Mental health is a complicated area of life that prompts many different explanations as to what causes it. But despite knowing the complexity like monarch health otsego of the topic, we still have so many misconceptions about how to deal with mental health and assist those who are suffering from it. Here are ten common beliefs about mental health that you should consider before buying into them yourself:
1. Everyone has a mental health issue.
There are people who have depression and those who do not. People with a mild form of agoraphobia may suffer from anxiety, but not everyone who suffers from anxiety does too. Mental health problems only manifest themselves in the forms that fit their symptoms, and often, we judge others for what they do not suffer from yet.
2. There is something seriously wrong with someone if they are having a bad day
If you feel like your partner has been on edge or if you catch them looking sad or subdued, there’s nothing to worry about when it comes down to it. Everyone experiences a bad day now and then, and there’s no reason to think otherwise. It is important to know when a bad day is just that and not the beginning of something worse, like depression.
3. With professional help, everyone can be put right again.
It can be difficult sometimes to understand that with all the advances we have made in mental health treatment, some people will simply not improve no matter how much help they receive from professionals or how many times they try various methods of treatment. Some mental health issues are just too much for anyone to overcome on their own and might require treatment from other sources like self-help books or meditation techniques.
4. Mental health issues are easily cured.
Mental health issues can sometimes be very difficult to manage, and even the most seasoned mental health professionals might not be able to help everyone who seeks their help. The best thing you can do is try to show them they are not alone and realize that whatever is wrong, there is always something you can do to help them feel a little better about it. There’s also hope that in the future, we will find better and more efficient ways of treating mental health problems.
5. Depression is sadness.
There are many different types of sadness, and depression is a specific one that involves feeling sadness for too long and for no reason. Seeing the issue with stress management is a more appropriate term than depression because that can include a wide variety of emotions that the word “depression” does not.
6. People who are depressed are always sad or miserable
The word “depressed” only means that there is a mental state in which an individual feels sad or unhappy, but depression doesn’t necessarily mean the person feels like they have to be sad all the time. Sometimes people with depression feel like they are lacking energy and feel a lack of self-worth, but these feelings can be overcome.
7. Everyone who is feeling depressed needs to be hospitalized
This is an outdated mentality that has been a part of many different cultures, and doctors may still believe it because of the stigma surrounding mental health problems. It’s true that in some cases, hospitalization is required. However, healthy people who have the same symptoms as those who are suffering from depression do not need to be hospitalized all the time either because they are perfectly okay in their own right and just need some reassurance.
8. Mental illness means you’re not strong enough to deal with things on your own.
People who are feeling mentally healthy are able to work through situations on their own, and this is what makes them strong. On the contrary, someone who is suffering from a mental health problem needs a real-time support mechanism that can offer guidance and calm throughout the process of getting better.
9. People with mental health problems cannot have a career
This misconception has led many people to believe that people with mental health problems must stay behind closed doors because they simply don’t have the strength to contribute anything positive to society. However, when you have a mental health problem, your career often takes an emotional toll on you, and the last thing you need is to be working in an environment where the stressors are constantly in your face.
10. Mental health is completely a matter of choice.
When people with mental health problems feel they have lost control over their thoughts or feelings they might feel pressured to stop treatment due to fear of becoming dependent on psychotropic drugs or behaving in a way that will make them less functional later on. In some cases, these things can happen, but it’s up to you whether it’s worth being afraid of this happening to you or taking the risk of becoming dependent on medication if there is no other way for you to get better.
Conclusion:
It’s important to realize that just because you are not suffering from a mental health problem right now, this doesn’t mean you won’t have one in the future. Mental health is an issue that affects us all, and the only way to overcome it is to be there for each other and understand each other’s problems.
