When we come down with the flu or break a leg, people generally understand that we need time to rest and recover. Nobody expects us to run a marathon on crutches or tells us to just get over a high fever.
But when our mental health takes a hit, things can be a little different. Despite growing awareness, those struggling with depression or anxiety can still find themselves being told to toughen up or simply think more positively.
That attitude can make people reluctant to admit when something is wrong. According to the American Psychological Association, 84% of American adults believe mental illness still carries a stigma.
More than a third even admitted they would view someone differently if they found out that person had a mental health condition. So, it’s hardly surprising that some people prefer to keep their struggles to themselves.
Which, when you think about it, is pretty strange, considering how much we depend on our brains. They control everything from our movements to our emotions, yet we sometimes act as though problems affecting them can be solved through sheer willpower.
Scientists have actually found measurable differences in the brains of people with certain mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. And although these differences aren’t always obvious from the outside, that doesn’t make the difficulties any less real.
For instance, a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry compared brain scans from 1,713 people with ADHD and 1,529 people without it. Researchers found that several brain regions, including those involved in emotions and motivation, were slightly smaller on average in the ADHD group.
These differences were most noticeable in children. The findings offer further evidence that ADHD has a biological basis, although brain scans alone can’t diagnose it.
Researchers have also studied the brains of people with depression and found that certain areas, including those involved in memory and emotional regulation, tend to be smaller on average. However, these differences vary between individuals, so doctors can’t simply look at an MRI and determine whether someone is depressed.
On top of that, mental health conditions can have very real physical symptoms, too. The World Health Organization notes that depression can affect sleep and appetite, leaving people feeling constantly tired or low on energy.
With all this evidence, you’d think we’d have moved past the idea that mental health difficulties are a sign of weakness. Yet plenty of misconceptions are still floating around. Some people believe that those with depression just need to try harder to be happy, or that anyone dealing with anxiety should simply stop worrying so much.
As the American Psychiatric Association explains, mental health conditions can be influenced by genetics and life experiences, among other factors. And getting better often requires more than a change in attitude.
