Mental handicap

I was listening to the radio on the way to work yesterday. They were saying how the President has declared the swine flu an epidemic?
REALLY?

And autism isn't??
Come on!!

I don't really know where I am going with this but it did irritate me. Mental illness is a really big deal and it is overlooked a lot. Comments are made about "being retarded" "riding the short bus" "being special". Comments that a lot of people have made at one time or another.

With all the anti-drug commercials, how come there aren't any regarding the mentally handicapped and how it is NOT okay to make fun of them??
Have you seen any??

Sara is doing a project on my Grandmother. She was mentally ill. I remember when I was small, she would go away for periods of time. During my Mom's childhood, my Grandma was gone a lot. Mental illness runs in my family BIG TIME. It is no joke. It is terrifying and lonely and misunderstood. I think all of my brothers have it and I KNOW my Mom has it. My oldest sister is EVIL and I think she is bipolar. I try not to cross her because she is a true lunatic and will make your life hell, ruin relationships, and basically be happy to cause you pain.
It is sad.