The Mental Health Challenge: Debunking 3 Myths

There is a great lack of understanding of how feeling stressed and overwhelmed are not topics readily broached by the whole of society. However, it's crucial to remember that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

In the United States today, we are more consciously having to face the human challenges of the ugly and incomprehensible demons of mental health. According to prevalence data for 2024, 23.08% of adults in the US experienced a mental illness in the past year, which is about 60 million people. 20.17% of youth (ages 12-17) reported suffering from at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year. 15% of youth in the U.S. experienced an MDE with severe impairment, meaning it severely impacted their functioning at work, school, or home. Unfortunately, so far only 43% of adults with a mental illness received mental health care in 2024.

https://mhanational.org/issues/2024/mental-health-america-prevalence-data

As a long-standing healthcare provider, I am all too familiar with the stigma that plagues generations of people besieged by mental health struggles. Research supports the notion that multiple factors can influence the many diverse preconceived notions of why some people do not seek care for mental health concerns. One of the main factors that cause some to shy away from seeking care is miscommunication. Many allege that seeking help, advice, or diagnosis is more than taboo.

There is a great lack of understanding of how feeling stressed and overwhelmed are not topics readily broached by the whole of society. However, it's crucial to remember that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. The continued misconceptions of the disease – yes, I call it a disease and not merely a disorder, hinge on the overall lack of knowledge about the disease. While future research should explore and debunk the unfortunate misconceptions of mental health challenges, very little is being done to remove the stigma of this disease. So I’m going to share some information to help you or someone you know have greater clarity about the mental health challenge.

There are three very prominent fallacies, myths, about having a diagnosis of mental health:

1) Mental Health is not a real disease
2) Mental illness is only managed with medication, and
3) If you are having unsettling episodes of anxiety or depression, you are in danger of being fired from your job.

Each of these myths is far from the truth.

More importantly, mental health concerns are not synonymous with mental illness, so I am going to dissect each myth separately and refute the three myths.

​Number 1: It's important to understand that mental health incorporates the overall psychological and emotional well-being, which tends to fluctuate just as our physical health does. Mental illness, on the other hand, encompasses an official diagnosis by a healthcare professional once we have ignored increasing concerns that relate to our mental well-being. This distinction is crucial for being informed and knowledgeable about our mental well-being.

Number 2: Just as asking a cardiac patient to walk daily to improve their heart health can be their first line of defense, someone changing their attitude and outlook on life can be an effective measure in avoiding medication to combat growing mental health concerns. However, sometimes, the management of a new mental illness diagnosis is best attacked with a short-term introduction of medication.

Number 3: In either event, the chances of being fired from one’s job for seeing a cardiologist to improve overall physical health is no different than being under the care of a specified healthcare professional when the need arises for the treatment of a mental illness.

Lastly, I would like to remind you that recognizing, attending to, and taking action regarding one’s overall mental and physical health doesn’t need to be done just with material and medical interventions. A strong spiritual connection to the Lord, your God, is also a viable support. Just as calcium is effective in building strong bones and teeth, a relationship with the Lord can also support improved mental and physical health outcomes. Having a strong faith in your God creates a sense of hope and optimism, which is essential to successfully navigating through, and healing from, a mental health challenge.

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