Mental Health Recovery
Top Ten Myths about Mental Illness--Rewritten by a 2nd Generation Survivor of Psychiatric Abuse
(Based on NARSAD's Top Ten Myths About Mental Illness)
By Leah Harris
As a second-generation psychiatric survivor, I find that if you reject the
biological theory of "mental illness," all of these "myths" and "facts" put
forward by NARSAD can be directly reversed (with the exception of #2). One of
the greatest tragedies in American life has been the success of the biomedical
theory of mental illness over other, equally valid theories. Fooled into
thinking they have a physical disease, suffering people are disempowered,
drugged, and often forced into hospitals. All control over their own lives is
taken from them. When they cycle deeper into despair as a result of repressive
psychiatric practices, it is alleged that their "illness" has worsened.
It is a perfectly seamless narrative-unless you reject its basis in fraudulent
biopsychiatry!
Unfortunately, in today's corporate-controlled media, we never hear the voices
of psychiatric survivors and ethical psychiatrists, who call for the reform of
and sometimes outright abolition of biomedical psychiatry. They are instead
drowned out by multinational drug companies, complicit psychiatrists, and
organizations such as NAMI and NARSAD, who are funded almost exclusively by
multinational drug companies, yet claim to speak in the name of the "mentally
ill." Hmm, might there be a GIANT conflict of interest here?
Why can't the "mentally ill" speak for themselves?
Myth #1: Brain disorders, like heart disease and diabetes, are legitimate
medical illnesses. Research shows there are genetic and biological causes for
psychiatric disorders, and they can be treated effectively.
Fact: No one knows what a brain disorder looks like, and no one knows what
causes that which is termed "mental illness." The biological theory of mental
illness remains unproven to this day. People who are labeled "mentally ill"
often have concrete reasons for their behavior, if a mental health professional
would take the time to truly understand such people. Unfortunately they rarely
do, because our mental health care system would rather "fix" people with drugs
than with long-term (more expensive) non-drug treatments.
Myth #2: People with a severe "mental illness," such as schizophrenia, are
usually dangerous and violent.
Fact: The eminent dissident psychiatrist Thomas Szasz calls schizophrenia
"the greatest medical scandal of our scientific age..." Since schizophrenia is a
social construct, it would make sense that statistics show that the incidence of
violence in people with a "brain disorder" is not much higher than it is in the
general population. In addition, studies show that the vast majority of those
who commit violent crimes are tried as "normal,” sane individuals.
Myth #3: Most experts agree that a genetic susceptibility, combined with other
risk factors, leads to a psychiatric disorder. In other words, mental illnesses
have a physical cause.
Fact: "Mental illness" is sometimes the result of bad parenting. But we must
look at the bigger picture. How does our high-pressure, fast-paced,
post-industrial, post-modern, capitalist society contribute to the appearance of
behavioral problems or more and more people feeling desperately out of control,
lonely, alienated, and anxious? In other words, we are often blaming the victim
when we should be looking at environmental or societal causes that contribute to
the behavior.
Myth #4: Depression results from changes in brain chemistry or brain function,
and medication and/or psychotherapy often help people to recover.
Fact: Labeling someone as depressed, and then putting him or her on
anti-depressant drugs, is not likely to contribute to a reversal of that
depression. In fact, it may contribute to a person feeling even more out of
control and stigmatized for life. In the long term, people need to be shown that
depression is a healthy, normal part of being human and the range of emotions
that people feel. Depression is in fact an important emotion that, if listened
to, can show a person the way to improve his or her life for the better.
Myth #5: Schizophrenia means split personality, and there is no way to control
it.
Fact: No research has ever proven the true existence of a physical illness
called schizophrenia. As Lawrence Stevens, J.D. notes: "belief in biological
causes of so-called mental illness, including schizophrenia, comes not from
science but from wishful thinking or from desire to avoid coming to terms with
the experiential/environmental causes of people's misbehavior or distress. The
repeated failure of efforts to find biological causes of so-called schizophrenia
suggests "schizophrenia" belongs only in the category of socially/culturally
unacceptable thinking or behavior rather than in the category of biology or
"disease" where many people place it." See:
http://www.antipsychiatry.org/SCHIZOPH.HTM
Myth #6: It is not normal for older adults to be depressed.
Fact: Depression is a normal part of life at any age. This holds especially
true in our post-modern culture where older people are often separated from
their children and grandchildren by great distances, and then relegated to a
nursing home when they become too burdensome on those long-distance family
members.
Myth #7: "Children and adolescents can develop severe mental illnesses. In the
United States, one in ten children and adolescents have a mental disorder severe
enough to cause impairment. However, only about 20 percent of these children
receive needed treatment. Left untreated, these problems can get worse. Anyone
talking about suicide should be taken very seriously."
Fact: Since depression and other illnesses are largely societal
constructions, any attempt to label children or adults with these illnesses
points to the sickness of society rather than the sickness of youth. Any
problems these youth have are just a part of growing up, especially in our
culture where parents are often non-existent or overly dependent on their
children for validation. Schools have also largely failed our children. While
teaching is one of the noblest of professions, many teachers are underpaid and
overworked and thus unwilling to work with "problem” kids: hence they advocate
for them to be subdued through drugs. Children and teens are relegated to overly
large classes and their special needs and talents are not nurtured. No wonder
that many of them behave in societally "unacceptable" ways. Teen suicide is
often exacerbated by a diagnosis of mental illness.
Myth #8: If you have a mental illness, you can will it away. Being treated for a
psychiatric disorder means an individual has in some way "failed” or is weak.
Fact: Being treated for a psychiatric order (with drugs and forced
hospitalization) means that someone is unlucky and probably a victim of
controlling family members. Such individuals should seek to get away from
psychiatry as soon as possible. "Mental illness" does not exist, but emotional
pain and suffering does. This serious "mental illness” cannot be willed away.
Ignoring the problem does not make it go away, either. It takes courage to heal
the problem through reaching out to the community, breaking off dysfunctional
relationships, avoiding harmful psychiatric and illegal drugs, and making a
loving commitment to yourself and your healing.
Myth #9: Addiction is a disease that generally results from changes in brain
chemistry.
Fact: Addiction is a lifestyle choice and may or may not show a lack of
willpower. People often find help in 12-step groups that characterize addiction
as a "disease," but it is not meant as a physical disease, but as an emotional
and spiritual one.
Myth #10: ECT has given a new lease on life to many people who suffer from
severe and debilitating depression. It is used when other treatments such as
psychotherapy or medication fail or cannot be used. Patients who receive ECT are
asleep and under anesthesia, so they do not feel anything.
Fact: Regardless of whether people "feel anything" or not, electroconvulsive
therapy (ECT), formerly known as "shock treatment," is painful and barbaric.
According to Lawrence Stevens, J.D. "Defenders of ECT say that because of the
addition of anesthesia to make the procedure painless, the horribleness of ECT
is entirely a thing of the past. This argument misses the point. It is the
mental disorientation, the memory loss, the lost mental ability, the realization
after awaking from the "therapy" that the essence of one's very self is being
destroyed by the "treatment" that induces the terror - not only or even
primarily physical suffering. ECT, or electroshock, strikes to the core
personality and is terrifying for this reason." See
http://www.antipsychiatry.org/ect.htm
In conclusion, my reversal of NARSA's myths and facts was meant to gently remind
the mental health care system that there is a humanistic, caring way that we can
work with those in our society who suffer from emotional and mental problems.
Labeling such people, and then drugging them, is destructive and morally wrong.
Why don't we look at the ills of our society, which lead people to employ the
behaviors associated with “mental illness" as a coping method. Try to understand
the "mentally ill" and the environmental conditions that lead to such illness.
Don't promote a harmful, biological theory that has never been proven
conclusively and probably never will be. (Note: In some cases, language was
directly lifted from the NARSAD original (included below). The intent was not to
plagiarize, but to point out that the issues can be viewed in a completely
different, and equally valid, manner if you discount the theory of the
biological nature of mental illness.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE:
Myths About Mental Illness Abound; NARSAD Publishes Top 10 Myths About Mental Illness Based on Nationwide Survey
GREAT NECK, N.Y., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Misconceptions about mental illness
are pervasive, and the lack of understanding can have serious consequences for
millions of people who have a psychiatric illness, according to the National
Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD). The largest
not-for-profit organization raising and distributing funds for psychiatric
research, NARSAD surveyed mental health professionals nationwide to determine
the most common myths about mental illness. NARSAD received 102 responses from
the experts, who included members of NARSAD’s Scientific Council and
psychiatrists around the country. "Misconceptions about mental illness
contribute to the stigma, which leads many people to be ashamed and prevents
them from seeking help,” said Constance Lieber, NARSAD President. "Dispelling
these myths is a powerful step toward eradicating the stigma and allaying the
fears surrounding brain disorders."
Top Ten Myths about Mental Illness
Myth #1: Psychiatric disorders are not true medical illnesses like heart disease
and diabetes. People who have a mental illness are just “crazy."
Fact: Brain disorders, like heart disease and diabetes, are legitimate
medical illnesses. Research shows there are genetic and biological causes for
psychiatric disorders, and they can be treated effectively.
Myth #2: People with a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, are usually
dangerous and violent.
Fact: Statistics show that the incidence of violence in people who have a
brain disorder is not much higher than it is in the general population. Those
suffering from a psychosis such as schizophrenia are more often frightened,
confused and despairing than violent.
Myth #3: Mental illness is the result of bad parenting.
Fact: Most experts agree that a genetic susceptibility, combined with other
risk factors, leads to a psychiatric disorder. In other words, mental illnesses
have a physical cause.
Myth #4: Depression results from a personality weakness or character flaw, and
people who are depressed could just snap out of it if they tried hard enough.
Fact: Depression has nothing to do with being lazy or weak. It results from
changes in brain chemistry or brain function, and medication and/or
psychotherapy often help people to recover.
Myth #5: Schizophrenia means split personality, and there is no way to control
it.
Fact: Schizophrenia is often confused with multiple personality disorder.
Actually, schizophrenia is a brain disorder that robs people of their ability to
think clearly and logically. The estimated 2.5 million Americans with
schizophrenia have symptoms ranging from social withdrawal to hallucinations and
delusions. Medication has helped many of these individuals to lead fulfilling,
productive lives.
Myth #6: Depression is a normal part of the aging process.
Fact: It is not normal for older adults to be depressed. Signs of depression
in older people include a loss of interest in activities, sleep disturbances and
lethargy. Depression in the elderly is often undiagnosed, and it is important
for seniors and their family members to recognize the problem and seek
professional help.
Myth #7: Depression and other illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, do not
affect children or adolescents. Any problems they have are just a part of
growing up.
Fact: Children and adolescents can develop severe mental illnesses. In the
United States, one in ten children and adolescents has a mental disorder severe
enough to cause impairment. However, only about 20 percent of these children
receive needed treatment. Left untreated, these problems can get worse. Anyone
talking about suicide should be taken very seriously.
Myth #8: If you have a mental illness, you can will it away. Being treated for a
psychiatric disorder means an individual has in some way "failed" or is weak.
Fact: A serious mental illness cannot be willed away. Ignoring the problem
does not make it go away, either. It takes courage to seek professional help.
Myth #9: Addiction is a lifestyle choice and shows a lack of willpower. People
with a substance abuse problem are morally weak or "bad".
Fact: Addiction is a disease that generally results from changes in brain
chemistry. It has nothing to do with being a "bad" person.
Myth #10: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as “shock treatment,"
is painful and barbaric.
Fact: ECT has given a new lease on life to many people who suffer from severe
and debilitating depression. It is used when other treatments such as
psychotherapy or medication fail or cannot be used. Patients who receive ECT are
asleep and under anesthesia, so they do not feel anything.
"These misconceptions can do irreparable harm to people with legitimate
illnesses who should and can be treated," said Herbert Pardes, M.D., President
of NARSAD's Scientific Council. "Research in brain disorders is flourishing, and
we expect to see new and better treatments that will have the power to change
lives and bring hope to many," said Lieber.
The Toll of Mental Illness One in five Americans suffers from a diagnosable
mental illness in a given year. But statistics show that only one-third of these
individuals seek treatment.
Four of the 10 leading causes of disability worldwide are mental disorders.
Among developed nations, including the United States, major depression is the
leading cause of disability. Also near the top of these rankings are
manic-depressive illness, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The direct cost of mental health services, which includes spending for
treatment and rehabilitation, is approximately $69 billion in the United States.
Indirect costs, which refer to lost productivity at the workplace, school, and
home, are estimated at $78.6 billion.
About NARSAD
NARSAD is the largest donor-supported organization funding research in brain
disorders. Since 1987, NARSAD has awarded $115.9 million in grants to 1,372
scientists at 175 leading universities and research centers worldwide. Grantees
are chosen by NARSAD's Scientific Review Council, which is composed of 72
prominent scientists and academic leaders in all phases of neurobiological and
psychiatric research.
The American Institute of Philanthropy, which rates charities nationwide, has
awarded NARSAD an A+ for financial efficiency. For more information, visit
http://www.narsad.org.
For further information, please contact Robin Frank of National Alliance for
Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, +1-516-829-0091, or +1-516-773-0319.
