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Journalist: Monique Vo | BC
Mental health, mental illness, and struggle. Those three words come with tension and a feeling of awkwardness.
People are judged and people are afraid because these things revolve around something one cannot see. It isn’t incurable but isn’t some sort of wound you can heal with a bandaid and a kiss either. This area of unknowns is so complex. It is so difficult and frustrating for the person who is trying to explain what they’re going through and for the person who is doing their best to understand. At the end of the day, things are still left with a gap of confusion and emotions expressed are lost in translation. There are hundreds of misconceptions about mental illnesses that ultimately build the ever-growing stigma that is placed around it, which is why we’ll be looking at the common misconceptions about mental illnesses.
1. Having a mental illness in the first place makes you weak.
Clear in our society today, this point sheds light on how people are looked down upon for mental suffering. Instead of providing support, people are too busy judging the person. This often leads to silent sufferers and fake smiles. Just like any other medical illness like the cold or flu, mental illnesses don’t discriminate. People don’t get the luxury of deciding whether they want to have it or not. In fact, here are so many reasons to back up the fact that these people are strong, not weak.
2. It’s a phase, easy to get over if you just had the willpower to.
This one hurts. Not only does it invalidate what someone is experiencing, but it also shows a lack of care and compassion. We live in a world where people are expected to push through, keep grinding, and give 110% at every given moment. It is not easy to snap out of mental illness the same way it isn’t easy to run five more miles after spraining your ankle. If willpower and a quick fix could solve the situation, people wouldn’t be struggling the way they do. Everyone does their best with what they are given and the circumstances they are in. Not everything can change overnight, especially not a mental illness.
3. One size fits all - All mental illnesses look the same
No, no. This one is not true. Associations are made, but as always, one size does NOT fit all. Being extremely skinny isn’t the only thing that qualifies someone to be suffering from an eating disorder, being neat barely scratches the surface of a compulsive disorder, and mania does not define bipolar disorder. People struggle and cope in different ways. Like our bodies, everyone functions and experiences emotions in their own unique style. Expecting people to fit the mould of expectation is not okay, whether it is for mental illness or not. Boxes do not have to be checked off for someone to prove that they are not alright.
It is so important that everyone receives support and compassion from those they choose to open up to. Remember that being vulnerable is hard for everyone. If someone musters up the courage to seek love, they should receive all the love they deserve, and more. Knowing about these misconceptions allows people to understand a little more about this confusing topic.
In short, today’s takeaway is: Treat people well.