Have you ever watched the TV show “Mythbusters?” It’s a television show on the Discovery Channel where a team of “Mythbusters” tackle such perplexing questions as “can a fishing reel really catch fire if you hook a fast fish?” Or, “which is worse, having an empty beer bottle smashed over your head, or a full one?” (I am not kidding about those questions… I pulled them off the shows website.)
I know the shows can be entertaining and informative (though, personally, I’d rather not be hit by a beer bottle at all, empty or full). What I’d really like to see them tackle are some of the many myths surrounding mental illness. Bust those myths on national television and stigmas surrounding mental illness can become a thing of the past. The world (or at least the Mythbusters’ viewership) can begin to understand that brain disorders, like heart disease, asthma and diabetes, are legitimate medical illnesses, with genetic and biological causes… and which CAN be treated effectively.
Myth: Children can forget about bad things that happen to them and move on easily, especially if the adults in their lives just take good care of them.
Fact: 25% of children experience one high level trauma by age 16 (sex abuse, serious illness or injury, death of a parent, etc.). 36% of children who experience traumas will demonstrate symptoms of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).
Myth: Depression is a result of a personal weakness or character flaw. People who are depressed need to get up, and get moving and get on with their life. They can “snap out of it” it they try 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 therapy can help people to recover. An estimated 19 million Americans suffer from depression according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. And, while treatment is successful up to 90 percent of the time, only one-third of people suffering from depression seek treatment.
I wish these were the only two myths about mental illness. The sad fact is that there are too many for one blog. I am sure there are too many for an entire season of “Mythbusters.” Wouldn’t it be nice if all the myths could be “busted” and everyone understood and had compassion for all who suffer from mental illness – whether the individuals with these diseases, or the family and friends who suffer with them.
Coleman Professional Services is a nationally recognized provider of behavioral health and rehabilitation programs in Ohio. For more information about services provided, go to: www.coleman-professional.com.