ERRONEOUS BELIEFS

AND STEREOTYPES
Submitted to: Dr. Tarika Sandhu
Submitted by: Gagandeep Kaur
Simranjit Kaur
Harpreet Singh
Jaspreet Kaur
WHAT ARE STEREOTYPES
 A stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a
particular type of person or thing. Stereotypes are often based on assumptions
about groups based on race, gender, nationality, profession, and other
categories. While they can arise from some observed or believed
characteristics,
 stereotypes generally ignore individual differences and complexities, and can
lead to unfair or prejudiced attitudes and behaviours.
Stereotype Prejudice Discrimination

Overgeneralized beliefs about a An unjustified or incorrect Unfair treatment of individuals

group of people attitude towards an individual based on their group membership
based solely on the individual’s
membership of a social group

NATURE
Behavioral (related to actions)
Cognitive (related to thinking) Affective (related to
feelings/emotions)
Manifestation
Can be positive or negative but Can be positive but is often Usually negative and involves
often simplifies complex human negative and can be more deeply actions that exclude, avoid, or harm
behaviours into fixed categories held or emotional individuals or groups

EXAMPLE:
People with mental illness are dangerous and I fear them. employers don’t hire them
dangerous unpredictable and I don’t trust Landlords don’t rent to them.
B unpredictable them. Providers offer worse care.
incompetent Incompetent and I’m angry at them.
HISTORY OF MENTAL
HEALTH STEREOTYPES
 In the 18th and 19th centuries, mental health was
thought to be due to the existence of the
supernatural. People with mental health problems
were considered to be acting against human nature,
such as witchcraft.
 People kept away and feared people with mental
problems. Mental problems had such negative
connotations that anyone who showed symptoms
was killed or locked away.
 The Mental Health Act (1983) was
Over time, the stigma of mental health introduced to establish rights and
has diminished as the understanding of equal opportunities for people with
mental health has evolved. In the mental illnesses and was majorly
2000s, laws were enacted to reduce updated in 2007.
the stigma of the mentally ill and However, mental health stigma
create equal opportunity. remains, especially in some
communities.
 In some Asian communities, seeking therapy
is frowned upon. Instead, parents may force
their children to participate in religious
events to ‘get rid of the evil spirits causing
the mental health problems’.
CAUSES
 Ignorance/misconceptions – misperceptions about the cause or onset of the
disease as a curse from the gods, punishment for one’s sins, witchcraft, black
magic, demonic, spirit possession, etc.
 Media – Stigma in the media is especially harmful because the media plays an
important role in shaping and reinforcing community attitudes, ie., spreading
wrong information. For example, cinematic depictions of schizophrenia are
often stereotypic and characterized by misinformation about symptoms, causes
and treatment.
 Schizophrenic characters portray violence behaviour, carry dangerous act, and
commit suicidal and homicidal behaviours.
 Lack of education and awareness:
Emphasize that mental health education is
often absent or insufficient in both school
curriculums and community settings,
 Cultural Attitudes and Stigmas Impacting
Mental Health: Begin by stating that cultural
attitudes towards mental health vary
significantly across different societies, and
these attitudes deeply influence how mental
illnesses are perceived and treated.
 Asian Cultures: Mental health issues might be
seen as a source of shame that affects family
honor, leading to reluctance in discussing
mental health openly or seeking professional
help.
MYTH VERSUS FACT
Myth: People with mental health conditions are violent.
Fact: Most people with mental health conditions are no more likely to be violent
than anyone else.
 Only 3%–5% of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a
serious mental illness. In fact, people with severe mental illnesses are over 10
times more likely to be victims of a violent crime than the general population.
You probably know someone with a mental health condition and don’t even
realize it, because many people with mental health conditions are highly active
and productive members of our communities.
1. Mental illness is
unusual
 FACT: Many mental
health conditions
such as anxiety
disorders, depression
etc. Are in fact called
common mental
disorder. Rather it is
quite common.
 Myth : Mental illness is caused by supernatural
power and is the result of a curse or possession
by evil spirit
 FACT: Many people do not consider mental
illness as an illness, but possession by spirits or
curse that has befallen on the patient or family
because of past sins or misdeeds in previous life.
 Myth : Marriage can cure mental illness:
 FACT: A mentally ill person can get worse if he
gets married when he is ill, as marriage can
become an additional stress. A patient who has
recovered can get married and live a normal life
like any other person.
Myth: Children don’t experience mental health issues.
Fact: Even very young children may show early warning
signs of mental health concerns. These mental health
conditions are often clinically diagnosable and can be a
product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and
social factors.
 Half of all mental health disorders show first signs before a
person turns 14-years-old, and three-quarters of mental
health disorders begin before.
 3. Myth: Mental illness do not happen to individual who
are strong
 FACT: Mental health problem can occur to anybody,
including those who are seen as strong or weak as it
depends upon multiple and complex mix of biological and
psychological factors.
 Myth Mentally ill people
show bizarre behaviour
 FACT: Patients in mental
hospitals and clinics are
often picturized as a weird
lot, who spend their time
exhibiting useless bizarre
behaviour like twisting of
hands, etc.
Myth: People with mental health needs, even those who are
managing their mental health conditions, cannot tolerate the stress of
holding down a job.
 Fact: People with mental health conditions can be just as productive
as other employees, especially when they are able to manage their
mental health condition well. Employers often do not know if
someone has a mental health condition, but if the condition is
known to the employer, they often report good attendance and
punctuality as well as motivation, good work, and job tenure on par
with, or greater than, other employees.
Myth: Therapy and self-help are a
waste of time. Why bother when
you can just take a pill?
 Fact: Treatment for mental health
conditions vary depending on the
individual and could include
medication, therapy, or both.
Many individuals do best when
they work with a support system
during the healing and recovery
process.
 Myth Mental health treatments are about just medication that make
individual dull, drowsy and dependent
 FACT: Psychiatric medication are meant to target the symptoms of
the conditions. Though some medications may have side effects
such as excessive drowsiness, many new medication may have
minimal side effects. Most of them do not have potential for
addiction. Also, there are multiple treatments available, including a
wide range of psychological treatment for different conditions.
 MYTH :Mental illnesses are caused by the usual
stresses of life
 FACT: Everyday life stresses are normal and
necessary for learning and developing life skills.
They do not causes mental illness. For some
people, severe and persistent stress increases the
risk for developing a mental illness.
 Myth : Mental illness is
hereditary
 FACT: It is not a rule that
children of mentally ill
patients should become
mentally ill.
 MYTH Mental illness is a sign of
personal weakness
 FACT: Mental illnesses are not a
condition that people to choose to
have or not have. Mental illness is
a brain disorder and not a personal
weakness.
IMPACT OF ERRONEOUS
BELIEFS
 feelings of shame, hopelessness and isolation
 reluctance to ask for help or to get treatment
 lack of understanding by family, friends or others
 fewer opportunities for employment or social interaction
 bullying, physical violence or harassment
 self-doubt – the belief that you will never overcome your illness or be able to achieve what
you want in life.
DEALING WITH ERRONEOUS
BELIEFS AND STEREOTYPES
Met the mental health treatment you need. Try not to let the fear of being labelled with a mental
illness stop you from getting help.

 Do not believe it. Sometimes, if you hear or experience something often enough, you start to
believe it yourself. Try not to let other people’s ignorance influence the way you feel about
yourself.
 Mental illness is not a sign of weakness and is rarely something you can deal with on your
own. Talking about your mental health issues with healthcare professionals will help you on
your road to recovery or management.

 Do not hide away. Many people with mental illness want to isolate themselves from the world.
Reaching out to people you trust – family, friends, coaches or religious leaders – can mean you
get the support you need.​

 Connect with others. Joining a mental health support group – either online or in person – can
help you deal with feelings of isolation and make you realize that you are not alone in your
feelings and experiences.​

 You are not your illness. Do not define yourself by your illness as other people might. Instead
of saying ‘I’m schizophrenic’, say ‘I have schizophrenia’. There is power in language.​

 It’s not personal. Remember that other people’s judgements often come from a lack of
understanding rather than anything else. These judgments are made before they get to know
you, so do not believe that their views have anything to do with you personally.​
THANK YOU.