Unfortunately, there are many people in society that will never believe mental illness is an actual disease, affliction, or condition from which people suffer. It stings even more when those close to us don't believe it. In spite of having been officially diagnosed by a board certified psychiatrist who teaches at a major US med school, I still have people in family who claim that "there's nothing wrong with you" and I "just need to relax more" or "drink a beer" or "chill out".

All we can do is try to find the best support network we can find and set our minds to doing whatever it takes to get better and stay well/