The term "crazy" has and hasn't bothered me at certain times in my life. It seems the term is loosely thrown around because it so general. Like Anthony said, people don't carry around the DSM textbook and clinically diagnose people in a matter of minutes because they are acting erratically, in that person's opinion.

What I do notice is an intolerance towards those who suffer from behavioral or mental disorders because the behaviors that those people exhibit seem alien to people who live relatively normal lives. Mostly, I think it is a lack of compassion and unwillingness to accept that a behavoiral or mental disorder can be just as debilitating as cancer or diabetes or any number of physically disabling diseases. The feeling that someone who is mentally ill is "weak" pervades the American psyche. It is somehow our fault that we have symptoms and at times, can not overcome them.

This conversation brings back memories of Virginia Tech. Those kids called Cho "weird", lacking any compassion towards the fact that he might be mentally ill - and he was, and he ended up killing people.

Best,
Rachel