You mean the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith?
so real, when I was experiencing delusions being told I was wrong would've made me worse. Many people when they are delusional, especially in association to religious delusions, tend to believe that they've figured out some hidden truth to the world that nobody else knows and could even think that other people telling them they're wrong is natural.
TLDR reality checking delusions can reaffirm them, and otherwise that person might just double down on it or develop other delusions. Since psychosis can't be controlled.
Btw I just wanted to say if you see someone acting delusional (like. Legitimate delusions. Not being misinformed or wrong. Legitimate delusions.) then please mind your own business. It's not your job to reality check them and by doing so you can harm them even further. Unless the person has asked you to reality check them and you're doing what they ASKED you to do, butt out.
When I'm having a delusion about bugs under my skin or something stalking me or literally any other delusion, I don't need someone to tell me "it's not real". I don't care if it's real or not. It's still terrifying to me. Being told "it's not real" doesn't help me, and once the delusion has passed, it makes me feel bad- like I'm just crazy, like my fears and experiences don't matter because they could just be delusions and hallucinations.
This goes for any delusion by the way. You see someone who believes they're God? Cool. Mind your own fucking business. You see someone who believes they have super powers or are an important figure? Cool! Mind your own fucking business.
Now. You may be asking. "Alfie, what if it's my friend and the delusion is stressing them out?"
Comfort them. Treat it like any other problem- if the person prefers advice, give them advice that matches with the delusion. If they just need comfort, do exactly that- tell them you're there for them, etc etc. You're not feeding the delusion- you're comforting your friend when they're stressed and afraid over something.
Don't reality check a delusional person unless you have been asked to by the delusional person.
after 7 exhausting months of being fixated on The Book of Mormon musical, my brain decided it's time to switch it up with some old stuff so heres some Batman: Europa screenshots that are really fucking gay
Andrew Rannells looks like a very specific animal that I cannot name
By Curtis "Mr. Zero" Perry, ca. 1997.
[ID: A painting of a photo from the Kiss of the Spider Woman (musical), of Brent Carver as Molina. He sits on his bed with one hand to his cheek and his knees up. The background is black with a blue halo around his head, and a spiderweb spiralling out from there. On the right is an extension of the background, with a prison bar pattern. End ID.]
Speaking of which!