Eight Fundamental Tools to Crazy-Proof Yourself
The psychoanalyst Harold Searles ( 1965) noted, “…the initiating of any kind of interpersonal interaction which tends to foster emotional conflict in the other person-which tends to activate various areas of his personality in opposition to one another-tends to drive him crazy”.
Crazy-proofing is not running from connection, but forming healthy bonds. There is a good kind of crazy we want to honor-freedom, imagination, spontaneity, creativity.
Others can try to drive you crazy, for a million different reasons, sometimes nefarious, often not. Living in fear is not a viable solution for the complexities of human existence. We are born crazy, in a way. How do we best play our cards?
Eight Essential Ingredients
These ideas bear repeating. They easily slip from memory, especially when things get heated up. They require practice to change brain and behavior, and while kind of sequential, they are also non-linear, and usefully incomplete.
1. Know Thyself: Self-awareness is the foundation. Know your levers, know what all your buttons are, as if you were another person who was trying to manipulate you. Step outside of yourself without losing yourself. Self-doubt is your ally. Recognize when you need help and get it, no matter how challenging.
