Top 10 Myths about Mental Health: #5 and #6

Myth #5: Schizophrenia means split personality, and there is no way to control it.

Fact: Schizophrenia is often confused with multiple personality disorder. Actually, schizophrenia is a brain disorder that robs people of their ability to think clearly and logically. The estimated 2.5 million Americans with schizophrenia have symptoms ranging from social withdrawal to hallucinations and delusions. Medication has helped many of these individuals to lead fulfilling, productive lives.

I spoke about schizophrenia in my first post about mental illness, but I think this fact is important.

I'd like to talk a little more about "Multiple Personalities," though. The media and pop culture make schizophrenia and "multiple personalities" a joke, but both are devastating illnesses.

"Multiple personalities" is actually referred to as Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID. It's a terrible sickness that inflicts many people, especially women, who have been sexually abused in their childhood or teen years, and the abuse is "usually extreme, repetitive physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse."

The disorder ranges from "mild dissociation, which is like daydreaming or getting lost in the moment while working on a project. However, dissociative identity disorder is a severe form of dissociation, a mental process, which produces a lack of connection in a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of identity...The dissociative aspect is thought to be a coping mechanism -- the person literally dissociates himself from a situation or experience that's too violent, traumatic, or painful to assimilate with his conscious self."

It's really tragic and not funny to me at all.

I've only worked with three women with this disorder. When they "switch" between their alter egos, it is kinda scary. Therapy is very complicated, especially since people with DID also have symptoms of

• Depression
• Mood swings
• Suicidal tendencies
• Sleep disorders ( insomnia, night terrors, and sleep walking)
• Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias (flashbacks, reactions to stimuli or "triggers")
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Compulsions and rituals
• Psychotic-like symptoms (including auditory and visual hallucinations)
• Eating disorders
• and others...

And also, to follow up with contradicting the myth, DID is usually treated with talk therapy, hypnosis during therapy, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety meds, sometimes anti-psychotics. It is another type of personality disorder which responds to medications, behavioral therapy, and lifestyle stability.

Myth #6

Erik Erikson

Myth: Depression is a normal part of the aging process.

Fact: It is not normal for older adults to be depressed. Signs of depression in older people include a loss of interest in activities, sleep disturbances and lethargy. Depression in the elderly is often undiagnosed, and it is important for seniors and their family members to recognize the problem and seek professional help.

I think this is important information. First, it's good to know that it isn't just an inevitable thing to become miserably depressed as one ages. Second, if depression does strike during older age years, it's comforting to know that there is treatment available to alleviate the symptoms.

We've had many elderly clients in my work who are faced with depression, especially lately when triggered by losing their homes, retirement funds, and pride with this economic crisis.

From a cognitive perspective, I find Erikson's final stage of psychosocial development an interesting viewpoint. It focuses on his theory of the emotional development options for elderly persons:

Integrity vs. Despair

• This phase occurs during old age and is focused on reflecting back on life.


• Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their life has been wasted and will experience many regrets. The individual will be left with feelings of bitterness and despair.


• Those who feel proud of their accomplishments will feel a sense of integrity. Successfully completing this phase means looking back with few regrets and a general feeling of satisfaction. These individuals will attain wisdom, even when confronting death.

Interesting theory. Obviously, depression complicates this black and white sort of theory. I'm sure that Erikson's theory applies in general to the emotional transitions the elderly face, though.

According to Erikson, this stage begins when people begin to transition from actively raising their children and pursuing their careers or ambitions to a more "completed" state or retired from their careers and being parents of adult children. But I won't begin to pretend that I understand the intricacies of gerontology social work. That's definitely not my specialty.

What do you guys think?