My crowd are psych people, so mostly they understand.:-) My family too understands since several relatives had some mental illness issues. Awareness and empathy seem to be the really key here. When my feelings are valid, I seem to know it as opposed to when my feelings are due to me being bipolar. Like owllover99, I am not anymore ashamed of my illness and past. Probably, when total acceptance sets in, the past will not matter anymore even when it is thrown in one's face...hugs all