Is this a myth or fact?
People with mental health problems are prone to being violent and unpredictable.
Myth.
The majority of people with mental health problems are no more likely to be violent than anyone else.
In fact, people with mental illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population.
Using the word "crazy" contributes to stigma?
This is true.
When someone refers to another as "crazy" it is usually because they have acted in an absurd manner, made an irrational decision, or implies that they are unstable. This perpetuates the societal stigma, and can contribute to self-stigma.
Additionally, it may also prevent someone from seeking some much needed help.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is just a military mans disease.
This is untrue.
It is a specific set of symptoms that occur after an individual experiences or witnesses an extreme traumatic event. The individual can react to the trauma in several different ways. Usually with unmitigated fear, helplessness, feelings of reliving the event, and trying to avoid being reminded of it, flashbacks, disturbances in sleep, hyper arousal/hypervigilance, changes in aggression, distress and impairment in other areas of life.
Telling someone that their illness is all in their head.
This is unhelpful.
This diminishes the seriousness of their issue, and can contribute to self-stigma and guilt.
People with mental illnesses used to be institutionalized.
This is a fact.
Deinstitutionalization began during the period of the civil rights movement, when many groups were beginning to be incorporated into mainstream society.
This change has been met with conflicting attitudes.
Therapy is not an effective treatment.
Myth.
Therapy is often used in conjunction with medication and is an effective treatment for many mental illnesses and disorders.
Additionally, many individuals work with a support system during the healing and recovery process.
A support system or support individual can be a parent, family member, teacher, faith leader, health care provider or other trusted individual,
Myths are one of the biggest contributors to stigma surrounding mental health.
True.
Inaccurate information that is being spread is detrimental to the overall understanding of mental health. This due to the fact that many of the myths project mental illnesses in a negative light.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is made up of compulsions and obsessions.
This is true.
It is made up of two parts: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted and distressing thoughts, ideas, images or impulses that happen over and over again. There are four major obsessions, symmetry, forbidden thoughts or actions, cleaning, and hoarding. Compulsions are the behaviors, rituals or mental acts that you do to ease the anxiety caused by the obsessions. Checking, arranging, washing, counting/touching, hoarding, mental rituals, confessing/reassurance.
It is helpful to address someone with mental illness as the "mentally ill person". This way people know they are unstable before interaction.
This is very unhelpful.
As with any illness or disorder, you address the person as a person first, not a label.
Ex: This is Carlos, who also happens to have a diagnosis of whatever.
Unless I'm a professional, I can't help someone with a mental illness.
This is a myth.
There are numerous ways in which one can help another. Some of which are:
Prevention doesn't work.
Myth.
Prevention does work, however one can still develop an illness.
Prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders focuses on addressing known risk factors such as exposure to trauma that can affect the chances that children, youth, and young adults will develop mental health problems.
Avoiding someone because of their mental illness doesn't contribute to stigma.
This is incorrect.
Avoiding someone because of this distinguishing characteristic is considered stigmatizing and fuels discrimination.
Agoraphobia is fear of being outside.
This is inaccurate.
Typically with agoraphobia people are not afraid of specific places, but they are afraid of being in a particular place and having something happen. The “something” may be becoming ill, not being able to escape, or not being able to receive immediate help. It may also be being embarrassed or incapacitated. Often the thought of leaving ones “safe zone” results in a panic attack. If that’s the case it would be considered agoraphobia with panic disorder.
Telling someone that other people have it worse.
This is very unhelpful.
Saying this is unhelpful because it diminishes the problems and struggles this person is facing, and invalidates their feelings.
This is not just specific to mental health.
A mental illness is like a physical illness.
This is a fact.
It means you have an illness with challenging symptoms — the same as someone with an illness like diabetes. It deals with your brain, which is a physical body part.
Once you have a mental illness or disorder, you have it forever.
Fact. (For the most part).
However, with proper treatment, upkeep and support anyone can live a fulfilling life. Sometimes it takes some time to get to a place where things level out, and getting an accurate diagnosis is a often a big part of the wait with some illnesses and disorders.
Acquiring a label is a big reason people do not seek treatment.
This is true.
People often fear that label so instead choose to let the symptoms of their ailment go untreated.
A mental health label doesn't define you.
Treatment can lesson symptoms and a diagnosis can even provide relief so one is no longer wondering what the issue is, and instead can focus on how to cope with it.
Malingering Disorder is a disorder where a person is said to be suffering from something, but that something isn't real.
This is true.
This is where a person deliberately pretends to be suffering from “something” that is non existent in order to gain sympathy, obtain pharmaceuticals, receive financial awards etc.
Sometimes this looks like someone pretending to make a very slow recovery from an injury or illness.
On occasion, those with invisible illnesses are accused of having this. This is why it is important to learn to advocate for yourself.
Speaking slowly and calmly, so that there is emphasis on each word.
This is unhelpful for the most part.
Unless someone is experiencing an episode where clarity in understanding is lacking, this just alienates the person.
Mental illnesses are just an excuse for poor behavior.
Myth.
Mental illness and disorders can drastically impact ones behavior. Like anyone, these behaviours can be embarassing for the person.
It is important to consider that the illness, not the person, is can be behind these behaviors. But it is also important to remember that they can make mistakes and poor choices all on their own too, without impact from the illness.
The Mad Movement is about people who are mad and want to move.
Myth.
The Mad Movement and Mad Pride is about people working toward a more inclusive society. One that empowers people living with mental illnesses and disorders to live a fulfilling life, access the supports they need, and a society that recognizes and values their contributions to the well-being of themselves and their communities.
The aim is to create a national community of practice that will connect like-minded survivors, researchers, advocates and allies, and those working in mental health.
Self-stigma doesn't happen for those with a mental illness.
This is false.
Self-stigma is very common for those with a mental illnesses.
There are different types of self-stigma.
Alienation: Feeling embarrassed, ashamed, inferior or disappointed in yourself for being ill or feeling that the illness is your fault.
Stereotype endorsement: Applying stereotypes to yourself.
Discrimination experience: Feeling like the discrimination you are facing is deserved.
Social withdrawal: Avoiding getting close to people who don’t have mental illness, socializing or talking about yourself because you feel like a burden, out of place or inadequate, like a potential embarrassment to loved ones.
Dissociative Identity Disorder is an easy disorder to treat, because it's symptoms are simple.
This is false.
DID- is considered the most severe of all the dissociative disorders because the most common symptom is the presence of more than one identity. Usually the average additional personalities one has is 15 with DID. Often there is a struggle for dominance among the additional identities.
Five key symptoms in most dissociative disorders:
Amnesia, the loss of one's own identity or the loss of periods of time in the past. Depersonalization, feeling detached from oneself or as an outside observer of oneself. Derealization-sensing that objects in one's world are strange, unreal, or have suddenly changed in size or appearance, or location. Identity confusion, being unsure of one's own identity Identity alteration, behaving in a way that suggests one has assumed a new identity.
Remind the person that they are ill, and that they should not overexert themselves.
This is unhelpful for the most part.
Consistently reminding someone of their limitations adds to self-stigma, societal stigma and is considered a microaggression.
Chances are, this person will know when they have reached their limit. It would be better to say remember to take care of yourself, but this reminder should be given to everyone and not just someone with a diagnosis.
Mental illnesses are created by witchcraft, karma, punishment from a higher power.
This is a myth.
Mental illnesses form when there is a disturbance in the usual brain functions, leading to difficulty thinking, controlling feelings and behaviors.
Prolonged stress does increase the risk for developing mental illness, but it is not a direct cause of it. In fact, everyday stressors are essential for the development of life skills.