Freaking Out

I just listened to a recording of a flight attendant who freaked out and began screaming over the intercom during a flight. It must have been terrifying for the passengers but it's also an indication of what lies inside all of us if we don't maintain control.

Anyone who has been under severe stress knows how close to the surface an episode like this can be. The more stress, the more difficult it is for us to behave in a controlled manner. Just watch someone who accidently comes in contact with something they fear (spider, snake, etc.). All personal control flies out the window when our stress level soars beyond our ability to cope.

Every single person you deal with every single day is showing a facade of what they really are inside. We usually behave in a way that presents us the way we want to be viewed but it may be far from the reality of what and who we really are. The transmission man who robbed me of $2000 this year had a big smile on his face but I swear there was evil in his eyes. I believe you can read a person just by looking into their eyes and not being fooled by a phony smile.

My heart goes out to that flight attendant because they must have been going through hell for a long time trying to hide their misery from the world. Something must have happened to crack the facade...like the straw that broke the camel's back...to make them lose control of themselves. Who knows what demons they've been fighting or for how long. And now it's the job of a good psychiatrist to help put those demons back in the box. I wish them luck.