Something that shits me...

Hmm >:(
This is something that just annoys the hell out of me.

"Oh she's totally bipolar, I mean what a crazy bitch? Did you see her being nice to that guy in front of her and then turning around in the queue and doing her nut at the girl behind her?!?"

GRRR! Ok, I get that yes, her behaviour was bipolar in attitudes, but by usurping the label bipolar they are turning a serious illness into a joke. Just because someone is behaving in two opposite manners in a short space of time doe NOT make them bipolar.

I have a friend that does this, and I know he doesn't mean me any offence, and that he's just short-cutting his use of the language...but what comes out of one mouth is soon copied by the next.

Case in point I was having a forgetful day here in Ballarat, and during a conversation with about ten people I was heard saying:

"Get with the Leaflet!"

 When faced with blank stares I followed up with: 

"Oh you know the paper folding thingy!"

 Riotous laughter ensued at my muddling of the words Leaflet and Programme. 
About a month later as I was driving down the main street of town, past the main bus exchange, I heard two kids ribbing a third with:

"Der?!? Get with the Leaflet why don't cha?!?"

 That's correct, I was being quoted over a month later by total strangers! 

Now I may hear some of you thinking "Oh well, maybe she lives in a little country town in Australia, where everyone knows everyone else.", but you would be sorely mistaken Ballarat has just over 100,000 residents...I know approximately ten of  those 100,000.

So as you can see it only takes one person to say something silly, and the next thing you know vast masses have taken up the call.

I guess all I can do is express that by making a joke about something as serious as an illness or disorder, it does more harm than good. It certainly makes me feel like I've wasted all these years educating others about mental illness, and doing my best to reduce the stigma suffered by other's who are struggling daily with their individual problems.

Serious Kate, out.