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#21
It had a wonderful view from up top, so we let tourists go up and take photos. However, we (the tour guides) also had to go up every 5 to 10 minutes to make sure there were no problems (like people going into closed areas or damaging the building).
Well, one day I go up for my shift and the first thing I see as I round a corner is a woman standing on the edge of a platform, eyes closed, arms spread.
She had her heels an inch or two from the edge, so if she lost her balance for even a second she would be plumetting down a very high building, right into the middle of a very busy road.
When I asked her to go down, she pointed to her boyfriend, who was taking pictures, and said that it was alright. As the one who actually worked there, and would be in trouble if someone died on my shift, I told her no, it was not fine.
She just looked at me as if she did not understand she could die by pulling a stunt like that (because gravity doesn't exist in her world) and only got down when I threatened to call security (we didn't have security, but I was just tired of her).
It's actually a real problem in my country with tourists, since a lot of them believe locals are "hiding" all the good spots for photos behind silly little "beware" and "do not cross" signs. And not, you know, trying to stop people from dying horrible deaths.
Mental illness can definitely be a contributing factor to people believing false ideas. In fact, “delusional disorder” is a mental illness where people cannot distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. The Cleveland Clinic explains that, “People with delusional disorder experience non-bizarre delusions, which involve situations that could occur in real life, such as being followed, poisoned, deceived, conspired against, or loved from a distance. These delusions usually involve the misinterpretation of perceptions or experiences. In reality, however, the situations are either not true at all or highly exaggerated.”
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While the Cleveland Clinic notes that delusions can be a symptom of more common disorders, such as schizophrenia, “delusional disorder itself is rather rare”. There are several different types of delusional disorder which all manifest in different ways. These types include erotomanic, grandiose, jealous, persecutory, somatic, and mixed. The disorder can also be caused by genetic, biological or environmental/psychological factors. The Cleveland Clinic adds that “people who tend to be isolated, such as immigrants or those with poor sight and hearing, appear to be more vulnerable to developing delusional disorder”.
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Whether it’s a lie we tell ourselves for protection or a false belief we’ve picked up from the internet, believing delusions can become a dangerous game. Being out of touch with reality can be anything from living an extravagant life unaware of those less fortunate to someone believing they’re the savior of our world. Enjoy reading the rest of these stories, and don’t forget to upvote the ones you find most fascinating. Then let us know in the comments if you have any personal stories dealing with delusional individuals and how you managed to keep yourself grounded.
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