Mental Health Association of Alameda County Says May’s “Mental Health Month”
is time to Debunk “Top Ten Myths About Mental Illness”
www.mhaac.org
14 May 2010 -- Oakland, CA: They are not just suffering from teenage angst. They are our children. They are your family members and colleagues. They are thousands of young people and adolescents suffering from the onset of mental illness. With May’s designation as “Mental Health Month, The Mental Health Association of Alameda County (www.mhaac.org) is providing a list of “The Top Ten Myths About Mental Illness.”
“Mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are more widespread than most people realize,” says Stephen Bischoff, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Alameda County. “According to a national study in 2005 there were an estimated 24.6 million adults aged 18 or older who experienced serious mental health problems. Almost every family in America is affected by mental illness.”
According to the study, the prevalence of serious mental health problems is high among young adults ages 18 to 25 (18.6 % of 18 to 25-year-olds, vs. 11.3% of all adults 18+), yet this age group shows the lowest rate of seeking help.
One of the main reasons why people don’t seek help is because of the stigma associated with mental illness. According to research, Bischoff says “many Americans are misinformed about mental illness and respond negatively when confronted with a family member or friend’s mental illness”.
It is important to learn about mental illnesses and to reduce the stigma that stands in the way of people getting help because people with mental illnesses can and do recover. There are more treatments, strategies and community support systems available than ever before, including medication, rehabilitation, psychotherapy, group therapy, self-help or a combination of these. Studies show that most people with mental illnesses do get better and many recover completely.
Additionally, one of the most important factors in recovery is the understanding and acceptance of family and friends, Bischoff says, “so it is critical that people get past the myths and embrace the facts.”The Mental Health Association of Alameda County (MHAAC) serves people with mental illness and their families throughout Alameda County, California. The MHAAC is a non-profit agency governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. For more information, call the MHAAC at 510-835-5010, send email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or see www.mhaac.org
“Ten Myths About Mental Illness”:
Myth #1: Psychiatric disorders are not true medical illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. People who have a mental illness are just “crazy.”
Fact: Brain disorders, like heart disease and diabetes, are legitimate medical illnesses. Research shows there are genetic and biological causes for psychiatric disorders, and they can be treated effectively.
Myth #2: People with a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, are usually dangerous and violent.
Fact: Statistics show that the incidence of violence in people who have a brain disorder is not much higher than it is in the general population. Those suffering from a psychosis such as schizophrenia are more often frightened, confused, and despairing than violent.
Myth #3: Mental illness is the result of bad parenting.
Fact: Most experts agree that a genetic susceptibility, combined with other risk factors, leads to a psychiatric disorder. In other words, mental illnesses have a physical cause.
Myth #4: Depression results from a personality weakness or character flaw, and people who are depressed could just snap out of it if they tried hard enough.
Fact: Depression has nothing to do with being lazy or weak. It results from changes in brain chemistry or brain function, and medication and/or psychotherapy often help people recover.
Myth #5: Schizophrenia means split personality, and there is no way to control it.
Fact: Schizophrenia is often confused with multiple personality disorder. Actually, schizophrenia is a brain disorder that robs people of their ability to think clearly and logically. The estimated 2.5 million Americans with schizophrenia have symptoms ranging from social withdrawal to hallucinations and delusions. Medication has helped many of these individuals to lead fulfilling, productive lives.
Myth #6: Depression is a normal part of the aging process.
Fact: It is not normal for older adults to be depressed. Signs of depression in older people include a loss of interest in activities, sleep disturbances, and lethargy. Depression in the elderly is often undiagnosed, and it is important for seniors and their family members to recognize the problem and seek professional help.
Myth #7: Depression and other illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, do not affect children or adolescents. Any problems they have are just a part of growing up.
Fact: Children and adolescents can develop severe mental illnesses. In the United States, one in 10 children and adolescents has a mental disorder severe enough to cause impairment. Only about 20 percent of these children receive needed treatment. Left untreated, these problems can get worse. Anyone talking about suicide should be taken very seriously.
Myth #8: If you have a mental illness, you can will it away. Being treated for a psychiatric disorder means an individual has in some way “failed” or is weak.
Fact: A serious mental illness cannot be willed away. Ignoring the problem does not make it go away either. It takes courage to seek professional help.
Myth #9: Addiction is a lifestyle choice and shows a lack of willpower. People with a substance abuse problem are morally weak or “bad.”
Fact: Addiction is a disease that generally results from changes in brain chemistry. It has nothing to do with being a “bad” person.
Myth #10: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as shock treatment, is painful and barbaric.
Fact: ECT has given a new lease on life to many people who suffer from severe and debilitating depression. It is used when other treatments such as psychotherapy or medication fail or cannot be used. Patients who receive ECT are asleep and under anesthesia, so they do not feel anything.
This list of myths was compiled by NARSAD (the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression) after conducting a nationwide survey of mental health professionals to determine the most common myths.
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