Silver:

I agree with you....there is alot of stigma attached to mental illness and I never thought about it until my brother was diagnosed schizophrenic. Then I started thinking, this doesn't change anything, how I feel about him, how I perceive him, etc.

Now I have more compassion when dealing with him because I have had a SMALL...very small...taste of what it's like to be him every day of his life.

It is very humbling.

I don't think having a mental illness is good. Not at all. But sometimes, like when I take the time to laugh at myself for my paranoia, silliness, whatever, you have to make the best of a bad situation. I can see some good coming from this. And things are not always as bad as they seem. It is just too depressing to dwell on the BAD. Like the silver lining behind even the darkest cloud. Call me an optimist.

Just my 2 cents.

Take Care all.
Kimberly