For people living with mental health conditions, discussing the challenges they face can be difficult. The stigma surrounding mental illness can make people feel excluded, silenced or misunderstood. And often, this is driven by a lack of awareness about what mental health conditions are and what causes them.
This makes correcting misconceptions and eliminating stigmas around mental health challenges key to ensuring more people seek treatment and receive the care they need. Whether you or someone you love is living with a mental health condition, knowing the truth about it can be an empowering, important part of managing it.
Below, we’re breaking down some common mental health myths. Keep reading to learn key facts, causes and more.
Myth #1: Mental illnesses are rare
The myth that mental health conditions are rare is likely due to a lack of open, public dialogue about the number of lives it actually touches. But the reality is that mental health issues are very common – possibly even more so in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, 2022 data from the National Institute of Health estimates that more than one in five American adults (23.1%) are currently living with a mental health condition. And young children and adolescents are not exempt. For teens 13-18 years old, nearly half have experienced some form of mental illness.
Medical professionals define mental illness as a group of conditions that can disrupt your thoughts, emotions and behaviors. Signs of a mental health issue can include changes in your mood, feeling tense, “antsy” or more quick to get angry, and an inability to concentrate, as well as physical challenges like constant fatigue, trouble sleeping, chronic muscle tension and drastic changes to your appetite (overeating or loss of appetite).
Not only are mental health conditions common, but they also don’t always last for long periods of time. Episodic conditions, ones that come and go in “waves” like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), are also considered mental health conditions.
Myth #2: If you try harder, you can make your symptoms go away
There’s a common misconception that getting rid of a mental health condition simply requires the right amount of willpower, discipline or mental toughness. That is not the case.
Mental illnesses can’t be willed away. It’s important to understand that facing a mental health challenge doesn’t mean you or someone you know is weak or has some kind of character defect.
Causes of mental illness often include biological, social or physical factors, or a combination of the three. Some specific causes include:
- Genetic predisposition (it “runs in the family”)
- Significant life event (planned or unexpected)
- Chemical imbalance in the brain
- Mental or physical trauma as a child or adult
- Loneliness or social isolation
- Neurological issues, including brain injuries
- Alcohol or drug use
- Serious or chronic physical illness
Myth #3: Everyone who has a mental health condition needs medication to manage symptoms
While some people living with a mental illness may be prescribed medication as part of their treatment plan, this isn’t the case for everyone. There are people with mental health conditions who don’t need medicine to manage their symptoms, and others for whom it’s crucial. Also, most people who start a medication take it for 6-18 months, not forever.
Depending on the frequency and severity of their symptoms, a person’s care team may recommend one or more of the following in addition to or in place of medication:
- Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy)
- Lifestyle changes like improving diet, exercising regularly and reducing stress
- Leaning into or strengthening social support networks
- Specialized treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation
Myth #4: Someone can’t hold a job if they have a mental illness
The belief that someone with a mental health condition is unable to work or keep a job is false. While there are state and federal laws that protect people with physical and mental health conditions in the workplace, stigmas around mental illness can feel particularly damaging in the workplace, making it difficult for employees to take the care and time they would if they were dealing with “normal” health conditions.
A national poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association found that almost two in five employees fear that informing their employer of a mental health condition would negatively affect them in their workplace.
The reality is that people with mental health conditions are just people. If they feel that their workplace is a safe place to be themselves and to ask for what they need, they can be as productive, punctual, dependable and motivated as those who do not have a mental illness. And having a job can be beneficial to people living with a mental health issue. Not only does it provide income that they need to live, it can also provide structure and a sense of personal purpose.
Myth #5: Someone living with a mental illness is more likely to commit a crime or be violent
The idea that people with mental health conditions are more violent continues to be one of the more persistent myths about mental illness. But it’s simply not the case.
More often than not, people that live with any form of mental illness are not violent. And when it comes to people who live with a serious mental illness such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, just 3-5% of violent acts can be attributed to this group, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
In addition, someone with a mental illness is actually nearly four times more likely to be the victim of crime, and people living with a severe mental illness are more than 10 times more likely to experience violent crime.
Myth #6: People who experience mental health symptoms will never recover
The myth that someone will never recover and lead a healthy, productive life is simply not true. Numerous studies have shown that treatment can help people with mental health conditions live happy, fulfilling lives. Research also shows that medication and psychotherapy are equally effective for treating mental health symptoms, and they work even better together.
Mental illnesses are treatable health conditions. They can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, race or income. While people may still be afraid to talk about them due to shame, misunderstanding and fear of discrimination, there is hope. Organizations across the country and around the world are actively working to destigmatize mental health and make it easier for people with mental illness to talk about it and get the treatment they need.
Don’t let mental health stigmas hold you back
Living with a mental health condition doesn’t need to make you feel isolated. If you think that you or someone you love is experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition, don’t let stigmas stop you from giving or seeking help.
A great first step toward treatment is speaking with a primary care doctor or clinician to evaluate symptoms and get you on the path to a happier, healthier life. Your doctor will be able to answer your questions, develop an initial treatment plan and connect you with a mental health specialist when needed.