Subject: Introduction to clinical psychology

Topic: Myths related to mental illness

Name: Aqsa Zafar
Section: A
Submitted to: Halima khurshid
 MYTHS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS IN OUR COUNTRY

 Mental health patients are unpredictable and dangerous

 Children can’t have serious mental issues
 People with mental conditions are unable to perform well
 Depression is not really a condition that one can’t snap out of
 People with mental conditions are less intelligent
 Bad parenting cause mental illnesses
 Mental illnesses will never affect me

HISTORY AND ORIGINS OF THESE MYTHS:

 Myth no 1:

History behind this myth is that people see some patients of mental illness who are showing
unpredictable behavior and dangerous in mental asylum. People who observes are also important
to note that people who experiences mental illnesses are the victim of violence than to be violent.

 Myth no 2:

History behind this myth is that, parents whose children are mentally ill they thought that
children cannot have serious mental illness. It’s a myth. Identifying mental disorders in children
can be tricky for health care providers. They differ from adults in that they experience many
physical, mental, and emotional changes as they progress through their natural growth and
development.
 Myth no 3:

History behind this myth is that people with mental illness are not ambitious, motivated,
intelligent or able. People thought that they are unable to handle stress, and unable to perform
well, too sick and even potentially dangerous. These all are myths, and the common belief that
people with mental illness cannot work, is a myth.

 Myth no 4:

History behind this myth is that depression is a real mental illness. Many people mistakenly
believed that being depressed is a choice, or that they need to have a positive attitude. Friends
and loved ones don’t understand why a person can’t snap out of it. It’s a myth that depression is
a condition which cannot snap out of. It can be snap out of. In an ancient time people were not
aware about how to snap out from this condition.

Manifestation and prevalence of myths in our culture

Prevalence:

Pakistan, among the other developing countries, has a higher prevalence rate of depression
because of the current social adversities. Mean overall prevalence of depressive disorders and
anxiety is 34%. Province wise prevalence is: Sindh 16%, Punjab 8%, Baluchistan 40%, Khyber-
Pakhtunkhwa 5%.Lahore has the highest number of depressives that is 53.4% as compared to
Quetta (43.9%) and Karachi (35.7%). The current situation in Pakistan along with other basic
health problems, the social upheaval, political instabilities, lawlessness, terrorism, economic
disparity, problems with security, safety, gas and electric load shedding, escalating prices of
petrol, gas, and other basic necessities of life has created a ground fertile for depression which
has almost taken the first position among all the psychiatric conditions.

Manifestation:

The manifestation behind all the myth of mental illness is that these believes are developed by
our fore fathers mostly or from some past experience. This is also the reason behind all these
myths is that we see in the hindus when we live in the subcontinent. These all are the logics of
our elders.

Examples/ verbatim of people:

1. When I asked my mother about mental illness, she told me that once her mother was
getting ready and went to the wedding with the fragrance. Where there were many trees.
When she returned, her condition become suspicious after few days. Our about her
condition was that it might had an effect of any bad or evil spirit due to perfume. So we
consulted a religious leader. He adapted the method of spiritual healing. After that we
also consulted a doctor. So that we came to know that she had experience some bad
incidence in her life which affected her brain. Doctor advised us to give attention to her
and take care of her.

2. When I asked my grandmother about mental illness, she told me about some superstitions
out of which one is:
“ Black cat just crossed my path- dammit something bad is going to happen!”
My grandmother told me that once she was going out for some purpose. On the way a
black cat crossed her path but she was not bothered the cat. But after sometime she was
feeling something bad happening. Her accident happen. Then she assumed that it was
true when black cat crossed path it was not good and something bad is going to happen.
My grandmother told me that there are some superstitions which had some impact in our
life.
Examples by sketch:

Type of mental illnesses

Suggestions to create Awareness:

Suggestions to create awareness about mental illness are as follows

 Talk about mental health with children. Don’t assume kids are too young to understand.
Depression can affect children in elementary school.
 Encourage non - judgemental speak. Try to educate those around you on how to talk about
mental illness. Never use words like “crazy” or “insane” as insults.
 Talk about it. Ask people how they’re doing and mean it! Always be ready to listen and
encourage. Ask questions and never judge.
 Talk to loved ones about how they are feeling. Regularly check in with those close to you,
especially if you know they are dealing with a mental illness.

Mental health awareness should not only be for a day or two or even a month. We
must be informed about it because it can easily happen to someone close to us. Community
awareness for mental health reduces stigma. Mental health awareness increases the chances for
early intervention, which can result in a fast recovery. Awareness reduces negative adjectives
that have been set to describe our people with a metal illness. By raising awareness, mental
health can now be seen as an illness. These illnesses can be managed by treatment

We should strive to provide a safe and comfortable environment that allows our clients to be in
an empathic and safe space where they can share their problems and grievances. Likewise, we
strive to make sure the psychologist we pair with them is not only skilled and equipped with the
training and experience for their issues, but we make sure our team members are also caring
individuals.