It's a cheap device to demonise mental health sufferers in 11/22/63

[Manxkitti]

Myself, I have mental health issues, (bipolar disorder, anxiety, agoraphobia). I don't think King demonizes people with mental health issues at all. Just my humble opinion. Tho I don't normally tell people about it because the look on their face when I tell them. Like I'm going to "go nuts" or something. Because in general, people who have mental health issues tend to have some discrimination. Just IMHO.

[Shasta]

Maybe it's just my memory (the horrid thing it likes to sometime's be), but I have no idea what the 'guest' is even talking about on this one. Perhaps that's because I found nothing to take personal offense to in this novel?

IDK

I DON'T EITHER!!!

And I don't like this "unregistered" thing.

[GNTLGNT]

..."Flame on!"....

...once again, opinion posted before knowing the depth & breadth of the author's work...and how he has ALWAYS treated all subjects with attention to detail and compassion...also, Mr/Ms OP....the "disabled" have played key and heroic roles in more than one of his works...best not cry before you're actually hurt...

[Unregistered]

Talking about specific crazy people who deserve to die, it's a fine line between this and generalising about crazy people. mad doesn't have to mean bad

Most people are ignorant about an issue that is as serious as Civil Rights

[PrisonerNumber6]

Well, if by the phrases mental illness or mental health or mental disorder, if you're talking about things like OCD (which I've had since age 5 I think, and yes i have reached the hand washing stage) then, well, I don't know what to say, except maybe join the club. I believe I remember an interview somewhere where Mr. K said he has a mild form of OCD. I'm willing to bet it's a mental version of tourette's syndrome, and I'm further willing to believe both on brought on by stress, a subject I side with Mr. K on in saying that it's one thing many readers of horror fiction have in common. I even believe Mr. K has used his own fiction to chronicle some of his own mental struggles and failings.

If such things as tourette's, OCD, Bipolar and Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD's syndrome for short (and here I'll admit I'm convinced Mr. K suffers from that last one). If any of these qualify as mental illness, if they in fact qualify as different forms of clinical neurosis ( I'm convinced they are) well then handling those issues is I guess a matter of helping you help yourself. Believe it or not, my own OCD used to bad, way bad, yet incredibly enough I seem to have gotten a handle on it with time. If neurosis as here defined is a social problem then I'll leave you with this thought from that late great eminent sage and Beatle.

Since our problems have been our own creation, they also can be overcome.
- George Harrision.

Be seeing you.

[bryantburnette]

Don't feed the trolls, people.

[PatInTheHat]

Don't feed the trolls, people.

Then whatever shall I do with this huge stockpile of expired sugar free, lactose intolerant, Ex-lax infused pot brownies?????

[Doc Wilson]

You are silly to be offended, but I must say the post got me thinking. *Are* there any examples from the King canon where the good guy is the crazy one? That would be kind of interesting...

[Moderator]

You are silly to be offended, but I must say the post got me thinking. *Are* there any examples from the King canon where the good guy is the crazy one? That would be kind of interesting...

Not crazy but with mental health challenges, Tom Cullen and Duddits as good guys come immediately to mind.

[Doc Wilson]

Not crazy but with mental health challenges, Tom Cullen and Duddits as good guys come immediately to mind.

Yep, and Susanna/Odetta surely qualifies. Roland has to battle some inner demons as well, come to think of it.