5 mental health myths you should stop believing right away
After years of being sidelined, it took some time for mental health to be free of all stigmas and shadows. However, despite its commonality in today's time, it is still surrounded by multiple misconceptions that hinder one's way toward being mentally healthy. With that in mind, let not these five myths come in the way of your healing. Check them out!
Myth 1: Mental illness is a sign of weakness
The common myth about mental health is that people think a mental illness is a sign of weakness. However, it is completely baseless. A mental illness has nothing to do with being weak or fragile. Instead, it is about showing the strength to accept a mental health condition and the courage to seek treatment. Anyone can develop a condition at any point in time.
Myth 2: Mental health problems last forever
Another misconception revolving around mental health is that its problems last forever. Although many mental illnesses are long-term and incurable, a majority of them are treatable with various approaches. With the right kind of help, those struggling can find an end to their woes at the earliest. For others, the journey may become long and time-consuming, but there is always hope.
Myth 3: 'Staying positive' is all it takes to heal
Many people think that "staying positive" is the only cure for treating a mental condition. Sometimes, so many cases go unreported as they are brushed under the carpet with toxic positivity. Treating a specific mental illness requires the patient to face the root cause of their problem, accept it, and then overcome it with professional help. Thus, it certainly takes more than two words.
Myth 4: Having a mental illness means you are crazy
This misconception reveals how mental health and its illnesses can't be more misunderstood. A mental illness doesn't make a patient crazy but more vulnerable. It means to have an illness that is triggered by challenging symptoms, just like how it happens with people who have diabetes. While yes, it may affect one's thoughts and mood, it still doesn't mean that it drives one crazy.
Myth 5: Psychiatric medications are harmful and shouldn't be taken
Many people, including some patients themselves, look down upon psychiatric treatment and medicines. They believe that they are either harmful or are simply some "happy pills" that offer a temporary escape. Again, all this is far from the truth. Medication in mental health is just as important as it is for any other physical illness. They help ease symptoms and don't promote transient escapism.
