There are people out there who don't even believe mental illness is real. I was out there in the community and ran into someone who said "I think everyone is a little bit bipolar. It's all about how you cope," thereby negating everything I've experienced throughout my life. It makes me want to scream. My stability was a bit of a charade too. I never told my in laws, my coworkers. I started coming out with it and people can't believe me, so I get treated as if I am going through a phase that everyone else goes through. But that is not it. I've been here before, a long time ago. This is when the "crazy" comes out!