Monday. The most boring day of the week. The one day you keep wanting for Friday to come. And fast. But when you’re holiday, nothing of that matter. You forget about the time, the days even the weeks. And suddenly, the vacation runs out and the working days kicks in.

So what I will do with my holiday? I had plan to visit my relatives in Europe. Planned, so to speak. Unfortunately, not all relatives have understood this thing I have - this mental illness. Some even tried convinced me that it’s some “western imaginary”-illness. Thing is that in Southern Europe, but also in Eastern and Central Europe, many (not all though) have huge prejudices about mental illness in general. And that you especially eat pills against it, or (God forbid), visit a nurse or a doctor in psychiatry.

That is why I always be upset, even if they are my close relatives - and not some Bronze Age-bigots. And then they shut their mouths because I change deliberately the topic to something else, without any explanation or deep analysis about me and my mental illness. Diversity - that is a truly rare thing these days. Even among some of my nearest relatives and friends. To accept others as they are. And when they try to make a lame comeback and shoots a “kind reply” such as “but you look so normal”. If this popped up from anyone else - especially when I explained the illness itself almost in detail - I would walk away in the middle of the conversation.

It’s upsetting me that we - 2022 - STILL refuse to accept other people. Because in the very end, we are all people. Humans. Even we who got this illness. In my case, after a out-burn during my work in my profession, where I only wanted to help my students in gymnasium (senior high school) to become something in their lives. They all get silenced after I tell them this. That my profession as teacher got me bipolar and that huge amount of stress - plus sloppiness from the hospital who just triggered it to its fully form. And then they are all quiet, only suddenly - after a moment of silence - to start talking about something else.

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