Exposing 10 misconceptions about mental health

Here are 10 misconceptions about mental health conditions

1. Addiction is a lack of willpower

According to experts, drug use disorders are considered diseases. In a paper on the relationship between will power and recovery from addiction, published by Addictive Behaviours Reports, researchers discovered that a lack of will power was not a factor when it comes to overcoming addiction.

“People with addiction seem not to be short on willpower; rather, recovery is dependent on developing strategies to preserve willpower by controlling the environment,” they wrote.

2. Mental health problems are a sign of weakness

If anything, fighting a mental health condition takes a lot of strength. Saying that 'mental health problems are a sign of weakness' is like saying a broken arm is a sign of weakness. Mental health conditions are also not a sign of bad character.

In the same way that people with diabetes or sepsis cannot recover just by 'snapping out of it', those with depression cannot either.

3. Panic attacks can be fatal

Panic attacks can feel like the end of the world, your world. The sense of dread that something terrible is happening to you and the racing heartbeat, can make anyone think they are dying.

However, these sensations cannot directly cause death.

Notably, a person having a panic attack is more likely to have an accident. Finding a safe place when one feels a panic attack coming on might reduce risk of accident.

4. Mental health problems are uncommon

The world discarded the above statement when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Unfortunately, many people were faced with the reality of mental health conditions during this period. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), in the past 20 years, the number of people suffering from mental and neurological disorders went from "1 in 4 people in the world" in 2001 to 450 million people today.

The number of adults suffering depression and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is higher than ever before. And as WHO explains, "mental disorders are among the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide.”

5. People with mental health conditions cannot work

It is entirely false that people with mental health issues cannot keep a job or contribute to the workforce.

Severe mental health issues might make it difficult for sufferers to carry out regular work. But work and productivity can be different, and most people with mental health issues can be as productive as those without mental health conditions.

According to study, employment rates for people with mental health conditions decrease with age. Younger people with mental health conditions are as likely to be employed as those without mental health conditions. Among the elderly, those with mental health issues have an increased (21%) risk of not being employed.

6. Eating disorders only affect females

The stereotype is that eating disorders affect young and wealthy females. This is false. A study investigating the demographics of eating disorders over a decade indicates that they are shifting to males and low income homes and among the elderly. They include anorexia, bulimia nervose and binge eating disorders.

7. Eating disorders are a lifestyle choice

In extreme cases, eating disorders are fatal and even in mild cases they are very harmful to health.

8. Only people without friends need therapy

There is a big difference between the methodic talking with a therapist and talking with friends. Both activities impact mental illness in different ways, talking to a trained therapist addressed the condition constructively, objectively and with confidentiality towards wellness, like a doctor treating an infection. Talking to friends cannot guarantee this. In fact, not everyone is comfortable with opening up to their loved ones, while some do not have such close relationships.

9. Mental health problems are permanent

Mental health diagnoses are not life sentences. They are unique to each individual with episodes of returning to 'normal' and other finding balance with therapy and medication.

For some people, it may not feel like they have recovered from a mental disorder, while others can get worse with time.

Recovery depends on many things but some people recover to a greater or lesser degree. It also depends on what an individual considers "recovery", for some it might mean returning to how they felt before their symptoms and for others it might mean "relief" from their symptoms.

10. People with schizophrenia have a split personality

Schizophrenia means “splitting of the mind,” which explains why people think it means a split personality.

It is a myth though. When Eugen Bleuler coined the term in 1908, he was trying to explain the breakdown of the mind and a person's behaviour as a result of the disorders.

In schizophrenia, a person experiences disturbances in thought, perception, emotions, language and sense of self. The disturbances include hallucinations and delusions. It should not be confused with dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder).

Mental health disorders are a health issue, and just like physical health, they have symptoms, treatments, recovery and lifestyle changes. They also leave behind changes in the individual, their lifestyle and those around them. These are normal consequences of experiencing health challenges whether in body or mind.