An Unlikely Enemy

In the winter term of 1997 I met a teacher at community college. He was a psychatrist and would make appointments for patients at a mental hospital for phone consultations. He once told the story of a man at this hospital with an acute case of paranoia. He woke up one morning, looked out the window, and saw a squirrel looking back at him.

To you or I, this would be a chance encounter with wildlife outside, but to him, this was something else. This was a scout, the first of many. Yes, the squirrels were aligning against him, learning his behaviour, preparing for their attack. He told my professor that the squirrels were out to get him and that measures.. perhaps drastic measures.. were nessessary to defend himself against the Scourge of Squirrels and their followers.

My professor's purpose for telling us this was to explain the need for medication when the brain isn't producing the correct balance of chemicals. This guy's brain was out of wack and with medication, he could possibly recover. He perscribed the medications, and called back in a couple days for a session.

My professor during the session asked about the squirrels. The guy was embarrassed. "Oh yeah.. That was crazy, I know the squirrels weren't out to get me.. that's just nuts." (He really said that.. I'd imagine the pun was intended, but considering the guy was a mental patient.. who knows.)

My professor's corrective action was a success, but he continued during his lecture.. "Often a patient on medication will feel so normal, that they believe that they are cured. But these medications only correct the symptoms, and the root cause is still at large. Once the medication is stopped.. they will fall back into their original state."

My professor called his patient for a routine phone consultation. It was to be his last contact with him. During the call, my professor cracked a joke about the squirrels. "The... Squirrels? YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM??!!! YOU'RE WITH THEM AREN'T YOU!!!! I'LL GET YOU TOO!!!" (*click*)

True Story.