Think About It

          Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who made an outlandish comment?  Maybe you were discussing their relationship with their parents and they said, “I hope I never have to see them again!” or the conversation was about their depressed state and they blurted out, “Maybe it would be best if I were just dead.”.  When this happens our first reaction is a strong desire to be somewhere else at that moment, but our most probable response is to say something like, “How can you say that?  That is dumb!  You don’t really mean it!”  While our comments are meant to logically assess the statements that were made, that may not be what that person needs to hear at that moment.  When this happens there are a few things in play – first, the person is most likely not operating from a logical perspective and secondly, they feel safe enough with us to make these statements.  They are reacting to their intense emotional state and ignoring rational thought and, interestingly, for wh