There can be no doubt that public attitudes towards mental health have already turned a corner. Just think of the number of public figures – from Robbie Williams and Lady Gaga to Baroness Davidson – who have opened up about their struggles.
According to an analysis of English newspapers, the number of articles stigmatizing mental illness roughly halved between 2008 and 2016, while the number of articles challenging stigma roughly doubled over the same period. And this appears to be having a positive impact on everyday experiences of prejudice – people with mental illness now report significantly less discrimination from family, friends and colleagues compared to just a few years ago.
Despite progress, some myths about mental illness are still widely shared, including false claims about the effectiveness of treatment. Here are six of the most common beliefs and the truth behind them.
Mental illnesses are overdiagnosed
Let’s start with the idea that people confuse everyday stress with a clinical disorder. The claim is a favorite of TV personalities and newspaper columnists, who occasionally claim that the increased focus on mental health is reducing people’s self-confidence, causing them to turn to medical intervention instead of solving their life problems.
In fact, there is very little hard evidence that overdiagnosis is the serious problem some claim it to be. For example, studies of depression in Western countries have not shown a large increase in diagnoses as people jump into mental health circles. “The evidence points to stability,” says Prof. Read also : Meet Philadelphia contact writers working on a variety of children’s books. Johan “Hans” Ormel of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. He suggests that doctors are just as likely to miss real cases as they are to misdiagnose someone who is just experiencing transient stress.
Time is a healer
In relation to the claim that doctors are medicalizing everyday woes, the suggestion is that many people who think they are depressed should show more resilience and simply wait for time to recover from their troubles. If they’re just suffering from transient sadness, surely the problem should go away on its own?
To find out if this was really the case, Australian researchers examined data from 16 clinical trials in which a control group of patients had been placed on a waiting list before receiving treatment. To see also : Playing Video Games All Summer Won’t Hurt Your Mental Health. They found that only one in eight of these patients achieved remission while waiting for treatment, while the rest continued to have symptoms for three months.
Antidepressants don’t work
It is not only the diagnostic process that has inspired medical myths; treatments used to help patients are often the subject of misinformation. Read also : Bozeman’s “Montana on the Rise” summit highlights the state’s high-tech economy.
One common belief is that a common class of antidepressants called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are ineffective and no better than placebo. This idea recently attracted widespread attention after the publication of an article that raises some serious questions about the intended mechanism of these pills.
SSRIs, including Prozac, are believed to correct “chemical imbalances” in the brain by correcting levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is thought to be involved in mood regulation, among other functions. However, a recent paper examined the evidence to date and concluded that there is no clear link between serotonin levels and depression.
But there are many other ways they can help relieve symptoms—for example, by reducing inflammation, another potential cause of depression. Importantly, a recent Lancet meta-analysis, which took into account several clinical trials, confirmed that SSRIs are effective in treating depression. Although they don’t work for everyone, they are about 50% more likely to respond than placebo pills. According to Professor Cathryn Lewis of King’s College London and Professor Andrew M McIntosh of the University of Edinburgh, the clinical benefit is now “beyond reasonable doubt”.
‘Happy pills’ simply numb people’s feelings
Other myths are about side effects. You will see many articles claiming, for example, that antidepressants “dull” people’s emotions. This idea appears to have good foundation: Many patients report concerns that their medications have dampened both the highs and lows of life, resulting in dull feelings.
Until recently, however, few studies had investigated the causes of emotional blunting, and it now appears that numbness may be a residual symptom of depression. This makes sense: depression is often accompanied by apathy and the inability to feel pleasure. SSRIs have removed the most prominent feelings of hopelessness, but they do not necessarily increase positive emotions and motivation, says Professor Guy Goodwin of the University of Oxford, who conducted the recent study: “The feeling of emotional dullness is real, but it is not caused by drugs.”
Mental illness makes people more creative
Perhaps the most enduring myth has been the idea that mental suffering is the source of artistic genius—from Virginia Woolf to Kanye West. But any evidence supporting a link between creativity and mental illness is extremely weak, says James C Kaufman, a professor at the University of Connecticut.
For example, “historiometric” analyzes have led to biographies of notable artists. Although these studies seem to suggest that mental illness is more common in creative personalities, post-hoc diagnoses based purely on text should be treated with great caution. “They’re not super objective,” Kaufman says. “Very few creativity researchers believe there is a strong connection.” And the idea that mental anguish can inspire great art certainly shouldn’t be a reason to avoid treatment for serious medical conditions, he says.
Schizophrenia is untreatable
Despite changing attitudes towards other mental illnesses, schizophrenia still carries a huge stigma, says Marjorie Wallace, founder and chief executive of mental health charity SANE. “Schizophrenia is still the ‘forgotten disease’ because it has been squeezed out of all these anti-stigma campaigns that have emphasized stress, depression and anxiety.” This means that most people have only a vague understanding of the condition, despite the lifetime prevalence in the UK being around 1.5%.
One big misconception is that schizophrenia is simply “incurable.” With the right medication and talking therapies, 45% of people with schizophrenia achieve remission after one or more psychotic episodes, while 35% experience a mixed pattern of remission and relapse. The belief that there is no cure can cause great despair for those diagnosed with the disease and their families. (Campaigner and filmmaker Jonny Benjamin famously described the diagnosis as a life sentence.)
In general, earlier interventions are more effective. But a chronic lack of resources in health services means many people with schizophrenia don’t get help in the early stages of a crisis, Wallace says, reducing their chances of recovery. They may be turned away from hospitals or psychiatric facilities, and the patient is often dealt with by police officers. Escalating their condition in such cases only adds to the perception that it is impossible to cure, but the person could have fared much better had they had access to treatment sooner.
The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Change Your Life by David Robson is published by Canongate (£18.99). To support the Guardian and the Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
