4. Selective mutism

Myth: People who suffer from this disease, refuse to talk as a child got injured or subjected to ill-treatment.

Of the list is the only disease, the name of which many have never heard before, even though they know about the disease and about the myths surrounding it.

Selective mutism (often referred to as "selective mutism") usually appears in early childhood. Children with this disorder are often very good talk, but can not speak, and even sometimes can not communicate in other ways, in certain situations. Many parents, teachers and psychologists working with people suffering from selective mutism, are convinced that these people deliberately refuse to talk and possibly thus try to control others. But as it turned out, many patients want to talk, but are afraid to do it. The vast majority of these people suffer also from social anxiety disorder, and the silence seems to them the only way to cope with stressful situations. It is ironic, but my parents, who believe in this myth and punishing the children for silence further increase anxiety Anxiety - how to distinguish normal from disease?   reduce child and his desire to speak.

But if you are not familiar with the people suffering from selective autism, it is possible to believe in a myth circulated by the media, that there are children and teenagers who go in absolute silence or stop communicating with all but one or two favorites, due to the fact that the injured or repeatedly abused. Indeed, some people after an injury can not talk to a few weeks, months or years. But most children approaching adolescence, is not affected by this disorder, including as a result of abuse or trauma.

3. Self-harm

Myth: People who inflict injuries on himself in the form of cuts, burns, and other similar methods, or want to kill yourself, or to attract attention.

Many people, especially young people suffering from various mental disorders, coping with his inner pain, inflicting physical harm to themselves, often cutting themselves. Self-harm is becoming more common and well-known disorder in our days, but the myths about the intentions of people, causing currently injured, has not passed away.

As if it did not look the part, causing physical harm to himself is not a failed suicide attempt. Many people suffering from this disorder for years, continue to inflict injuries on himself, none of which does not threaten their lives, and it would be a strange blunder, if it turned out to be a fatal injury. In fact, many of these people are trying to avoid suicide, splashing their feelings to others in some way safer way.

Many also believe that the people causing harm to yourself, just trying to attract attention .  Sometimes this is true, especially considering the fame and even a kind of popularity of this disorder, but most patients try to hide inflicted injuries on himself with the help of clothes, with long sleeves and trousers, or make cuts on those parts of the body that are normally covered by clothing, such as on the upper thighs or abdomen .  Some people who suffer from this disorder, desperately want anyone to know about their disease and provide them with the necessary assistance, but many of them are afraid of the reactions of other people, and are ashamed of themselves, and therefore can not tell anyone about their problems .  In addition, if a person tries to harm themselves to get attention, is not a reason to wonder: what is the problem makes them so desperately need attention of others, that they are willing to harm themselves to get attention?

2. obsessive-compulsive disorder

Myth: People with obsessive-compulsive disorder experiencing constant fear of germs and obsessed with cleanliness.

Some people say they suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, just because they are big chistyuli and attach particular importance to cleanliness. Most people believe that people with obsessive-compulsive disorder - is obsessed with cleanliness bacteriophobia, and do not realize that the disorder has a much more complex nature.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder - is an anxiety disorder has two specific features .  Firstly, people with this disease suffer from plaguing their obsessive thoughts about anything that they consider disruptive, or that did not in their nature .  Often these people plagued by relentless thoughts about germs and contamination, that they forgot to lock the door with a key and can enter into the house of thieves .  Also, they are often overwhelmed by the thought of what might happen something terrible with their families, they can injure or kill someone if they do not follow the rules, they firmly believe, and other obsessions .  Secondly, these people believe that by doing some special ritual, they will be able to avoid the danger .  They can wash their hands frequently, keep the house very clean, constantly check whether the doors are locked, repeating to myself certain words to avoid odd numbers and do whatever you can imagine .  Forcing yourself to a certain behavior, they only briefly get rid of obsessive thoughts, so the ritual has to constantly repeat .

Not everyone who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, fear of germs or should certain rituals. And not everyone takes possession, prominent from the side, as most obsessions just live in their heads. How to understand what it is: perfectionism and love for purity? Many people with obsessive-compulsive disorder are perfectionists, although it is associated with another disorder. If you liked the previous name of the disorder, and it's something like syndrome susceptibility to compulsive actions. And it's actually another disease. One major difference is that people who suffer from this syndrome, considered as part of their habits and enjoy yourself by following these habits, while the peace of mind of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder broken manifested disorder.

1. All kinds of mental disorders

Myth: All mental disorders and diseases are in the head and, if desired, they can be overcome.

This misconception comes first, not only due to the fact that it is very common, but because of all of the errors it can cause the greatest harm, because the people believed in him, may refuse assistance where needed. Long time people believe that mental illness - sick imagination of themselves that people really can not experience such great suffering, or simply do not want to fight the disease. People are particularly prone to disparage a little-known disease and many psychiatric disorders, even the most common, are not known to the general public.

The fact that different people have manifested the same symptoms, suggests that they are real - different people can not independently invent the same symptoms. Any mental disorder, by definition, a significant impact on the lives of people who suffer from it, and usually affects negatively, otherwise it would not be an upset. And with such diseases is not easy to handle. Most mental illnesses Mental illness - ashamed to ask for help?   caused impairment of brain function or an imbalance of the chemical composition of the body. And even when the occurrence of the disease is not associated with the causes of physiological nature, it is difficult to break the established way of thinking and unlearn habits - try to choose one of their habits and abandon it. In addition, mental illness can prevent ill ask for help: people suffering from depression Depression - a little more than a bad mood Often they think that no doctor will not help them, or just too tired to look for someone who can help them. If we knew how to cope with mental illness, just wishing it, the world would be much more happy living a full life of people.