Fact or Fiction: Is It Really Debatable?

With the presidential debate upon us (or in the past, depending on when you read this), I thought it was only fitting to share the truth about common misconceptions when it comes to mental health. Here are 3 common mistakes of mental health:

1. You can get over depression, just get out of bed and smile.

Truth: Depression is much more than just getting out of bed. For some, it is a chemical imbalance which requires medication to stabilize. Depression doesn’t mean that you are always sad. There are so many other symptoms with depression: isolation, not wanting to interact with others, anger, hygiene, and lack of motivation.

2. Just tell yourself that you can do it and your anxiety will go away.

Umm, no. That’s not how it works. See anxiety occurs in the part of your brain that is considered primal. This means that all animals, including humans have the ability to be panicky. For all other animals, being panicky helps in survival. We however are at the top of the food chain so we don’t need to survive from predators. Unfortunately for us, anxiety brain still works, it’s just irrational.

3. My child is hyper so he or she for sure has ADD.

I say, let kids be kids. I am a therapist that believes we should not medicate children unless we have exhausted all other methods. I believe that children’s brains are still developing and there’s not enough research out there to prove that medication won’t disrupt the developmental process. If your child is hyper, keep in mind that your kid is a kid. They are hyper and run around and act crazy.

My take away….

There are many common misconceptions about mental health and ways to deal with mental health struggles. Remember not to jump to conclusions or think that there are simple ways to work through depression and anxiety. If you feel that you or someone you know needs assistance, please reach out for help. You don’t have to work through things on your own.

If you found this helpful, please share with a friend, colleague, or family member. The more we can do together to help mental health, the better off we all will be.

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