Looking for a rather long article about a psychotic break

November 18, 2013 2:33 PM

I'm trying to find an article from several years ago written by a man who had had a psychotic break, stayed at a hospital and then was released when he was behaving normally, but still considered himself a robot. The article was written after his break had ended.

I am only remembering bits and pieces of this, so here are the facts I remember:
1.) I think the story occurred in the 90s (I think late 90s, although I could be wrong on this point)
2.) It happened in in either the Pacific Northwest or California for at least part of the story
3.) There may have been an LSD trip that coincided with the start of psychosis
4.) The man was in his late teens/early 20s at the time
5.) The man thought he was a robot for part of his institutionalization and then for some time after he was released and was sleeping on his parent's (or mother's) couch/in his old room
6.) There was a bit of travel by car involved, he may have traveled off the cost during this.
7.) I think there were periods where he was sleeping very little.
8.) I think there may have been some more drugs in the mix there, either taken by him or by friends.

posted by Hactar to Writing & Language (4 answers total)

Best answer: I believe it was one of the essays here, can't go through everything though, still at work. Or, rather, that is the continued blog of the guy that had the story.
posted by kellyblah at 2:43 PM on November 18, 2013

the top article on that blog links to this book in passing. perhaps that (or an extract or review) is what you read?
posted by russm at 3:04 PM on November 18, 2013

Response by poster: kellyblah, that was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
posted by Hactar at 3:06 PM on November 18, 2013

This was the related mefi thread from 2011
posted by elizardbits at 3:22 PM on November 18, 2013