There are certain misconceptions about psychiatry that people have lived
with over the years simply because either they do not understand the
nature of psychiatric illnesses or because they are firmly rooted in
their cultural beliefs.These beliefs have been proven to be inaccurate as
they are really unfounded and cannot be backed by scientific rationale.
They have partially been responsible for the negligence a psychiatric
patient is sometimes exposed to.1. That psychiatric illness is special
and different from physical illness: The World Health Organisation (WHO)
defines Health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social
wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity"Illnesses
therefore manifest in different forms. The physical illness manifests in
form of headache, fever, pain, cough, etc. So also does psychiatric
illness manifest in form of irrational behaviour. The above
manifestations are known as symptoms of a disease: it doesn't matter
whether they are physical or otherwise; an illness is an illness.2.
Psychiatric patients are violent and dangerous: This is not always true
as quite a number of these patients are less violent than some of those
people who are perceived to be well.3. Psychiatric patients never get
well once they visit the market: This is untrue as a lot of them have
been picked from the market place and taken to the hospital for treatment
and they got well after proper management.4. Psychiatric illness is a
punishment for one's sins: Illnesses are caused by germs, poisons,
hormonal imbalance, stress, genetic problem, etc. The same is true for
mental illnesses. They are not caused by curses or sins: they are caused
by any of the afore-mentioned.5. Psychiatric disease is incurable:
Treatment of a psychiatric problem could take a long time before the
patient gets well. The same is true for diseases like peptic ulcer
disease, tuberculosis, renal disease, cardiac disease, etc...Mentally ill
patients could suffer relapse as also seen in malaria, eczema, asthma,
peptic ulcer, etc and they could also have chronicity. The same occurs in
other forms of physical illnesses.6. Psychiatric illness is infectious:
psychiatric illness is the safest to stay close to as they are not
contagious. Unlike some forms of physical illnesses, they are not
transmitted through contact with the patient or through contact with
bodily discharges.7. Psychiatric nurses are only trained to handle
psychiatric patients: This is only a specialization area. Every trained
nurse has the basic training in the care of patients and can work in any
hospital or health care set up.8. Psychiatric illness is seasonal: This
also is incorrect. Patients may periodically have relapse but their
sickness is not seasonal.9. Psychiatric nurses behave like their
patients: The environment could affect one's behaviour in some ways. The
exposure of the nurse to the mentally ill patients helps the nurse to
develop emotionally and understand the importance of interpersonal
relationship.10. One becomes mentally ill if bitten by a psychiatric
patient: The illness cannot be transmitted through saliva or human bite.
It is a disease of the mind and so cannot infect another person.The
understanding of these misconceptions would enable us relate better with
a patient with mental illness and be well equipped to lend a helping hand
whenever necessary to alleviate their plight.