While a large trace of stigma still remains around mental health, this stigma is more evident for certain mental health conditions than others. Such conditions include OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), schizophrenia, and DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). To do our part in better understanding these mental health conditions, we can begin by defining them, as well as knocking down some common myths.
Let’s start with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), a condition that affects 2.2 million American adults, according to the ADAA (Anxiety & Depression Association of America). The Mayo Clinic writes that OCD “features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions)... [which in turn] interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.” These thoughts and obsessions often have the themes of “fear of contamination or dirt”; “doubting and having difficulty tolerating uncertainty”; and “needing things orderly and symmetrical.” One common myth is that OCD has everything to do with being clean and tidy. However, in reality, it’s a lot broader than that –people with OCD experience feelings of intensely negative, repetitive, and intrusive thoughts with a feeling of doubt/danger (Mayo Clinic). Another myth is the belief that people with OCD just need to be more relaxed. While it is possible for those afflicted with OCD to hide their thoughts, it isn’t possible for them to just be more relaxed and “get over it” (Mayo Clinic). A final common myth is that OCD originates from childhood. In reality, OCD results from genetics and life experiences (NIH).
Image Source: Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center
According to Stop the Stigma, “OCD is frequently stigmatized by minimizing statements such as, ‘Please take off your shoes when you come to my house, because I’m a little OCD about that,’ or ‘I guess I’m sort of OCD when it comes to how clean my room is.’” Furthermore, Made of Millions, a mental health nonprofit organization, writes that people with OCD fear stigma in many areas of their daily lives (e.g. work, home, and relationships) and as a result are discouraged from seeking help.
Schizophrenia is another overly stigmatized mental health condition. According to MentalHelp.net, about 3.2 million Americans suffer from it, and the condition is characterized by a pre-cursor stage where symptoms are a bit subdued and the schizophrenia is difficult to recognize, as well as a “psychotic break” during which outward symptoms are more noticeable. Also according to MentalHelp.net, “[w]hen schizophrenia does occur, it often becomes a chronic condition…” Unfortunately, the exact causes of the condition are not yet known, and symptoms include everything from hallucinations and thought disorders to reduced speaking and decreased joy in everyday life (NHS; Treatment Advocacy Center). Two common myths around schizophrenia are that one suffering from it has a split personality and that the condition leads one to be more inclined to acts of violence. However, the first myth is confusing schizophrenia with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), the condition that will be mentioned next, and as to the second, it is in fact rare for someone with schizophrenia to be violent (PSYCOM; MedicalNewsToday).
Image Source: VeryWell Mind
Lastly, DID is a condition that causes one to have “multiple, distinct personalities… [which] control a person’s behavior at different times (Cleveland Clinic). As further explained by the Cleveland Clinic, “The condition can cause memory loss, delusions or depression. DID is usually caused by past trauma.” The Recovery Village suggests that anywhere from one-half percent to seven percent of the general population may be afflicted with DID. Today, DID has been heavily stigmatized by movies like Split and “dramatized versions of mental illness.” Having personally seen the trailer and bits of Split, I can attest to just how bad DID is stigmatized by that movie. Fears of those with DID can easily be stoked by such content, and people may even be led to ask inappropriate questions such as whether it’s “fun” to have DID, as written in a blog posted on NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Some common myths around DID are that it is extremely rare/does not exist, DID is a personality disorder, and that DID is always obvious. However, it is present in at least around one percent of the general population, as written above; it is categorized as a dissociative disorder, which is specifically a loss of oneself; and “on average a person will receive up to four incorrect diagnoses before being accurately diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder” (The Recovery Village).
Image Source: NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
So, how can you aid people who struggle with any of the above conditions? As written in the intro, we can begin by better understanding what they suffer from and the various aspects of their conditions, which you’ve started the process of by reading this article :). In doing so, we help address the ever-present albeit somewhat decreasing stigma around these conditions and make it easier for people to seek help and feel even a bit less afraid. Always try to lend an open ear to someone suffering from any of the said conditions, and try to help them find professional help. Being supportive and maintaining a supportive environment also helps a ton.
Below, you’ll find a list of great resources for learning more about each of the discussed mental health conditions!
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:
Schizophrenia:
Dissociative Identity Disorder: