Mental Illness: Myths and Reality

Myth: There's no hope for people with mental illnesses.
Fact: There are more treatments, services, and community support systems than ever before. People with mental illnesses lead active, productive lives. Studies show that most people with mental illnesses get better, and many recover completely.

Myth: I can't do anything for a person with mental illness.
Fact: You can do a lot, starting with how you act and speak. You can create an environment that builds on people's strengths and promotes understanding. For example:

Don't label people with words like "crazy," "wacko," or "loony" or define them by their diagnosis. Instead of saying someone is "a schizophrenic," say he or she "has schizophrenia."

Don't say "a schizophrenic person," say "a person with schizophrenia."

Learn the facts about mental health and share them with others, especially if you hear something that isn't true.

Treat people with mental illnesses with respect and dignity, just as you would anybody else.

Respect the rights of people with mental illnesses and don't discriminate against them when it comes to housing, employment, or education.

Like other people with disabilities, people with mental health problems are protected under federal and state laws

Myth: People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.
Fact: The vast majority of people with mental health conditions are no more violent than anyone else. People with mental illnesses are much more likely to be the victims of crime. You may know someone with a mental illness and don't even realize it.

Myth: Mental illnesses don't affect me.
Fact: Mental illnesses are surprisingly common; they affect almost every family in America. Mental illnesses do not discriminate—they can affect anyone. No one is immune to mental illness. Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health show that 26.2 percent of Americans, about one in four adults, have some form of mental illness in any given year for a total of 57.7 million people. Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada.

Myth: Mental illnesses are brought on by a weakness of character.
Fact: Mental illnesses are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Social influences, like the loss of a loved one or a job, can also contribute to the development of various mental health problems.

Myth: People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job.
Fact: All jobs are stressful to some extent. Anybody is more productive when there's a good match between the employee's needs and the working conditions, whether or not the worker has a mental health problem.

Myth: People with mental health needs, even those who have recovered, tend to be second-rate workers.
Fact: Employers who have hired people with mental illnesses report good attendance and punctuality as well as motivation, good work, and job tenure on par with or greater than other employees. Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) show that there are no differences in productivity when people with mental illnesses are compared to other employees. (Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, 1999)

Myth: Therapy and self-help are a waste of time. Why bother when you can just take a pill?
Fact: Treatment varies depending on the individual. A lot of people work with therapists, counselors, friends, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers during the recovery process. They also use self-help strategies and community supports. Often they combine these with some of the most advanced medications available.

Myth: Children don't experience mental illnesses. Their actions are just products of bad parenting.
Fact: A report from the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health showed that 20% of children experience serious emotional disturbances. Just like adult mental illnesses, these are clinically diagnosable health conditions that are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Myth: Children misbehave or fail in school just to get attention.
Fact: Behavior problems can be symptoms of emotional, behavioral, or mental problems, rather than merely attention-seeking devices. These children can succeed in school with appropriate understanding, attention, and mental health services.

Myth: Most people who struggle with mental illness live on the streets or are in mental hospitals.
Reality: About two thirds of Americans who have a mental illness live in the community, either with their family or in various types of community living settings.