What's hard is being stigmatized and marginalized because you have a mental illness. Especially when you go to a doctor who doesn't know you and they want to discuss your psych history before they even look at you for the complaint you came in for. Or you go to the ER with a broken toe and the VERY FIRST thing they see in your medical record is your bipolar diagnosis, and then they're reluctant even to prescribe pain medication.

I'm a well-educated R.N. with a responsible job, but to some I'll always be just another crazy person whose word carries little credibility. That is supremely frustrating and I think it's one of the worst things about having this illness.