in reply to @shelleyw I'm sure I am not the only person who has come from a screwed up family, and as soon as I was old enough to "know better," I made it my mission to be nothing like those who raised me. I have succeeded. I have 2 sisters, one who has disowned me 5 years ago because she thought I was a hypochondriac, something I heard many say at the recent IDF conference. In other words, the disease is so misunderstood and misdiagnosed (my case). My "non-sister" told me she only wanted to talk about "recipes." I am better off without her. My family always felt that seeking psychotherapy was a weakness, but I saw and still see it as a strength. It took me a long time to find just the right person to talk to, and in the end it turned out to be a male therapist, something I thought I would never do(talking to a man). However, considering that the three previous female "virtual" therapists bailed on me, I decided to take my chances and I chose the first person in the provider directory from my insurance company. It is working out much better than I expected. While "traumas" from the past might always be a part of "who we are," I have learned to overcome the challenges I faced, and I would dare say I am much more emotionally intelligent as a result of the work I did with various mental health professionals during my lifetime. I'm not saying it is easy to overcome life's challenges, and it does take a lot of work (and money). For me, it was all well worth it. On the flip side, being as mentally healthy as I am can also lead to a sense of "being alone," because my remaining family members and some friends will always remain stuck in their strong denial system. It's really too bad that "mental health" care still carries a stigma, but I hope that that in itself would not stop anyone from "asking for help."