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Dr. Debasmita Dey

People have plenty of reservations before visiting a psychiatrist. It is surprising to know how many of us still think we can cure depression just by listening to pep-talk. You must wait till you are raving mad to actually see a psychiatrist!

Today’s blog is a much needed mental health myth buster.

Myth 1 – You can treat mental disorders by simply meditating.

If that were the case, antidepressants would never be invented. The truth is the mind is a function of the brain. There are plenty of neural circuits in the brain and there is a fine balance of neurochemicals that run these circuits. When the balance is disrupted, we suffer from mental disorders, be it anxiety, depression, mood swings or frank psychosis. Meditation is a great way to fine tune these circuits, but not in a disordered brain.We first need to restore the balance of neurochemicals before we fine tune them. In fact, meditating can worsen some mental disorders like schizophrenia.

Myth 2 – Once you start taking medications for mental disorders you cannot quit

This is one of the commonest questions patients ask before they start taking the medicines. The answer is a big NO. Unless you are suffering from a chronic disease like schizophrenia, you do not take pills for a lifetime. However, the meds need to be tapered off, meaning the doctor reduces the dose gradually before stopping them. If you stop taking them suddenly, your symptoms recur. So it is better to trust your doctor’s judgement on this.

Myth 3 – Medicines make you drowsy and idiotic

Of course not. Not all psychiatric medications put you to sleep or hamper your ability to think. If your pills are doing that to you, simply speak to your psychiatrist. He/ she will find an alternative for you. No big deal.

Myth 4 – Addiction is just a bad habit

It is true that addiction is a bad habit. But it is so much more than just that. The brain neural circuits rewire themselves on long term usage of addictive substances. Also, the body gets used to the continuous presence of the recreational drug. It then becomes almost impossible to suddenly quit without medical help. There are often severe withdrawal symptoms, both physical and mental, some of which may be life threatening. For example, alcohol withdrawal may precipitate epileptic attacks. Sudden heroin withdrawal causes acute bodily pain, so much so that the patient often wants to commit suicide. It is judicious to seek a doctor’s guidance when considering de-addiction.

Myth 5 – Counselling is better than medications

Though most people prefer counselling sessions to medications, it is best to let your psychiatrist decide that. A patient with severe depression, for example, cannot be cured by counselling alone. Nor can a patient with severe obsessive compulsive disorder. Medications are absolutely necessary here. It is fool hardy to refuse medications in such cases.

Myth 6 – Vitamins/ medicines can increase the intelligence quotient of kids born with below average intelligence levels

It is simply not possible. This unfortunate truth is often difficult for parents to accept. As such they run from pillar to post seeking a cure for their child, often administering unknown herbs and medications to the child. The adverse effects of these remedies could be dangerous.

Myth 7 – ‘Fits’ occur as a result of being ‘possessed’ by unholy spirits

It is shocking how firmly that belief is held by people. Only a small percentage of such patients are brought to a doctor. Most run from one faith healer to another without any cure. The truth is these fits are a result of a common psychiatric condition called ‘dissociative disorders’ and are treatable, provided the patient complies.
The list of such myths is never – ending, even in the present century. Hopefully, this article has addressed some of the common ones. For further queries, feel free to get in touch.

DrDebasmitaPsychiatrist