Kierkegaard provides a better overall perspective than Neville Chamberlain (also quoted above).
[/font]This sickness unto death is what Kierkegaard calls despair. According to Kierkegaard, an individual is "in despair" if he does not align himself with God or God's plan for the self. In this way he loses his self, which Kierkegaard defines as the "relation's relating itself to itself in the relation." Kierkegaard defines humanity as the tension between the "finite and infinite", and the "possible and the necessary", and is identifiable with the dialectical balancing act between these opposing features, the relation. While humans are inherently reflective and self-conscious beings, to become a true self one must not only be conscious of the self but also be conscious of being aligned with a higher purpose, viz God's plan for the Self. When one either denies this Self or the power that creates and sustains this Self, one is in despair.[font:Arial]
(That was shamelessly lifted from Wikipedia -- it's been a long time since I read Kierkegaard, but it certainly merits a re-acquaintance.)
I think that the secret to these situations is not to allow the disruptive person to become the "dictator" with whom we have to associate -- and eventually either forcefully eject or appease. That is a no-win.
We are certainly in control of our personal space in our own offices -- and should be able to control the agenda, since they are asking for the service, and we are not legally obligated to provide it.
I have a serious problem with the situation when a new patient (child or adult parent, for example) is brought in by one of those folks with a borderline personality who also has guardianship over the new patient.
That is really challenging.
I throw the bums out, but I try to work with them if they have dependents in need. Sometimes that turns into appeasing dictators -- and then I risk dispair.
