10 Myths as well as Myths Regarding Psychiatry There are specific misconceptions about psychiatry that individuals were living with more than time simply because either they don't understand the nature of psychiatric illnesses or because they are firmly rooted within their cultural beliefs.
These beliefs have been shown to be inaccurate as they are really unfounded and can't be backed by scientific rationale. They've partially been responsible for the negligence a psychiatric patient is sometimes subjected to.
1. That psychiatric illness is special and different from physical illness: The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity"
Illnesses therefore manifest in different forms. The physical illness manifests in type of headache, fever, pain, cough, etc. So also does psychiatric illness manifest in form of irrational behaviour. The above mentioned manifestations are known as the signs of a disease: it doesn't matter whether or not they are physical or else; a disease is an illness.
2. Psychiatric patients are violent and dangerous: This isn't always true as quite a number of these patients are less violent than some of those people who are perceived to be well.
Ventura Psychiatrist3. Psychiatric patients never get well once they go to the market: This is untrue as a lot of them have been picked from the market and brought to the hospital for treatment and they got well after proper management.
4. Psychiatric illness is a punishment for one's sins: Illnesses come from germs, poisons, hormonal imbalance, stress, genetic problem, etc. The same is true for mental illnesses. They are not brought on by curses or sins: they are brought on by any of the afore-mentioned.
5. Psychiatric disease is incurable: Management of a psychiatric problem might take a long time before the patient gets well. This is also true for diseases like peptic ulcer disease, tuberculosis, renal disease, cardiac disease, etc...
Mentally ill patients could suffer relapse as also observed in malaria, eczema, asthma, peptic ulcer, etc and they may also have chronicity. The same happens in other forms of physical illnesses.
6. Psychiatric illness is infectious: psychiatric illness may be the safest to remain close to as they are not contagious. Unlike some types of physical illnesses, they are not transmitted through contact with the individual or through contact with bodily discharges.
7. Psychiatric nurses are only trained to handle psychiatric patients: This is merely a specialization area. Every trained nurse has got the basic training in the concern of patients and may work in any hospital or healthcare set up.
Ventura Psychiatry8. Psychiatric illness is seasonal: This is incorrect. Patients may periodically have relapse but their sickness is not seasonal.
9. Psychiatric nurses behave like their patients: Environmental surroundings could affect one's behaviour in some ways. The exposure from the nurse to the mentally ill patients helps the nurse to build up emotionally and comprehend the need for interpersonal relationship.
10. One becomes mentally ill if bitten with a psychiatric patient: The illness cannot be transmitted through saliva or human bite. It's a disease from the mind and thus cannot infect another person.
The knowledge of these misconceptions would enable us relate better with a patient with mental illness and become well equipped to lend a helping hand whenever necessary to alleviate their plight.