Between TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, there are so many different outlets for individuals to share their mental health struggles and for therapists to impart their expert advice. It’s likely that you’ve seen a range of information presented on depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other conditions, given the tremendous volume of posts dedicated to this content — on TikTok alone, the hashtag #mentalhealth has generated over 26 billion views. #Mentalhealthawareness has amassed over 7 billion, while a resource-centered hashtag, #mentalhealthbooks, has accumulated over 8 billion views.
Not everyone’s experience with mental health issues is the same, so you might realize that there’s a lot of competing information on your FYP or Twitter feed. Social media is also full of people spreading misinformation, including individuals without credentials branding themselves as “wellness experts.” This can create a harmful web of misconceptions about mental health conditions that might deter those struggling from asking for help. But breaking down these myths is a step towards tearing down the stigma surrounding mental health and fostering a community of acceptance. There’s a lot of information out there. It’s time to learn the facts.
- Mental health issues are not common
Mental health conditions are extremely common and the rates of conditions like anxiety and depression are actually on the rise for kids and teens.
Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real and widespread. Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression, and thoughts of suicide — and rates have increased over the past decade.
- If no one notices you’re depressed, you must be fine
Some people are able to mask their emotions better than others. If you’re continuing to earn good grades, maintain a social presence, and act like things are great, that doesn’t mean you’re not depressed or anxious.
It’s important to remember that at the end of the day, everyone’s going through something and you never know who’s struggling and who isn’t based on how they seem on the outside.
You may also feel pressure to act like everything is OK, even if you’re having a really hard time, Johnson explains. That burden might stem from believing that they need to be strong for their friends or family, they’re afraid of what people will think if they know they’re struggling, or they want to project the image of having it all together.
- Depression and other mental health issues can be contagious
You cannot “catch” clinical depression or other mental health conditions like you would a cold. But if you spend time with someone who is depressed or upset, there is a chance it can make you feel down as well. We are energetic beings. If someone around us is exhibiting a certain kind of energy, we may be able to take that on.
If you spend time with a friend who’s going through a lot and feeling down, you may walk away from hanging out with them feeling really heavy or low. That doesn’t mean that you caught their depression, but it does mean that you were affected by how they were feeling. That can be perfectly normal, especially if you care about the person.
If you spend time with a friend who’s going through a lot and feeling down, you may walk away from hanging out with them feeling really heavy or low. That doesn’t mean that you caught their depression, but it does mean that you were affected by how they were feeling. That can be perfectly normal, especially if you care about the person.
- Individuals with depression or anxiety can “snap out of it” if they try hard enough
Mental health issues do not have an on-off switch. These are conditions that require real support and real treatment, in the form of counseling medications or self care activities.
Sometimes disorders like depression or anxiety affect your brain in ways that therapy alone cannot fully treat,” she continues. In those cases, your brain might need medication to help restore its functioning to where it was before it got sick. Everyone’s condition, genetics, and how their brain works is a little bit different, which is why different people need different types of treatments.
- Individuals with mental health issues are “crazy”
Damaging stigmas around mental health — for instance, labeling someone as “crazy” — can prevent someone from seeking help. But having a mental health condition does not mean something is wrong with you. This is a societal myth that we’ve created based on earlier generations.
The brain is an organ. That means it can get sick, just like you might have a problem with your heart or your lung. We need to start thinking of mental health conditions just like we do [others]. We don’t judge people for having other types of medical illnesses, but sometimes, we unfairly judge others for having a mental health condition. A lot of that judgment comes from stigma or thinking that mental illness is shameful. The good thing is the more that people speak out about their own mental health struggles, the more we reduce stigma in the world around us.
other types of medical illnesses, but sometimes, we unfairly judge others for having a mental health condition. A lot of that judgment comes from stigma or thinking that mental illness is shameful. The good thing is the more that people speak out about their own mental health struggles, the more we reduce stigma in the world around us.
