THE FICTION OF MENTAL ILLNESS, JEEZ LEW-EASE, GIMME A DAMN BREAK.  BI-POLAR, MANIC PHASE - EXHIBITS AT LEAST 3 OF 9 SPECIFIED BEHAVIORAL TRAITS (PRETTY MUCH THE SAME A PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIC).  ETIOLOGY - WELL, UNLESS YOU GET HIM ON HIS MEDS, HE'LLL KEEP HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME AND BRING JOY AND DELIGHT INTO THE LIVES OF LIKE-THINKING STRANGERS.    


MENTAL HEALTH - A REALITY, BLESSED ARE WE WHO HAVE IT.   ABSENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH - ANOTHER REALITY, PRAY FOR THOSE IN THIS STATE THAT THEY MIGHT ACHIEVE MENTAL HEALTH.  REASONS FOR EVER SEEING A PSYCHIATRIST - NONE; NOT A FRIGGIN' ONE, OR A LCSW - PROBABLY NONE;  OR A PSYCHOLOGIST - AHA! NOW WE ARE STARTING TO GET ON THE RIGHT TRACK - PROBABLY NOT AS HELPFUL AS A BARTENDER, BAR MAID, WAITRESS, OR STREET PROPHET, BUT AT LEAST THEY ARE ABLE TO CATEGORIZE YOUR DEPRESSING EXPERIENCES AS "AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS."    


BEST THERAPIST OF MY MULTITUDE OF THERAPISTIC EXPERIENCES, HANDS DOWN - DR. CONSTANTINE BRUNS WHO LIVES IN OAK PARTK IL AND PRACTICES NEAR MIDLOTHIAN COUNTRY CLUB ON THE SOUTH SIDE - CONNIE PUT HIMSELF THROUGH COLLEGE HUSTLING POOL, AND DRIVING TAXI, STONED, INTO THE EL-TRACK SUPPORT POSTS; HOW COULD YOU NOT RELATE TO THIS NON-JUDGMENTAL ANGEL OF THE LORD?