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Just a little rant

One of the phrases I hear when I disclose that I have a mental illness to others is “But you are so normal.” I find this to be perplexing. Are peoples opinions of the mentally ill so built upon movie and television portrayals that they honestly think that all of us behave in an abnormal fashion all the time?

Yes I have some quirks that are result of my mental illness but for the most part I am just your average person. I work, have a family, pay bills and pursue hobbies. I have my likes and dislikes just like everyone else.

I'm not saying that my mental illness doesn't cause some behaviors that others might find odd, cause I am sure that those closest to me could easily tick off items such as extreme suspicion of others, withdrawal in social settings, flat affect, bizarre fixations and extreme fluctuations of mood and energy.

Yes those things are a result of my illness but I feel that I am more than a label. For me Schizoaffective is an answer to why and also a medical diagnosis needed by insurance companies for billing purposes.


A question for those who say things like that, would you say “but you are so normal” to a person who discloses a physical illness such as diabetes or heart disease? I'm betting probably not.  

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