Dispelling Mental Illness Myths

March 13, 2019
The stigma of mental health/illness in the field of law enforcement is twofold. First off, law enforcement officers are as susceptible to mental illness as is anyone else. Secondly, officers interact daily with mentally ill individuals in the community.

People, by nature, fear what they do not understand. Mental illness is misunderstood not only by the sufferers; but by the community at large, including law enforcement. This misunderstanding inevitably leads to misconceptions and subsequently results in stigmatization. Stigma is defined as “a mark of disgrace”. More than 54 million Americans suffer from mental illness in any given year, yet only 1 in 3 of all people with a diagnosable mental disorder seek treatment.  A majority of those who hesitate to get help for their mental health problems do so because of stigmatization. This is extremely unfortunate because effective treatment exists for almost all mental illnesses.

The stigma of mental health/illness in the field of law enforcement is twofold. First off, law enforcement officers are as susceptible to mental illness as is anyone else. Secondly, officers interact daily with mentally ill individuals in the community. Not only does an officer have to overcome an internal stigma, he/she must possess accurate knowledge of mental health and illness when dealing with citizens, victims, and/or suspects who have mental disorders. According to the U.S. Justice Department, 10% of all calls for service nationwide involve someone experiencing a mental health crisis. Those calls take more time than non-mental health calls and take 87% more resources.

Misconceptions can only be corrected by educating yourself about mental health and illness. Dispelling common myths is an essential step toward abating the stigma and diminishing the fears associated with mental illness: yours, theirs and others.

10 Common Mental Illness Myths Law Enforcement Officers May Encounter

Myth #1: The Mentally Ill Are Violent and Dangerous

Wrong. Unfortunately, people often mistake odd, eccentric and bizarre behavior for dangerous and violent behavior, but there is a difference between these behaviors. The vast majority of people with mental health problems are no more likely to be violent than anyone else in society. In fact, only 3%–5% of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a serious mental illness. Here’s a twist, people suffering from a mental health disorder are actually 10% more likely to become the victim of violent crime.  It should also be noted that in cases where a mentally ill individual becomes violent it usually occurs in conjunction with alcohol or recreational drugs use, or when placed in a severely threatened state.

Myth #2: Failing the Police Pre-employment Psychological Screening Indicates an Undiagnosed Mental Illness

Nothing could be further from the truth. The purpose of this testing is to determine that an individual is capable of handling the stress associated with working in the field of law enforcement. Does a perspective office have the mental strength to handle abusive language, violence, horrifying crime scenes, long hours? Daily, police officers can be exposed to physical, emotional, and mental overload; the psych eval is to assesses an individual’s ability to handle this burden. Basically, there are certain traits that have been deemed desirable for police officers to possess and other traits that are unwanted in law enforcement. Failing this test does not indicate anyone is mentally ill. However, it does mean they should explore other career options sooner than later!

Myth #3: Mental Illnesses Are Hereditary

Yes and no. Research suggests that five disorders may have common genetic risk factors: autism, ADHD, clinical depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. However, most people with a mental illness do not have relatives with the same illness. Just because Grandma Betty had bipolar disorder doesn’t mean your children will. Actually, the concept that mental health problems are predisposed biologically or genetically is largely a mistruth. Think about the variation of mental health issues: mood disorders, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, impulse control issues; all these disorders can’t possibly originate from one genetic source. Additionally, each of these disorders has its own characteristics and underlying causes: a brain injury, chemical imbalance, grief, mental trauma, physical illness, abuse, and yes, even a family history of mental health can all play roles in the development of a psychiatric condition.

Myth 4#: Mental Illness is Uncommon in Childhood.

Not even close. Nearly one in five children have a mental illness. Adolescent mental health has been recognized as a national crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 5 American children ages 3 through 17 (15 million) have a diagnosable mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder in a given year.

Unfortunately, only 20% of these children are ever diagnosed and receive treatment. For many people, mental health problems begin in childhood. 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 age 24.

Myth 5#: Different Races Are More Prone to Mental Illness.

Inaccurate: All races and ethnicities are affected by the same rate of mental illness. There is no single group of people more likely than others to have a mental health condition than another. However, some people have cultural influences that may affect how they interpret symptoms of mental illness, and this may prevent them from getting treatment. While, the rates are the same, awareness of mental illness in varying minority groups may be very different. Superstitions, medical treatments, religious beliefs and stigmas are all variables in how the different races recognize mental illness.

Myth 6#: PTSD Only Affects War Veterans

Incorrect.  While PTSD does affect veterans, PTSD can affect anyone.

·        The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that PTSD afflicts 31% of Vietnam veterans.

·         Studies approximate that 19% of sworn law enforcement officers have PTSD.

·         Additional studies suggest that approximately 34% suffer symptoms associated with PTSD (but fail to meet the standards for the full diagnosis).

·         About 50% of women and 60% of men overall will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Of those, 20% will develop PTSD.

Myth #7: Just Take a “Happy Pill” and Move on With Your Life

Not so fast. While psycho-pharmacology is an effective treatment for many psychiatric disorders, so are other and/or adjunct therapies. ECT (electroconvulsive therapy), deep brain stimulation, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and group therapy are all examples of alternative treatments depending on the type and severity of a mental illness.

Myth #8: Law Enforcement Agencies Have a Right to Know if an Officer Receives Psychiatric Treatment

Completely false! Licensed mental health professionals are legally and ethically bound to protect client privacy. Additionally, HIPAA protects both diagnosis and medication or other treatment methods because they are part of the clinical record and therefore confidential. If an officer wasn’t ordered to see a therapist by a court, or the officer’s department, the employer doesn’t even have the right to know that the officer is attending therapy. Nothing that is said in counseling can be released to anyone without the officer’s written consent. The U.S. Supreme court has ruled that the confidential relationship between a psychotherapist and an officer is privileged.

Myth #9: Only people with mental health conditions are suicidal.

Not true. Suicidal behavior indicates deep unhappiness, which is not necessarily a mental health issue. Many people living with mental health issues aren’t suicidal, and not all people who take their own lives have a mental health issue. While depression is a leading cause of suicide, many other factors play significant roles. CDC researchers have found that more than half of people who died by suicide did not have a known diagnosed mental health condition at the time of death. Relationship problems, loss/grief, substance abuse; physical health problems; and job, money, legal or housing stress often contributed to risk for suicide. 1/3 of all completed suicides follow a personal crisis in the two weeks prior to the death.

Myth #10: Depression is a normal aspect of the aging process.

Negative. It is not normal for older adults to be depressed. Depression in the elderly is often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Depression is not synonymous with dementia. Older adults may have a greater risk of developing depression because they experience so many changes in roles and social networks. However, if an older adult experiences depression, they will need the same types of intervention and support as anyone else. With treatment and support, depressed older individuals can enjoy their golden years.

Please note, suicide rates do increase during the life course. Suicidal behavior in older adults, 65+, remains a major public health issue, especially among elderly white males.

Conclusion and Implications for Officers

If you interact with five people today, statistically, one of them will be suffering from a diagnostic mental illness. 43 million individuals in the USA. You do the math.

When interacting with mentally ill individuals you will need to arm yourself with actual knowledge, and not misguided assumptions about psychiatric disorders. Know and utilize appropriate resources in your disposition of a call. In order to effectively communicate with mentally ill individuals, choose your words carefully. Use accurate and sensitive words when talking to anyone about the mentally ill. Your positive attitude can affect everyone with whom you have contact, including other officers and medical staff. Words like crazy, cuckoo, psycho, wacko and nutso are a few examples of words that keep the stigma of mental illness alive. Although these words are often used without intentional harm, they can be quite belittling and demeaning. They also perpetuate the stigma of mental illness. Stigmatization is the #1 reason people with a mental illness do not seek treatment.

Finally, if you believe you may have symptoms interfering with your mental health, please seek appropriate treatment now. Officers are as susceptible, or even more so, to depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance misuse, as anyone else. Annual mental health check-ups are suggested for all officers. Effective, personalized, confidential treatment is available. Usually the stigma of mental illness is far worse than the illness itself. Serve and protect yourself.

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