Mental illness is nothing new. However, our society is unfortunately very uneducated about the facts that surround it. Oct. 4 through 10 was Mental Illness Awareness Week, during which we had an even greater opportunity to bring many of the hidden issues to light. The following myths are just a few of many that society needs to overcome in order to erase the stigma. What you think about mental illness may not be the reality.
"No one will understand what I am going through."
Sometimes the people you chose to confide in won’t be able to relate exactly. That doesn’t mean it’s useless to talk about it. If they can't offer the exact support that you need, they may be able to help you find someone who does know exactly what you are going through. Mental illness affects many more people than most of us realize.
The facts are that:
- 31 percent of college students have felt “so depressed it was difficult to function”
- 51 percent of college students have felt overwhelming anxiety
- 1 in 10 college students have been diagnosed with depression
- 6 percent of college students have seriously considered suicide
Think about that next time you feel like you're alone. There are more people out there who understand how you feel than you know of. There are people out there who can help with anything.
"Medication is for crazy people."
Medication is not for everyone, but just because someone uses a prescription to manage their sickness, that doesn’t make them crazy. I have been taking medication for my anxiety for months. If there is something out there that might actually help, then why not give it a shot? Once I finally accepted that and decided to try something new, I felt so much better. This is a big step that can help make a huge improvement in your treatment progress and create a difference in your overall outlook on life from day to day.
Medication is not for everyone, though. If you really don't want to use any, then you should never feel pressured to. It really does make all the difference for some people, though. Just understand that those who do choose to use prescription treatment(s) are not any better or worse-off with their mental illness than someone who chooses not to.
"If I tell anyone about this, I will only be a problem for them."
Trust me when I say this: if they are really the kind of people you need in your life, they will not think of you as a burden. There is nothing you could possibly say that would make them stop caring for you. Confiding in another does not make you weak. It takes serious guts to open up and discuss your mental illness with someone else. There even might be something that they can do to help immediately. They may push you to do something that you don't want to do, like get treatment or go see an actual doctor to discuss your problems, but that doesn't mean they want nothing to do with you anymore. They still care and will be there for you.
In addition, if you are in the role of someone hearing about another's mental illness, treat them with respect and empathy and help them find possible tools for treatment. It can make a world of difference and mean more than you may even realize.
Mental illness is not a weakness. There are so many factors that impact and influence mental illness. Mental illness can be caused by any number and combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Talking to someone about it, getting treatment for it, or taking medication for it does not make you weak; in fact, it takes an incredible amount of strength to admit you need and seek help. After you do, and when you continue through with perseverance, you will feel so much stronger, no longer being held in the stifling grasp of mental illness.
All statistics come from Indiana University's Culture of Care website.
