Hello,
I have also had to deal with this in the past. Education can be a great tool. But only if people wnat to learn and understand this and some people don`t want to! Then there is not much you can do.
I must admit, I have kept in my l;ife those people who accept me the way I am and have put distance between me and those who won`t even try. I know it is not a perfect solution but I do feel happier. Luckily for me my immediate family and my husband are very understanding :)
I think as long as mental illness is so taboo and as long as we are afraid to speak more about it, there will always be a certain problem of dealing with stigma. But I am hopeful that things are moving in the right direction :)
-Diva