What is normal? It’s that annoying thing I think we all strive to be – and for some of us to the detriment of our mental health.
For years I’ve struggled with the thoughts in my head and how they are abnormal, making me different and not “normal”. It’s only after several bouts of counselling and opening up that I now know that a large portion of people may have similar thought patterns to myself to a lesser or greater degree. We have just been conditioned to think those thought patterns are abnormal and wrong.
It may not be that everyone in society has the same kind of thoughts as you, but you can be sure that a good few people do. As part of my opening up I have started to talk more openly to some of my friends and it is a relief to discover they also have similar thoughts. This openness has lifted a little of the weight off my shoulders and eased my worry.
Given we still do not understand how the human brain fully works and all of its potential, it would be wrong to assume that everyone thinks, feels or acts the same. In that situation the world would be an extremely dull place to live.
So back to the original point….. what is normal? I must admit I am leaning more and more to the point of view that normality is abnormal. We should not be forcing ourselves to fit into the boxes that society wants us to fit into. We should not be fighting our own selves and contorting our minds and bodies to fit what everyone else deems is normal.
That fight to conform to someone else’s views is exhausting in the first place – and stops the true self from emerging. I honestly think the world would be a lot better if we all stopped trying to conform to someone else’s rigid views.