PREJUDICE - A word over-used - under-explained - Bi-Polar & Manic Depression

"Oh my God! He was completely manic!"
"The man was a total Manic Depressive!"
"Talk about a complete schizophrenic!"

Are these expressions we have used? Are they prejudices we may all be guilty of?

I have, and I am. Yet I have friends who have schizophrenia. I also am the child of a manic depressive or someone with Bi-Polar disorder.

I am ashamed of him. I admit it. Yet, I fight my prejudice every day. Why? Is it because I want to vindicate the mentally ill? Is it because I suffered from Post Natal Depression and know what its like and want others to accept it as "just another illness"? No.

Its because the prejudice extends to me. Its like being half black, half white. There will always be a portion of society who are prejudiced against me, because I have "tainted" blood. Not that being black is any indictment. But there are those who see it as one. Just as being a child of a mentally ill person.

Oh by the way, most bi-polar patients/manic depressives are not STUPID, but are actually GENIUSES. I myself have an extremely high IQ (no I'm not boasting - its actually not fun). Its horrible THINKING all the time. Its horrible knowing that most people don't get it...

Most of all its horrible knowing that your father was in a mental institution for thinking that the KGB was after him and that a satellite was planted in his head in the early '70's but that you were kept in the dark until you were 15 years old in the mid '80's.

Most of all its horrible knowing that you hate people saying things about mentally ill people like they are sub-human. Like having a mental illness somehow makes you less than 100% entitled to complete human rights and respect as a human being. Its almost like knowing a lot of people think that you prove that abortion is right.

Its a very sad time of year for some and a very joyful time for others. Perhaps we can make sure we spare a thought or a prayer for those who are members of our family (the human race) yet feel that they are outcasts, just because they are too sensitive and too intelligent.

God bless you all and God preserve the sanity of those among us who cannot help but think on a higher plane than most of us and yet get vilified for it...

Merry Xmas.

Xmas spirit, not like it used to be? Alcohol on the streets...

These days its more likely to refer to a bottle of Scotch, or a crate of alcopops. What the hell is wrong with everyone these days? Does no one know how to behave themselves when they've had a few drinks? Or were things the same years ago, but we've forgotten and we're looking through rose-tinted specs? Is it just that there is CCTV everywhere and it all gets broadcast on TV 24 hours a day to make us feel more nervous?

I dunno...maybe I'm just getting old...I can't see the point of getting bladdered to the point of oblivion any more, but then I'm not 22 any more!

Let me know what you think...