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5 Common Misconceptions About Mental Illnesses

Debunking Some Common Misconceptions About Mental Illnesses

By Richard BaileyPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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As we grow as a society and uncover more truths, mental illnesses start to show themselves more and more. Not because it is more common, but because more people are talking about the problems they are having instead of trying to hide it all the time. This doesn’t mean that people don’t hide their illness, but they are actively seeking help. Stigma is still an issue that is attached to mental illnesses and those that suffer from them. As someone who suffers from severe treatment-resistant depression, I see and hear those stigmas all the time, and a lot comes from people being uneducated about mental health and mental illnesses. Here are five common myths about mental illnesses.

1. People don’t recover from a mental illness.

This is completely untrue. In today’s advancements in medications and treatments, there are many kinds of supports, treatments, and services available to people who suffer from a mental illness. Although not everyone with a mental illness leads a productive life, some still do. Some people may never fully recover from a mental illness while others will. Some last for a short period of time and others for a lifetime. This doesn’t mean that a person can’t recover from their illness and still lead a productive, full life.

2. Mental illnesses aren’t a real illness.

Mental illnesses are very real and some even life-threatening, and can also be damaging to a person’s body through self-harm. Most don’t go away on their own, requiring some form of treatment, and creating all kinds of distress and anxiety, affecting people in physical ways as well as mental ways, such as extreme fatigue. When someone breaks a leg, people don’t tell them to just “get over it” or look down on them for having to use a cast while the bone heals, and in some cases, needing physiotherapy. The same goes for mental health. Time is required to heal from the illness and supports and treatments are needed.

3. People who experience a mental illness are unable to work.

There are many people who are able to and continue to work even though they are dealing with a mental illness. There may be periods of time that a person is unable to work or can only work part-time, but the workplace is filled with people who have a mental illness. With the proper treatments and support, a person can learn coping strategies that allow them to continue to perform in the workplace while dealing with their mental illness.

4. A person with a mental illness is violent and dangerous.

There is no evidence to support that people with mental health issues are more violent than those who do not have a mental health issue. Often times people who are excluded from the community are linked to violence and people who suffer from a mental illness often get excluded from their community. That could be through their own isolation or through the stigma and criticisms of those in their community.

5. Mental illnesses will never affect me.

It’s important to understand that researchers have estimated that one in five people suffer from a mental illness or mental health problem. In some countries, this number might be higher. Although not everyone will experience a mental illness of their own, they will often know someone, a friend, family member, or a coworker who is affected by a mental illness—and their life can be impacted by that person.

Before making assumptions about mental health issues and mental illnesses, it is important to understand them. This is easily done by researching a mental illness and educating yourself not only about the illnesses, but also what we can do to help someone who is experiencing a mental illness. Instead of reading forums and social media posts about mental illnesses, it is best to research them on medical sites and research sites where the information can be trusted and comes from experts on the subject.

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About the Creator

Richard Bailey

I enjoy writing about many different topics but my main focus is mental health, mental illness, and specifically depression. I have a long personal experience with Severe Treatment-Resistant Depression and Anxiety.

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