Fighting Stigma

I tell people who try to stigmatize me to shut up. I was dealing with a bus driver, after getting my dental work that decided to think that it was funny, my schizophrenia was making me act like I was in a hurry. I had to tell her to shut up because I said it wasn’t funny, nor was my pain funny. She shut up and gave me a discount but that doesn’t stop me from writing about her misbehavior. But anyway, yes, I managed to get her to shut up. She did. Eventually. She said her friend was schizophrenic. Gee, could you have made me feel any less vulnerable and uptight?

Stigma means I have to tell new agers to shut up before they open their mouths. I mean really, there are many false beliefs out there about medications. You become addicted, you are using medication made of petroleum when if you understand basic chemistry, well there you go. Nobody wants to put up with depression or mania. People expect stability or they give you the boot. Anybody who tells you not to take your medication is a vulgar idiot who doesn’t know any better. You cannot talk yourself out of taking your meds either, because that makes you a coward.