After reading a friends journal, I noticed a comment that one of her 'friends' had made in refernce to her entry.  Basically, and I'm paraphrasing, she said that my friend was not in fact bipolar but hormonal instead.  That she should accept herself as 'normal' and that everybody suffers from time to time and has bad days.  As a mental Health Advocate that encourages people to come out of the closet in regards to their Mental Health diagnoseez, I take strong objection to these comments.  I'm a firm believer in FREEDOM OF SPEACH but this a topic that I need to comment on in regard to her opinion.  I have been told for the last 15 years that I should smell the roses and that simply put 'get over it'.  It is time for people with Mental Health disABILITIES to educate those around them that their diagnosis is real and that the impact of their illnesses have drastically taken a toll on their successess in life. WE should be accepted as people who are JUST AS NORMAL as everyone else but have major health concerns, just as those with for example crippling arthritis or diabetis.  WE are refused Disability Assistance, proper Health Care, and understanding from family members, and significant others, etc., because they too believe that we are merely holding on too tight and unwilling to move on.  A chemical imbalance is REAL.  There is no other ways of putting it.  Naturopathic beliefs are in most cases a breath of fresh air and a step in the right direction, but not if it means belittling major imbalances like manic depression and schizophrenia as examples.I'm all for differences in opinion, but not to that great an extent in this particular case.  Although I believe her comments were said without malice, they infuriated me quite frankly , and I felt it necessary to write this in retalliation...YOUR opinions on this subject are welcome.  Please feel free to comment.     As this is my third attempt at writing this, as both previous ones were deleted when I requested they be saved (?), it has  added fuel to the fire I'm already feeling inside right now.After reading a friends journal, I noticed a comment that one of her 'friends' had made in refernce to her entry.  Basically, and I'm paraphrasing, she said that my friend was not in fact bipolar but hormonal instead.  That she should accept herself as 'normal' and that everybody suffers from time to time and has bad days.  As a mental Health Advocate that encourages people to come out of the closet in regards to their Mental Health diagnoseez, I take strong objection to these comments.  I'm a firm believer in FREEDOM OF SPEACH but this a topic that I need to comment on in regard to her opinion.  I have been told for the last 15 years that I should smell the roses and that simply put 'get over it'.  It is time for people with Mental Health disABILITIES to educate those around them that their diagnosis is real and that the impact of their illnesses have drastically taken a toll on their successess in life. WE should be accepted as people who are JUST AS NORMAL as everyone else but have major health concerns, just as those with for example crippling arthritis or diabetis.  WE are refused Disability Assistance, proper Health Care, and understanding from family members, and significant others, etc., because they too believe that we are merely holding on too tight and unwilling to move on.  A chemical imbalance is REAL.  There is no other ways of putting it.  Naturopathic beliefs are in most cases a breath of fresh air and a step in the right direction, but not if it means belittling major imbalances like manic depression and schizophrenia as examples.I'm all for differences in opinion, but not to that great an extent in this particular case.  Although I believe her comments were said without malice, they infuriated me quite frankly , and I felt it necessary to write this in retalliation...YOUR opinions on this subject are welcome.  Please feel free to comment.