Mental Illness in RPGs (was Games based on T2K rules...)

[Targan]

I don't know where to begin... my campaign is packed with mentally disturbed characters. Some of the most messed up are the PCs.

[pmulcahy11b]

That could turn out like a GURPS-like rule -- take disadvantages in exchanges for more skill or attribute points. Gee, I wonder what schizoaffective disorder would get me....

[ChalkLine]

Having my own mental illnesses, I can tell you the gap between the reality and the roleplaying is huge. Generally someone playing someone mentally ill is just using the label to be an arsehole gamer.

Mentally ill people are limited, and nearly all of the damage is done to themselves. The external manifestations aren't much at all, and in the highly personal world of T2K etc where you are extremely close to other individuals (your party) the effects might even be lessened by the social support.

Why RP things that are mainly internal? The GM says 'this happens' and the player launches into an internal monologue about their anxieties about the disconnect between reality and the perception. Sounds a bit boring to me.

That said, I'm playing an ill player online. It gives most of the other players the shits, not what I intended.

[Targan]

As most of you know MajorPo created the mental illness rules we use and is a psychologist in RL so he keeps us on the straight and narrow when it comes to the portrayal of mentally ill PCs and NPCs in my campaign.