Fallacy and facts pertaining to mental illness
Mental illness has many misconceptions about not only the disease but also about the outcome of the disease. It is necessary to understand all the fallacy and the fact about it clearly so that the exact concept and the nature of the cause of crime and criminality are identified and understood.
* Fallacy 1 Mental illness and mental retardation are equivalent.
> Fact- These are two distinct challenges that require thorough comprehension. A mental health disorder known as mental illness may cause disruptions in a person's behaviour, thoughts, and emotions. Different types of mental diseases are being researched in abnormal psychology. A few examples of mental illnesses are depression, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, etc. Mental illness and mental retardation are extremely different. It might be considered a condition when a person has a lower IQ and has trouble adjusting to daily life. In contrast to the majority of mental illnesses, these are often diagnosed at a young age. People with mental retardation may have trouble communicating and learning new things. Additionally, he can have trouble participating in social and physical activities. Some of its causes include malnutrition, baby illnesses, birth trauma, genetic malformations, and childhood illnesses.
* Fallacy 2 Mental disorders are an illusion/fabrication of one’s fancy.
> Fact- Mental illnesses are not fabricated. Mental illnesses and brain disorders cause misery, and infirmity and can even shorten life (this is evident from episodes of depression after a heart attack, liver disease due to alcohol abuse and attempted suicide). Mental illness can be diagnosed and treated before it is too late. The symptoms are a sign of real illness.
* Fallacy 3 It is not possible to recover from mental illness.
> Fact- It is proved from the long-term research that there are genuine improvements over time and lead stability in the majority of people with mental illness. There are numerous treatments available for the sufferers of mental illness, such as medications, therapy and rehabilitation.
* Fallacy 4 Mentally ill and mentally retarded persons are dangerous or ferocious.
> Fact- Mostly, they are not dangerous or ferocious. According to the statistics, common people have more violent behaviour than those who have a brain disorder. On the contrary, people with psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia are more often frightened, confused and despairing than violent. This fable is strengthened by portrayals in the media about people with mental illness as frequently violent. It is substantial to eradicate discernment and replace it with optimistic images and messages and greater awareness about the actual nature of mental health.
* Fallacy 5 Psychiatric conditions are not true medical illnesses like heart disease and diabetes- they are personality disorders which cannot be treated.
> Fact -Disorders of the brain are no less medical conditions than disorders of the heart or kidneys. Research has shown that psychiatric disorders have genetic and biological causes and can be treated effectively.
* Fallacy 6 Schizophrenia is a multiple personality disorder.
> Fact- Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness, often confused with multiple personality disorder. In fact, it is a condition that blurs the distinction between what is real and what is imagined. People with schizophrenia have symptoms ranging from social withdrawal to delusions and hallucinations but are often helped by modern medicines. Multiple personality disorder is currently understood to be chronic dissociative psychopathology that most typically develops as a result of severe childhood abuse. The dissociative component is a defence mechanism that has gotten out of control.
Fallacy 7 People with manic depression are dangerously unstable and generally drop out of society.
> Fact- Manic depression- or bipolar disorder- is one of the most serious mental illnesses, causing severe distress and destroying personal relationships. Yet many people with bipolar disorder lead full and meaningful lives. Indeed, some of the most brilliant creative geniuses are thought to have suffered from bipolar disorder including Ernest Hemingway, statesman Winston Churchill, Einstein and other creative minds from around the world.
* Fallacy 8 - All serial killers are Psychopaths
> Fact- All serial killers are not psychopaths, but psychopaths may be serial killers. It is pretty difficult to identify the difference between the both. Their modus operandi is quite similar due to which confusion arises. Psychopaths are suffering from a serious kind of mental disease it is not at all necessary that all serial killers are suffering from a disease. Their motives are different.
* Fallacy 9 - All psychopaths are sexual offenders.
> Fact- All psychopaths are not sexual offenders; they are very intelligent people. They are mostly having an elite position in society. They do not have any emotions or remorse, but they are very good imitators. They imitate good behaviour to get faith in Society. They are sadists by nature; they enjoy giving pain to others. That pain is not necessarily in the physical form, but it can be any other pain like emotional or psychological pain. That is why it is not necessary that all psychopaths are sexual offenders because their endeavour is not sex but pain.
The fallacy of mental illness can be more stressfully cleared by scientific studies and facts about the diseases. Abnormal criminal behaviour is an outcome of a mental disease; this fact should be discussed more evidently and descriptively.
