Get ready for Mental Illness Awareness Month

Many people still have misconceptions about people with metal illnesses which create harmful stigmas. However, these misconceptions can be easily cleared up through education and awareness.

This Mental Illness Awareness Month starting today, 1 July, you should aim to do exactly that.

Examples of mental disorders include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia.

Many people in South Africa suffer from mental illnesses. As many as one in six people suffer from anxiety, depression or substance abuse problems and this does not include those suffering from more serious conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These people can be your family, friends, neighbours, co-workers, even you.

This isn’t something to be stigmatized, glamourized or taken lightly but something to be understood and embraced, after all people with mental illnesses are people too and they don’t deserve for there to be a stigma attached to them or to be called crazy.

Here are some myths about mental illness debunked:

1.Myth: Mental illness affects only a few people

Fact: Many people suffer from mental illness. It is estimated that one in three South Africans will be affected with mental illness. Mental illness can affect people of all ages, races, income and education levels.

2. Myth: People with mental illnesses should be kept in hospital or some kind of facility.

Fact: With the appropriate treatment and support, people with mental illnesses can live successful lives in within the community. In fact, most people with mental illnesses live independently in communities.

3. Myth: People with mental illnesses never get better

Fact: Given the right treatment, people with mental illnesses live normal and happy lives, not being “sick” at all.

4. Myth: People with mental illnesses are violent and dangerous

Fact: Most people with mental illnesses are no more violent or dangerous than other people in society. Most are actually more likely to harm themselves before they hurt other people.

5. Myth: People with mental illnesses can pull themselves together

Fact: Mental illness is not caused by personal weakness and cannot be cured with personal strength. Someone with a mental illness cannot simply snap out of it or get over it.

6. Myth: You’re either mentally ill or mentally healthy

Fact: Mental health is a continuum and people can fall anywhere on the spectrum between optimal mental health and mental illness.

7. Myth: You can prevent mental health problems

Fact: You can’t prevent mental illness because factors out of your control are at play like genetics and traumatic life events. One can however work to improve their mental health through creating healthy habits, like eating well and getting exercise, and getting rid of destructive mental habits like negative self talk or ruminating on the past.

Do you know anyone with a mental illness? Give them some love this month and work hard to understand and support them better.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.

For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites Randfontein Herald, Krugersdorp News and Get It Joburg West Magazine

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