Myths about mental illness Myth: mental illness is a life sentence

Myths about mental illness Myth: mental illness is a life sentence Facts

 • Some people will only experience one or two episodes of mental illness. For others, mental health problems occur occasionally, often with years of wellness between episodes. Others again will manage their ongoing mental ill‐health with regular therapy.For a minority of people with a more serious illness, periods of acute illness may occur more regularly.
 • There are many different kinds of interventions available to support people with mental health problems. Some of these interventions involve medications; others focus more on the psychological and social aspects of the person.
  • The earlier a person receives help for a mental health problem, the better their outcomes
. • There is no reason why people with mental health problems cannot live full and productive lives
. • Many people experiencing mental health problems delay seeking help because they fear stigma and discrimination. Reducing stigma will encourage more people to seek help early
. • Most people with mental health problems are treated in the community by their general practitioners (GP) .

 Myth: mental illnesses are all the same Facts

 • There are many different mental health problems, with different symptoms.
 • A particular mental illness will have a particular set of symptoms, but not every person will experience all of these symptoms. For example, some people with schizophrenia may hear voices, but others may not
. • Simply knowing a person has a mental illness will not tell you about their own, unique experiences of that illness.
 • While a mental health problem may affect a person’s thinking and emotions, it can also have physical effects such as insomnia, weight gain or loss, increase or loss of energy, chest pain and nausea.

 Myth: people who are mentally ill are violent Facts

 • Research indicates that people who are receiving treatment for a mental illness are no more violent or dangerous than the general population. People with mental illness are more likely to be victims of violence (especially self-harm). It is calculated that the risk of a person suffering from a disease such as schizophrenia seriously damaging or killing another person for life is only 0.005%, while the risk of this person being hurt is about 10%.
 • There appears to be a weak statistical relationship between mental illness and violence. This appears to be concentrated in certain subgroups - for example, people who are not receiving treatment and have a history of violence, and those who use drugs or alcohol. However, the relationship between mental illness and violence remains weaker than the link between violence and alcohol addiction in general, or between violence and being a young person between 15 and 25 years old.

 Myth: Some cultural groups are more likely to suffer from mental illness than others.

No one is immune to mental health problems.
 • Many people from cultural, linguistic and varied backgrounds of refugees were subjected to torture, trauma and heavy loss before coming to Australia. These experiences can cause significant psychological distress and prepare people to develop mental health problems.
 • The cultural background affects how people experience mental health problems as well as their understanding and interpretation of their symptoms. These studies are from the Hunter Institute of Mental Health (2014)