MYTHS AND FACTS on Mental Health

Psychiatric illness is a sign of weakness
No, there are not. Psychiatric disorders have neurobiological underpinnings and need to be treated accordingly.

Psychiatric illness means ‘Madness’
Not all psychiatric disorders are ‘madness’. Only 1% of psychiatric disorders (e.g. schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders) have symptoms of ‘madness’ or psychotic symptoms. Rest is not.

Mental health problems are permanent. You need to take medicines lifelong.
No. Not all psychiatric disorders are lifelong. Each individual’s experience with mental illness is different. The course of various psychiatric disorders can differ but many people recover to a variable degree.

Psychiatric medications are addictive
No, they are not. These medicines need to be taken as per doctor’s advice. On sudden stoppage, some people may experience discontinuation symptoms. Therefore, the dose of these medicines needs to be tapered.

People with mental disorders are kept in asylums
No. Most of the psychiatric disorders can be treated at home. Only few people with chronic psychiatric disorders with poor social support and homeless mentally ill people are kept / treated in asylums.

Addiction implies lack of willpower
No, it does not. As with other psychiatric disorders, addiction has a neurobiological basis.

All people with mental illnesses are violent.
This is a common myth often perpetuated by erroneous portrayals in media and literature. In reality only a small percentage of people with certain psychiatric disorders become violent and unpredictable. Also, there are evidence to suggest that, ‘normal’ people are more violent compared to persons with psychiatric disorders.

Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT) or Shock Therapy is bad
ECT is not bad. When given under anaesthesia (i.e. modified ECT) it works wonder for certain severe mental health conditions. However, because of wrong portrayal by media and in movies, general people developed this idea.