Archaeologists and Mental Illness

[Pete M]

Now for something completely different! The question is - are there a higher proportion of people who have suffered mental illness in the archaeological profession/at university than other professions?

I have met quite a few people working on excavations who have had mental problems like Schizophrenia, depression, nervous breakdowns,drug addiction (I once had to pull the van over so one digger could chase the dragon before we did a survey), and the like. I'm pretty sure I was one of the large number of males who get a bit of Schizophrenia in their mid 20s, but put it down to excessive living and magic mushrooms by the bucketful.

I also remember being told that homes/institutions used to send patients on excavations for therapy.

So I'm wondering if archaeologist's are self-treating mentals, or subconsiously preventing something?? Or restless souls looking for an answer. Any truth in this theory?.

I don't expect everyone to publically confess their personal problems, and I am not making light of mental illness (although the odd joke is always welcome) but has anyone else noticed this? Do you reckon archaeology attracts oddballs (not just externally)? Or creates them?

Someone asked about community archaeology on a recent thread - how about care in the community archaeology.

Even if you are not mad, please contribute.

[troll]

Not entirely sure what to say about all that sir! A flippant remark would be that we must be barking to do the job in the current conditions anyway! On a more serious note, people of all shades are attracted to archaeology but perhaps a common thread would be a desire to understand who we all are through the study of behaviour and in some ways, perhaps for some, this can be a doorway to understanding themselves? After all-define madness? One rather pressing need would be to remove said foil-chaser and all such chemically challenged from site, or the van. Homes and institutions no longer send patients on digs-just to the IFA (just jestin..).A question for you, how can we profess to study people when not one undergraduate course includes psychology? How can we profess to understand dynamics and process without the first clue as to the nature of the causal agents themselves?....

[Beki]

I would say that archaeology attracts 'interesting' people. I don't know weather it drives you a bit 'mad' but i would say it is a type of therapy. Its the outdoors, the fresh air...its helped me a great deal over the years.

Unlike other jobs, archaeology is a job that you actually want to go and do every day, no matter how depressed or upset you are.

Maybe it does drive us a bit potty, i mean we do mix with all types of people on site and we each pick up on each others weird habits!

[Maltaire]

Well, I must be mentally ill...
I have a chance to get job in UE intitution as a secretary. They must pay well. They asked me if I am interested in recruitment in Luxemburg, I answered "yes, ofcourse" but it was a lie. I am not so sure if I really want that.
****....
Kurwa kurwa

But still... I met my best friends at university, we were in some way similar... they were different kind of people than those met earlier in high school or later in various places and situations.
Besides, I know quite well what depression is. Never again

[the invisible man]

Just to be the wet blanket, I would add that if one aspires to professional status, substance abuse should not be tolerated on site or in the workplace. That van should have returned straight away to HQ and the individual been plonked out.



Today, Bradford. Tomorrow, well, Bradford probably.

[deepdigger]

quite agree, no place for substance abuse on any site. not even a toke on the old soapbar.

deep

[Beki]

I don't like people smoking on site...specially if you're taking samples...

but drugs is a no no...

[Digger]

Ummmm. New a director of Irelands discovery program. He pointed out that they undertake three interviews for positions as two is not enough to sort out who the nutters are. Lets just say that archaeology attracts sum. er.. colourful people. Mostly harmless and good fun. Perhaps just a reflective micro world of the big one.

[Alfie]

I would say that archaeology either attracts or perhaps even maintains the marginalised. The other side is of course that itinerant workers often exist outside of "society" proper and so become marginalised.
It also seems to attract people with unusual surnames....

[troll]

And of course, the ubiquitous and extraordinarily silly, hat. Not been called an itinerant worker before-tis actually extremely accurate.