1. Mental illnesses are mental/emotional only, not physical.

Despite the name, mental illnesses actually have a lot of physical symptoms. Mental illnesses are a disease of the brain, which actually does have pain centers and can cause awful physical pain. Besides that, mental illnesses can mess with your energy, your appetite and your stomach in general, causing nausea and stomach pains.

2. Mental illnesses are a result of not being 'strong' enough.

On the contrary, I’d argue that a lot of people with mental illnesses are some of the strongest people I’ve ever met. Mental illnesses take a lot of fighting and a lot of mental and emotional strength, especially when trying to lead a normal life at the same time. In addition, mental illnesses stem from a combination of biological and psychological factors.

3. There’s nothing important I can do to help people with mental illnesses.

Honestly, I’d say that there is something so important that you can do by just supporting them and letting them know you’re there for them. Many people with mental illnesses consider themselves a "burden" to their friends. Having social support is one of the most crucial things you can provide to help someone you care about get better.

4. I should not talk to my friend with a mental illness about their illness.

Nope! In fact, it would certainly be better if you did talk about it. Shying away from the subject can help to perpetuate the stigma or make your friend feel as though you’re ashamed of his/her mental illness. Instead, making an effort to try to learn about or understand the disease by talking with your friend can be super helpful for both of you.

5. People are faking mental illnesses, doing it for attention or self-diagnosing.

This is one of the more prevalent myths, and the one that makes me the saddest to see. Numerous studies have proven that people with different mental illnesses have differential brain patterns, neurotransmitter levels and responses to stressors when compared to control subjects. In addition, no one would choose to have a mental illness; it’s torture within your own mind. While there may be people who self-diagnose, there are people who self-diagnose nearly every illness, so this is not a reason to consider mental illnesses less valid.

6. People with depression can never be happy/people with anxiety can never be calm.

Just because a person has a mood disorder or anxiety disorder does not mean that is their only state. A lot of times people will have things that set them off. However, people with mental illnesses can seem completely normal. It would be hard to tell them from the rest of the crowd.

7. Mental illnesses are not important in the broad spectrum of health.

In the words of my professor, “mental health is the biggest arising issue in the world of Global Health.” Mental health issues are becoming more and more prevalent. Depressive disorders make up a large proportion of DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years), and suicide is one of the world’s leading causes of death. Mental health disorders need to be taken seriously and understood, just like any other illness.

While mental illness visibility is growing, we still have a lot of work to do before they are discussed and treated the way they should be. Please consider speaking up and helping your friends, relatives or even acquaintances with a mental illness!