I have mixed feelings about our laws about the mentally ill. Of course, the civil rights of all us are extremely important. And we don't want to end up with a Communist Russia-type system where they locked away in "mental institutions" those the goverment didn't approve of. And earlier in the US's history, the mentally ill were misunderstood and some times hidden away or locked up out of sheer ignorance. And yes, they, too have rights. I don't want to deny anybody their rights (although I am frequently accused of that at home).
I don't know what the answer is, but there is something seriously amiss with a system that waits for people with impaired judgment, brain damage, etc. to suddenly have brilliant insight and go obtain appropriate treatment. Granted, some of them do voluntarily get help, but there are certainly an awful lot of them running around out there who don't ever get there, and we all pay the price for that.
I fully agree that it's important to take care of ourselves, and I definitely do that. I always have, even before I was involved with A. Even when I was a single mother sacrificing to raise a child on a small salary and with no help, I found ways to do nice things for just me. But the advice to take a bubble bath or go to a movie when you are living with a lunatic leaves something to be desired.
I have heard some alcoholics tell their stories where God called them to get their lives straightened out, and they did. That's wonderful. But what if God doesn't always speak to us like we expect? What if He sends a kind, loving friend or family member to help guide a disturbed person? What if God speaks to the non-A, who says, don't bother me now, I have to go take a bubble bath?