Mental Illness: It's A Family Affair (Day 3)

Mental Health Myths

While there is clearly an abundance of data both online and in print surrounding mental health, there continue to be misconceptions and misunderstandings about what it all means. This has an impact on how we, both individually and collectively, view and treat mental health conditions.

One of the most common myths surrounding

mental health is that one is either mentally healthy or mentally ill. The reality is that one’s state of being exists on a continuum. A person that is generally mentally healthy may experience emotional problems, changes in behavior, or have strained and unhealthy relationships with others. A person that is diagnosed with a mental illness may experience moments of clarity and be highly functional. The presence of illness does not always impede upon one’s ability to live a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Mental illness

We know that mental illness includes a wide range of conditions that affect one’s thinking, mood, and behavior. Psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors use a combination of techniques, which are driven by theories and evidence-based treatment models, to challenge faulty thinking, regulate mood, and improve maladaptive and dysfunctional behavior. Psychiatrists are medical doctors that specialize in mental health, including substance use disorders. They are qualified to assess and treat both the mental and physical aspects of mental illness, and can prescribe medications to do so.

Today's information is courtesy of The Arc Foundation of Monroe New York.

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You are invited to join us for this month's AWOGI discussion: Mental Illness: It's A Family Affair on Saturday, October 14 at 10am via zoom.

Click Family Affair to access the zoom meeting link.

TOGETHER, We Care and We Share.