Anybody have a "spider sense" that someone else may have a mental illness?

[jonghee]

I feel like how people of a certain race can spot others of that race can be applied to the mentally ill being able to identify other mentally ill. Anybody ever experience this? The best interactions I've had with people seemed like I could just sense they had something and we could connect. I'll throw out some bait and see if they take it. I feel like we have that sense of who we can throw out the bait to, and those who it would be better off not saying anything. Anybody feel like they have honed in on this ability?

[reinventingmyself36]

Yes I think we can sense when someone else is dealing with mental illness. We have psychic abilities to naturally see those symptoms in others once we confront our own!

[jonghee in reply to reinventingmyself36]

Agreed!! Once you break through and find that self awareness, everything and everybody become that much clearer!

[Ramjets]

I would say its a strong sense of empathy and perception. I think when you suffer from an illness yourself, you can recognise the symptons in others more easily than non-sufferers as you are more aware. A few well chosen word/phrases can normally confirm this I find x

[jonghee in reply to Ramjets]

So true about the empathy. That is truly the game changer. Self awareness and empathy make for a dastardly combo 😃