It’s difficult in this day and age to tell what’s real and what’s fake. With fake news on the rise, it can be difficult to gather an understanding of the truth; this makes it harder for those suffering from a mental health problem to find the necessary help.
Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will have suffered or are suffering from a mental health problem. So, it’s never been so important to ensure you have a clearer understanding of the effects of mental health problems and common misconceptions. We are here to put 7 of those common health misconceptions to bed.
Mental Illness is a Sign of Weakness
Let’s get this clear. Mental Illness is NOT a sign of weakness. Depression, PTSD, bipolar, anxiety and OCD, are just a few forms of mental illness. These are diagnosable illnesses. They are not a sign of weakness. Mental illness is NOT just an excuse to stay on the sofa all day, it’s a severe problem for hundreds of people, and it’s time to kill all those rumours.
People with Mental Health Problems are “Violent”
The idea that society should run in fear from those who suffer from mental health problems is entirely absurd and couldn’t be further from the truth. In the media, unfortunately, mental health is often mentioned with tragic events.
Mental health Problems Only Affect Adults
How old are you? Where do you come from? What do you do? None of that matters. Mental health can affect anybody of any age. Let’s lay down some facts. (All the points stated below are from mentalhealth.org.uk)
- Children establish 50% of mental health problems by the age of 14.
- 10% of children and young people (aged 6-15) have a clinically diagnosable mental health problem.
- 70% of children and adolescents have experienced mental health problems.
Mental Health Problems are a Result of Bad Parenting
A common misconception of mental health is that mental health problems are the result of bad parenting, which is far away from the truth as you could get. Mental health problems are NOT a result of bad parenting.
The home environment can have affected your mental health problems; however, in the majority of cases, the source of mental health problems will be biological.
People with Mental Health Problems Can’t work
People who suffer from mental health problems can and do work in all environments. However, times can get tough, resulting in time off, but don’t we all need time for ourselves now and then? Things that may result in time off include; stress, anxiety and even depression.
1 in 6 people in the workplace suffer from mental health problems, so it’s essential to be aware of your surroundings and make sure that everyone is comfortable with their workload.
You’re Alone
You’re NEVER alone. Those dealing with mental health problems often feel they’re alone and have no one to turn too, well, that’s not the case. There is always someone ready to listen. Here at Mental Wellness Counselling, we offer a variety of mental health counselling services in Peterborough and assessments such as individual counselling, relationship, and marriage counselling, young person counselling and group therapy. For enquiry, please contact us on 01733 639 040, we are always happy to help.
