You must have heard it said. Most I know have. That the insane often possess incredible strength, often beyond their physical size. You even get phrases like 'can be ten times stronger', thrown into the mixer. What I would like to explore here is the validity of these claims. Is there really a direct and irrefutable link between insanity and greater physical might? Over to you peeps... Jack
I can lift my own weight...I do it every morning when I get out of bed. But then, I am insane....I should expect being able to pull that off.
I think you are confusing the terms "insane" and "retarded". I've heard the phrase "he's got retard strength", such as Sloth from the Goonies. But the answer to your question is no.
No, but there's a direct link between people with mental illnesses and the stupid crap other people believe about it.
I watched the movie Wargames and Pulp Fiction for the upteenth time recently and it occurred to me that not only is tic-tac-toe insoluble but that the rhyme "eeny-meeny miny moe" always winds up on B when dealing with an A-B decision (and starting with A) whether the rhyme is done by syllable or word. As to insanity strength, it's all about control. Most rational and non-insane people always "hold back" some element of strength during a fight for fear of repercussion (i.e. facing some form of discipline from police, school, whatever). Insane and/or retarded individuals do not seem to have this issue. They are definitely NOT stronger.
But would someone insane, possibly be prone to such focused outburst of rage, that they appear to have incredible power?
Drive a sports car as fast as you can around a track. If you have absolutely no fear of losing control of the car and crashing, you will either score the best time imaginable or crash and get severely injured and/or die. Your lap time is partly due to YOU and partly due to the power and handling limitations of the car. If you take YOU out of the equation, its all about the limitations of the car and you will be able to make better lap times if you don't crash.
A perfectly sane person can appear to have incredible power. Sanity has nothing to do with it. But in terms of physical strength, it's absurd to suggest a persons lack of mental health increases the actual ability of their muscles.
I have seen this often , and something close to it has happened to me twice . The key factor , imo , is uncluttered focus . I think the main reason that it is associated with the clinically "insane" is because a certain type of "insane"person--- usually a simple person --- has the capacity for immense focus , with very clear vision in terms of Black/White, Right/Wrong , Appropriate / Inappropriate . Their minds are free of complexity .Their actions can fall into the " Super Human" league when they are emotionally involved . Similarly , there is a point where 'sane" individuals can me moved short term into the "insane" area , when circumstances become so extreme and concentrated , that all other circumstances and matters pale into insignificance , or even disappear . The more extreme the situation and the narrower the focus , the more likely are such happenings .
Never? I've heard it suggested often. Found this, btw http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100220054546AAdf9k9
Truly insane people (basically rabid) or really retarded people have "more strength" because their mind is so (*)(*)(*)(*)ed up they don't care or don't know that they are pushing the limits of what is possible. They don't know that they are hurting themselves (tearing muscles, or even feeling pain). often times insane people have a lot of adrenaline going through their bodies as well, high makes them ridiculously strong to. same thing for drug addicts on a new high. a woman on meth can easily take on a full grown male police officer in a fight. a chimpanzee is four times stronger than the average human... that means a retarded chimpanzee must be a borderline super hero! -Daniel Tosh.
