In recent years, there has been an increase in awareness surrounding mental health. Individuals from every generation have taken the initiative to shine a light on mental health and work towards decreasing the shame and misconceptions associated with mental health. With this being said, it is important to understand that everyone’s mental health journey is not the same.
These misconceptions and shame tied to mental health often make it more difficult for individuals to reach out and begin their mental health journey. For instance, recent research found that many Latina/o college students experience feelings of shame and embarrassment when seeking mental health services due to personal negative shame surrounding mental health issues and mental health services (Stacie et al., 2018). So, what are some of these misconceptions/myths?
Here are the top three myths/misconceptions:
- “People struggling with mental health are weak and lazy”
- Struggling with your mental health is not something that you should be ashamed of or embarrassed to talk about. Struggling with your mental health is entirely normal, and everyone may have periods in their life where they may struggle with their mental health. You are more than just a label; you are powerful.
- “You have no reason to be struggling with your mental health; you have a good life.”
- Anyone can have periods in their life where they struggle with their mental health. While having a healthy support system is vital, individuals may still struggle with their mental health despite having a ‘good life,’ and that is entirely normal.
- “Mental health treatments and therapy are a waste of money.”
- Everyone’s mental health journey is different. It is entirely healthy to have a therapist as a form of self-care. For some, medication and therapy are the best combinations to help improve their mental health. The American Psychological Association highlights that combining therapy and medications is most effective for many.
It is essential to recognize the damage that spreading these myths/misconceptions can have on the field of mental health. We must do better in being open about mental health to reduce any shame we may hold.