Most of my life, I have had to deal with people, be them strangers, family, friends, Professional People who work in the public health sector, not just the mental health system, but other area`s such as general medicine, GP`s, and even Dentistry, where I have been "judged and sentenced" so to speak, on who I am and how I am to be treated as an individual. 
Stigma is everywhere, and even after nearly 30 years of experiencing the different ways stigma reveals itself,and how it manifests, Not even today, the here and now in my life, can I become complacent or just `be ready` in the back of my mind, to see it rear its ugly head in some way.
You may think it strange that I wrote down the `Dentistry Sector` as a place where stigma toward mental health, but especially schizophrenia, is very much alive. So i`m gunna say a short story of the type of experience I had from health professionals in that area of medical care.
My dental practice is really nice, they`re friendly, helpful and i have a brilliant dentist.

I hate going, and like alot of people have a fear and slight phobia about it. Some dentists in the past, in different surgeries have been bloody horrible and down right impatient and nasty. Because of that i stopped going for check-ups altogether and didnt really have a dental practice at all for over 10 yrs. 
But my mum got me to go for a much needed check-up after getting me into her practice, and i`ve been there ever since. 
My dentist Sarah, is lovely. Shes got a real nice `bed side manner` and totally aware of my fear of needles, but think about  that needle.. Have u seen the size on that damn thing?.. they are huge! and i have a small mouth! .. anyway,        Sarah is the best dentist i have had, she is fully aware of my mental illness and my diagnosis, and she shows no negativity in any way. 
Over 8 yrs ago, i went to an appointment, and sarah said because i was too frightened to sit in the chair and have one of my wisdom teeth taken out, even though she told me that it had a really small root and would be like taking a regular tooth out, she said that she would be happy to refer me to the dental clinic in Swansea, where they specialize in  general anesthetic. I agreed that it was a definite option for me to take,so she got a form and asked me questions she had to fill in which included my giving her details of what medications i was taking and name of each drug. I thought nothing of it, as did she,because it was a important part of information due to the fact i was going to receive a general anesthetic and some medication can react badly. So we filled it all in and she said she would send it the same day and i shouldn't have to wait that long for them to get in touch with me via a letter, and 2 weeks later i received a letter telling me the date of my appointment to go have the tooth out. It was a matter of waiting just over another 3 weeks. The start of the week after that, another letter arrived from the same clinic asking me if i would go to the clinic for a pre-assessment before having to go have it taken out. I didnt think anything of it and just thought maybe after reading of all the medication i was on, it might be due to it affecting my having to be `put under` so 4 days later myself and my partner went to the assessment. We waited at reception and soon approached by a gentleman who said he was the senior dental surgeon and asked to follow him into a small but comfortable feeling room. My partner came in with me,he didnt seem to mind and then another younger man came in and sat down.

Then the whole situation took a rather unbelievable turn. he asked me:
"We have looked at all the medication that you are taking, we see no problems in us going ahead with the general anesthetic, but what we are MORE concerned about is for what reason are you taking some certain drugs on this list, so can I ask you, what is the reason you are prescribed the Anti-Psychotic drugs in particular?"
I sat there for a moment dumb... looked at my partner and then just replied
" Do you wish to know what my mental health is like or what my diagnosis is??"
He replied "Yes please" .." Well I am diagnosed as Paranoid Schizophrenic"... "Ahh I see,well can you tell me then, how many violent episodes you have had with this illness?"
"Violent episode???"... "Yes, we need to assess whether it would be safe for us to give you a general anesthetic, as when you are brought around and firstly awake,you would be likely to react in a confused and it seems a probable violent manner"
"Ermm ..look, Yes, i have had quite a few psychotic breakdowns, but i have never been violent in any way EVER!"
"But your a schizophrenic, and it means you can become violent more often than not,and i am worried for the safety of my staff in that treatment room when, and if we are going to proceed to perform the extraction, i will not put any of MY staff at risk, from you!" 
" I told you, I have NEVER been violent, in any way, in fact i have never touched a hair on anyones head my whole life, im not violent, dangerous, whatever! and something I DO know, is that YES sometimes when people are woken up after an anesthetic they can be very confused, angry and sometimes physically unpredictable.. you can put some quiet old gentleman to sleep and then wake him up,and he could behave like a monster! ......."
" Ok Please dont become upset Ms Jones, we deal with dozens of clients everyday, but I had a duty to assess you and question you about your illness as schizophrenics are unpredictable and difficult, physically awkward, and dangerous, and you have answered all my questions as to whether your a high risk patient"....
I was furious, if steam could actually rush out of each of my ears they would have in that room.
My partner hadnt said a word, her bottom jaw was resting on her foot..
" So, you asked me here, basically to satisfy your concerns as to whether i was a schizophrenic or not, and your telling me!,, as a someone who is in the public health sector and senior professional surgeon .. to which i assumed that you would be quite a knowledgeable man, with medical issues of all kinds of areas in general health..yet you seem so certain about the facts and symptoms of a schizophrenic!! When actually you have simply made yourself look a total fool  in front of me, your anesthetist and my partner, with your ..which i can only describe as "twisted archaic and totally ignorant attitude and belief system about the behavior of someone with schizophrenia! Do you know, well im going to quickly educate you with some pointers.. that 99.9% of schizophrenics are the most vulnerable people, NON VIOLENT and if the word "danger" is used, it is that they are a risk to themselves and NOT to other people, in fact most sufferers become VICTIMS of abuse and violence from others.. So I`m just going to get up and leave now, and i hope, you never treat anyone like you have me, again.. you made me drive 40 miles to come here and listen to what i would have thought an intelligent man and not be subjected prejudice and stigma.. Have a nice day, and please if you would.. can you send me a letter to inform me if you are happy to take my tooth out or not, within the next few days, so i know what is going on, i won`t thankyou for your time, goodbye"

I grabbed my partner by the arm dragged her out the room and we marched out of the clinic, got in the car immediately lit a cigarette and then drove around the near area to try find a pub to stop at.. as i needed a stiff drink ..

I think that experience was one of my " Top 10 Shocking Conversations" when ever the subject of my illness is brought up. 2 weeks later I did go back to the clinic and i had the tooth out, and my partner who was sitting in the waiting room wondered what the hell was going on in the treatment room as she could hear hysterical laughter .. i apparently was a total pleasure and very comical when they woke me up.. and i took a moment or two before they composed themselves and ready fro the next patient.