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About this quote

What does it mean?
Approaching mental illness with common sense assumptions risks dismissing the patient's actual experience as delusion.
In plain terms
Do not assume someone with mental illness is simply deluded.
What can you take from it?
Avoid dismissing mental health struggles as simple delusion.

Where it applies

  • psychiatric care
  • personal support
  • public discourse

Putting it to work

  • listen to patients
  • avoid assumptions

Questions to consider

  • How do you react to unexpected behavior?
  • Why is common sense insufficient for mental health?

Another view

Some cases of mental illness do involve significant delusion.

More from Ludwig Wittgenstein

  1. You get tragedy where the tree, instead of bending, breaks.

    Permalink to quote #136
  2. Tell them I've had a wonderful life.

    Permalink to quote #138
  3. What is troubling us is the tendency to believe that the mind is like a little man within.

    Permalink to quote #135

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