In recent years, mental health has slowly become less of a taboo topic. Of course, the rise in awareness has also resulted in the rise of misconceptions. These misconceptions cause stigma and misinformation which make it much harder for those with mental illnesses to seek help. Here are five common mental health myths and the truth behind them.
Mental health problems are a sign of weakness.
By this logic, having a physical injury is also a sign of weakness. Mental health problems are illnesses that are not determined by a person’s personality or character. These conditions are caused by a variety of factors such as genetics, chemical imbalances, brain injuries, and life experiences. If anything, one could say that fighting mental health conditions actually makes someone stronger.
Only people without friends need therapists.
Although talking to friends about our problems can be a great way of coping, it is no substitute for seeking professional help. While both talking to a friend and consulting a therapist can help someone who suffers from mental illness, the ways in which they can help are vastly different. A trained therapist can be objective and help someone approach their issues more constructively while talking to a friend can help someone feel supported by the people in their life 一 and both are important in building up the support systems in one’s life.
It’s also important to consider that not everyone feels comfortable opening up to their friends, while some people don’t have close friends at all. There can be many reasons behind this but none should be held against a person.
Children don’t experience mental health problems.
People often say that children are too young to experience any sort of stress since they haven’t experienced the “real world” yet. However, even very young children may show early signs of mental health concerns. According to the World Health Organization, half of all mental health disorders manifest symptoms before the age of 14 but less than 20% of children with these conditions are ever treated. Destigmatizing mental health issues in children can help in providing support for those that are affected by these issues before they can begin to interfere with the child’s development and daily life.
All people with mental health issues are violent and unpredictable.
Mental health problems are more common than we think and can even be detected in productive members of society. People living with mental health problems are no more predisposed to violence than members of society who don’t. According to MentalHealth.gov, only 3-5% of violent acts can be attributed to people with serious mental illnesses. In fact, they are 10 times more likely to be victims rather than perpetrators of violent crimes.
Something must be wrong for you to visit a therapist.
Most people assume that once you visit a mental health expert, something must be wrong with you. Dr. Anna Tuazon, the University of the Philippines’ PsycServ clinical supervisor, says that seeing a professional earlier is better than later. Visiting a mental health expert can not only help sort out any concerns you may have but also help you with solving issues before they become something bigger.
Mental health conditions are common and unfortunately treatment isn’t available to everyone. Society is slowly progressing towards a more accepting and safe place for those struggling with mental health issues but we still have a long way to go. Destigmatizing is the first step we can take to continue moving forward.
References:
De Pona, M. (2019, April 24). Common myths about mental health. Retrieved October 12, 2021, from https://stjudereviewandtrainingcenter.com/common-myths-misconceptions-mental-health-philppines/
Mental Disorders. (2021, August 10). Retrieved October 12, 2021, from https:/ /medlineplu s.gov/mentaldisorders.html
Mental health myths and facts. (2017, August 29). Retrieved October 12, 2021, from https:// medlineplus.gov/mentaldisorders.html
Miranda, P. (2020, October 27). 3 things we're getting wrong about mental health. Retrieved October 12, 2021, from https://nolisoli.ph/88452/mental-health-myths-globe-20201027/
Newman, T. (2020, October 5). 11 myths about Mental Health (J. Beake, Ed.). Retrieved
October 12, 2021, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/medical-myths-mental-health-misconceptions
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