A list of 5 common assumptions that people make about mental illness, and the truth behind these myths.
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00:00 A man by the name of Thomas Sast published a book in 1961 called "The Myth of Mental
00:15 Illnesses" discussing his belief that mental illnesses were unnecessary diagnoses used
00:21 to excuse the behavior of moral and socially deficient people.
00:25 Some people still have this view of mental illnesses, but the majority of the public
00:29 have gone on to understand over the years what a mental illness is really about.
00:34 Although we have come to have a better understanding of it, there are still tons of myths about
00:39 it that can have harmful effects on the treatment of those with psychological conditions.
00:44 So today we'll be talking about 5 harmful myths about mental illnesses.
00:49 First, people with mental disorders are likely to be violent.
00:54 The Sun, a newspaper in the United Kingdom, released an article saying that over 1,200
01:00 had been killed by people with mental illnesses in the past 10 years in England.
01:04 The statistics were true, but what they failed to inform was that 97% of the counted deaths
01:10 were from suicides.
01:12 In actuality, criminal behavior in people with mental illnesses is very small and mentally
01:18 ill people are the ones who are more likely to experience domestic violence and sexual
01:22 abuse.
01:23 They are more likely to suffer an intense psychological reaction to being victimized.
01:29 Second, people can pull themselves out of a mental illness if they really wanted to.
01:34 A popular myth, especially with people with depression and anxiety, is just that the person
01:39 is being over-sensitive and could easily fix the problem.
01:43 This is where the phrases "they just want attention" or "they like feeling miserable"
01:48 comes into play.
01:49 Mental illnesses often have a genetic factor that influences the preposition and chemical
01:55 imbalances that can't easily be conquered by sheer willpower.
02:00 It's difficult to even take the first step by seeking help and working up the courage
02:04 to even admit to yourself that there's a serious problem.
02:07 Finding a therapist and having to go through a trial and error process that takes up a
02:11 large amount of time is difficult as well.
02:15 Some people even choose to fight it themselves.
02:17 Dealing with a mental illness can be scary, emotionally draining, and exhausting.
02:23 Having to pull yourself together and fighting through while taking any ounce of support
02:28 you can get is quite difficult.
02:33 Third, love and support are the absolute cures to mental illnesses.
02:40 Therapists and doctors will always tell you that social support is a very important factor
02:44 when it comes to the recovery process but it may not always be the surefire way to fix
02:48 someone's mental illness.
02:50 We've all seen movies where a child with a serious behavioral problem or a girl who suffers
02:54 from emotional outbursts is made completely better by the end of the movie because someone
02:59 went out of their way to inspire a sudden realization that they too can be loved.
03:04 It's a touching concept but if you expect this in real life, you'll be thoroughly disappointed.
03:09 They can be afraid of rejection and social isolation.
03:12 Although it's great having someone helping and supporting you along your fight, showing
03:16 that they care about you, a mentally ill person could have a hard time even believing that
03:20 in the first place.
03:22 Expecting process from showing love and affection on the same level of support every single
03:26 day will be harder especially on a particularly bad day for the person that's being helped.
03:32 Fourth, having a mental illness is a social death sentence.
03:36 The awareness of mental illnesses and what causes them has more than doubled since the
03:40 1950s.
03:42 Mental illnesses have become highly aware and have become more acceptable, more so than
03:47 physical illnesses in some cases.
03:49 Some even see it that having a mental illness is a sign of a greater understanding of what
03:54 it means to be a human being.
03:56 Ardila Gomez found that even living near a place that offers mental health services can
04:00 raise the rates of acceptance and understanding from 21% to over 80% of the population.
04:07 People without mental illnesses are understanding what some people go through and are willing
04:11 to go out of their way to help if they can.
04:14 Fifth, you will become your label.
04:18 This is a big fear when it comes to making the decision of going to a mental health professional.
04:22 Instead of a person, you'll feel labeled as a manic depressive, an aneuristic, a schizophrenic,
04:28 etc.
04:29 Some clients end up feeling like they aren't seen and valued as a person.
04:34 Bougie and therapists have pushed for first person terminology.
04:38 For example, instead of an autistic child, you use a child with autism.
04:43 This puts emphasis on the person and not the illness.
04:47 Some researchers have even debated if telling their clients their official diagnosis is
04:51 beneficial for their recovery process.
04:54 If the client's feeling like the mental disorder itself is the only thing his or her therapist
04:59 or doctor is focused on, it's highly recommended that they find a new one.
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