Breaking the Stigma: Myths and Facts About Mental Illness (pegged to Mental Health Awareness Month)

Merriam-Webster Online defines stigma as “a set of negative and unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.” It seems nowhere is that more true than in the mental health field, where people are reluctant to seek out help, buying into the ideas that they’re somehow “broken” or “abnormal” and that asking for help is a sign of weakness.

At the offices of board-certified anesthesiologist Dr. Michael Kullman, helping people through their mental health problems is all in a day’s work. From anxiety and depression to adolescent mental health to geriatric mental health and everything in between, our team understands the importance of addressing problems so they no longer remain problems.

Because so many myths and untruths are floating around about what mental health is and how it’s treated, the team is taking this opportunity to do some myth-busting and give you the facts you need to know, all in time for Mental Health Month this May.

The problem of stigma

The stigma surrounding mental illness prevents people from getting the help they need, often because they’re afraid of what people will think of them. So they hide their problems, and their condition worsens as a result. Sometimes, people even take their own lives because they don’t know what else to do.

Are you or someone you know experiencing a mental health crisis and/or contemplating suicide? Contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Helpline (SAMHSA) at 800-662-HELP. Treatment and referral services are available 24/7.

Mental illness, though, is more common than many people think. According to the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH), in 2021, some 57.8 million adults in the United States (aged 18 or older) had some form of mental illness. That represents 22.8% of all US adults. The prevalence was higher among females (27.2%) than males (18.1%), and young adults (18-25 years) had the highest prevalence compared to adults at 33.7%.

Serious mental illness is also more prevalent than most people believe. The NIMH estimates that about 14.1 million US adults were affected in 2021, representing  5.5% of all US adults.

Myths and facts about mental illness

Here are a number of myths surrounding mental illness and the facts that debunk them.

MYTH  #1: A person with a mental health condition has low intelligence.

FACT: Mental illness is just like any physical illness. It’s a disease that can affect anyone regardless of income, class, or intelligence. Basically, it’s an equal-opportunity problem.

MYTH #2: Mental health problems indicate weakness.

FACT: A broken leg or a ruptured appendix aren’t signs of weakness; they’re physical ailments. In the same vein, mental health disorders are also illnesses, often caused by a faulty gene or altered brain chemistry. They aren’t a reflection of poor character.

It’s also important to understand that someone with depression, for example, can't just “snap out of it” any more than someone with diabetes or heart disease can recover from their condition with the snap of their fingers.

In fact, the opposite of the myth is true: Fighting a mental health condition takes a great deal of strength and determination to go the distance.

MYTH #3: Mental health problems are permanent.

FACT: A mental health diagnosis isn’t a “life sentence” of misery. Every person’s experience is different, but some may only experience flare-ups, between which they come back to their baseline, while others find treatments (e.g. medication, psychotherapy) that provide balance to their lives. Recovery is a matter of degree.

We should note that different people have different ideas about what “recovery” means. Some view it as a return to exactly how they were before symptoms began. Others consider it a relief from symptoms and the return to a satisfying life, even if it’s different than before the diagnosis.

Mental Health America, a community-based nonprofit, sums it up nicely:

“There are ups and downs, new discoveries, and setbacks…. The journey to full recovery takes time, but positive changes can happen all along the way.”

MYTH #4: All people with a mental illness are violent.

FACT: This is flat-out untrue. As people become more aware of mental health conditions, this misconception is, fortunately, beginning to die away. The authors of a review investigating the relationship between mental illness and violence help explain how this myth became so entrenched:

“Violence attracts attention in the news media […]. Violence in the context of mental illness can be especially sensationalized, which only deepens the stigma that already permeates our patients’ lives…. individuals with mental illness, when appropriately treated, do not pose any increased risk of violence over the general population.”

Want to learn more about mental health and the facts that bust the stigma? The office of Michael Kullman, MD, can help. Call us at 914-465-2882, or visit our website for more options.