Ladybug, you're so right. It's time to take the blinders off when it comes to dealing with Mental Illness. People think "Crazy" and "criminal" too often when they hear that someone has a mental illness. Those people have such narrow minds.

I don't tell everyone that I have Bipolar. The reason? Mostly because it's not any of their business, but also because I don't want the stigma of having a mental illness and being treated differently.

Especially, because bipolar has made a lot of news lately, and not for good reasons. Look at the guy who said he had a bomb on that flight in Miami? He was bipolar. People hear bipolar and automatically think "unstable".

But, I'm not unstable. Darn it. I've been stable for quite a while now; more than year. It took some time getting there to find the right combination of meds, but that's common in bipolar. Meds don't work the same on every person, so it takes some time to work out the right combination.

Susieq, I think it's imperative that you find a health provider that you feel comfortable with and who doesn't treat you the way your current providers treat you. Do you have the ability to change doctors? Sometimes, depending on health care coverage, you have to work within their systems. It's also scary finding a new doctor. You have to transfer records, go through the questions again, and get used to a new personality.

Speaking of the SERENITY prayer. My doctor says that's how I should live my life with bipolar. He says don't dwell on things I have no control over. I should live for the now and not worry about what might happen.

Did I mention I like my doctor? :-)