18 Mental Health Myths Busted
Despite all the talk and study about mental health, there are still many wrong ideas out there.
Sadly, lots of people still don't understand mental health problems and have old-fashioned ideas about them. Just like in other parts of life, knowing the right information can help us get rid of these wrong ideas and keep them from affecting how we see things.
Not too long ago, society treated people with mental health problems badly. People thought their suffering happened because of evil spirits or punishment from a higher power. While most of the world has moved on from those ideas, their effects still stick around.
In the year 2020, global mental health went through a lot of stress. So now, it's more important than ever to clear up the wrong ideas about our mental well-being. In the next sections, we'll talk about 18 common myths about mental health.
Myth: Mental health problems are rare.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, this idea wasn't accurate. Today, it's even less true than before.
Back in 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that 1 in 4 people worldwide might have mental or brain problems at some point in their lives.
Now, about 450 million people are dealing with these kinds of issues. The WHO says mental problems are one of the main reasons why people are sick and have disabilities all over the world.
Depression is one of the most common mental problems. In 2017, it affected more than 264 million people around the world. A more recent study in the United States found that the number of adults with depression has tripled because of the pandemic.
Another mental problem, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), affects about 6.8 million adults in the U.S. That's more than 3 out of every 100 people.
Myth: Mental health issues can't affect me.
Mental health problems can affect anyone. In 2020, here are some facts:
One out of every 5 American adults had a mental health issue in a year.
One out of every 6 young people went through a major depressive episode.
One out of every 20 Americans has a serious mental illness like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.
And, something really sad, suicide has become one of the top reasons for death in the United States. It was the second most common cause of death for people aged 10 to 24. In 2020, over 45,979 Americans died by suicide, which is almost twice as many as the number of people killed by homicide.
Myth: You only need to take care of your mental health if you have a mental health condition.
Myth: Mental health problems are permanent.
Getting a mental health diagnosis doesn't always mean you have it forever. How people deal with mental illness is different for each person. Some might have times when they feel okay, like their "normal" self again. Others might find treatments, like medicine or therapy, that help them feel better.
It's important to understand that not everyone might feel like they've completely beaten their mental illness, and some could even feel worse as time goes on. But the main thing to know is that many people can get better to different extents.
Also, it's important to know that "recovery" means different things to different people. For some, it's going back to exactly how they felt before they had symptoms. For others, it means feeling better and getting back to a good life, even if it's a different kind of good.
Myth: Children don't experience mental health issues.
Even when kids are very young, you can sometimes see signs that they might have mental health problems. Doctors can identify these conditions by checking a child's health and talking to them, and they happen because of a mix of things in their body, mind, and life.
Surprisingly, half of all mental health problems show their first signs before a person turns 14 years old. And three-quarters of these issues start before they turn 24.
Sadly, only half of kids and teens with these problems get the help they need. But if they get help for their mental health early, it can stop these problems from getting in the way of their growth and development.
Myth: Poor mental health is not a big issue for teenagers. They just have mood swings caused by hormonal fluctuations and act out due to a desire for attention.
Teenagers often have mood swings, but we should also understand that they can have mental health problems. About 14% of teenagers all around the world have to deal with these issues. On a global level, for kids between 10 and 15 years old, suicide is the fifth most common reason for dying, and for those between 15 and 19, it's the fourth most common. What's important to know is that half of all mental health problems start before a person turns 14 years old.
Myth: Adolescents who get good grades and have a lot of friends will not have mental health conditions.
Depression is a common mental health problem caused by a mix of things like how you feel inside, your thoughts, and your body. It can affect anyone, no matter how much money they have or how things seem on the outside. Even young people who do well in school can feel stressed because they have big expectations to meet, and that can lead to anxiety. They might also have problems at home. Plus, some young people can feel depressed or anxious even when there's no clear reason for it.
Myth: Bad parenting causes mental conditions in adolescents.
Many things, like not having enough money, not having a job, being around violence, moving a lot, or going through tough times, can affect how teenagers and the people who take care of them feel and their mental health. It can also change how they get along with each other. Even teenagers who have loving families that help them can still have problems with their mental health, just like those in families where the people taking care of them might need help to create a good environment for teenagers to grow up in. With the right help, the people taking care of teenagers can be a big help in helping teenagers deal with and overcome any problems they face.
Myth: People with mental health conditions are violent.
Most people with mental health problems aren't more likely to be violent than the general population.
Only a very small number, about 3% to 5%, of violent acts have anything to do with people who have serious mental health issues. Surprisingly, those who struggle with mental health problems are more than 10 times as likely to be victims of violent crimes than most people. It's possible that you know someone with a mental health issue, and you might not even realize it because many of them are active in our communities and make positive contributions.
Myth: If a person has a mental health condition, it means the person has low intelligence.
Mental illness, just like physical illness, can affect anyone, no matter how smart they are, where they come from, or how much money they have. It's something that can happen to anyone, and it doesn't pick and choose based on these things.
Also, mental health problems show us how it's important to see the worth in every person. They remind us that we all have times when we feel weak and times when we show strength, and this is something we all go through as humans. When we understand this, we can make a more inclusive and kind society that helps people with their mental health without being judgmental or unfair.
Myth: People with mental health needs, even those managing their mental health conditions, cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job.
Someone with a very serious mental health problem might indeed find it hard to get a regular job, but most people dealing with mental health issues can be just as good at work as those without such problems.
In a study done in the United States in 2014, they looked at how people's jobs related to how serious their mental health issues were. As you might expect, the study showed that more serious mental health problems meant fewer people had jobs.
But, there were some important things they found. About 54.5% of people with really serious mental health issues had jobs. That's compared to 75.9% of people without any mental health issues, 68.8% of people with mild mental health issues, and 62.7% of people with moderate mental health issues.
Also, when the researchers looked at how old people were, they saw that the difference in job rates between people with mental health problems and those without got bigger as people got older. For people between 18 and 25 years old, there was only a 1% difference in job rates between those with really serious mental health issues and those without. But for people between 50 and 64 years old, the difference got much bigger, 21%.
So, what this tells us is that having a mental health issue shouldn't stop you from working, and with some help and changes, many people with mental health issues can have good jobs that they find satisfying.
Myth: Mental health issues are a result of personality weakness or character flaws, and people can "snap out of it" if they try hard enough.
Mental health problems have nothing to do with being lazy or weak. Many people need help to get better. These problems can come from different things, like:
Things in your body, like genes, physical health issues, injuries, or how your brain works.
Things that happened in your life, like bad experiences or getting hurt by someone.
When people in your family also had mental health problems.
It's important to know that people with mental health problems can get better. They often look for help and support to help them on their journey to feeling better.
Myth: There is no hope for people with mental health issues. Once a friend or family member develops a mental health condition, they will never recover.
Studies show that people with mental health problems can and do get better, and many move toward a path of recovery. Recovery means the journey where people can have good lives, work, learn, and be part of their communities. There are many treatments, services, and community support systems available now that are helpful for:
Dealing with mental health problems
Preventing them from getting worse
Treating them
Helping people recover
This shows that it's possible to get better from mental health problems, and there are lots of useful resources to help with that.
Myth: Nothing can help protect people from developing mental health conditions.
There are lots of things that can help stop mental health problems from happening. Some of them are:
Learning how to get along with others and handle your feelings
Getting help early if you're having problems
Having a close and loving family
Going to a school where you feel good and have a regular sleep schedule
It's important to know that overcoming tough times depends on a mix of things that protect you. It's not just one thing, like where you live or what's going on in your life. Kids and teenagers who do well even when things are hard often have something called "biological resilience," which means they're naturally strong, and they also have good relationships with their family, friends, and adults around them. All these things together help keep them feeling good.
Myth: Therapy and self-help are a waste of time. Why bother when you can just take a pill?
The way to treat mental health problems is different for each person. It might include taking medicine, going to therapy, or doing both. Usually, the best way to get better is by working with a supportive group of people while you're healing and recovering.
Also, it's important to know that treatment isn't just about medicine and therapy. Things like making changes in your life, practicing mindfulness, and taking care of yourself are also really important for your mental health. When you combine these kinds of things with medicine and therapy, it can help a lot on your path to feeling better mentally.
Myth: Only people without friends need therapists.
There's a big difference between talking to a therapist and having informal chats with friends. Both can help people with mental health problems, but a trained therapist knows how to deal with these issues in a way that's more effective than even the most caring friends.
Also, not everyone can share everything with their close friends. Therapy gives you a private, professional, and completely focused place to talk about your problems, which you usually can't get in regular conversations with friends who aren't trained to help.
It's important to remember that not everyone has close friends they can talk to, and there are many reasons for this. We shouldn't judge or blame people in these situations.
Myth: I can't do anything for a person with a mental health issue.
The support of friends and loved ones can have a significant impact. In 2020, only 20% of adults received any form of mental health treatment within the past year, with just 10% benefiting from professional counseling or therapy. Friends and family can play pivotal roles in guiding someone toward the treatment and services they require by:
Extending a helping hand and reassuring them of your availability for assistance.
Assisting them in navigating the mental health service landscape.
Collaborating on the acquisition of self-care and coping strategies.
Sharing and promoting accurate information about mental health, especially when misconceptions arise.
Treating them with the same respect as anyone else, fostering an inclusive and understanding environment.
Avoid defining them solely by their diagnosis or using stigmatizing labels like "crazy," and instead, employ person-first language that emphasizes their individuality.
Myth: It is impossible to prevent a mental health condition.
Efforts to prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders center around mitigating recognized risk factors, such as exposure to trauma, which can influence the likelihood of children, youth, and young adults developing mental health issues. Fostering an individual's social-emotional well-being yields a range of positive outcomes, including:
Enhanced overall productivity.
Improved educational achievements.
Reduced crime rates.
Strengthened economies.
Elevated quality of life.
Extended lifespan.
Enhanced family dynamics.
These benefits underscore the significant impact of prioritizing social and emotional well-being on both individuals and society as a whole.
Conclusion
To sum it up, getting rid of wrong ideas about mental health is important to make a society that truly helps and welcomes people on their journey to better mental health.
As we talked about these 18 common wrong ideas, we've learned that mental health problems aren't because of being weak, that asking for help is a sign of being strong, and that people with mental health issues can have good lives. We've also seen how important it is to stop treating mental health problems differently from physical ones and to be kind to people going through tough times.
When we share the right information and talk openly about mental health, we can make a world where it's okay and even a good thing to get help for your mental health. Let's keep fighting these wrong ideas, supporting each other, and working toward a future where mental health is just as important as physical health. Together, we can get rid of the things that stop us from making progress and make a world that cares about mental health as much as physical health.
