I saw this quote by Laurence Sterne this morning,
"“Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners”
... and rather thought it summed up the situation that many people on this board find themselves in ie continually trying to get understanding and assistance with regard to their illness and being ridiculed or dismissed for it.
I've often thought that how I've been treated by others since I got ill has ultimately highlighted the flaws in other people rather than in me because it is they who have the self respect issues relating to both morals and manners - and Mr Sterne summed it up nicely for me.
Thank you Mr Sterne