrist for evaluation
and help. After explaining their questionable behavior,
tne psychologist otten says: "Let's set up another appointment
for you." The mere fact that the psychologist
proposes another appointment practically serves as an indictment
of the individual's behavior and, to the individual,
confirms his fears that he is "crazy."
The fact is that very few people who visit psychologists
are "crazy." Indeed, the behavior may not even be abnormal.
The victim thinks that it is abnormal merely
because he does not observe other people acting the same
,aw.fx.JL\ut few people who think that their.
because they do not wish to be considered to be "nutty."
Thus, while many thousands of people carry out certain
kinds of behavior that is probably normal, they think
that it is abnormal simply because other people do not
talk about it. They go to psychiatrists or psychologists
and pay thousands of dollars for "help" when they are
perfectly normal. The only thing about them is that they
think they are abnormal. But since nearly everyone thinks
he is abnormal, even this thinking is normal.
Although everyone probably should have an annual
psychological checkup (just as one should have physical
checkup) to get a fresh perspective on our lives. Most
people (perhaps as many as 90 percent) who are judged to
be abnormal are, in fact, quite normal.
Our suggestibility is the most imposing on our
behavior. Let's examine this thesis tor validity. Advertisers
often. manipulate our behavior and get us to do
what they want us to do by means of suggestion. They
create within us habitual behavior that makes us respond
to advertisements emotionally. When they show someone
drinking soda, we get a thirst for it. When they show so?meone
crying, we feel an urge to cry also. Television can
create practically any emotion. So when we see the soda
in a grocery store we automatically reach for it. This
habitual, almost compulsive behavior is often beyond our
control and we interpret these uncontrollable compulsions
as our "craziness."
But what is crazy behavior? Are you crazy if you are
afraid to fly? Are you crazy if you have a fear of water,
height, dogs snakes or large bugs? This is probably normal
behavior. Practically everyone is afraid of something
so you could not categorize this behavior. Indeed, the
word crazy is seldom used by professionals because it is
too broad in meaning to be useful. Or maybe it is a little
bit crazy. This makes the world go around.
Recipes From Page C3
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Va cup diagonally sliced green onions
Va cup thinly sliced radishes
2 tablespoons salad oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
Va teaspoon drv mustard
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 cups spinach torn in bit-size pieces
1. In large bowl, combine first 8 ingredients.
2. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors,
stirring occasionally.
3. Toss with spinach. Makes 5 cups or 6 side dish servings.
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Y olonda From Page C1
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some of our employment problems.
The answer is that there's not enough inside social
pressure to become entrepreneurs. We live in a society
heavy in peer pressure. We tend to want to do what
we see others do, and become successful in. We don't
see enough^black business successes.
My point here is that other racial groups have
strong entrepreneurial spirits and they pass that spirit
down, generation to generation. It's also handed
from friend to friend. Blacks must do this, too.
I'm writing this because, in some cities, the black
^ _ unemployment rate h 20 pcrccntv and risirtR^Out:
? teenwemy?k>ymef ate percent. ~
With figures like that, self-employment seems more
* and more attractive.
Roger
Dear Roger: I've received numerous letters from
' readers who say they want to read more about
business and employment issues.
Your letter intrigued me most because it addresses
a core issue -- that is, we've got to get more blacks to
consider owning and operating their own businesses,
whether we're talking about a grocery store or an accounting
firm. We think in accord on this issue.
Got a problem or a gripe? Ask Yolonda Gayles,
P.O. Box 19112, Chicago, III., 60619.
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In June, it will be two years since the comic was
released from prison, where he served three and a
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nan years 01 a zu-year term tor traficking in cocaine
and heroin. He has gotten through 300 pages of a
book he's writing about that experience - and the life
that led up to it -- and reports he's also receiving offers
for film rights to the work, "but I'm turning
them all down. I want to wait and complete my book,
say what I have to say the way I want to say it."
He continues to talk to youth groups about the
perils of drugs, and he makes anti-narcotics
statements in his nightclub act, which he closes with a
poem from the "King Heroin" play he's written.
ai checkup helps g<
A person could perhaps legitimately be categorized as f
abnormal if they lost the ability to distinguish between i
their thoughts and reality. For instance, if a person p
daydreamed about being chased by a monster and actually
began to scream and run blindly down the street in p
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it a fresh perspecl
right, his behavior might be considered to be abnormal,
f this were consistent behavior. (This might be termed
>sychotic behavior.)
If you occasionally lose control of yourself, you are
>robably under strees. You should seek a stress?
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A
tive on life
management counselor instead of a psychiatrist. Your
physician can probably advise you. Be sure to ask about
the positive and negative impact of any medicine that you
are told to take.
You are probably quite normal so stop worrying.
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