It would be perfectly arguable that in our society we are all to a degree mentally ill. Part of this is that the definition is so broad, the tests so easy to manipulate that you have to ask the question, who benefits if we get that diagnosis? Mental illness/depression are indicative of repressed rage. For my part, and that’s all I know, F, is that the sexual abuse and attacks I underwent in the military resulted in PTSD. Not mental illness, although I was diagnosed as bipolar. No I am NOT. I was angry because I couldn’t protect myself, report the SOB or do anything about it as a low-level military woman. Society LOVES to tell an angry woman she’s sick, when a more reasoned approach would be to deal with the perps in the first place. That’s a huge conversation. However, mental illness increasingly strikes me as such an easy brush aside when what so many of us feel is simply Really.Pissed. OFF. For damned good reason. For what its worth. Part of what I feel which is in alignment with your points is the feeling of “Who the hell do you think you are to speak your truth?YOU Are making ME uncomfortable with my own.” Not your fault. That’s their bullshit. Problem is if we’re feeling vulnerable we end up wearing THEIR hair shirt on top of our own.