I Was Thinking posted about the sociopath in California who parked his Jeep on railroad tracks and killed 11 and hurt about 200 other people.  I made a comment there that I believe I should post here:

My daughter can tell you about my bipolar induced suicidal tendencies (I am not ashamed of being ill.  I am ashamed of my lack of control and of forgetting to take my medicines).

On the day this maniac decided to whack 11 people and injure almost two hundred others, Jessica and I were both watching the news and crying.  It was horrifying that people just trying to get to work were offed by sociopath trying to pass off his homicidal tendencies as a bipolar disorder.  As a person with an extreme version of the disease (2 or 3% of Americans suffer from bipolarism; my form affects 1 or 2 in 10,000), I can tell you that killing people isn't part of the disease.

A bipolar person is legally sane since all know the difference between right and wrong.  Though sometimes that doesn't stop the intense emotions the illness awakes; the disease takes over and the feeling of compulsion to hurt myself is almost impossible to deny.

Jessica and I cried because we felt so bad for all of those who died and who were hurt and injured.

Then we both got mad.  Both of us wished that if it had to happen somewhere, that it had happened in Texas--so the bastard could be put down like the monster he is.  In California, he could die an old man on death row.

Then we got pissed because this is another thing that is going to be blamed on mental illness, and stigmatize people who suffer every day from mental illness, and their poor families who have to care for them.

I would be nowhere without my daughters and my husband.  Him, because despite our sometimes rocky marital problems, he has tried to stick by me, and always tries to work everything out.  The girls because they give me a reason to keep fighting and trying--and because all three are always there to pick up the pieces when I fall apart, especially Jessica.  She is a really great kid.

I don't deserve any of them, but feel very blessed that I have all four.

I realize it is unusual to post a comment I left on another blog, but being high strung, I read what I wrote and decided that it should be on my own blog, as maybe a bit of background about myself. 

It also gives the reason why I so infrequently post about political items on my own blog.  I get very aggravated, even on my medications.  Bipolarism isn't strickly a mential disease; it is an emotinal disorder.  Getting really pissed off isn't good for me and is very, very bad for my already extremely diseased heart.  I hate taking NitroQuik every day as it is (it causes migraines).  Posting on political things is dangerous.  Commenting is much safer, because it involves less intense thought,  and since  most comments are snarky, humor removes some of the stress.