Myths and misconceptions about mental illness

Mental illness has been a topic of argument for many. While a number of people fear to talk about it as they fear to be judged, while others consider mental illness a disease that no one can recover from. There are a number of misconceptions that the literate people of the society have. They need to be addressed. Here are a few misconceptions and myths about mental illness.

1. People with mental illness can never recover – For years, a number of studies have shown that a number of people who have been getting themselves treated for mental illness have actually managed to recover. The technology and medicine has gone to an advanced level and there are also community support systems that have been established.

2. Therapy is a waste of time – Taking therapy is not a waste of time and in fact is a time that the person owes to the body. Treatment for the mental illness depends from person to person. Some people would just need to take some medications while some people would need to go through just counseling.

3. It is impossible to prevent– This is certainly not true as such problems can be avoided by addressing some of the risk factors like exposure to trauma or loss of someone really close. People with such problems need to talk it out with a person they can trust or with a counselor.

4. People can be immune – There is no vaccine for mental illness. Anyone can develop a mental illness. It could be due to a number of reasons and even a mentally strong person could face a breakdown.

5. Mental health treatments are expensive and of no use – This is certainly not true. As mentioned earlier, the treatment depends from person to person and on severity. Sessions with the therapists depends on the time that they spend and they are certainly beneficial for a person who needs a channel to address their problems.

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