Comments on: A delusional life on film

By: David

David — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 12:42:57 +0000

The linked paper appears to be free to access and download now: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13546805.2012.666113

By: anonymous coward

anonymous coward — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 06:31:28 +0000

I think this sort of delusion must be getting fairly common given the popularity of reality tv and the rise of ubiquitous surveillance (CCTV, dragnet phone and internet monitoring and so on). I’ve been prone to it myself, despite not having a bona fide psychotic illness nor ever watching reality tv; I’m just so, so, so anxious I go a bit insane occasionally! Heh.

This guy was bipolar with mania, but there’ve got to be other cases of people involved with reality shows or surveillance (like camera operators in the UK) developing related delusions. I’d love to hear their stories.

By: Raine Carosin

Raine Carosin — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 18:11:58 +0000

good to read this article. i, myself, years and years ago, decided that in order to control myself (I was diagnosed as a schizophrenic) I believe everyday that everything I do is recorded. (This is confirmed in the Bible.) I was so terrified of making any “error in judgement” that eventually I now, for many years, am able to be comfortable. I know I am fooling myself, but in reality nowadays, with ccv cameras and everybody having some kind of recording device, it’s not quite an unreality to watch what one says and does. It helped me to be the best person I can be and to make sure that I was able to pre-judge any action or wording I was about to do or say to avoid “making a fool out of myself”. It comes down to “watching myself”. And now with the www included in my daily living, I am glad that I was able to “foresee” “living under a microscope” and thereby adapting my lifestyle so that, under any scrutiny – from wherever – I am not embarrassed. Yeah, it’s weird, but it doesn’t infringe on anybody and it has helped me to observe myself and develop an amicable disposition.