Mental health disorders are fairly common, with more than 20 percent of American adults experiencing some form of mental illness each year and nearly five percent of adults experiencing a serious mental health condition. Unfortunately, despite how many people have mental health symptoms, our society still holds some very inaccurate and unkind views about mental illness and the people who experience it.
At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health in Leland, North Carolina, we treat people who are experiencing serious mental health issues requiring inpatient care. We want to give you the tools to understand mental illness and help the people you love to manage any symptoms they might experience without shame or fear.
Ignorance of Mental Illness and the Resulting Problems
Because people know so little about mental health, it is easy for them to accept myths as facts. These myths sometimes portray people with mental health disorders as:
- Lazy
- Violent
- Dangerous
- Out of touch with reality
When this is the perception of people with mental health disorders, it’s no surprise that anyone struggling with mental illness might be reluctant to admit their symptoms or that their loved ones might not be able to recognize mental health struggles, since they likely don’t see the person they care about in these negative ways. This internalized stigma can delay diagnosis and treatment, allowing the person to suffer longer while their symptoms get worse. In addition, a person who does not receive timely treatment may resort to self-medication to manage symptoms, placing them at greater risk for developing a substance use disorder and becoming involved in the criminal justice system.
Common Mental Health Myths
Myth 1: People With Mental Illnesses Are Violent
TV shows and movies often use mental illness as shorthand for danger, and any time there is a mass shooting, the news always tries to link it to mental illness, so it’s not surprising that people would connect mental illness and violence. Hate is not a symptom of any condition listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and a lot of mass shooters have never been diagnosed with any form of mental health condition.
People with mental health disorders only commit about 3-5 percent of violent acts. It is far more likely that they will become victims of violence than perpetrators. When people with mental health disorders do display aggression, it is often because they have stopped taking their medications or are in the early stages of their disease, before they have received any diagnosis or treatment. The resulting confusion, fear, and distress that the person is experiencing as a result of dealing with an untreated mental illness is often the cause of the aggression.
Myth 2: Mental Illness Only Happens to Weak People
All kinds of people struggle with mental illnesses. Respected historical figures such as Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Virginia Woolf, and Sylvia Plath, as well as modern celebrities, including Billie Eilish, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Justin Bieber, and Zayn Malik, have been reported to have experienced mental health symptoms. It is likely that someone you know and respect has also struggled with depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions, whether or not they shared their struggle. Mental illnesses are not caused by moral failings, personal weakness, or a lack of effort to get better. What does cause mental illnesses is:
- Genetics
- Physical illnesses
- Injuries
- Brain chemistry
- Structural differences in the brain
- Difficult life experiences
Myth 3: Children Don’t Experience Mental Illness
Half of all mental health disorders begin before the age of 14. Recognizing the symptoms early and getting a young person treatment right away will make it more likely that they can make a full recovery.
Myth 4: Bad Parenting Is to Blame for Children Diagnosed with Mental Illness
Often, people will blame a child’s undesirable behaviors that result from a mental health condition on a parent who is either abusive or too lenient. While abuse can contribute to mental health disorders, this does not mean that all children with a mental health condition are victims of abuse. Spanking will not improve the symptoms of a child with a mental health condition, particularly if they have already experienced abuse.
Myth 5: People with Mental Health Diagnoses are “Crazy”
Whatever that word means to you, it isn’t helpful or accurate to apply it to people who are struggling with a mental illness. Many people with mental health disorders are very capable, competent, and kind. They deserve respect and compassion.
Myth 6: Only Soldiers Get Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
While it is very true that combat is one cause of PTSD, some of the other experiences that can trigger PTSD include:
- Abuse – physical, sexual, or emotional
- Natural disasters
- Community violence
- Witnessing domestic violence
- The sudden loss of a loved one due to death, divorce, or placement in foster care
- A traffic accident
Myth 7: People with Mental Illness Should Not Take Medication
There are some people with mental health disorders for whom medication is not effective or who cannot afford medication. Those individuals need to utilize other interventions that are available to them to maintain their best possible mental health. On the other hand, just like other organs in the body, the brain sometimes doesn’t work as it should, and medication is helpful for many people.
Antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, antipsychotics, and other medications can help the brain work better. It’s not really so different from a diabetic taking insulin to help their pancreas do its job or a person taking antacids to address excessive stomach acid.
Just as people with medical concerns might also utilize interventions like dietary changes or exercise, in conjunction with their medication, people with mental illnesses often use therapy, support groups, and lifestyle changes to further support their well-being.
By understanding the truth about mental health and addressing misconceptions where you hear them, you can help to make the world a more supportive place for people with mental illness. At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health, we work with the family and friends of our patients to make sure they have accurate information about their loved one’s mental health needs.
