What do you do when you confront a mentally disturbed person?

Hi deepak not a good situation to be in well in worst case i might be leaving the seat and feel better standing at some calm place with peace of mind Wish u all the best

Hello deepak! While reading to this, I really can't help to laugh. I mean, if I am with your situation, of course, I'll be very scared. Just to think about it, oh no! Well, if I am in your situation, I might ask for help maybe but not hysterically. I mean I might look at someone and by the look I will tell him (it should be a guy so that if ever the mentally disturbed would start to hurt me physically he can help me) to please help me if something's happen. You're still very lucky because the girl is not the type who will hurt someone.

Dpk, It's not an easy situation to deal with mentally retarded or disturbed people and the first experience can be quite difficult. A few years ago i had a project site next to a home which took care of people like this. My exposure and introduction to them was a slow process through one of the caretakers. It needs understanding and compassion.They are after all human beings and long for comapany and to express themselves. Some of them do notshow inhibitions and express their emotions very easliy. In the specific instance that you have mentioned, i would have sat there and tried to be as nice and understanding to the person. I would try to find out who her companion was. In the event she was alone, then i would atleast inform the authorities at the station to ensure that she was properly taken care off, in order that she did not hurt herself.

This sunday I came across two ladies, one almost 70 years old and second was almost close to 40. Both were mentally retarded and asking silly and strange questions to me. First, I ignored them but then realized that they are getting disturbed because I was not replying. So, I started replying to them, in answers which I think suitable and they got satisfied. I think they only wanted some attention. I changed my seat after that and they got busy talking with each other. In such a situation, you feel a little scared and embarassed too.

I had a similar experience not too long ago . I was waiting for my access bus to pick me and my groceries up and this shabby old man sat down beside me.He started to talk to some unseen person thenm talk to me, he made no sense at all, and I am handicapped so cannot move fast to get away. He told me Pres.Bush was a sick man then went on to ramble again with all sorts of odd conversations that made no sense.I moved down the bench,and signalled to the owner of the shop next door Heseemed toknow my odd fellow sitter, and called him by name. the old man went over to sit down in front of Starbucks and the owner brought him out a cup of coffee. then he told me the old guy was mentally ill, and had been in the va but was signed out and adrift. He felt sorry for him. well I just wanted to get the heck out of there.

ugh that is scary!! i just do the same in ignoring and then trying to escape as soon as possible.. but i havent had to deal with this much thank gods..

I would be scared and look around for help if I couldn't move away from the place. Fortunately, I've never been in such a situation. But a very close family friend of ours was strolling through the market with her sister one day and suddenly a mentally deranged woman came running towards her(from behind her), snatched her umbrella and started hitting her. She got quite a few whacks before someone pulled the woman away. Since the woman was not mentally sound, our family friend could do nothing but bear the pain and go home.

deepak firstly I apologise for the delay in replying. Now, the incident is really scary! And more so if you are totally alone in a new place! With all those luggage you couldn't have left the place just like that. And what more scary is the fact that you did not know the intentions. I mean, she could be retarded mentally or could be faking it. You never know. I know of such instances when where people are defrauded of their belongings and everything! But i think you did the right thing in not calling the police or shouting. For if she was fake I am sure they must have been people from the authority with her and if she wasn't then It would make you look stupid, isn't it? Sitting there and ignoring is the best thing to do. I think, you have just done the right by ignoring her calls. It required great courage and you did a great job with that as well Life is a strange thing. we come across unbelievable things that make us stronger and wiser. Happy living.

Hi dpk, I have encountered these types of situations, at various times in my life. This used to happen when I worked in the city, and took public transit each day, although it didn't occur on a regular basis. Some of the people would speak to me, saying hi etc., or repeating themselves. 'Most' of them are just looking for acceptance, and want to be able to be treated with care and respect, as everyone should be. I'd say hi back, and make 'smalltalk' with them. For me, it's the right thing to do. They were all fine with me, except for one scary incident I had, but somebody came to my rescue that time. Usually though, there's nothing to worry about, as these people are okay to talk with. Take care.

[i]Hi dpk, wow..that is strange! I haven't encountered any person like that in a public transportation or place..I have tried meeting them on the streets but I will avoid since by the way they dress, I can tell that they are mentally disturbed..Anyway, if I were in that situation, maybe at first, I will talk to her but if she still continue to be strange, I will just ignore her and try to get busy by reading! I will try to find an empty chair so I can move but if not possible, will avoid or ignore her as much as I can![/i]

but i cudnt understand if the station was crowded how is it that no body noticed while she was kissing and laughing..sounds weird and that too a woman.well if i wud have had been would have ran away instantly.which i did..a few days back me also was standing at the station crowded one at peak hours..but was waiting for my sister to come...where in prior i was near the ladies coach but later on went towards the other side near the place where we were to meet..so there came in a decent man who tried to pretend that he is calling me by making some sound to attract my attention..after a while he came near me and said that the ladies coach is not here which made me start walking and than i went to a shop to buy sumthing so that i can do time pass to avoid nething beyond this...and finally moved out of tht place..but dnt be scared as u being man...u cud face her but imagine a girl going thru such a thing..

It is a difficult situation. I understand, dealing a mentally challenged person is not and easy task. You got scared also, but why, If you were alone there then that lady can do any harm to you. But the place was a Railway platform and normally crowded one. You can easily get help. Co-passengers are there and railway police is also available. If I were in your place definitely I would seek help from others or I will move the place irrespective of the heavy luggage. I want to add one more thing. Reality and guessing are different. Yours is a real one and mine is a guessing. Fortunately I never had any such situation.

God bless you! You must be scared at that time. In China, people usually separate the mentally disturbed persons to two kinds----'gentle' and 'fierce'. The 'gentle' person won't hurt anyone but behave bizarre, on the other hand, the 'fierce' always hurt everyone around him even himself. The family try their best to take a look at him all day. Poor woman! I feel sad about her. She must be a 'gentle' one without relatives' care.

actually, even when she starts to ask silly questions, it might not be targeted to you. she might be talking to someone she had imagined. so the best way is to ignore her and keep quiet. never ever stare at her or even answer her question, she might thought that you are interested to be friends with her. after most such mentally disturbed people are lonely, and need someone to listen to them.

Deepak, I would have run for dear life …believe me! If not for yourself, think of bhabi at least…what if she had attacked you with something or you know mentally disturbed people are more strong than normal people and its quite difficult to release yourself from their grasp.

I think I would have been very scared as well in similar situation. I try to avoid people with mental balance problem when they suddenly start communicating. i can understand how much scared you had been.Its really bad

Hi Deepak, If I was at your place ,the very first thing that I would have done is to leave the place and stand somewhere far from her, even if there was no other place to sit. This lady was mentally disturbed , but some people deliberately act funny and don't let you live in peace. For all such kind of people my solution is silence and ignorance. I behave as if I have not seen them, I cannot hear them and they don't exist for me. Ignoring such people is simple and best solution.

I have experienced that while riding a public utility vehicle. This man is obviously mentally disturb because of the way he dressed. I was so scared because I have no idea if there was something bad will happen to us three girls inside. The driver stop the vehicle in a side and advice the man to get off the vehicle because it makes us scared, but he insist that he will not do any harm he just wanted to go to this place called a little house. Good thing there is nothing happen but still I got scared because he keeps on talking as if he have companion and he was laughing so loud. Thank God it was through.

It's a tough situation I would say. I remember the friend of my father who was a teacher for special students. She was punched and hit by one of her students in class because the student can't answer the question she was asking. That's horrible. In my case, I really have to guide them and not annoy them in any way.

Hi deepak! I imagine your fear and worry at the same time. I have experienced similar situation when I was in church. I always see this woman who is neat and properly dressed and sits in the same seat infront of the altar of the church. She goes to church everyday and I see her regularly attending the mass. One day, a new churchgoer came to attend the mass and sat on her seat. Then, here she comes and she stared at the old lady for a moment and looked around. I was praying so hard that she won't sit beside me because I really would not know how to react just in case she started doing some weird things. But then she sat beside me and I was silently praying that she will behave somehow. She kept staring at me and I was really finding it so hard to concentrate but then all the more I prayed for her and for me that we will both be able to finish the mass without she making any scene. Then she started talking and I just nod at her and I put my fingers on my lips motioning to her to be quiet and pointing to the priest. I felt so relieved when she nodded and then she knelt all throughout the remaining time. I was so thankful that there was no untoward scene that I might not be able to manage. I was so calm on the outside but I was so scared within. Another incident was when I was still in my high school. There was this student in our school who had a nervous breakdown but was being allowed to go to school, I guess it was upon the advice of their doctor. She goes to school but we were prepared by out teachers that we have to be patient and kind to her so that we will be able to help her in her treatment and well being. Once when we were in the canteen, she approached our group and she singled me out. She started talking to me and I can't understand what she was trying to tell me and then she was laughing at me. the next thing I knew, she was trying to put food in my mouth. She was trying to feed me and I told her that I am already full and I just finished my snacks. I was really getting scared but I can't get away from her because it might agitate her. Fortunately, one of the nuns saw us and she came to get her in a very nice way. I was glad and the nun thank me and my friends for not being rude and agitating her. But just the same, I was really freaking out in the inside and was relieved that she didn't hurt me because I was refusing to have another bite of the food she was feeding me. In all those time, I was just praying not only for me but for them too because it is really sad to see them that way and I was wondering what kind of hurt and pain which made them that way. Take care always..God Bless!