I don't think that it is shame.
It is the scorn of society as a whole, so we learn to hide it
The judgements, the finger-pointing
The hurtful words: nut-case, crazy, head-case, freak, rubber room person...there are so many

I work in the oil-patch, and it would be more acceptable to go to work and tell people
that I have an STD, rather than bipolar.
People seem to think that it is all in your head (no pun intended)

HKF has it right. We should only feel guilt and shame when we've done something
wrong.

BP is not wrong, it is what makes us unique