I agree with Travelinglady, willowtigger. I think it's an area of medicine that frightens a lot of people. And very few people really understand it (because it can be so complex, I believe), and they haven't had a lot of higher education, which would help towards reducing lingering stigma a great deal.

I have personally run into some very nasty and unexpected attitudes, but I did remind myself that the individuals giving me grief and offering up their ignorant opinions were not very educated people. And they rather liked it that way. Some people actually LOVE being stupid. And, deep inside them, there was probably also a lot of fear at work. Because people ALWAYS fear what they do not understand.

I do believe compassion is greatly increased in proportion to the amount of suffering we've personally experienced. Also, having a beloved relative who has faced these kinds of illnesses helps inform our attitudes a great deal, one would hope.

So, don't let their ignorance ruin your mood or take away anything from you. Rise above it, and know that they have a lot of reality checks coming to them in short order---because into every life, some rain must fall. They will get older, they will develop aches and pains. Sleep might begin to elude them. They might even develop or experience a depression for themselves, or other difficulties. Not that I wish this kind of pain on people. But it does happen, and it can open people's eyes. Or they can remain empty, useless, and hopelessly uninformed lumps.

Consider the source, and fight against those idiotic name callers. Do not rent them that space in your head. They are not worthy of a second more of your time.