One thing to note is that I know a TON of people my age who do not appear to be notably mentally ill, but are on roads to no success. I am a young adult (24) as are my peers. I have more "alternative" peers, however. Basically meaning, grew up poor. Many of them have had no education beyond HS or getting a GED. They work lame jobs and struggle, dabble with college but fail, have had kids early and really struggle due to that, many of these that had kids are single parents dealing with co-parenting. They just aren't on the road to "success" in my definition. But many are normal, fun loving people who socialize well and make good impressions in general. They just make crappy decisions and weren't privileged.

I also grew up poor, my mother was mentally ill and now I am considered mentally ill. As a child, adult friends of my mother said I had mental retardation, even though I was never thoroughly evaluated as a child. I had rhythmic movement disorder diagnosed as an infant, which is what made me appear "retarded" (their words). ADD, anxiety and panic disorder was diagnosed in adulthood. I am so certain that I actually just have aspergers and not all these things seperately. I'm a girl so they go undiagnosed as being aspergers, and i've never mentioned it to therapists because I figure if I have it, it's their jobs to figure that out, but more-so I just don't want the label. but regardless of all that, I have my own place, work, go to university, and am engaged. Many of my "able-minded" peers have not accomplished jack in comparison.