If that's the case, then what's with all of the delusional perceptions they have? Like my aunt that thinks stuff is coming through her floors and making her sick, when we all just have a cold.
Pareidolia
People with increased perception, like what most call schizophrenia, is just an ability to perceive more than what we're allowed to believe exists.
Everyone is prone to pareidolia. People with schizophrenia are just gifted. Isn't it curious that symptoms always unveil themselves once the brain is fully developed?...
The two are often conflated in our attempt to rationalize an increase in noticing patterns coupled with increased perceptions.
That does describe my aunt pretty well. My confusion is more about her perceiving things that just aren't true. She is absolutely the most perceptive person I have ever met, but sometimes what she says is verifiably not true. Like the thing with the dirt making her sick. She was convinced that instead of her having a cold like the rest of my family, that her nose is clogged and lungs full, because dirt from under the house is coming through the sub floor, then between the wood panels, then into her body. It's worth mentioning that this is probably happening to some extremely tiny degree, and she is able to perceive that, but it doesn't explain an obviously viral illness that matches the illness of her family that doesn't live with her. Does my question make sense?
Of course it does.
I'd agree she may be somewhat correct as well, but I also think not everyone is capable or willing to wield Occam's Razor.
Also, there are times when a "sickness" can just be something non-physical affecting us.
I'm not necessarily agreeing with the other guy but is it possible that your Aunt also has dementia? Like you could perceive more and also not make good sense of the world.
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