Sweet Nostalgia of the 80s

Chapter 2443: Chapter 2436: Am I Mentally Ill?

”So you’re saying I have psychiatric issues? That I’m mentally ill?” Yan Huan’s lips trembled, hardly able to believe what she was hearing.

”No! No! No!” Jason knew Yan Huan had misunderstood and hurried to explain, ”I’m saying you have psychological issues, not that there’s something wrong with your brain. This is a psychological disorder, not a mental illness!”

”Is there any difference?” Yan Huan didn’t quite understand.

Back in those days, if someone was seen as mentally ill, people would always look at them through tinted glasses afterwards.

Even though Yan Huan was somewhat unconventional, she still couldn’t accept such a label.

”Of course there’s a difference.” Jason struggled to explain to Yan Huan, ”Mental illness is a disorder. It’s a brain issue... But a psychological disorder is a...”

Jason found himself unable to continue explaining to Yan Huan.

He hadn’t yet figured out how to explain this to the preconceived Yan Huan, so he cast a pleading look towards Ji Chuan.

Ji Chuan’s concerns were not unfounded.

Currently, many people were unclear about the concept of psychological disorders, and not many paid attention to it.

”Jason, don’t look at Ji Chuan! Look at me, and explain to me what exactly is wrong with me!” Yan Huan’s face flushed with urgency. She had never imagined that after living for thirty years, she would see herself as mentally ill.

”Yan Huan, don’t worry! I’ll explain to you.” Ji Chuan took a deep breath and, after choosing his words carefully, slowly said to Yan Huan, ”First of all, you must remember that your body is very healthy. You haven’t got any illnesses. This includes your brain; you are not a mental patient.”

”And then...” Yan Huan stared tensely at Ji Chuan’s forehead.

”People have many emotions, like tension, anxiety, fear. These emotions manifest physically. For example, when you’re nervous, you might swallow frequently or feel the need to go to the bathroom. When anxious, you might pull at your hair or even vomit. When afraid, your legs might feel weak, your breathing might become rapid, or you might even feel unable to move. These are all normal reactions. Your reactions are too intense, beyond normal responses, and that’s a problem.” Ji Chuan tried to give the most common examples to explain psychological disorders and ease her anxiety.

”So you mean I’m overreacting?” Yan Huan voiced her thoughts.

”Yes! You understand correctly.” Ji Chuan exhaled lightly, ”So your experiences aren’t diseases but overreactions to emotions. For instance, your asthma, your fear of blood. Jason and I both believe this is the result of some psychological trigger. Perhaps something makes you too tense, or something frightens you too much?”

Yan Huan looked at Ji Chuan for a long time, eyes a bit blank: ”No. I’m not tense, and I’m not scared.”

”No?” Ji Chuan was taken aback.

”No!”

”Like the first time you were received by the army commander? Or the major military drills? Or during a significant moment in your life, weren’t you tense? Or had you never been tense?”

”No.” Yan Huan indeed had not experienced what Ji Chuan mentioned, ”I grew up in the army compound. What kind of leaders haven’t I seen? I’ve never been tense.”