Breaking the Stigma of Mental Illness

Did you know that about 1 in 4 adults in the United States experience mental illness each year? Despite how common it is, there remains an unfortunate stigma surrounding mental illness and those who experience it. For much of history, mental illnesses have been poorly understood, and often seen as a sign of personal weakness. Throughout our treatment and support of patients diagnosed with a variety of mental illnesses, we aim to increase awareness throughout the Fountain Hills community. And since last week marked Mental Illness Awareness Week, this is a great opportunity for us to address some common misconceptions.

People with mental illnesses are too often mistakenly labeled as crazy, unmotivated, weak, at-fault, or unreliable.
The truth is that people with mental illness are often trying to cope with a variety of barriers including disordered brain functioning which can cause decreased energy levels, affected focus, and lack of motivation. Rather than laziness, these symptoms are manifestations of a medical condition.
People with mental illnesses are thought to be volatile, violent, or dangerous.
In reality, most violent acts are committed by those without mental illness. The stereotype that those with mental illness are violent is often perpetuated by media. In fact, statistics tell us that among violent acts committed by those with a mental illness diagnosis, it’s likely that another factor is in place such as substance abuse.
Many people believe that mental illness is always a “forever” diagnosis.
There’s no one-size-fits-all experience or diagnosis when it comes to mental illness. Some individuals may find that medications, therapies, or other treatments allow them to live their version of a “normal life.” Some people find that they experience periods of time between noticing mental illness symptoms. And, some people will find that their symptoms worsen over time. What we’ve noticed at Fountain Hills Medical Center is that many people DO recover, or notice a decrease in symptoms, over time with adherence to treatment recommendations.
Mental illness is sometimes falsely believed to be a form of intellectual disability.
Individuals with mental illness diagnoses are no more or less likely to have higher or lower intelligence levels. Mental illness diagnoses are just like any other medical diagnoses, such as asthma, high blood pressure, or diabetes. Sadly, because of the stigmas that surround mental illness, these diagnoses are less likely to result in the show of outward support than other diagnoses are.

By challenging the misconceptions associated with mental illness, our goal is to help promote greater understanding of these diagnoses that so greatly affect our community. If someone you know is diagnoses with a mental illness, and they share this with you, we hope that you’ll keep these misconceptions and truths in mind when talking with or about that person. If you have questions about mental illness in Fountain Hills, or would like support for yourself or someone else, our medical center can help with medications, referrals, tools for management, and more.

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