A common myth that people have about mental illness is that those who have a mental illness are weak people because of their illness. This could not be farther from the truth. People with mental illnesses have an illness just like any other illness as it affects a part of the body. When a person has diabetes their liver is affected, when someone has heart disease their heart is affected and when a person has a mental illness their brain is affected. People affected by mental illnesses do not bring the illness on themselves, but rather it is brought on by environmental stressors and neurotransmitters in the brain. Therefore, mental illness can affect anyone. If people thought about themselves and the people who they loved having mental illness or knew someone with a mental illness, many myths about mental illness would be alleviated.

Written by Meagan, 22, Alberta