Mermaiding: A fun hobby or a sign of mental issues?

[Mermaid Elena]

I've recently had conversations with people who strongly believe that our mermaid hobby is unhealthy. In the eyes of an observer, our thing for mermaids is a break from reality and an unhealthy way of communication that withdraws us from society. We obsess over making our tails and creating things as realistic as possible. Then we withdraw ourselves from society by going out in public and swimming in our tails. We allow other people to see our obsession and sometimes take pleasure in the reactions. Additionally, we think there is nothing wrong with it because we talk to hundreds of people online who also think it's normal.

Of course it's different and maybe a little weird but I don't think it's a serious issue like some think it is. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Does being a mermaid take away from your reality or add something special to your life?

[Mermaid Varshana]

Bullshit. Haters gonna hate. There will always be a segment of society that highly values conformity and is scared of what they don't understand. What is this reality they're talking about? these manmade roads and buildings around us? This money and credit that only have value because we say so? Is it strange that a writer spends hours a day in a fictional universe? Is it normal for a man to decorate his home with sports paraphernalia and invent "dream teams?" Fact is, humanity is far too varied and strange to fit into a golden mold. Normal is just a setting on your washer and dryer ;)

[Ketu]

why even analyze it? doesn't everyone have the right to dream a little and enjoy time in their own little world? It works for me! makes me very happy! : )

[Aziara]

Good grief... some people can't stand to see others have fun. The only way it would be a break from reality is if you REALLY believed you were a real mermaid. The difference between obsession and simply liking something is all based in other's opinions. Everyone has at least one thing that they could possibly be called 'obsessed' over... Yes, even those who call us mers obsessed have their own particular obsessions too. Truly, if you can't find something to be obsessed with, life wouldn't be worth all the trouble.

[AniaR]

I think I have only encountered 2-3 people who I'd classify as mentally unstable with their mermaid addiction. And yeah, I say addiction, because it's kinda that bad. But I think any hobby where people dress up, others will mock.

[Mermaid Varshana]

Plus, do these people even HAVE life experience? If mermaiding is strange and sick to them, I'd hate to see how they handle real life problems.

[Mermaid Elena]

But in their minds, we are creating a fantasy world. Even though we know we are not really mermaids, we putting so much time and effort into this hobby that could go towards making relationships, working, interacting with friends or family.

Is this an isolating hobby?

[Mermaid Photine]

I’m pretty sure that swimming is considered healthy, as is using one's imagination and problem solving skills. Also, how is it withdrawing from society if we go out in public? Isn’t that, by definition, participating in society? Is it because we are being seen in a tail? Why is this bad? A kid might see us? . Careful! We might inspire one of them! :o Heaven forbid they use their imagination once and a while.

Edit: Sorry, didn't see your new post

-Why is a fantasy world bad? Do they dislike fiction novels, as well? You can spend hours in a fictional world when you read, and it's far more common than mermaiding.

-Why are they deciding what to do with our time? What if we have friends or family who mermaid? There's nothing wrong with spending time alone, nor is there anything wrong with a fulfilling hobby.

[Mermaid Elena]

The individual who I spoke to showed me this video as a parallel. I must agree, there are many similarities but also many differences. How is what we do different from this girl? It's a little taboo and pretty weird. In the full episode she meets up with others who also wear furry suits and gets her boyfriend to do it. This is very similar to what we do and is seen as a major self esteem issue and child like behavior.

http://youtu.be/F9b7YArC6U8
http://youtu.be/F9b7YArC6U8

[Echidna]

Then we withdraw ourselves from society by going out in public and swimming in our tails. We allow other people to see our obsession and sometimes take pleasure in the reactions.

Huh?
How does this even make sense?
If you go out and interact with people, it's exactly the opposite:doh:

Seriously.
Illogical pseudo-psych talk. Ignore it!

People will -always- be snide if you do anything that is not completely mainstream.
I have relatives who thought I am weird and "nuts" because I swim with a monofin
("normal people swim at the surface using frog-kick").
But since they saw some professional swimmers use them, it's kind of "ok" now :rolleyes:

I've gotten stupid remarks and furious glares throughout my life for everything that was in any way unusual
(reading philosophy and myths as a kid, learning and speaking languages that were considered "inappropriate",
practicing tai-chi and self-defense before it was known in the west, the list goes on endlessly),
so I'm used to it.
And tailswimming has to be one of the best and healthiest activities that exist, so :crazy:

[Brine]

That's funny to me, Elena, because my boyfriend actually is a Furry, and I'm a mermaid. Anyway, to me, it's more like I found home, because ever since I was little, I've dreamed of being a mermaid. When I was really tiny getting my bats, I would hold my feet like a tail, and once I found this place, I kinda just settled right in. To me, it's living a dream, not a fantasy. I know that it's not real, I'm not living in a fantasy world, except for a few hours when I'm swimming, and it's kinda like my unwinding after a harsh reality. So, it's not different than losing yourself in a good book.

[Mermaid Elena]

Although it is a bit of a contradiction, some people believe we label ourselves as outcasts and freaks when we show everyone what we do for fun. While some may think it's cool, many will just judge you and think "weirdo". In the long run, are we withdrawing from society by going against the grain?

[Mermaid Tula]

I've heard that about others too. Mostly Cosplayers, Fursutiers and even party princesses. If anything, I think it helps with some mental issues. I have depression and when I get out in my tail, I don't feel nearly as secluded or anything like that. Plus, like so many others have pointed out, it's healthy!

[Mermaid Varshana]

Look at it this way. I study psychology, do fetish modeling and....humans are weird. Like, really weird, you have no idea. There's an oceans depth of oh-holy-shit weird out there. Mermaiding is NOTHING.

[Mermaid Photine]

Why are we caring what these people think, anyways? They don't seem very nice, accepting, or really that fun to be around at all. "Withdrawing from society" or not, I'd rather be in a place where I am accepted, and that goes for any aspect of life, not just mermaiding.

[Marlin]

@Elena- I would define mermaiding as a mental disorder when it becomes damaging to your life, or if it is causing a severe economic burden. For example- if you can pay your bills, and feed yourself- you should be able to do what makes you happy as long as it is not harming yourself or others.

At the same time- going to the bar and getting drunk can be defined as normal "escapist" behavior, and is not seen as wrong, unless done in excess. Bouncing off of what Raina said; as long as it is not an addiction (much like alcoholics) it is just fine.

Further- we have one of the more active and engaging communities for a hobby I've seen. We have meet-ups, our own social networking website, and several conventions. It is a different hobby, but not an isolating one. I feel that any psychiatrist would define just about anything "not normal" as the manifestation of some sort of mental disorder.

[Mermaid Dottie]

Going against the grain, and thinking outside the box are GOOD things.
Besides, I would put my family and friends before my mermaiding anyway, but they are all super supportive, and think it's cool. (Except my niece, because for some reason it embarrasses her when her friends take pictures with me and get all excited that they met a mermaid. How is saying you're related to someone your friends think is cool embarrassing?)
I've never actually had an adult tell me I was strange or childish because of my tail.

[Mermaid Dottie]

Look at it this way. I study psychology, do fetish modeling and....humans are weird. Like, really weird, you have no idea. There's an oceans depth of oh-holy-shit weird out there. Mermaiding is NOTHING.
^.- my eyebrow raises and my curiosity piques. How weird are human folk?

[deepblue]

I've never heard of such bizarre comments from people, but I associate with a lot of very creative people, and they are all very open minded and cool. When I worked in the corporate world, that's the only place I encountered people who had never heard of cosplay, or mermaiding, or fursuiting, or anything outside of what their everyday world was- and they often couldn't relate to anything outside their own paradigm.

Judging a group of people based on the actions of one person related to that group doesn't make sense and it says a LOT more about the person doing the judging than about the people they're judging.

If a person is addictive or mentally ill in just that way, any hobby could turn into their focus for an obsession. Unfortunately, too many people in the world use the 'one grain of sand equals the whole beach' thinking.

[Mermaidmechanic]

I chalk it up to entertainment. I get bored easily and doing things outside of social norm entertains me. I like to push the comfort zone so long as I'm not conflicting with any of my moral standards (I.E treating people fairly, no drugs, ect). It's different and yes, peoples reactions can be entertaining. It's fun to show someone something they've never seen before... that's sort of the whole concept with why people visit the zoo (to see something unusual). We are in our own way entertaining ourselves by entertaining others. I am by no means a social outcast. I have a very healthy social life, a successful career in which I am respected, and I am a good person who shares and cares for those around me. My friends and family all accept what I do and even get a kick out of it. My friends love to go to the beach with me and my new tail to attempt to prank adults into thinking I'm a real mermaid. We are just having fun and anyone who has a problem with it we just troll for our own enjoyment (I.E once I made a mask you could consider along the lines of fur-suiting. My friends and I all had fun playing with it downtown until a very christian lady came around and started mocking us and saying we were going to hell. We just trolled her and told her that was okay, as we were preparing for a ritual to summon the devil anyway. Her reaction was priceless and still to this day entertains us). Even when I meet new people, they find what I do fascinating. So long as you are confident and don't care about the opinions of the close-minded, others will flock to you because they see that you know how to enjoy life and who honestly doesn't want to enjoy life?

[MerAnthony]

If Mermaiding is a mental disorder then sign me up an put me in a rubber room. I enjoy it as a hobby an I have fun with it an so does my daughter. An I look at it this way if people don't like it then they don't need to look.

[deepblue]

Seriously, and even the people who are what we see as obsessive are happy, and not hurting anyone... who the hell are we to judge?

[Mermaid Photine]

I wish I could like your post, deepblue.

[Mermaid Varshana]

I feel that any psychiatrist would define just about anything "not normal" as the manifestation of some sort of mental disorder.

Nope! :) My therapist actually thinks mermaiding is pretty badass.

@Dottie: Well...

Caution, this will be the weirdest fucking thing you will read all week.

http://freshgrads.sg/articles/opinions/1841-my-little-pony-romance-man-gets-engaged-to-twilight-sparkle#.UcOrpWS9Kc0

any more examples must be shared over PM.

[Mermaid Photine]

Nope! :) My therapist actually thinks mermaiding is pretty badass.

@Dottie: Well...

Caution, this will be the weirdest fucking thing you will read all week.

http://freshgrads.sg/articles/opinions/1841-my-little-pony-romance-man-gets-engaged-to-twilight-sparkle#.UcOrpWS9Kc0

any more examples must be shared over PM.


Twilight Sparkle is not real. She’s not even the same species as him. But at least she’s the right gender.

Sorry. Can't get past that line.

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Historical Re-Enactors
LARPers
Pencil and Paper Role-Playing Gamers
People active in Guilds/Superteams on Online Games
Artists
Actors
Stand-Up Comedians
Ventriloquists/Puppeteers
People who have enough automobile know-how to "pimp" cars
Comic Book Fans
Romance Novel Enthusiasts
Bodybuilders and Gym Bunnies
Vegans and Vegetarians
Tattoo collectors
People who celebrate Talk Like A Pirate Day
People who celebrate Bloomsday
People who celebrate Eliza Doolittle Day
Drag Queens
GLBTQA people
Real Life Superheroes
Skateboarders
Surfers
Parkour/FreeRunners
Tough Mudders
Deaf Culture
Martial Artists
The Military
Karaoke Singers
Opera Singers
Professional Dancers
Neopagans
Radical Faeries
BDSM
Bears
Bikers
Bronies and Pegasisters
Cosplayers
Gothic Lolita
Hippies
White Hat Hackers
Military Brats
Nudists/Naturists
Otaku
Pokemon Fans
Magic: The Gathering Players
Polyamory
Straight Edge
Trekkies/Trekkers
Polar Bear Clubs
Twins, Triplets, Quadruplets, Quintuplets, Sextuplets, Septuplets, and the extremely scarce Octuplets out there
Catholics
Islamic People
Jewish People
Hindu People
Buddhist People
Taoist People
Confucian People
Shinto People
Sikhs
Jains
Bahá'í
Rastafarians
Chefs
Religious Sisters and Monks
Priests, Ministers, Rabbis, etc
Amish
The Roma
Zoroastrians
Lawyers
Clowns
Doctors
Nurses
Masseurs/Masseuses
Grandmothers
Grandfathers
Parents
Teachers
Kindergarteners
Model Train Enthusiasts
Skydivers
SCUBA Divers
Skiiers and Snowboarders
Farmers
Zookeepers
Police Officers
Firefighters
Rodeo circuit fans and entertainers
Ren Faire Folke
Detectives
YouTube Personalities
People with insects, rats, mice, ferrets, arachnids, reptiles, birds, starfish, seahorses, pigs, and stranger animals (or basically ANYTHING besides dogs and cats) as pets
Mascots
Cheerleaders
Athletes
Reiki Masters
Cartoonists
People (especially women) with more than one cat
Ballet Dancers
Freestyle Rappers
Photographers
Poets
Writing Groups
People Who Don't Drink Coffee (for whatever reason)
People Who Don't Drink Alcohol (for whatever reason)
People with Allergies
Board Game Fans
Primarily Spanish Speaking People in the U.S.
Geneologists
People in Mourning
Country Music Fans
Stenographers
Magicians
Sewers and Knitters
Wargamers
People Who Randomly Sing in Cars, the Rain, or in public

What do all of these things (and "mers" as well) have in common? They all do things, connect with and talk with and interact with people, have rituals and spend a great deal of money, often in public, doing things that would seem outrageous, bizarre, scary, freakish, weird, crazy, unstable, laughable, and mental in anyone else, or that other people simply do not do. Are there lines? Of course. Do some people cross those lines, with tragic results? Absolutely. But society exists on a level of trust. I trust that if I see an old lady (or a college guy) knitting in public that they're not going to stab my eyes out. I trust that if I see someone jogging down the street in underarmor in January, that it's just because joggers are crazy like that and their bodies generate heat, and not that I should change into something equally skintight. I can go out and sing karaoke at a bar without worrying that people will force me to drink alcohol, that the drag queen hosts will give me a fabulous makeover (and somehow get rid of my five o'clock shadow), or that I have to be under 22 to talk to the college students there (or over 45 to talk to the married couple there). People trust that I will not dress in black and stick one of those magnetic flag things on top of my car and drive out into traffic, ignoring stoplights and opposing traffic unless I am actually part of a funeral party, or that I won't actually start using my shotokan karate moves in public unless I am at a class or tournament, or I am being threatened and my life (or the lives of those I care about) is in danger. It is not unhealthy to have hobbies, passions, and interests that certain other people don't share. It is not a break from reality (to my knowledge, none of us have fallen so deeply under our mersonas that we've attempted to breathe water). It is not childish... especially not compared to some of the actions and attitudes of a whole mess of people (see above) and, in fact, your acquaintances' tactics of peer pressure and undermining something you enjoy and are interested in does reveal that they are not living the healthiest lifestyle, mentally, and that they, perhaps, are still acting like children in grade school, where fitting in socially with one group in particular seemed to offer any tangible benefits. All of the above groups connect with and have a subculture that, while maybe in need of some greater socialization at times, really provides a great deal of socialization and mutual shared interests. Pretending that those subcultures don't exist is fine... but think of all the things you miss out on... the wonders, beauties, and truths of life.

Life is too short to live in the closet, no matter what you are. And honestly, coming out of the closet and sharing your passion and interests with others is often considered more healthy by many psychiatrists and psychologists and sociologists. You might look up some details of coming out in the GLBT community and the benefits it offers before throwing around the term "mental issue".

[MerAnthony]

:jawdrop:

[Mermaid Varshana]

*standing ovation*

Humans do not fit into pretty boxes; they are beautifully messy and diverse :)

[Alveric]

Sanity is for the weak-minded.

[Mermaid Allie]

OMG joys and raptors please go publish that as your first novel.

[Mermaid Varshana]

OMG joys and raptors please go publish that as your first novel.
You should read it. I did. Took 10 minutes. And it was the perfect response to the issue at hand.

[spottedcatfish]

JoYandRaptorsUnrestrained: You forgot the most important group. Us! Nice list btw!

[blenny]

Humans have to disconnect from reality regularly or that in itself can cause mental issues. If mermaiding were more a part of a longstanding culture or religion it would be the accepted norm. But as long as you are with like minded people and having fun, it should be no big deal. However.. obsessive or addictive behavior will manifest itself in all facets of life, and you would have to ask yourself do you need to seek advice or help if addictions are found out of free time with freinds.

[Toxotes]

If I think about it, being part of the mer community or being a zombie, the result is clear.

Or as Mr P.Morgan would say:
Why does anyone need a mermaid/merman tail? :doh:

[Azurin Luna]

I totally agree with Joy. I see the same thing happening in the fursuiter groep I'm in.

[Seyani]

Hmm.. I guess it depends on the person.. It doesn't matter really what hobby it is. I've met a few people who were obsessive with collecting toys, gundams etc for example. People can take their hobby too far and forget about everything else since they make their hobby priority number 1 and that can cause problems of course. o.o

[Ariel-Starfish]

Well, 2,days ago i've gone out camping with my art class. When we went for a swim by the lake I had my tail with me. (This was my first mer-swim in public: SO MUCH FUN) It was no problem to the teachers i had my tail on. They just let me do my thing. Also other students wheren't botheted, but I got some questions like; did i made it myself, was it made for swimming etc, afther we went back to out camping place, later pn the evening, a teacher spokr to me about the tail. Asking i was doing this quite some time. I was telling him about my realistic tail I am getting. He found it weird I was spending so much money on 'a mermaid costume' Also he was asking if I knew other people that where doing this and I told him about Mernetwork etc. After saying that he was like; no thanks! With a weird face and slowly walked away...

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Thanks for the compliments everyone!

Mermaid Allie, I actually have about ten or eleven first novel ideas, so I think I'll hold off on this one.

Spottedcatfish, if you'll look, I included mers in the sentence immediately following the list of other possible groups and subcultures.

In response to Ariel Starfish' story, I'll share that last night I was at my usual drag queen-hosted karaoke haunt, and one of the other regulars there (a straight guy who sings rock songs really well) said that he'd realized he didn't know much about me, so he decided to "facebook stalk" me, and brought up the merman thing. I explained, and he thought it sounded really cool. Getting back to the topic, diverging from the norm can make people uncomfortable, but it can also make them comfortable, instead, and encourage them to share some of their interests that are off the beaten path.

[Mermaid Varshana]

As for the tails costing so much as Ariel Starfish mentioned, there's the odd person who thinks that it's weird I spent $1600 fixing my dog's knee, since she's "just an animal." I don't like to discuss money with anyone other than my husband. To me, that rates right up there with my religion and my menstruation cycles on the "None of Your Goddamned Businessometer." As for my Shelly tail, mostly people ask how much it cost because they want one, too :)

[Alveric]

I'm actually on that list 15 times. Wonder if that's enough?

[Echidna]

I'm actually on that list 15 times. Wonder if that's enough?

me, 22 times :D and not even trying (I don't know what some of the things in the list are supposed to be)
Do I win?...

why are both ballet dancers and (professional) dancers listed?
...nevermind, guess you can be a ballet dancer without being a prof dancer, so yeah.

[Mermaid Tula]

I think Professional dancers and ballet dancers are on the list because people can get so obsessive about being perfect that they hurt themselves. Example: Ballet foot. Working yourself until you can't walk or even stand. Etc.

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

I have 43 on the list, counting things I'm curious about or interested in trying. I did think of ballet foot specifically, and yeah, ballet can be an interest without being a career, among other features, goals, and the like common to each kind of dancer.

But I don't want to derail the thread, either.

[Little_Orca]

I am weird, and I have a mental illness (technically, it's at least in the DSM), but my mermaiding is not a symptom of it. No where in the DSM handbook is being a mermaid criteria for any illness. ;)

[telzey.amberdon]

Ralph Waldo Emerson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson)'s line, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds," from the essay Self-Reliance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-Reliance)

[deepblue]

I am weird, and I have a mental illness (technically, it's at least in the DSM), but my mermaiding is not a symptom of it. No where in the DSM handbook is being a mermaid criteria for any illness. ;)

LOL I love that. And truthfully- I've got all sorts of mental crap going on, have since I was 13. In no way do my particular mental situations make me delusional. And since my love of the sea and mermaids (as well as selkies and other fantasy and mythical sea creatures) are probably the most positive things in my life, and bring me to the most positive of places... not only is there nothing wrong with any of it, it's one of the greatest gifts I give myself.

I'm convinced, anyway, that people who want to crush the dreams of others do it because their own were crushed, or they never had any, and they can't understand. The old saying that people fear what they don't understand is so often true, and people strike out in all sorts of sad ways when they don't understand something.

ETA- Little Orca is right by the way, I just did a search and the word 'mermaid' doesn't even come up in the DSM. :p

[Goldie]

Well, 2,days ago i've gone out camping with my art class. When we went for a swim by the lake I had my tail with me. (This was my first mer-swim in public: SO MUCH FUN) It was no problem to the teachers i had my tail on. They just let me do my thing. Also other students wheren't botheted, but I got some questions like; did i made it myself, was it made for swimming etc, afther we went back to out camping place, later pn the evening, a teacher spokr to me about the tail. Asking i was doing this quite some time. I was telling him about my realistic tail I am getting. He found it weird I was spending so much money on 'a mermaid costume' Also he was asking if I knew other people that where doing this and I told him about Mernetwork etc. After saying that he was like; no thanks! With a weird face and slowly walked away...
And this jerk off is a TEACHER??? Way to teach people to go for their dreams.

[Mermaid Oshun]

I like the fact that I am weird too. I think being different is something to be proud of. I do understand, however, that everything is not for everyone. So some things are to be reserved for only those who can appreciate them.

[Ashe]

This is to sum up myself:

Isolating? Absolutely not. I have many friends who I hang out with on a day to day basis, and am holding a steady relationship with my BF.
Time wasting? No, I work on my tails and go on Mernetwork when I have free time. School, Family, Friends, and volunteering all come before mermaids.
Money buster? Maybe a *little* bit, but I save up for this stuff, and It's what I want to do with my own money.
Obsessive? Not at all in my case. If anything, I have an obsession with the ocean, not just mermaids. I know I am not a real mer, nor do I wish to be one.

Made me a better person? Hell. Yes. Becoming a mer has done so much for me. I feel so much more free and I'm not afraid to be myself. Making tails, drawing mermaids, and even just reading or seeing them on the web has opened up my imagination and sparked my creativity to the point where others have noticed.

That is just summing up myself, not everyone. Yes, I have seen some people who may take it a bit too seriously, but I mean thats their choice, right?

[deepblue]

Weird is relative. I think it's weird that there are people who really believe there is one basic way to live and that everything else is wrong... but as long as they don't interfere with my life, they can have it.

[Seraphina Suds]

People are just stupid and love to bring down others when they don't understand something. Lots of things have been considered a mental illness and have come and gone in the DSM. I highly doubt mermaiding will ever make it in; it's a hobby, not a condition. Mermaiding could be a coping mechanism for many, I'm sure.

The only way I could see it being close to a mental illness is if someone with some kind of psychosis really and truly believed they were a merperson. Then they'd be a danger to themselves and I could understand why uninformed people would be concerned.

[Mermaid Kelda]

Hi Gabriel -
First up, this thread is two years old. It's great you want to contribute but it's generally forum etiquette not to post on very old threads.

Secondly, we try not to post more than once in a row. It looks like you've hit "reply" on every post you wanted to respond to, so there's no context - to quote a post, you need to hit "quote" instead. Try to group all your replies into one post. To do this you click the button that looks like a speech bubble with a plus sign next to it on all the posts you want to quote, then click reply to thread at the very bottom.

[Lucinda]

Hi Gabriel -
First up, this thread is two years old. It's great you want to contribute but it's generally forum etiquette not to post on very old threads.



From what I've read, it's forum etiquette to avoid starting new threads about a topic if there's already a thread about it. Mind you, by digging up an old thread there is no guarantee that the original poster(s) will respond to any new questions. Others might be interested in the topic, though.

[Mermaid Kelda]

That's true, but it depends on the content of the thread and whether or not the post brings anything new to the table. I suppose in the end it's up to the mods to decide what's appropriate and what's not.

[Lucinda]

Fair point. Sometimes it's just hard to follow one guideline without deviating from another.

[Prince Calypso]

normal is relative.
whats normal for the shark is chaos for the sea turtle.

my boyfriend is a furry and an ex larper
i'm a mermaid a a witch and i cosplay.
most of my friends are furries, gamers and the dungeon and dragon types
but that's considered weird fine.
but if that's weird so are fantasy football leagues and people who spend nearly a thousand dollars on sporting events and memorabilia.

[Merman Dan]

"Thinking outside the box might be facilitated by having a somewhat less intact box" - Dr Fredrik Ullén

(from Dopamine system in highly creative people similar to that seen in schizophrenics, study finds (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100518064610.htm))