Mental Illness includes a broad range of psychological or behavioural symptoms, which cause difficulties with an individual’s mental and emotional well-being, thereby reducing his or her capacity to cope with the demands and stress of daily life.

Myths

It is human nature to fear what we don’t understand. Since many people don’t understand mental illness, they fear it. Mental illness also carries a stigma (a mark or sign of disgrace), and that stigma prevents a significant number of people from seeking help. People use stigmatizing words like “cuckoo,” “psycho,” “wacko” and “nutso.” Just as we wouldn’t mock someone for having a physical illness, we should not mock someone with a mental illness. The following are examples of some myths and facts:

Myth: Mental illness is caused by a personal weakness.
Fact: A mental illness is not a character flaw. It is an illness having nothing to do with weakness or lack of will-power. People do not choose to become ill.

Myth: Those with a mental illness are violent.
Fact: Those with a mental illness are more often the victims of violence.

Myth: Schizophrenia is split-personality.
Fact: A person with Schizophrenia may have audible hallucinations such as “voices” talking to the individual. (Click here to read more about Schizophrenia.)

Myth: A person with Depression can just “snap out of it”
Fact: Until the brain chemicals have been balanced or the precipitating factor has been resolved the individual will most likely continue to have the symptoms. (Click here to read more about Depression.)

Myth: You can’t recover from a mental illness
Fact:  With proper treatment and support you can recover from a mental illness (Click here to read more about the Recovery philosophy.)

Some information from “The Myths of Mental Illness,” CMHA National pamphlet series

Causes

There are thought to be three causes of mental illness:

1. Genetic/Biological/Chemical
2. Psychological
3. Socio-cultural/Stressful life events or conditions

Genetic/Biological/Chemical

• A malfunctioning brain is the primary cause of abnormal behaviour
   
• Chemicals called neurotransmitters, responsible for moving information through the brain, have been shown, in some research, to display abnormal activity in the brains of those with mental disorders, i.e., Anxiety disorders are linked to low activity of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), Schizophrenia linked to excessive activity of dopamine and Depression linked to low activity of serotonin
   
• Mental disorders are genetically inherited: in recent years, researchers have discovered that genes may also influence behaviour, including abnormal behaviour.
   
• Genetic factors have been linked to mood disorders, schizophrenia, mental retardation, Alzheimer’s and other disorders of the mind.
   
• Risk factor for depression increases by 25% if parent has illness; risk factor for schizophrenia increases by 8% if a sibling has schizophrenia, 12% if one parent has schizophrenia, and by 37-46% if both parents have schizophrenia (CMHA/Toronto)

Psychological

• Low self esteem and/or pessimism can lead to depression.

Socio-cultural/Stressful life events or conditions

• Some socio-cultural theorists focus on the family system, believing that a family’s structure or communication patterns may force members to behave in abnormal ways. Others focus on social networks and support (i.e., family, friends, caregivers, issues of divorce/separation, bereavement, immigration), and still others examine societal conditions (i.e., poverty, abuse, lack of education, long-term unemployment

Statistics for Peel Region

• 250,000 Peel residents - a quarter of a million (almost a quarter of the population) -- will experience one or more mental disorders over their lifetime*
   
• At least 1% - 11,540 people in Peel - could experience a serious and persistent mental illness at any one time*
   
• Peel's population growth between 1996 & 2001 was 16% compared to 4% in Toronto, 6% provincially., yet provincial government funding is lower******
   
• Peel's population is diverse (64.1% list English as their only at home language)**
   
• 115,000 live below the povery line******
   
• 85% of people with a serious mental illness are unemployed and many lack safe, affordable housing******
   
• 18% of children, 1-17 yr. suffer from a diagnosable psychiatric illness**
   
• 115 Peel teens 15 - 19 yr. were hospitalized after a suicide attempt in 1998**
   
• 36 Peel teens 15 - 19 yr. died from suicide between 1986 & 1996**
   
• Approximately 49% (an estimated 100,000 in Peel) of people believe they have Anxiety or Depression but don't seek help****
   
• Shortage of psychiatrists taking new patients in Peel region delays prompt treatment*******
   
• The economic cost of mental illness in Canada was estimated at $7.9 billion in 1998 -- $4.7 billion in care and $3.2 billion in early death****
   
• The Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health estimates the cost much higher - over $30 billion*****. Comparing Peel's population to Canada's, mental illness in the workplace could be costing Peel Region businesses $9 million. CMHA/Peel Branch's Mental Health Works training helps employers deal with mental illness in the workplace.

* 1990 Ontario Health Survey

** Region of Peel web site www.peelregion.ca

*** Ontario Child Health Care Study, 1998

**** The Report on Mental Illness in Canada, 2002

***** Toronto-Peel Mental Health Implementation Task Force http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/pub/mhitf/toronto_peel/toronto_peel.html

******The Portraits of Peel: Face the Facts www.unitedwaypeel.org

******* CMHA/Peel Branch Resource Centre