Mental health is very much a real thing. It has no age, no gender, has no time limits and can come at anywhere, at any time…

Currently many get confused with a lot of mental health misconceptions so this month we’re going to clear some of them myths for you.

Anxiety is ‘attention seeking.’

In a world in which we live to please others alongside social media blow outs, friends becoming ever easier to come by we than take on a lot more worries, the best way to describe anxiety is you could ask me one simply question. “Are you okay?”which now then becomes, “Why are they asking me that..”which moves to “ Do I not look okay? Have I done something? Am I in trouble…”?

I worry alongside many others of the main worry’s, one worry will stem into a state of 10 worries within 5 minutes, which then makes me feel stupid for then to worry about feeling stupid. Many people who suffer with anxiety issues are logical thinkers aha, and when something happens out of logic for them, they worry and need to try and understand why something just is.

Some people presume to think that those with a period of poor mental health struggle to get of bed in the morning or are reluctant to do anything, although sometimes this is the case many individuals who are high functioning still struggle and will live out their day to day likes like normal, they go to work and socialise and function like anyone else. Sometimes mental health just is, as seen below.

“You have a mental health problem surely this makes you a poor worker?”

Again a very bad misconception and taboo in a very much modern society, I myself have been very reluctant to express my personal issues and trouble with mental health because of the consequences in which would have repercussions at work however I’ve found these days the more open you are and the sensible you are in the approach the more easier it is to help sort out any situation that may occur, the more open we are the greater the conversation and easier the conversation will tend to become, what’s more is you were hired for your skill set and what you bring to the job not what happens outside, no more no less. Remember that!

People with mental health problems are just as productive as other employees. It’s understanding that undiagnosed cost’s more, when employee’s with mental health problems receive effective treatment is can result in lower medical costs, increased productivity, lower absences, decreased disability costs.

“Children don’t experience mental health problems…”

Every young child may show early warning signs of mental health concerns and especially most notable from particular traumatic events in their life, it could be due to social factors, family factors or even biological factors. Half of all mental health disorders show first signs before the ages of 14 and three quarters before the ages of 24. For me it was from the age of 9. That’s over 20 years now nearly.

“People with mental health problems are more violent and unpredictable…”

In a recent study done by the government the vast majority of mental health problems are no more likely to be violent than anyone else. Most people with mental illness are not violent, in fact people with severe mental health illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be the victim of violent crime than the general population.

“There is no hope for people with mental health problems. Once a friend or family member develops mental health problems he or she will never recover?”

Again, not true, talking from someone who also has been medication free for over 1 year. Recovery refers to the process in which people can work live work and learn in their communities, there are more treatments support systems than ever before.

“I can’t do anything for a person with a mental health problem?”

Again, also untrue friends and loved one can make the biggest and greatest of differences especially for those in particular set of circumstances or maybe they live by themselves. Letting someone know that they are there, is one of the noblest things to do, you don’t have to try and change them or make them be someone else but knowing that someone is there along the same wave length and journey for them is one of the greatest things you can and will ever do especially for being their when the storm cloud passes. However NEVER ever use labels such as it’s all in your head or you’re crazy until you’ve experienced a true depression or mental health issue that is that storm cloud you really have no idea.

Thanks again for reading this month and as always links below.

James Hatton BSc

http://www.mentalhealth.gov

http://www.mind.org

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk