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Did you know that almost half of adults have had a decline in their mental health since the start of the pandemic? In fact, mental health problems are on the rise worldwide and across all demographics. This makes Mental Health Awareness Month an especially important reminder to tune in to and talk about our mental health and wellbeing.
According to the World Health Organization, “mental health is a state of wellbeing in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”
With such a comprehensive description you would think painting a picture of a mental healthy person would be easy. Yet several misconceptions still circulate regarding mental health.
For example, if you’re anything like me and you live with depression and anxiety, does having a mental illness mean that you will never be mentally healthy? Or is mental health a state of mind that you can work yourself up to?
I’ll break down these concepts and more within each of the common myths outlined below.
Myth #1: Good mental health means being happy all the time.
Happiness is just one of many emotions that humans can experience. While people often have the misconception that mental health means being happy all the time, the truth is that a mentally healthy person experiences a full range of emotions, including the uncomfortable or undesirable ones. In fact, pushing down, avoiding, or bottling up negative emotions can make them grow and erupt in other ways (e.g., physical symptoms) or at inopportune times (i.e., when triggered by a similar experience). Mental health is fostered by affect labeling or naming emotions and fully experiencing them so that they can pass.
Myth #2: Mental illness and mental health are opposites.
Mental illness and mental health are not interchangeable terms, nor are they antonyms. Mental health refers to anyone’s state of mental or emotional wellbeing, whereas mental illnesses are health conditions that affect a person’s thoughts, moods, and behaviours. In short, everyone has mental health but not everyone has a mental illness. And more importantly, those, like me, who live with a mental illness, can still have excellent mental health.
Myth #3: Mental health problems are uncommon.
Research demonstrates that approximately 1 in 5 adults experiences a mental health problem or mental illness each year. In fact, by age 40, more than half of adults will have or have had a mental illness diagnosis. And 1 in 10 adults will experience major depression at some point in their lives. Without a doubt, mental health problems affect each of us directly or indirectly because someone we know is affected.
Myth #4: People with mental health problems can snap out of it if they try hard enough.
Telling someone with a mental illness to “cheer up” or “buck up” is like telling someone with diabetes or cancer to heal themselves. Studies show that biological factors (e.g., genetics), physical illness (e.g., chronic pain), brain chemistry, life experiences (e.g., trauma, abuse), and a family history of mental health problems all contribute to a person’s mental health and risk of mental illness. Diminishing or dismissing the seriousness of mental illness is what perpetuates stigma and makes individuals living with a mental health problem less likely to reach out or seek support. While mental health problems can be reversible and many individuals recover completely, it takes more than a mindset shift to make this happen.
Myth #5: Therapy is only for people who are weak or have no friends to talk to.
Living with a mental health problem is a constant battle that takes courage. People with mental illness who have the strength to reach out for help are anything but weak and must be applauded for opposing stigma and accessing the support they need. While friends can help to improve a person’s mental health by providing a listening ear and offering some encouragement, it is not the same as speaking to a trained mental health professional. Structured therapy enables issues to be addressed in an objective, confidential, and individualized way that generally cannot be achieved by talking with friends.
The next time you are given an opportunity to reconnect with a friend, family member, or co-worker, take a moment to check-in with them about their mental health. It’s as simple as asking “how’s your mental health these days?” and waiting nonjudgmentally for their response. I promise that it will make an incredible difference in their world and in yours.