I like the idea of support too, but my experience shows me that many more people practice prejudice and judgment so it comes down to knowing who we can trust.

a good point tommy. It makes me grateful for the people out there who are 'points of light' for me.

there is so much stigma surrounding mental health. but things won't get better unless we challenge those who are narrow-minded and persecute us.

We are all so different. But don't our differences make us the same as well?

My experience has been like Tommy's. Unfortunately in part of the reasons I dealt with a suicide attempt it has been so bad.

This is great Mark..... It's important to have a voice when people feel able to...... Educating is the way to gain support and people who have some understanding of mental illness/disorders

Yes there's still a big stigma but things are slowly changing because more people are willing to stand up and I think it's wonderful.... Big hugs .....xo

thanks Jan, thanks bookmaven, kisses and firefly..

Feeling isolated by an illness bought me to DS so in a way I am grateful to BP as stupid as that might sound. I have learned to empathise with people better and how to type and express myself much more successfully. When my confidence is ok I am reasonably fluent writing things now, something I would have said was impossible for me four or five years ago but with encouragement from my friends here I feel safer voicing my own opinions and dealing with those of others. I also have social anxiety disorder like a good number here had in the past, and probably still do, so I get extremely nervous about discussing an illness that most people don't have a clue about. Any initiative that helps people understand instead of be prejudiced is a good thing I think mark if it works out. Thanks for the food for thought buddy :-)

thanks Moobbus!

Thanks for this Mark!

I think mental illness is a bigger problem in our society than anyone is willing to admit to.

Anything that can lead to greater understanding is so worth it...

May, I agree! Sometimes I think if people understood and had a little insight into troubled emotions, grief, anger, etc etc then the world might seem more optimistic sometimes. More I want to write about that but maybe later.

Thanks for sharing mark! Muy importante!

Well put kisses and mayb. I agree, good information about mental diseases being put out there is great. And hopefully with the more info that gets out there, The stigmata will go down.

Thanks malibumark. I'm having a depression crappie day. Still hate that my soon to be ex husband still can't understand why I can't just stop this by doing something that will make me feel better. To him, if your not high as a kite, buying everything in sight, or so depressed you won't get out of bed for days, in the dark, You don't have bp1 or 2. It's not big news and he just doesn't believe me as to how hard this is to live with. So ya, let's put it on the 5 o'clock news. We can have special guest. :) please excuse the brain. I decided to have a cognac to help shut the brain down.