John, a man living with schizophrenia, is hurt and scared when his friends play a prank on him, pretending he is going crazy, leading him to check himself into a hospital, but his friends learn to be more understanding and supportive of his condition.
He Has A Condition
Meet John, a 32-year-old man who has been living with schizophrenia since he was 22. John is active in the schizophrenic community and attends group meetings, but he is fairly private about his condition with most people, including his friends. Due to his condition, John’s friends often think he’s eccentric and have noticed some of his habits, such as not going to parties or other places with lots of people, suddenly deciding not to do something, and making the occasional odd quip.
They Pranked Him
Recently, John’s friends thought it would be funny to make it seem like he might be going crazy as a group. They would individually wear something silly like a wizard hat or dinosaur costume to a group event or say something totally out of the ordinary and pretend like it was normal. These actions triggered John’s delusions and made him feel scared and paranoid.
He Thought He Was Slipping
John tried to ask members of the group if they had heard concerns about these conspiracies or weird garb from the other members, but they all acted like they had hung out with that particular member that day and John hadn’t been involved. Fearing that he might be slipping into a full psychosis, John checked himself into a hospital to avoid hurting himself or diving further into the rabbit hole.
He Received an Apology
John confided in one of his friends about what had happened after he checked out of the hospital. He received a long apology explaining what had happened, but he was still angry and hurt by their actions. John has ignored attempts from the others trying to apologize and has no desire to talk with them again.
He Thought it was Cruel
John’s friends have been questioning whether or not he was in the wrong for not previously stating that he is schizophrenic. They feel like if they had known about his condition, they wouldn’t have played that prank on him. John, however, feels like he shouldn’t have to disclose his condition to his friends. In his mind, what they did was cruel and insensitive, regardless of whether or not they knew about his condition. He feels like his friends should have known better, especially considering that they knew about his eccentricities.
His Friends Realized
Over time, John’s friends started to realize the gravity of their actions. They saw how much they had hurt John and how serious his condition is. They started to educate themselves about schizophrenia and mental health, and they apologized to John again. John accepted their apologies, but he was still wary of them. He knew that he couldn’t trust them the way he used to, and he felt like their friendship had been damaged. John’s friends tried to make it up to him by being more understanding and supportive of his condition. They started to learn more about schizophrenia and mental health and how they could be better allies for John.
He Grew Stronger
John continued to attend group meetings and be active in the schizophrenic community. He knew that his condition was a part of who he was, but he also knew that it didn’t define him. He was proud of himself for standing up for himself and his condition, and he was grateful for the support of his friends and community.
Lessons Learned
John’s friends learned that mental illness is a serious issue and that it’s important to be sensitive and understanding of those who are affected by it. They learned that it’s not okay to make fun of or belittle someone because of their condition, and they were grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow from their mistakes.
Straight to the Internet
In the end, John and his friends were able to reconcile and move forward. They knew that they had a lot to learn about mental health, but they were willing to do the work to be better allies for those who were affected by it. John decided to reach out to a popular internet forum to see if others agreed with his situation and speak on how he acted.
The Internet Responds
One person writes, “Even if you didn’t disclose your medical history, they knew enough that saying those things would mess with you. If a ‘prank’ doesn’t leave both parties laughing, it isn’t a prank; it’s bullying.”
A Further Response
Another person writes, “A prank is leaving plastic flamingos on a friend’s lawn or something harmless like that. That wasn’t a prank. When it comes to pranks: Confuse, don’t abuse.”
A Final Comment
A third person puts, “My first thought when reading this was, ‘How the heck does anyone think those are pranks?’ That’s just bizarre and cruel. I would absolutely cut them off if I were in your position. I’d already feel very isolated from them since it sounds like everyone was in on it.”
He Sold the Family Home for Three Times What He Paid for It, but Now His Siblings Are Demanding a Share of the Profit
A man bought his two siblings out of their share of the family home when their mother passed away. Now he’s sold the house for three times the amount he paid for it, and his siblings are demanding a cut.
This Groom Invited His Ex-Girlfriend To His Wedding, But When She Showed Up In Suspenders He Had His Regrets!
Recently, a couple decided to have a micro wedding with just their immediate family, around ten people. They chose a venue known for holding significant events, but they hired a smaller room there.
This Groom Invited His Ex-Girlfriend To His Wedding, But When She Showed Up In Suspenders He Had His Regrets!
He Was Blinded by Love, Until He Learned About His Romanian Wife’s True Motives
In a tale fraught with deception and vengeance, a man recently divulged his experience of unmasking his Romanian wife’s infidelity and orchestrating a chain of events that ultimately led to the revocation of her Greencard, laying bare her hidden agenda.
He Was Blinded by Love, Until He Learned About His Romanian Wife’s True Motives