Misunderstandings of mental conditions have a long history involving fear or intolerance of people with disorders. Many misconceptions are ingrained in society and are still hard to refute. Such circumstances interfere with providing help to individuals suffering from disorders – they are afraid to seek treatment, and people’s misunderstanding only worsens the situation. Such a prejudice that one may observe is the impossibility of recovering from the disorder. Despite the prevalence of such misconceptions, disseminating information from scientific research can help refute biases.
Mental disorders’ treatment process is an essential issue for the well-being of patients. Many myths are associated with it, and one of the most influential is the impossibility of recovery (Mental Health, 2022). As a result, mental health is stigmatized by society and even health care workers (Kohrt et al., 2020). However, there is much research proving recovery from various mental conditions. They represent reliable scientific evidence and appeal to study, while disseminating information about disorders can give credibility and attract public attention. Therefore, it is necessary to continue conducting research and sharing information about them.
Another way to expose myths through research is to study the concept of recovery. For example, van Weeghel et al. (2019) define recovery and features of this process. The stories of the people with treatment experiences may be essential tools in the fight against stigmatization. Studying ways to tell such stories is another method of exposing myths. An article by Llewellyn-Beardsley et al. (2019) highlights the features of the survivors’ narratives, how to use them, and what obstacles may arise. Thus, it is vital to combat myths that interfere with mental health care. Studies of the recovery process, its features, and the stories of those who recovered can help overcome prejudices.
References
Kohrt, B. A., Turner, E. L., Rai, S., Bhardwaj, A., Sikkema, K. J., Adelekun, A., Dhakal, M., Nagendra P., Luitel, N. P., Lund, C., Patel, V., & Jordans, M. J. (2020). Reducing mental illness stigma in healthcare settings: Proof of concept for a social contact intervention to address what matters most for primary care providers. Social Science & Medicine, 250, 1-12. Web.
Llewellyn-Beardsley, J., Rennick-Egglestone, S., Callard, F., Crawford, P., Farkas, M., Hui, A., Manley, D., McGranahan, R., Pollock, K., Ramsay, A., Sælør, K. T., Wright, N., & Slade, M. (2019). Characteristics of mental health recovery narratives: Systematic review and narrative synthesis. PloS One, 14(3), 1-31. Web.
Mental health myths and facts. (2022). Mental Health.gov. Web.
Van Weeghel, J., van Zelst, C., Boertien, D., & Hasson-Ohayon, I. (2019). Conceptualizations, assessments, and implications of personal recovery in mental illness: A scoping review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 42(2), 169–181. Web.