Community Voices for Health

Contributed by a Guest Blogger

As someone who has lived with a mental health disorder for many years, I have heard all manner of different myths and experienced the effects of these myths.

Here are the top 3 myths that I hate:

1) Those with mental health issues can’t work or work as well.

Due to this myth, I’ve worked places where I cannot let my employers know that I have a mental health condition. And it certainly would never be something that I revealed in an interview as many employers would disqualify me as a candidate due to it (though they wouldn’t say that was the reason).

Many of us with mental health conditions are valuable and able employees, contributing as much and being as reliable as our peers. Don’t assume we can’t work or won’t work as hard!

2) The power of positive thought, prayer, or focusing on the good in life is a cure.

No. Please stop spreading and believing this myth. It has caused many people to stop or never receive the treatment for the very real and treatable issues they have. Would you tell a person with a heart condition to pray away their issue or tell them to seek treatment? The same should be true of mental health issues.

3) A mental health disorder makes someone “crazy” or “violent.”

Most people with a mental health condition are not violent. In fact, studies have shown that people diagnosed with a mental health condition are more likely to be victims of violence.

Unfortunately, this does not change the perceptions of most people and some of the parents of my children’s’ friends would not allow their kids to come to our house once they found out I had a mental health condition.