Where Do You Stand?
1. There’s no hope for people with mental illness to recover. There are more treatments,
services, and community support systems than ever before and more are in the works.
People with mental illnesses lead active, productive lives and recovery from their
disorders is real and possible.
2. I can’t do anything for a person with a mental illness. You can do a lot, actually, starting
with how you think and act. You can create an environment that builds on people’s
strengths and promotes understanding. You can use person-first language. You can
learn the facts about MI/SUD and educate others. You can treat people with mental
illnesses with respect and dignity, just as you would anyone else.
3. People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable. The vast majority of people
with a mental illness are no more violent than anyone else. In fact, they are much more
likely to be the victims of crime.
4. Mental illnesses don’t affect me. Mental illnesses are actually quite common; they
affect nearly every family in America. Mental illnesses don’t discriminate; you probably
know someone with a mental illness and don’t even realize it.
5. Mental illness is the same as mental retardation. These are different conditions.
Mental retardation is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and
difficulties with certain daily living skills. In contrast, people with mental illnessesconditions that cause changes in a person’s thinking, mood, and behavior-have varied
intellectual function, just like the general population.
6. Mental illnesses are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social
factors. Social influences, like the loss of a love done or a job, can also contribute to the
development of various mental health problems.
7. People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job. All jobs
are stressful to an extent. Everybody is more productive when there’s a good match
between the employee’s needs and the working conditions, whether or not the worker
has a mental health problem.
8. People with mental illness lead active, productive lives parallel to their typical peers.
Employers who have hired people with mental illnesses report good attendance and
punctuality, as well as motivation, high-quality work, and job tenure that is on par with
or greater than other employees. Studies show that there is no difference in
productivity between people with mental illnesses and other employees.
©Allegheny County Department of Human Services 2016
9. Once people develop mental illnesses, they will never recover. Studies show that most
people with mental illnesses get better and many recover completely. Recovery refers
to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their
communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and
productive life. For others, recovery simply implies the reduction or complete remission
of symptoms. Either way, science has shown that HOPE plays an integral role in an
individual’s recovery.
10. The most effective treatment for MI is often a combination of medication, therapy, &
support. Treatment varies depending on the individual. Many people work with
therapists, counselors, friends, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers
during the recovery process. They also use self-help strategies and community supports.
Often they combine these with the most advanced medications available to get the best
results.
11. Children don’t experience mental illnesses. Their actions are just products of bad
parenting. In any given year, 5-9% of children experience serious emotional
disturbances. Just like adult mental illnesses, these are clinically diagnosable health
conditions that are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social
factors.
12. Attention-seeking behaviors can be symptoms of emotional, behavioral, or mental
problems. Behavioral problems can be symptoms of emotional, behavioral, or mental
problems rather than merely attention-seeking devices. These children can succeed in
school with appropriate understanding, attention, and mental health services.
13. Substance abuse and addiction are the same thing. The terms are often confused, but
they are not the same thing. Substance abuse generally refers to those individuals who
continue to use drugs or alcohol even though they understand these substances are
harmful. An individual who has a drug addiction has developed a physical, chemical
dependence on them. Another difference is that those who are at the substance abuse
stage are likely to still experience the euphoric or depressive effects of the substance
more or less as they did when they started taking it. An individual that is addicted, on
the other hand, develops a tolerance to the substance and now requires more and more
of the substance to achieve that original ‘high’ and will use the substance to avoid
withdrawal.
14. Mental Illness interferes with a person’s ability to function on a daily basis. Mental
illnesses are pervasive and even though someone in treatment may not be experiencing
symptoms, the mental illness is still there; the individual is able to manage the illness,
but it will never fully go away. Each day is different than the next and every individual
experiences a mental illness differently. The good thing is that people can and do
recover and mental illnesses do not have to be in control.
15. People can quit using drugs any time they want. When substance abuse turns into
addiction, it takes a powerful hold over the mind and body of the individual. Even the
strongest-willed individuals have difficulty quitting use on their own. Rehabilitation
©Allegheny County Department of Human Services 2016
programs and addiction professionals can play an important role in assisting a person to
arrest his/her addiction.
16. Substance use is only a problem in lower-income or socio-economic layers of society.
Substance is prevalent throughout almost every corner of our society. And while certain
genders, age groups, or socioeconomic groups may experience higher levels of
substance abuse than others, the fact remains that this is a societal issue. Given the
number of young children and teenagers prone to substance abuse, it is an issue that
should concern everyone.
17. You shouldn’t tell if someone confides in you because you don’t want to break his/her
trust. Although it is important to maintain confidentiality and have trust in a
relationship, if an individual is going to harm themselves or others, it is necessary to tell
an adult you trust. All threats should be taken seriously. Treatment over tragedy!
18. You can’t become addicted to a substance after one try. Some substances are so toxic
that your body is permanently altered after the first time. Experimentation with
substances is never a good idea and even though some things are legal, it doesn’t mean
that they are safe.
19. Stigma is a socially-created concept; it only exists because we label others. Although
every one of us is a unique individual, we have more in common than separates us. Yes,
we are all different, but there is no reason to discriminate or judge others based on any
characteristic. When we are born, we are a ‘blank slate,’ without prejudices and
stereotypes and with a genuine acceptance of others. Along the way, we may have lost
this naivety due to experiences, our upbringing, etc., but labels only hurt, stigma creates
silence, and silence hurts us all.
20. There is a gene for addiction. Geneticists have identified approximately 40 genes that
may have some connected to heavy drinking/addiction, but there is no simple,
predictable genetic combination that says definitively that a person will become
addicted to a substance. Looking at the totality of the evidence, it seems that there is
some genetic tendency toward substance abuse, however environment and personal
choice are essential factors.
©Allegheny County Department of Human Services 2016