[Stellata]

Someone at work was saying all ‘mad people’ should be locked up. All those, you know, ‘psycho people who hear things’.

Apparantly I don’t come into that. Depression isn’t what she sees as ‘mad’.
How does she know I’ve not heard voices? [I have, in times of severe stress]
And even if not, it’s the… way she said it.

Then she got very defensive because apparantly her mum’s had suicidal depression too, so ’she knows exactly what I’m going through’.
Really?

Well, for her information - not all ‘mad’ people are homicidal. Or even if they have the feelings, they don’t act on it. Just because we lose touch with present day reality now and again doesn’t mean we should be locked up forever.

It was about a march in London today for children murdered by a so called ‘mad person’.

I’m not being heartless. Sorry if I seem so. It’s just that such derogatory words and global judgements make my blood boil.
I’m not saying that what this man did wasn’t wrong. I’m not saying that.

What I’m saying is that it’s insensitive and inaccurate to sideline all people who hear voices in that way. All the more so when you hear voices - as it were - because you’ve been traumatised and abused yourself.
If she knew what a struggle it is for me to keep going, to keep functioning, to not give in to my shadow side and break down completely. If she knew how close I’d been… if she knew how hard I work so as not to be hospitalised.

How can I best speak to this person [who I only see on Saturdays, and won't for a while after next week]? Or indeed anyone else who says such things. I never know what to say without feeling ashamed and humiliated.