How Do You Deviate From

Published on December 28, 2006 By MasonM In Blogging

I took a couple of psychology classes when I was in college. I learned two things from those classes. Firstly, that psychology is more or less mostly pure bullshit, and secondly that anyone who is clinically "normal" would be the most boring person on our little planet. It's our little quirks that make us individuals and what makes us interesting. Can you imagine what it would be like if everyone were exactly alike and all clinically normal? We'd all die of boredom. Besides, sex would be basically masturbation with another person involved.

I have my quirks. You have your quirks. We like to assign nice little labels to our quirks like "individual", "stubborn", "self confidant",
"shy", etc... But we all have these less than clinically perfect personality character traits that make us who we are.

Ok, so what's the point? you may ask. What the hell are you putting out here that may in some way be worth the time I have spent reading this? Good questions.I am asking you to honestly examine yourself (an impossible task) and define what your personal personality traits might be that deviate from what is considered to be clinically normal. Sounds fairly easy, doesn't it?

Here are mine as best as I can determine

Firstly, I missed putting a colon after that last sentence. It is my nature to go back and make sure it's correct, but I forced myself to not do so in deference to this exercise. That's one of my deviations: I am something of a perfectionist. A picky shit would be another way of putting it. I also hate misspelling words.

I enjoy being buzzed. The clinically normal person doesn't get high. I like beer and I like getting buzzed. I am buzzed as I type (and retype) this.

I have a very strong defensive/fight instinct. I do not like being challenged by another person. This gets my hackles up quite instantly. I do not like having my honesty challenged, to be physically challenged, or to be threatened in any way by another person. I instantly go into combat mode and will (and have) fight to the death if needed, and will stubbornly (or stupidly) not back down.

I am totally lacking in the fear instinct. I have never experienced fear of anything at all. This is not a bragging point, it's a fact. This is something that "normal" people possess that I do not (and have gotten into real trouble for). Fear is not to be confused with survival instinct, which I have in spades. I've just never actually been afraid of anything.

Overly aggressive. I'm a nice guy. I take pride in the fact that I am a nice guy. But I am aggressive. there is no getting around that fact. Not a nice, normal, aggressive male behavior. I am an aggressive male. When I shake hands with another male, I put some force into that handshake. It isn't something I do deliberatley, it just happens. I have broken a bone or two that way (not my own). I am very competitive and hate to lose. But I am a good loser, because if I lose I want to be a good loser (still competitive even in loss).

I suffer from severe depression. Enough said.

I have a good (if warped) sense of humor. The clinically normal person would have none at all.

I actually prefer being alone most of the time. This is a biggie in the whole psychology bullshit realm. People are supposed to be social animals. Not me. I'm not anti-social by any means. I get along well with other people within the context of the above mentioned flaws, and people actually seem to like me for some strange reason that I have yet to figure out, but I am just fine alone. While I like being around other people in a social setting I don't crave or need it.

I am uncomfortable with another person in an intimate setting. Not sexual, but emotional. I do not like emotional exchanges and avoid them whenever possible. Intimate emotional interaction makes me very uncomfortable and I couldn't begin to tell you why. Ask me to explain what I am feeling and it will likely result in some sort of negative reaction just to avoid the conversation. I can't explain it, that's just me. I don't like talking about feelings.

Ok, that's some of what I can think of to bare myself to the world. How are you, dear reader, outside of clinically "normal"?

Comments

foreverserenity

on Dec 28, 2006

You unemotional?....nope! I'm messing w/you!

I get agressive too...when necessary.

I go into protective mode...on alert 99% the time, perhaps because I'm a mommy. I even do it with other people's kids!

I don't think I'm anal, but sometimes I am because I get into the details of things.

Other times I can't be bothered and just deliberately let some things go, especially if the person I'm trying to correct refuses the help. There are just somethings you have no control over.

My tea, or my coffee, or my egg, as to be just right. Not too hot, not too cold, not too runny, and not too hard or dry or burnt!

I have a bawdy mind most of the time. Oh yeah. My sense of humor is pretty high.

[Hey we seem to have a lot in common! Have you been reading my mind or what?!LOL!]

I don't mind being emotional really. I get too emotionally involved because I really feel things deeply. I put it to my higly sensitive [to people] nature.

Locamama

on Dec 28, 2006

Me ... well I am very emotional and sensitive. I cry easily. (probably too easily). I think I have a good sense of humor. I like to laugh. I am the opposite of a neat freak or perfectionist. Messes don't bother me. Dirty bothers me but clutter is a fact of life around here. I am a social person. I like to hang around with a group of people and I think I do better in groups than one on one. That whole not wanting to open up and be vulnerable, doesn't usually happen in a group setting. I am friendly and find it easy to talk to people in casual conversation. It's the deeply personal and meaningful conversations that are hard for me. I hate change to the point that I stay in certain situations way past the expiration date whether that be personal relationships, jobs etc. I am indecisive. And hey I like being buzzed too but it's not something I do regularly.

foreverserenity

on Dec 28, 2006

I have the classic manias and depressions. My mania often takes the form of irritability and impatience rather than increased energy and creativity, and my depressions more often result in active self-destructive behavior rather than apathy and 'flat' emotional responses. Even in my deviance, I deviate from 'normal' manic-depressive symptoms.

I like your way of putting this Whip. I get that way too some of the times, and my depression usually comes in the form of inactivity, weeping, and eating. The eating part bad without the activity part. Then I get this sudden burst of energy and I clean house or do something that's been sitting there, waiting for attention until I wear myself out and that helps me to think clearnly and sort it all out. And of course writing helps too!

crimson

on Dec 28, 2006

I have trust issues. I pretty much know what I need to make me happy, but if a person gets too close to me, I'll bolt. I can talk about emotional things, but usually, afterwards, I just cut and run. I'm honest about this though, and most friends that I do keep, understand why I go back and forth.

I have a lot of friends, but rarely make plans with anyone. I prefer to meet up with people by chance only.

I often wonder if my moral base is lower than others. While I respect the law and understand the implications of breaking rules and codes, I wonder if the possibility of punishment is the only thing that prevents me from being a less upstanding citizen.

I'm both shy and very outgoing. I'm a good listener, and people tell me things, and I often wonder why. I know how to keep a secret though, because I respect give and take. At a party, you would find me first in a quiet corner that would later grow into the place to be. Somehow I find myself surrounded by others that are just the best people to be around with, and we end up having a shitload of fun. While I'm not all that, I am myself.

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