One reason that people resist sharing their mental health struggles is the level of misunderstanding from people who have not lived through this experience. If you are part of this group, then let’s face some of the myths you may believe and learn some insightful information about what really goes on.

Mental disorders are incurable

People recover from depression and other conditions all the time, thanks to treatment and support from the community. Some conditions, such as bipolar disorder, are unable to be cured, but the symptoms can be handled to ensure a good quality of life.

Only adults suffer from mental disorders

Many conditions – including anxiety, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders – begin in adolescence. However, they can strike anyone at any age.

People with a mental disorder can barely work, go to school, or have normal relationships

This myth is a key reason why so many people do not wish to disclose that they have a mental health diagnosis. While depression or panic attacks make it harder to perform day-to-day responsibilities, medication and therapy can put a person back on the road to health so they can have all these things. At times, a person may need to take time away from work or school, but they should be welcomed back just as anyone else is after being derailed by an illness.

Having a mental illness makes life hopelessly difficult. You cannot live on your own or support yourself

This may be possible in cases of a severe condition, but most disorders do not escalate to the level where the person with them is incapacitated. Millions of people are working and studying while balancing their mental health every day. Since it is an invisible condition, you simply don’t know who they are and what they are experiencing. 

Medication is the only answer

Just like a physical ailment, a combination of treatments will help a person recover from a mental illness. For example, if you injured a joint, you would use a splint, drugs, and physiotherapy to regain mobility. Likewise, the use of therapy and medication tends to produce the best results for someone working to recover from a mental disorder. Diet and other lifestyle decisions also have great sway over how quickly a person bounces back from a mental condition.

People with mental illnesses are scary since they are violent, aggressive, and unpredictable

Some people with extreme conditions, which may come with hallucinations, can be erratic and their actions hard to understand. However, most people with mental disorders quietly live their lives without anyone knowing what they are going through. Usually, if someone is struggling, they tend to be bullied or further victimized by people who don’t empathize with them. They are also more likely to hurt themselves than others.

Some demographic groups are more vulnerable to mental illness than others

Anyone can develop a mental health condition, regardless of their race, gender, religious background, or location. Since stress is a risk factor, people who live under financial pressure or who face higher rates of discrimination, which could lead to lower incomes, could be more susceptible.

You have to be weak to develop a mental disorder

Anyone can be diagnosed with one, just as anyone can come down with the flu or catch a cold. Mental disorders are based on physiological and emotional changes, not a personal weakness or lack of will. There may be a genetic component if a person’s ancestor also had a condition, but it can also arise from stress.

Regardless, the goal is always to become strong again and be a contributing member of society. By learning more about mental health, everyone can help the people around them cope better and support the next person who faces a diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or whatever other disorder strikes them.

Creating a caring community helps people get help sooner so they can recover more quickly. Please be part of the solution, not the problem.

Reference

https://positivepsychology.com/wp-content/uploads/Mental-Illness-Myths-and-Reality.pdf