There are certain misconceptions about psychiatry that people were living with over the years due to the fact 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. Theyve partially been responsible for the negligence a psychiatric patient is sometimes subjected to.
1. That psychiatric illness is special and various from physical illness: The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and never precisely the absence of disease or infirmity"
Illnesses therefore manifest in various forms. The physical illness manifests in form of headache, fever, pain, cough, etc. So also does psychiatric illness manifest in type of irrational behaviour. The above mentioned manifestations are known as symptoms of a disease: it doesnt matter whether they are physical or otherwise; an illness is definitely an illness.
2. Psychiatric patients are violent and dangerous: This is not always true as a large number of these patients are less violent than some of the people those who are perceived as being well.
Ventura Psychiatrist
3. Psychiatric patients never get better once they go to the market: This really is untrue as many them have been picked in the market and brought to the hospital for treatment plus they got well after proper management.
4. Psychiatric illness is really a punishment for your sins: Illnesses come from 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 might 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. Exactly the same occurs in other kinds of physical illnesses.
6. Psychiatric illness is infectious: psychiatric illness may be the safest to stay close to because they are not contagious. Unlike some forms of physical illnesses, they are not transmitted through connection with the individual or through contact with bodily discharges.
7. Psychiatric nurses are only trained to handle psychiatric patients: This really is only a specialization area. Every trained nurse has got the basic learning the care of patients and can work in any hospital or health care set up.
Ventura Psychiatry
8. Psychiatric illness is seasonal: This is incorrect. Patients may periodically have relapse but their sickness is not seasonal.
9. Psychiatric nurses behave like their sufferers: Environmental surroundings could affect ones behaviour in some ways. The exposure from the nurse towards the mentally ill patients helps the nurse to build up emotionally and comprehend the importance of interpersonal relationship.
10. One becomes mentally ill if bitten with a psychiatric patient: The illness cant be transmitted through saliva or human bite. It is a disease from the mind and so cannot infect someone else.
The understanding of these misconceptions would enable us relate better having a patient with mental illness and be well equipped to lend a helping hand whenever necessary to alleviate their plight.
There are specific misconceptions about psychiatry that individuals were living with over time simply because either they do not comprehend the nature of psychiatric illnesses or since theyre firmly rooted in their cultural beliefs.
These beliefs have been shown to be inaccurate because they are really unfounded and cannot be backed by scientific rationale. They have partially been accountable for the negligence a psychiatric patient may also be 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 lack of disease or infirmity"
Illnesses therefore manifest in different forms. The physical illness manifests in type of headache, fever, pain, cough, etc. So also does psychiatric illness manifest in form of irrational behaviour. The above mentioned manifestations are known as the signs of a disease: it does not matter whether or not they are physical or otherwise; a disease 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.
Ventura Psychiatrist
3. Psychiatric patients never get better once they visit the market: This is untrue as a lot of them happen to be picked in the market place and taken to the hospital for treatment and they got well after proper management.
4. Psychiatric illness is really a punishment for your sins: Illnesses are caused by germs, poisons, hormonal imbalance, stress, genetic problem, etc. This is also true for mental illnesses. They arent brought on by curses or sins: they are brought on by the afore-mentioned.
5. Psychiatric disease is incurable: Treatment of a psychiatric problem could take some time before the individual 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 observed in malaria, eczema, asthma, peptic ulcer, etc and they may also have chronicity. The same happens in other forms of physical illnesses.
6. Psychiatric illness is infectious: psychiatric illness is the safest to stay near to as they are not contagious. Unlike some forms of physical illnesses, they arent transmitted through contact with the patient or through contact with bodily discharges.
7. Psychiatric nurses are only educated to handle psychiatric patients: This really is only a specialization area. Every trained nurse has the basic learning the care of patients and may work in any hospital or healthcare set up.
Ventura Psychiatry
8. Psychiatric illness is seasonal: This also is incorrect. Patients may periodically have relapse but their sickness is not seasonal.
9. Psychiatric nurses become their patients: The environment may affect ones behaviour in some ways. The exposure from the nurse towards the mentally ill patients helps the nurse to build up emotionally and comprehend the importance of interpersonal relationship.
10. One becomes mentally ill if bitten by a psychiatric patient: The condition cant be transmitted through saliva or human bite. Its a disease of the mind and thus cannot infect another person.
The knowledge of these misconceptions would enable us relate better with a patient with mental illness and be well equipped to lend some help whenever essential to alleviate their plight.
These beliefs have been shown to be inaccurate because they are really unfounded and cannot be backed by scientific rationale. They have partially been accountable for the negligence a psychiatric patient may also be 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 lack of disease or infirmity"
Illnesses therefore manifest in different forms. The physical illness manifests in type of headache, fever, pain, cough, etc. So also does psychiatric illness manifest in form of irrational behaviour. The above mentioned manifestations are known as the signs of a disease: it does not matter whether or not they are physical or otherwise; a disease 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.
Ventura Psychiatrist
3. Psychiatric patients never get better once they visit the market: This is untrue as a lot of them happen to be picked in the market place and taken to the hospital for treatment and they got well after proper management.
4. Psychiatric illness is really a punishment for your sins: Illnesses are caused by germs, poisons, hormonal imbalance, stress, genetic problem, etc. This is also true for mental illnesses. They arent brought on by curses or sins: they are brought on by the afore-mentioned.
5. Psychiatric disease is incurable: Treatment of a psychiatric problem could take some time before the individual 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 observed in malaria, eczema, asthma, peptic ulcer, etc and they may also have chronicity. The same happens in other forms of physical illnesses.
6. Psychiatric illness is infectious: psychiatric illness is the safest to stay near to as they are not contagious. Unlike some forms of physical illnesses, they arent transmitted through contact with the patient or through contact with bodily discharges.
7. Psychiatric nurses are only educated to handle psychiatric patients: This really is only a specialization area. Every trained nurse has the basic learning the care of patients and may work in any hospital or healthcare set up.
Ventura Psychiatry
8. Psychiatric illness is seasonal: This also is incorrect. Patients may periodically have relapse but their sickness is not seasonal.
9. Psychiatric nurses become their patients: The environment may affect ones behaviour in some ways. The exposure from the nurse towards the mentally ill patients helps the nurse to build up emotionally and comprehend the importance of interpersonal relationship.
10. One becomes mentally ill if bitten by a psychiatric patient: The condition cant be transmitted through saliva or human bite. Its a disease of the mind and thus cannot infect another person.
The knowledge of these misconceptions would enable us relate better with a patient with mental illness and be well equipped to lend some help whenever essential to alleviate their plight.