Top 10 Misconceptions About Mental Health

After years of counselling people who are at a point in life where they need a little extra support or a listening ear, I’ve compiled a list of the top ten misconceptions people have about mental health.

1. Mental health problems are rare; it won’t happen to me.  Truth is nearly 1 of every 5 North Americans will have a diagnosable mental disorder within their lifetimes.

 2. Mental health problems are caused by the people who have them; it’s their own fault. It’s true we all need to take responsibility for our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours even if we have a mental health disorder, but we are not to blame for them. We can’t confuse taking responsibility with accepting blame.

3. Mental health problems are purely biological or genetic in nature. Biological factors, genetic inheritance, environmental factors, and psychosocial factors all may contribute to the development of mental disorders.

4. Mental health disorders are life-long and complicated to treat. There are effective treatments available for most mental health disorders.  Various types of psychotherapy and medications make it possible for most people who have a mental health issue to live normal and fulfilling lives.

5. Psychotherapy takes forever and is all about childhood issues.  Modern psychotherapy is often short-term and solution oriented. Most short-term psychotherapy approaches use a cognitive-behavioral model, which identifies the irrational thoughts that lead to dysfunctional behaviours and feelings. This type of therapy how to change those unhelpful thought patterns. Most common mental health disorders are now treatable in months rather than of years. Insurance and managed care plans often cover significant portions of the treatments.

   

6. I should be able to handle my own mental health problems; if I can't, it means I'm weak.  Most people who have a mental health problem don’t seek treatment. Rather, they rely on their usual coping mechanisms (perhaps exercise, eating, time with friends, working longer and harder, etc.) to handle the problem. And often talking with friends, reading a self-help book, or learning from an online self-help support group may be enough to see them through it.

But when the problems become overwhelming that’s a sign these people need more help. It doesn’t mean they’re weak-minded or weak-willed. It means they realize and accept their natural human limitations, and are wise enough and strong enough to seek appropriate care when their own coping skills aren’t enough.

             
Most of us don’t accuse ourselves of weakness if we see the doctor for a physical injury. Mental health problems are no different. They, like physical issues, can also result in permanent disability or worse if left untreated.

7. If I admit I have problems, everyone will think I'm crazy; I'll be hospitalized for a very long time.  “Crazy” has become a meaningless term. Everybody is a little “crazy” occasionally. Having a mental disorder doesn't mean you're crazy. It means you have a problem, similar to a medical disease, which needs to be treated. Would a family member or friend think less of you if you had cancer or the flu? Then why should they think less of you for having depression or anxiety? If they do, they need some education so they can be more open-minded.

Most people with diagnosable mental disorders don’t need hospitalization. Hospitalization is for extreme cases, when the problem puts you in danger of dying or causing harm or death to another person. If you should need a brief hospitalization time, you will be assessed, treated, and released as soon as you are feeling better, just as you would in the Emergency Room.

8. Being suicidal means I'm crazy.  Suicidal feelings are usually symptoms of depression or a related mood disorder. Feeling suicidal doesn’t make you crazy; it means you are overwhelmed by a situation or the harmful thinking that characterizes your illness and you can’t see a way to go on living. Suicidal feelings go away once you receive adequate care for your depression or mood disorder.

9.  Mental health problems are best treated by my primary care physician or a general practitioner.   Mental health professionals agree that diagnosable mental disorders are best treated by trained mental health professionals. Mental disorders should be taken seriously. You'd see an oncologist for cancer, a dermatologist for skin problems; you shouldn’t expect or demand any less care when dealing with mental health problems. GPs are good but are often trained only to prescribe a psychopharmacological treatment approach.  research has shown that the most effective treatment is a combined approach: psychopharmacology (medication) with psychotherapy.

10. Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, marriage and family counselors, etc.) make lots of money off people who have these disorders.  I’d love it if I could make lots of money doing something I love: helping people.  But thanks to the expansion of managed care into the mental health field, mental health care has become one of the lowest paying, longest work-day health care professions.  Like nurses, doctors, or social workers, mental health professionals are caring individuals who chose their field because they wanted to earn their living in a meaningful way.

Some of these make me angry when I encounter them, like #2.  Others just make me sad, like # 6.  I think it's sad and lonely when people  feel they have to go it alone, either because they're misinformed or because of the huge stigma that are still out there about mental health. 

Are you aware of any other misconceptions that should be added to this list?  Comment and let me know what you think.