Myths About Mental Illness

There are lots of myths out there about mental illness. Most of these are harmful to the mentally ill, or at the very least minimize their suffering in the eyes of others. I have listed my top 17 here. (I know it's a weird number. That's just the number of myths I came up with!!) I hope this will clear up questions you may have or misconceptions you may believe.

1. Mental illness is a sign of weakness or a character flaw.
2. A depressed person just needs to snap out of it and help themselves.
3. The mentally ill are dangerous, violent, or likely to commit crimes.
4. Depression is not as serious or dangerous as other forms of mental illness.
5. Mental illness is caused by demons or is really demon-possession.
6. Psychotropic drugs are unnecessary; a person just needs to "snap out of it."
7. Psychotropic drugs are quick fixes that can be stopped after stabilization.
8. Events in a person's life cause mental illness.
9. A depressed person has something to be depressed about.
10. Depression is a sign of sin or a punishment from God.
11. Mental illness, especially depression, will go away with talk therapy.
12. Pursuing a hobby, getting out more, getting a pet, etc. will cure mental illness.
13. Vitamins, herbal supplements, diet, or exercise will cure mental illness.
14. A psychotic episode turns a person into a raving lunatic.
15. Schizophrenics have multiple personalities.
16. People with multiple personalities always have an ax murderer tucked away.
17. A person with OCD counts things all the time or washes his hands constantly.

1. Mental illness is a sign of weakness or a character flaw.

This is perhaps the biggest and most dangerous misconception of our time. In our "God helps those who help themselves" culture, mental illness is viewed as something that a person can control and therefore should be able to take care of on his own. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Mental illness is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Asking someone to "control" his mental illness through sheer willpower is akin to asking a diabetic to control her illness without insulin. It's physically impossible. Unfortunately, because we can not stick a needle in our brains and test chemical levels as a diabetic tests for insulin, there is no physical proof that these imbalances occur, and therefore are dismissed by many people as merely being "all in our heads." Unfortunately, this myth also prevents many people from seeking treatment when they should. Not being able to "control" their disorder on their own can lead to frustration and further depression.

2. A depressed person just needs to snap out of it and help themselves.

This goes hand-in-hand with myth #1. Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in our country today, but it is also one of the most stigmatized. People suffering from depression are often told to "snap out of it," "pull yourself together," "just put your mind to it and you'll feel better," "think about positive things and you'll feel better." While this advice is usually given by well-meaning friends and family, it does nothing to help the sufferer and usually causes more harm than good. Friends and family begin to lose patience with the sufferer and accuse her of wallowing in self-pity, not trying to help herself, and so forth. Eventually the sufferer feels completely worthless, which leads to deeper depression. It's a vicious cycle.

3. The mentally ill are dangerous, violent, or likely to commit crimes.

This is the second biggest misconception about mental illness in our country. I blame this on the media. They always sensationalize any story involving a mentally ill person, and lead the public to believe that bizarre or dangerous behavior is the norm among the mentally ill. In truth, violence is rare. Most mental illnesses produce passive, not aggressive, behavior. A person is more likely to curl up in a ball and cry than to go on a shooting spree. Paranoid schizophrenics (who believe others are trying to hurt them) and manic-depressives in a mania (who feel invincible) are the most likely to be dangerous, but even among them, violence only occurs in the most severe cases. In addition to the news media, Hollywood often portrays the mentally ill as being violent and evil.

4. Depression is not as serious or dangerous as other forms of mental illness.

Because of the passive nature of depression, it is not seen as being very dangerous. After all, a depressed person will usually just "mope around" and cut herself off from others. Depression doesn't get the lead stories like other forms of mental illness do. A woman crying herself to sleep in a dirty house is a lot less sensational than a paranoid schizophrenic gunning down children in a playground because he thinks they're trying to steal his thoughts. But in truth, depression is the most deadly of the mental illnesses. Depression leads to feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, which can lead to suicide. Violence against others is rare, but violence against self is frequent and often deadly.

5. Mental illness is caused by demons or is really demon-possession.

This is a common misconception among Christians, especially those who are more charismatic. I've also heard the opposite: demon possession in the Bible is really mental illness. But they are two entirely different things. I do believe in demonic activity, but I also know that the vast majority of mental illness has nothing to do with evil spirits. A simple way to rule out possession is to perform an exorcism. It's not as hard or as scary as it sounds. Simply pray for God's help and protection, and then say, "I command any and all demons to leave (name) immediately and go to the cross of Jesus Christ and be bound there." I've also heard it performed with sending the demons to the Throne Room of God to await instructions. If the person's suffering is caused by a demon, it will end. But most likely the person will still need psychiatric care. This confusion of mental illness and demon possession can be very dangerous. A mentally ill person may not be given the treatment she needs because demons are blamed for the suffering. It's Christianity's version of "it's all in your head." So please be careful.

6. Psychotropic drugs are unnecessary; a person just needs to "snap out of it."

This is yet another variation of "it's all in your head." I actually heard a woman in a store refer to a friend who was on antidepressants as a drug addict. "She says she can't make it without those pills, so to me, that's drug addiction." This is simply not true. No one calls a diabetic a drug addict for depending on insulin, nor would a heart attack victim depending on heart medication be considered an addict. Neither is the mentally ill person a drug addict. He simply has a chronic illness that requires medication.

7. Psychotropic drugs are quick fixes that can be stopped after stabilization.

This is a common misconception among the mentally ill. Many patients think that since the pills help them feel better, they are cured and can go off of the medication. They are not cured, as there is no cure for mental illness at this time. They are better because of the ongoing treatment, but that wellness will decrease and disappear if drug therapy is stopped. It is very important to not stop taking any medication or change the dosage without talking to your psychiatrist! Doing so can undo months of hard work.

8. Events in a person's life cause mental illness.

Another common misconception is that mental illness is caused by a traumatic event in a person's life. While traumatic events may sometimes trigger a mental illness, it is simply an awakening of something that is already there and not the actual cause of a new condition. Often a mental illness simply unfolds itself as the person grows older. This misconception is very dangerous because it often sends patients on a witch hunt for childhood abuse. After all, if depression is the effect of trauma, then the source of that trauma must be found to treat the patient properly. This attitude unfortunately leads to false memories of abuse, and sometimes to the breakdown of entire families when accusations are made. "Recovered memory" therapy has become an epidemic in our society, causing much strife for innocent people. If abuse occurred, you will remember it on your own without having to go searching for it.

9. A depressed person has something to be depressed about.

There are two types of depression: clinical (or chemical) depression, and social depression (or "the blues"). The latter is caused by traumatic events in a person's life, such as the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or something else of that magnitude. This kind of depression can usually be overcome with talk therapy, although in severe cases medication may be prescribed for a short period of time. Clinical depression, however, is a permanent depression which is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. It will not go away simply by talking about it. How does one tell the difference between the two? Only a doctor can make the diagnosis, but if the depression has gone on for more than a couple of months, and especially if there was no specific event that triggered it, it is most likely clinical depression.

10. Depression is a sign of sin or a punishment from God.

This is very common among Christians today. After all, if you're doing God's will, your life will be perfect and you'll always be happy, right? Well, the Bible is full of examples of wonderful godly men and women who were nonetheless plagued by a variety of evils. Of course, this statement can be true, too. If you have non-repentant sin in your life, you will feel bad about it, as you should. But this guilt should not be confused with clinical depression. They are two entirely different things.

11. Mental illness, especially depression, will go away with talk therapy.

I covered this briefly in #9, but I want to give it a little more attention. Everyone has a solution to another's problems. Although a loved one may be well-meaning, they may also be uninformed. Many people think that depression can just be talked away, or that obsessive-compulsive behavior can be overcome with a 12-step group. In milder cases, or in cases of social depression, these therapies may work. But most of the time, success will only come with drug therapy. Many people don't want to take drugs for a variety of reasons, including social stigma, but often drug therapy is the only way to overcome depression and stabilize a racing mind. Talking to someone may help you deal with having a chronic illness, especially one that is as stigmatized as mental illness, but this therapy will not in and of itself cure you.

12. Pursuing a hobby, getting out more, getting a pet, etc. will cure mental illness.

I don't know how many times I was told to "get a hobby" or "get out and be around people" more to get better. These activities will not cure mental illness. They can't correct the chemical imbalances in the brain. And these suggestions can even be harmful. A person with Social Anxiety Disorder, for example, will suffer greatly if she forces herself into public. Added stress is not good for her condition. And, if the person believes a new hobby will cure an illness, they are just setting themselves up for a big fall. Failure to obtain wellness through these means may just cause the person to spiral into deeper depression and frustration. As for getting a pet, studies have shown that a pet can lower blood pressure, help loneliness, and, in the case of a dog, increase exercise. However, the person has to be healthy enough to care properly for a pet. If the person is in a deep depression, the added stress of a pet can be damaging. There is also the danger that the animal will not be properly cared for. Great care must be taken when putting another living thing into the hands of an unstable person. It could be disastrous for both parties.

13. Vitamins, herbal supplements, diet, or exercise will cure mental illness.

First of all, exercise is good for everyone, and studies have shown that exercise can be helpful for those with mental illnesses, especially depression, to improve well-being. However, exercise is not a replacement for other therapies. And lately, much ado has been made about various vitamins, herbal supplements, and fad diets. While all of these things may increase well-being, they are not a replacement for other therapies. The problem comes when the mentally ill person expects a few capsules of St. John's Wort to cure them. It doesn't, and it can even be dangerous, especially if the person is already on psychotropic drugs. Many herbs, including St. John's Wort, can not be taken by people who are taking prescription antidepressants. In trying to help herself, the patient may cause more damage.

14. A psychotic episode turns a person into a raving lunatic.

A common misconception is that a psychotic episode will be obvious. This is not always the case, especially if the sufferer has delusions which he can hide from the rest of the world. I maintained the delusion that God was talking to me in my head for several years before I finally admitted it. My family was stunned, but they did say that it explained some of my irrational behavior. A person may be sick and not "look" sick or "act" sick. A psychotic episode may be long-term and well-hidden.

15. Schizophrenics have multiple personalities.

Schizophrenia is a different disorder than multiple personality disorder (MPD), although the two can coexist. Schizophrenics tend to dissociate to a lesser extent: they may not actually have separate people in the same body, but may hear voices in their head or other such phenomena. (This information is from Jen Ward's "Top Ten Myths." She said it so much better than I could have! The rest is mine.) MPD (or Dissociative Identity Disorder) is actually not a physically-based mental illness. It is a highly-developed defense mechanism, usually developed to deal with abuse or an unpleasant situation in early childhood. It can be cured with talk therapy, although drug therapy may also help stabilize major personalities and make integration easier.

16. People with multiple personalities always have an ax murderer tucked away.

This is my biggest pet peeve, and we have Hollywood to thank for this myth. How many shows have you seen in which a mild-mannered person is unknowingly committing atrocious murders as another personality? There are some multiples who have dangerous personalities, but most of them are harmless to the outside world. This is another example of the belief that the mentally ill are dangerous.

17. A person with OCD counts things all the time or washes his hands constantly.

While these are common phenomena associated with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), they are not the only manifestations. A person with OCD knows that his behavior is abnormal, and he therefore tries to hide it. His compulsion may be to repeat a prayer over and over again in his head, or he may hide an obsession under the guise of a hobby. It's when he believes that something bad will happen if he doesn't get the latest issue of the newspaper that a hobby or interest becomes an obsession or compulsion. And usually the person can not be specific about what will happen, he just knows that "something bad" will happen.