Lovely post and a much needed topic.

I have a mental illness, because I have TOO much feeling. I have CPTSD from narcissistic abuse. The narc is insane, crazy, because he has NPD. He tried to make me believe that I was the crazy one. Oh, I had fears about hat for a long time.

I have been healing with natural and alternative methods. It has been going very well.

A mental illness is often the result of maltreatment from someone who is insane. Mental illness is not insanity, indeed, as you say it yourself.

I used to be afraid to tell people I had a mental illness, and they would cringe when I told them I was not on medication. Allergies, so whatever. But today, I tell people, I have a mental illness. Then I get the "oh?", so I elaborate, 'Yes, I have CPTSD from narcissistic abuse." And then discussions begin, and people are informed and less ignorant, or curious, or realise something about themselves. It breaks the stigma.

So apparently politically I'm a snowflake? Or a victim? What about survivor? No, I'm definitely a survivor. I'm in a happy place, so I can't be a victim anymore, I'm not being abused anymore, that was 12 years ago! And I'm not that kind of snowflake, because I'm no weak. Mentally ill people are far from weak. They are ill because of predators, psychopaths who know how to weaken the strong. If I was weak, I would not be alive today. But I like the idea of being the other kind of snowflake, unique, pretty, and one in a trillion ;)

Keep sharing, my friend. We who understand mental illness are the one who can shed light on the topic.