MENTAL HEALTH: MYTHS AND FACTS

Have you ever discussed about your mental health!

NO?

But why?

Mental health is as important as physical health.You should take care of your mental health in the same way you take care of your physical health.

Emotional wellness incorporates our enthusiastic, mental, and social prosperity.It affects how we think, feel, and act.Similarly, it assists with deciding how we handle pressure, identify with others, and settle on decisions. Psychological wellness is significant at each phase of life, from childhood and pre-adulthood through adulthood.

The stigma associated with mental health, lack of awareness and limited access to professional help are the reasons why only 10% to 12% of suffering people seek help. The stigma attached gives birth to a lot of myths about mental health.

Check out these myths and their reality about mental health that needs to be addressed immediately!

1. MYTH: Mental health problems are rare. I am safe.

FACT: Mental health problems are actually very common. You will be surprised to know that 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime. It means someone you know may be struggling with mental illness. So be kind to everyone around you because you don’t know what kind of problems they are struggling with.

2. MYTH: People with mental problems are not productive at all. Their performance is poor in comparison with other employees. 

FACT: People with mental illness are as productive as others and can even hold a successful job. We should not judge people on the basis of their mental health. One must be aware of the fact that employers who hire people with mental health problems report good attendance and punctuality, good work, and job tenure at par with or greater than other employees.

3. MYTH: People with mental health problems are violent and unpredictable. 

FACT: Most people with mental health problems, even those with severe ones like schizophrenia, are not violent. Somebody with a psychological maladjustment is bound to be a survivor of savagery or cruelty than express it. There is no reason to fear a person diagnosed with mental illness. But you must be careful while talking to someone you know who’s having mental illness, you should always avoid using such words which are related to their problem. In simple words, don’t use the words or don’t act in a manner which triggers their mental problem in a direct or indirect way.

4. MYTH: I can’t help you to come out of this mental problem.

FACT: There are a lot of things that you can do to help in improving their problem.

YES!

Friends and family members can play a big role to get the services and treatment they need. For example:

●       Letting them know you understand them and you are available to listen and help them.

●       Helping them to access mental health services.

●       Treat them like a normal human being, respect and be kind towards them.

●       Always listen to them and your gestures should be pleasant to make them feel that you are understanding them. Don’t judge them on the basis of their illness.

●       Avoid to define them by their diagnosis or using labels such as "crazy".

5. MYTH: Children don’t experience mental health problems or mood swings are just a part of puberty.

FACT: Even very young children may show early signs of mental health problems! These problems can be clinically diagnosable, and can be due to biological, psychological and social factors. Half of all mental health disorders show first signs before a person turns 14 years old, and three quarters of mental health disorders begin before age 24.

6. MYTH: Seeking help for mental health problems will exclude you from society or normal living and make your problem worst.

FACT: Don’t let other’s perceptions scare you from stepping towards the betterment of your life. It’s quite hard to come out and speak about your mental health problems especially when they are so commonly misunderstood and people who are unfamiliar with mental health illness tend to think that people are the way they are because of nature, personality or attitude. But be strong and have the strength, courage and bravery to open up to someone. You are working to alleviate the stigma, increase awareness, empower yourself, grow as a person, and promote understanding of mental health.

It’s important that we prevent societal constructs from framing people as violent or “crazy” for having a mental problem that is beyond their control.

Let’s UNDERSTAND each other…

Written By: 

Ritika Bhatt (Student of MA Psychology)
Intern, Brain Behaviour Research Foundation of India 

References

Louise L. Hay (1994). YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE, 33-42. Hay House Inc.

Mental Health Problems Affect Everyone (2017). Retrieved from                    https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/mental-health-myths-facts

Sky Lea Ross (2019). Six myths and facts about mental illness. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/October-2019/Six-Myths-and-Facts-about-Mental-Illness