"Why are "cat ladies" "crazy"?" Topic

This just might be the reason:

link

I'm sure dog owners are having a field day with this news.

No research needed, I've worked with one, they just are crazy.

What's the "normal" rate of schizophrenia in the general population? If you get this parasite you are "almost twice as likely to develop schizophrenia." Big deal. Unless schizophrenia is already at high risk incidence, a parasite that less than doubles the incidence is not a huge added concern. All other associations are to be "approached with caution". This is just one of countless possible associations. It gives biologists more to do, of course, tracking down all of those associations. But if people listen to every "report" like this, as they multiply, the more paranoid will simply stop living to avoid all of those "possible associations" with diseases….

The same parasite is supposed to increase risk taking behaviour (like thinking "yeah I can make it" when running across the road as a car approaches). Yet risky behaviour is the exact opposite of the fuddy-duddy cat lady stereotype…

How about the risk of living with a few dozen cats?

Lucky for me my wife is allergic to Cats.

Only had one cat(at a time).

Reporting like this is 100% worthless, beause it always leaves out the actual numbers, to sell the story.

Why use facts when playing on emotions gets more attention. Calling this news is being generous.

… or leaping out of trees and off roofs (risky behaviour)?

Well, if you've got nine lives…

A bit of thread necromancy

What's the "normal" rate of schizophrenia in the general population?

Roughly 1.1% of the adult population, according to NIMH. Children have schizophrenia too, but it is trickier to diagnose and discriminate between other childhood mental illnesses. So there are no reliable numbers. Lets assume a 1% figure to make the math easier. At 319,000,000 people, that is 3,190,000 schizophrenics.

If you get this parasite you are "almost twice as likely to develop schizophrenia." Big deal.

If that's what you want to call 6.4 million people. (Hope my math is right)

What I said….

Look, "they" have also been in the business of assigning names to everything that we do. "Schizophrenia" is almost a buzzword anymore. Most so-called schizos are fully functional. They jaywalk, tailgate, text while driving, miss their taxes due dates, or refuse to pay taxes at all, get into knockdown-drag out fights, divorce, remarry, scream at their neighbors, threaten people with murder, butt into line at the checkout stands, litter, shout at their kids, enjoy sex, are critical of other people's parenting skills, have political opinions that don't make sense to me, hold religious world views that ditto that, and post on TMP Plus. Hmm!

Calling attention to cat parasites is a lucrative employment, I am sure. But it isn't going to change a thing. Nobody is going to start getting shots so that they can safely be around their cats.

Any no, I don't think that doubling the risk of being diagnosed as a schizo is any big deal, since the matter of degree is not included in this study. It simply uses "schizophrenia" as a pejorative, even something to be afraid of.

You know what is more "scary"? Marriage. You take two people of radically different outlooks and meld them together for decades, and wind up with two effectively "schizoid" people. That trumps any asserted risks from kitty cats!…