I wrote a little earlier, Blue Mountains, about what I thought concerning the stigma and then erased it because I felt it was rambling.

The facts are that 57.7 million Americans over 18 have mental illnesses. 1 in 17
people has a mental illness that is severe. It is the leading cause of disability.

Now, when you think that millions of people have mental illness (and it's as high
as 45 percent of the population in another country), what are our choices?

We can either realize that we're dealing primarily with ignorance when it comes to
stigma or we can let the ignorance of people affect us deeply. Of the two choices,
I prefer to disregard those who know nothing about the real personalities of many who have mental conditions that make the owners extraordinarily sensitive.

I will not let somebody else's opinion dictate how I am to feel. If one in 17 people in this country has a mental illness, you may be sure that some of the ones who are responsible for causing the stigma are the ones who most likely are the 1 in 17 who have themselves an illness (and I suspect that many people get their ideas of stigma from someone who promotes that idea.) Woe to the community who has leaders who sit in positions of authority who have hidden agendas of their own!! (That's what you're dealing with, IMHO.)

I know, for example, people whose families are LOADED with paranoia, but are very successful in hiding it from the world by pretending that other peoples' illnesses are far more severe and deserve to be excluded from social occasions. However, in view of the fact that their family not only has rampant paranoia, but also strong alcoholism, I am amused that they believe themselves socially superior.

What I'm really saying is that it is weak people who cannot tolerate differences.

Stay strong, Blue Mountain, and know that strong, healthy people are non-judgmental.

May everyone be kept free from judgmental personalities!!