Somewhere along this journey, I mentioned something very important—baseline. Now, I want to slow down and go deeper into it, because understanding baseline can change everything about how we live with, care for, and support people with mental disorders. Baseline simply means what is normal for a particular person. It is how that person behaves when they are stable. It is how they act when they are not in crisis. It is their usual pattern of behavior, communication, movement, emotion, and interaction with the world.
Baseline is not about what is normal for you. Baseline is not about what society calls normal. Baseline is about that individual. And this is where many caregivers, families, and even professionals struggle.
When you do not understand a person’s baseline, everything shocks you. Everything scares you. Everything feels like an emergency. But when you understand baseline, fear reduces. Panic disappears. Confidence grows. You stop reacting to every behavior as a crisis and start responding with understanding.
Many people with mental disorders have behaviors that look unusual to others, but to them, and to those who know them well, these behaviors are simply part of their everyday life. Some people talk to themselves. Some laugh uncontrollably. Some pace back and forth for hours. Some shout. Some remain silent for days. Some withdraw completely. Some walk without clothes. Some smear feces in the washroom. To someone who does not know the baseline, these behaviors look alarming. To someone who understands the baseline, these behaviors are recognized as normal for that person.
Fear often comes from not knowing. I remember times when I used to panic when someone shouted. The shouting sounded aggressive. It felt like danger. But later, after spending time with that person, I learned that shouting was simply their baseline. That was how they expressed themselves. It was not an attack. It was not a threat. It was just who they were. Once I understood that, the fear disappeared.
Baseline helps you separate danger from difference. Not every loud behavior is violence. Not every unusual action is an emergency. Not every strange habit is deterioration. Sometimes, it is just normal—for them.
Another important thing caregivers must understand is that baseline can change depending on medication. Some people, when they take medication, become sleepy. Others become slow. Others become restless. Some develop side effects like drooling, stiffness, shaking, or pacing. If you do not understand that these are medication-related changes within the person’s baseline, you may panic. You may call emergency services unnecessarily. You may assume something has gone terribly wrong when, in reality, the person is simply experiencing expected effects of treatment.
Knowing baseline means knowing: how the person behaves on medication, how the person behaves off medication, what side effects are usual for them and what changes truly signal danger. This knowledge prevents unnecessary emergency hospital visits, unnecessary fear, and unnecessary trauma.
You do not learn baseline by guessing. You learn it by observing. By listening. By spending time. You learn it by asking; “Is this usual for you?” “Have you behaved like this before?” “What does a good day look like for you?” “What does a bad day look like?” Baseline is personal. Two people with the same diagnosis can have completely different baselines. One person may be quiet and withdrawn. Another may be loud and expressive. Both are normal—for themselves.
Understanding baseline does not mean ignoring changes. In fact, it helps you detect real problems early. Once you know what is normal, you can notice when something is not normal. If a person who usually paces suddenly stops moving at all, that matters. If a person who usually shouts becomes completely silent, that matters. If a person who usually eats well suddenly refuses food, that matters. Baseline becomes your reference point. It helps you distinguish between stable behavior, medication effects, early warning signs and real emergencies.
Many caregivers burn out because they treat every behavior as a crisis. Living in constant alertness drains the body and mind. When you understand baseline, you relax.
You stop fighting what cannot be changed. You stop trying to “fix” personality traits. You conserve energy for moments that truly require intervention.
At the heart of baseline is acceptance. Accepting that this person shouts. Accepting that this person withdraws. Accepting that this person behaves differently. Acceptance does not mean neglect. Acceptance does not mean lack of care. It means you stop fighting the person’s identity and start supporting their life.
If you are living with or caring for someone with a mental disorder, learn their baseline. Study it. Respect it. Understand it. Baseline will protect you from fear, prevent unnecessary emergencies, help you respond instead of react, strengthen trust and improve care. Before you panic, ask yourself: “Is this new, or is this their normal?” That single question can change how you see everything.
Baseline is not about what is normal for you. Baseline is not about what society calls normal. Baseline is about that individual. And this is where many caregivers, families, and even professionals struggle.
When you do not understand a person’s baseline, everything shocks you. Everything scares you. Everything feels like an emergency. But when you understand baseline, fear reduces. Panic disappears. Confidence grows. You stop reacting to every behavior as a crisis and start responding with understanding.
Many people with mental disorders have behaviors that look unusual to others, but to them, and to those who know them well, these behaviors are simply part of their everyday life. Some people talk to themselves. Some laugh uncontrollably. Some pace back and forth for hours. Some shout. Some remain silent for days. Some withdraw completely. Some walk without clothes. Some smear feces in the washroom. To someone who does not know the baseline, these behaviors look alarming. To someone who understands the baseline, these behaviors are recognized as normal for that person.
Fear often comes from not knowing. I remember times when I used to panic when someone shouted. The shouting sounded aggressive. It felt like danger. But later, after spending time with that person, I learned that shouting was simply their baseline. That was how they expressed themselves. It was not an attack. It was not a threat. It was just who they were. Once I understood that, the fear disappeared.
Baseline helps you separate danger from difference. Not every loud behavior is violence. Not every unusual action is an emergency. Not every strange habit is deterioration. Sometimes, it is just normal—for them.
Another important thing caregivers must understand is that baseline can change depending on medication. Some people, when they take medication, become sleepy. Others become slow. Others become restless. Some develop side effects like drooling, stiffness, shaking, or pacing. If you do not understand that these are medication-related changes within the person’s baseline, you may panic. You may call emergency services unnecessarily. You may assume something has gone terribly wrong when, in reality, the person is simply experiencing expected effects of treatment.
Knowing baseline means knowing: how the person behaves on medication, how the person behaves off medication, what side effects are usual for them and what changes truly signal danger. This knowledge prevents unnecessary emergency hospital visits, unnecessary fear, and unnecessary trauma.
You do not learn baseline by guessing. You learn it by observing. By listening. By spending time. You learn it by asking; “Is this usual for you?” “Have you behaved like this before?” “What does a good day look like for you?” “What does a bad day look like?” Baseline is personal. Two people with the same diagnosis can have completely different baselines. One person may be quiet and withdrawn. Another may be loud and expressive. Both are normal—for themselves.
Understanding baseline does not mean ignoring changes. In fact, it helps you detect real problems early. Once you know what is normal, you can notice when something is not normal. If a person who usually paces suddenly stops moving at all, that matters. If a person who usually shouts becomes completely silent, that matters. If a person who usually eats well suddenly refuses food, that matters. Baseline becomes your reference point. It helps you distinguish between stable behavior, medication effects, early warning signs and real emergencies.
Many caregivers burn out because they treat every behavior as a crisis. Living in constant alertness drains the body and mind. When you understand baseline, you relax.
You stop fighting what cannot be changed. You stop trying to “fix” personality traits. You conserve energy for moments that truly require intervention.
At the heart of baseline is acceptance. Accepting that this person shouts. Accepting that this person withdraws. Accepting that this person behaves differently. Acceptance does not mean neglect. Acceptance does not mean lack of care. It means you stop fighting the person’s identity and start supporting their life.
If you are living with or caring for someone with a mental disorder, learn their baseline. Study it. Respect it. Understand it. Baseline will protect you from fear, prevent unnecessary emergencies, help you respond instead of react, strengthen trust and improve care. Before you panic, ask yourself: “Is this new, or is this their normal?” That single question can change how you see everything.
