Reminder to all (kin and non-kin)

Refusal to subject yourself to, agree with, participate in, or encourage toxic behavior is not ableism.

You do not have to tolerate aggressiveness, manipulation, theatrics, emotional abuse, lying, threats, toxic attention seeking, gaslighting, or any other kinds of harmful, destructive and/or generally toxic behavior or people.

Mental illness is a reason for harmful behavior, it is not an excuse for it, and it is not a ‘get out of consequences free’ button.

All people, mentally ill or not, deserve compassion and understanding, however:

• You have the right to remove yourself from any situation or person with which you do not feel comfortable.
• You have the right to be upset if someone harmed you physically or emotionally, you even if it  was due to mental illness.
• You have the right to seek an apology when you feel comfortable approaching the person
• You have the right to not feel comfortable approaching that person again

It does not matter if the person is a peer, a friend, a relative, an authority figure, or a stranger. You do not have to endure toxic people or behaviors.