</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
It's nice to have a family that would read the handouts you've suggested. What about those of us who have families that are in such deep denial they do not believe that mental illness exists and would only throw such reading in the waste can as propaganda.

My mother believes wholeheartedly that all the medical information about cigarettes causing cancer is government propaganda. And continues to puff away two packs a day. If she won't change her mind about that, do you honestly think she's going to admit there's such a thing as clinically diagnosed depression?

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

i, (who has a few mental illnesses) wonder about whether mental illness exists. i tend to believe all diagnoses are stigmas no matter what cute name you re-label "us" with (e.g. bipolar vs. manic-depressive). i could write a book on this subject . . . but coming from someone like me, it would be dismissed as manic ramblings or delusional.

i read the handout i linked above. IF MY HUBBY EVER DID WHAT THAT PAPER SUGGESTED TO DO TO ME [when he thinks i'm manic] . . . ummm, it'd not be a pretty sight. i would go "mental."

Wants2Fly . . . my hubby smokes. i used to smoke. smokers are a strange breed. they'll use whatever excuse they can to smoke another. it's their body. it's nasty smoker's kisses, hugs, smell on the pillows, ashes everywhere, holes in the furniture/car, morning cough, etc.