Talking to Crazy

1. Lean into the Crazy: The Counterintuitive Path to Connection

If you treat them as if they’re nuts and you’re not, they’ll bite down deeper on their crazy thinking.

Embrace counter-intuition. When faced with irrational behavior, our instinct is often to argue, reason, or ignore, but these approaches only intensify the "crazy." Instead, the key is to "lean into the crazy," which means entering their reality without judgment. This radical shift in dynamic disarms the irrational person, making them less defensive and more open to connection.

The dog analogy. Imagine a dog biting your hand: pulling away makes it bite harder, but pushing your hand deeper forces it to release. Similarly, by acknowledging and even validating their irrationality (without agreeing with it), you disrupt their expected response. This unexpected move can transform an assailant into an ally, as seen when the author disarmed an enraged driver by expressing his own despair, turning the attacker into a protector.

The Sanity Cycle. This six-step process replaces the instinctive fight-or-flight response. It involves recognizing their irrationality, identifying their M.O., realizing it's not about you, entering their world calmly, showing yourself as an ally, and finally, guiding them to sanity. This cycle empowers you to navigate emotional situations with confidence and control, breaking free from ineffective communication patterns.

2. Uncover the Roots: Why People Act Irrationally

Most people who behave irrationally aren’t even remotely psychotic, but like psychotic people, they’re unable to think sanely.

The triune brain. Irrationality stems from a misalignment of our three brains: the primitive reptilian brain (survival), the paleomammalian middle brain (emotions), and the neomammalian upper brain (logic). Under stress, these brains can disconnect or become rigidly aligned, trapping individuals in thought patterns that don't make sense in the present. This "triunal rigidity" prevents them from responding to reason.

Pathways to crazy. Early life experiences significantly shape our mental alignment. Three common pathways lead to chronic crazy:

• Coddling: Leads to entitlement, whining, manipulation, and addictive behaviors ("Someone will do things for me").
• Criticizing: Fosters anger, bitterness, and blame, making individuals feel "never good enough."
• Ignoring: Cultivates fear, withdrawal, pessimism, and a "better not take chances" attitude.
  In contrast, consistent "supporting" nurtures adaptability and resilience, leading to a "I can do this" mindset.

Hologram of the past. Chronically irrational people live in a "hologram of their own making," a fiction based on past experiences. They perceive the world as dangerous and constantly feel threatened, leading to self-preservation or self-identity behaviors. Their resistance to change is actually persistence in defending their perceived reality, making logical arguments ineffective.

3. Master Your Own Crazy First: The Foundation of Effective Communication

Unless you’re the first entirely sane person on the planet, you’re carrying around your own suitcase full of crazy.

Self-awareness is paramount. Before attempting to "talk to crazy" in others, you must first confront your own irrationality. Unconscious negative messages from your past can distort your perception of reality, leading to misinterpretations and counterproductive reactions. Failing to address your own "crazy" can sabotage any efforts to reach others.

Identify your buttons. Irrational people, especially those close to you, will instinctively push your emotional "buttons" – leftover fears or insecurities from past experiences. Recognizing these triggers beforehand allows you to neutralize them, preventing an "amygdala hijack" where your emotional brain overrides your rational mind. This preparation is crucial for maintaining composure under attack.

Inoculate yourself. Use exercises like "Back to the Future" to pinpoint past events that shaped your negative beliefs and default responses. By analyzing these experiences, you can gain insight into your own distorted filters and develop new, healthier reactions. This self-work makes you less vulnerable to manipulation and more capable of clear, objective interaction.

4. Identify Their M.O.: Predict and Disarm Irrational Behavior

An irrational person’s M.O. is a weapon. However, it’s also a weakness because if you can figure out the person’s M.O., you can turn this information to your advantage.

Predictability in chaos. Every irrational person has a "modus operandi" (M.O.) – a predictable way they act out their crazy to maintain control and make you lose yours. This M.O. can manifest as crying, screaming, silence, sarcasm, or bullying. Understanding their specific M.O. makes them predictable, allowing you to anticipate their moves and prepare your counter-strategy.

M.O. as identity projection. These M.O.s are outward projections of their inner identities, shaped by their early experiences. For example:

• Coddled individuals often become needy or manipulative.
• Constantly criticized people may become bullies or know-it-alls.
• Ignored individuals tend to be fearful or martyred.
  Knowing this helps you understand that their behavior isn't personal; it's a defense mechanism.

Strategic counter-M.O. Once you identify their M.O., you can select the most effective counter-strategy. For instance, a needy "yes, but..." person like Harry (the boss's son) required a consequence worse than doing his work – the threat of his father's disappointment. This strategic understanding allows you to lean into their crazy in a way that nudges them towards more rational behavior, turning their weapon into your advantage.

5. Assertive Submission: Win by Yielding Control

When you lean into crazy in this way—by putting the irrational person in charge of you—you instantly change the relationship.

Counterintuitive power. Our natural instinct is to dominate or flee when confronted, but with an irrational person, this often escalates conflict. Assertive submission, like a dog rolling onto its back, involves acknowledging the other person's dominance and putting yourself in their hands. This disarms them by removing the perceived threat and lessening their need to act out.

Transforming dynamics. By increasing the irrational person's power over you, you paradoxically gain control of the situation. This shift can turn an attacker into a protector, as demonstrated by the author's road-rage incident where his assailant became calming and reassuring after the author "assertively submitted." This technique works because it validates their need for control, making them feel secure enough to drop their aggression.

Institutional crazy. This approach is also effective against "institutional crazy," where individuals rigidly follow irrational rules. By "belly rolling" to figures of authority, like an IRS agent, you acknowledge their power while assertively seeking a fair resolution. This strategy leverages their need to be the "alpha dog" to your advantage, often leading to surprisingly cooperative outcomes.

6. A-E-U: Apologize, Empathize, Uncover for Deep Breakthroughs

The first step, I explained, is to apologize. That’s because the best thing you can do when a relationship is falling apart is to say, “I’m sorry.”

Emotional C4. The A-E-U (Apologize, Empathize, Uncover) technique is a powerful, yet risky, method for dismantling emotional barriers. It's not for the emotionally fragile, but when used carefully, it can create profound breakthroughs. The unsolicited apology disarms the other person, shifting the dynamic from conflict to openness.

Empathy and vulnerability. Following the apology, you empathize by putting yourself in their shoes, acknowledging their struggles and feelings, even if they seem irrational. The "uncover" step is the most potent: you verbalize the darkest, most shameful thoughts they might have about you or the situation. This act of bringing hidden resentments into the open can be incredibly cathartic, as it removes the burden of unspoken negativity.

Transformative honesty. For example, telling a stonewalling partner, "I think at our worst times, you don’t just resent me... I think that at times you find me utterly repulsive and disgusting, hate me, and wish you’d never married me," can be shocking but liberating. This radical honesty, delivered with genuine intent, often leads to a profound shift, as the other person feels truly seen and understood, paving the way for reconciliation and healing.

7. Time Travel: Shift Focus from Past Grievances to Future Solutions

Rather than focusing on the past or the present, focus on the future you haven’t messed up yet.

Break the cycle. Many irrational conversations are stuck in an endless loop of past grievances: "You always..." or "You never..." The "Time Travel" technique breaks this cycle by shifting the focus to a desired future. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, you ask, "Going forward, what in your mind’s eye would you like me to do differently?" This invites their logical brain to engage and think constructively.

Setting clear expectations. This method is effective for various "crazies," from indecisive partners to bullying clients. By asking them to define future expectations and consequences, you create a clear roadmap for behavior. For instance, a manager asked demanding lawyers how they preferred to be informed of setbacks, ensuring a civil response when problems arose later.

The nuclear option. For deeply ingrained, unacceptable behaviors, "Time Travel" offers a "nuclear option." This involves unilaterally stating non-negotiable consequences for future actions, such as "Going forward, if you start yelling or slamming doors, I will not enter into a conversation with you." This isn't punishment, but a clear boundary that, while difficult to enforce, often brings secret relief to the irrational person who secretly desires structure.

8. The Eye of the Hurricane: Find the Sane Core Amidst Chaos

Somewhere inside every storm is an area of calm.

Believe in their sanity. When someone is emotionally over the top – screaming, crying, or withdrawing – it's easy to see only the "crazy." However, the core principle of "The Eye of the Hurricane" is to believe that a sane part exists within them, no matter how buried. Your job is to aim for that calm center, rather than being pummeled by the storm.

Let them vent, then guide. Instead of shutting them down or trying to reason, allow them to vent fully. Maintain an empathetic and interested expression, perhaps focusing on their left eye (connected to the emotional right brain). Once the emotional storm subsides, gently guide them by asking, "What is the most important thing I need to do in the long term? What is the critical thing I need to do in the short term? And what do I need to do right now?"

Uncovering true needs. This reframing invites their logical brain to re-engage, moving them from emotional reactivity to problem-solving. Many emotional outbursts stem from a desperate need to be heard and understood. By providing a calm, non-judgmental space, you show them that their needs can be met without escalating to hysteria, gradually teaching them a saner way to communicate.

9. Dig Down to Disappointment: Unmasking True Emotions

In reality, the emotion that most often lies at the core of anger and venting isn’t hatred or repulsion. It’s disappointment.

Beyond the surface. When emotional individuals lash out with harsh words like "I hate you!" or "You're a jerk!", seemingly logical people often take these statements literally and withdraw. However, these extreme expressions are often just "foam" from a "shaken soda can" of emotion. The true underlying feeling is frequently disappointment, not genuine hatred.

The magic question. Once the initial emotional outburst subsides, gently "dig down" by asking, "I can see that you’re really angry at me. Tell me: Do you hate me, or are you just incredibly disappointed in me for doing X (or failing to do X)?" This question offers a less extreme, more relatable emotion, often causing the person to de-escalate and acknowledge their true feelings.

Shared responsibility. While it feels unfair to be the "logical" one initiating this, often both parties contribute to the emotional distance. The "logical" person may have inadvertently caused pain through coldness or dismissiveness. By offering "disappointment" as a choice and apologizing for your part, you open the door for mutual understanding and a new, more constructive conversation where both can acknowledge their roles.

10. Set Clear Boundaries: The Kiss-Off and Executive Order

If a person wants you to say yes but needs you to say no, say no.

Saying no to manipulators. Manipulators thrive by turning their problems into yours, draining you emotionally and financially. The "Kiss-Off" (direct) or "Gentle Kiss-Off" (kinder) techniques are designed to break this cycle. The direct "Kiss-Off" involves letting them vent, then calmly stating, "You know, it’ll either (A) get better, (B) get worse, (C) stay the same, or (D) none of the above," and eventually disengaging.

The Gentle Kiss-Off. For those uncomfortable with direct confrontation, the "Gentle Kiss-Off" involves interrupting their venting by saying, "I need to stop you for a moment." Then, you explain that by listening, you're enabling their helplessness, and you can't continue to do that as a friend. You then pivot to, "So what’s the first thing you should do to deal with this situation?" This shifts responsibility back to them.

Executive Order for martyrs. People who refuse to ask for help, often due to past rejections, can sabotage projects or relationships. Instead of asking if they need help, issue an "Executive Order": "When you’re overwhelmed, you are to ask for help. This is not a suggestion. As I said, it’s an order." This removes the emotional burden of asking, transforming it into a directive they must follow, ultimately benefiting both them and you.

11. Know When to Walk Away: Prioritizing Your Well-being

Sometimes you may decide it’s better to stop trying to get through to the irrational person than to drive yourself nuts trying to get that person to accept reality.

Evaluate the relationship. Not every relationship with an irrational person is worth saving. Continuously trying to "fix" someone who is unwilling or unable to change can lead to your own emotional exhaustion, guilt, and even self-destruction. It's crucial to honestly assess whether the relationship provides any reciprocal value or if you're simply throwing your life away.

The DNR method. If a relationship is toxic and unsalvageable, consider the "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR) method:

• Do Not React: Don't make their problem your fault or responsibility.
• Do Not Respond: Avoid saying anything they can twist against you.
• Do Not Resuscitate: Do not engage in any way that allows them to re-hook you.
  This firm disengagement, while difficult, can free you from endless cycles of manipulation and abuse.

Warning about personality disorders. Be especially cautious with individuals exhibiting personality disorders (e.g., histrionic, narcissistic, borderline, sociopathic). These conditions are deeply ingrained, and attempting to "talk to crazy" with them without professional backup can be devastating. They rarely take responsibility, learn from mistakes, or see others' perspectives. If you suspect a personality disorder, prioritize your safety and seek expert guidance or, if possible, exit the relationship.

12. Seek Professional Help: When Crazy is Beyond Your Pay Grade

When you’re dealing with issues like these, you need to call for professional help. That’s especially true if the person you’re dealing with is potentially dangerous.

Recognize serious crazy. While many forms of irrationality can be managed with personal strategies, some require professional intervention. This includes:

• Mental illnesses (depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, PTSD)
• Severe behavioral problems or personality disorders
• Drug or alcohol addiction
• Homicidal or suicidal thoughts/behaviors
• Any irrational behavior that consistently causes severe emotional distress in you.

Navigating mental healthcare. The mental health field offers various levels of support:

• Medically oriented psychiatry: For stabilization with medication (e.g., severe depression, psychosis, suicidal ideation).
• Psychotherapy: To help individuals cope with life's demands and change destructive thought patterns.
• Psychosocial rehabilitation: Long-term, real-world support to prevent relapse and foster independence.
• Counseling: Less intensive therapy for coping with life issues or garden-variety crazy.
• Mentoring/Support Groups: Peer support and guidance for both the individual and their caregivers.

Getting them to say yes. A major hurdle is getting the person to accept help, especially if they have "anosognosia" (unawareness of their illness). Use a five-step process: Listen, Empathize, Agree (on common ground, not their delusions), Understand (their past experiences with treatment), and finally, Act (collaborate on a treatment plan). This builds trust and reduces resistance, offering the best chance for recovery and preventing tragic outcomes like school shootings.

Last updated: August 21, 2025