Curing Insanities

[Library Ogre]

Well, there's the Super-Psionic power of "Cure Insanity"... if you can get someone who's willing to cast it constantly, or burn ISP for you.

[asajosh]

it looks like all types of insanties & mental abberations are detectable (in fact you can tell the difference) by the Mind Bleeder power of Brain Scan.

then you can use Mind Wipe to get rid of them.

should the Mind Melter have access to Brain Scan or would Psychic Diagnosis handle the issue (or another power) ?

I can't see a Mind Melter not being on par with a Mind Bleeder with regards to the brain, especially since memories can be erased by a Mind Wipe (the power mentions "to erase whatever he desires")

So there could be hope for you Fourth Dimensional Transformers + Crazy's if your party's friend is a ...

I have to disagree about this use of mind wipe. It attacks memories, not insanities (which are by and large not tied to memory).

Example, A character's family are eaten by a dragon when the PC is a child. As expected, the PC develops a phobia of dragons and large reptiles. Now somewhere along the way they get that traumatic event permanently Mind Wiped out. The PC will no longer have his phobia.

However a schitzophrenic character can be mind wiped till the cows come home, to the point of obliterating ALL memories, but he'll still be schitzo (visual and aditory hallucinations, etc) because taht insanity has nothing to do with memory.

[DrBeau]

...stuff...

You have to read the word "insanities" in Palladium as "insanities caused by trauma" most of the time. If we differentiate "mental illness" (schizo, other "natural" insanities) from "insanities" (mind breaks due to trauma), then Palladium insanities could all conceivably be cured by a Mind Wipe (with the exception of things like Crazies, etc.). Erased the cause of trauma, erase the results.

[asajosh]

Potatoe Potato DrBeau
In modern context "insanity" and "mental ilness" are are virtually synonimous.
To alledge that "X" causes a mental illness and "Y" causes an "insanity" is splitting hairs on the most base level.

Obviously, in my campaigns, any insanity (mentall ilness, evil spirits in your head, whatever you choose to call it) that is not directly caused by a traumatic memory will not be mind wiped away.

Thank you for dumbing down and regurgitating the bulk of my post for the other mouth breathers.

[DrBeau]

Potatoe Potato DrBeau

Well I wasn't trying to regurjitate your post. I was just trying to better clarify what I believed the OP was talking about when he said "insanity". Also, I didn't regurgitate your post. I said, at the basest terms:

Trama caused mind issue = Palladium insanity
Non-Trama caused mind issue = NOT Palladium insanity

[BillionSix]

I have to disagree about this use of mind wipe. It attacks memories, not insanities (which are by and large not tied to memory).

Example, A character's family are eaten by a dragon when the PC is a child. As expected, the PC develops a phobia of dragons and large reptiles. Now somewhere along the way they get that traumatic event permanently Mind Wiped out. The PC will no longer have his phobia.

Really? What if the loss of the memory doesn't cure the phobia. You just don't know what causes it. And it's even harder to get rid of, because you can no longer face the traumatic memory and learn to overcome it.

Anyway, insanities are hard to get rid of simply by use of psychic powers. This is because psychic abilities tend to be blunt instruments, so to speak.

But I wonder what those abilities would be like in skilled hands.

Maybe someone could design a Psychic Shrink O.C.C.
Someone who mixes the psychic curative abilities, as well as empathy and telepathy, with actual psychological skill, and uses these to effect permanent cures much more quickly and effectively than a normal psychiatrist or psychic ever could. Using his psychic abilities like a scalpel instead of a blunt object.
They could overcome phobias and other trauma or personality based problems, and help people more easily deal with ones that have a more biological basis.

Just a thought.

Brian

[asajosh]

Potatoe Potato DrBeau

Well I wasn't trying to regurjitate your post. I was just trying to better clarify what I believed the OP was talking about when he said "insanity". Also, I didn't regurgitate your post. I said, at the basest terms:

Trama caused mind issue = Palladium insanity
Non-Trama caused mind issue = NOT Palladium insanity

Ahh a spelling attack, the last recourse of the lost. What's next? I'm a big meany face I suppose too!

[DrBeau]

Potatoe Potato DrBeau

Well I wasn't trying to regurjitate your post. I was just trying to better clarify what I believed the OP was talking about when he said "insanity". Also, I didn't regurgitate your post. I said, at the basest terms:

Trama caused mind issue = Palladium insanity
Non-Trama caused mind issue = NOT Palladium insanity

Ahh a spelling attack, the last recourse of the lost. What's next? I'm a big meany face I suppose too! :lol:

Now I'm just confused. I'm not trying to attack you in any way. Also, sorry about my bad spelling, I guess?

:-/

[asajosh]

I have to disagree about this use of mind wipe. It attacks memories, not insanities (which are by and large not tied to memory).

Example, A character's family are eaten by a dragon when the PC is a child. As expected, the PC develops a phobia of dragons and large reptiles. Now somewhere along the way they get that traumatic event permanently Mind Wiped out. The PC will no longer have his phobia.

Really? What if the loss of the memory doesn't cure the phobia. You just don't know what causes it. And it's even harder to get rid of, because you can no longer face the traumatic memory and learn to overcome it.

Anyway, insanities are hard to get rid of simply by use of psychic powers. This is because psychic abilities tend to be blunt instruments, so to speak.

But I wonder what those abilities would be like in skilled hands.

Maybe someone could design a Psychic Shrink O.C.C.
Someone who mixes the psychic curative abilities, as well as empathy and telepathy, with actual psychological skill, and uses these to effect permanent cures much more quickly and effectively than a normal psychiatrist or psychic ever could. Using his psychic abilities like a scalpel instead of a blunt object.
They could overcome phobias and other trauma or personality based problems, and help people more easily deal with ones that have a more biological basis.

Just a thought.

Brian

Hmm, you have a point that most psinoics in RIFTS are broad strokes, and I sure wouldn't want my doctor curing me with an axe
I reitterate for the last time: Using mind wipe should work to cure an insanity (insert whatever synonim for "insanity" you feel fits here) caused by a specific memory or series of memories. Otherwise you'll need to try a differnet power. Thats how this GM rules it, how I've had it ruled by other GMs, and my players generally agree with my logic.

Dig your Psionic Shirnk OCC Brian, may I humbly suggest fleshing that out and submitting it to the Rifter?

[Library Ogre]

Potatoe Potato DrBeau

Well I wasn't trying to regurjitate your post. I was just trying to better clarify what I believed the OP was talking about when he said "insanity". Also, I didn't regurgitate your post. I said, at the basest terms:

Trama caused mind issue = Palladium insanity
Non-Trama caused mind issue = NOT Palladium insanity

Ahh a spelling attack, the last recourse of the lost. What's next? I'm a big meany face I suppose too!

Where do you see a spelling attack?

[DrBeau]

Where do you see a spelling attack?

We discussed it in PM, like civilized people. Our bickering is over.

[shiiv-a]

i kinda like that thought ... but i have to ask ... in regards to the Psychic shrink OCC ... how in depth will you go to cure someone? ...

have the perfect candidate

teen that survived 'dark day' ... then about 2 months of the aftershocks [she was a psiren and suffered greatly] .. and is now a hair-trigger reactionary type.

[Rockwolf66]

i kinda like that thought ... but i have to ask ... in regards to the Psychic shrink OCC ... how in depth will you go to cure someone? ...

have the perfect candidate

teen that survived 'dark day' ... then about 2 months of the aftershocks [she was a psiren and suffered greatly] .. and is now a hair-trigger reactionary type.

As a Psychology Major and accociate of several Mentally ill people. I would like to see a Psychic Psycologist. My guess is that they would be

A:have put in the years of training to be a psychologist. a master Psychic.
B: a master Psychic.
C: have access to the Mind Bleeder powers of Brain scan and Mental Block Removal or something similar.

Unlike in the comic books most psychologists want their patients to get better and become constructive members of society.