our minds matter

• To dispel common myths related to mental illness

The meeting facilitator shares the following: “Research shows that teens with mental health problems commonly experience social rejection at school. In one study, nearly two-thirds of teens coping with mental illness reported stigma from their peers. In another study, only half of the middle school students surveyed said they would be willing to sit next to a classmate with mental illness.”

A study conducted by the Adolescent Communication Institute at The Annenberg Public Policy Center showed that educating people to dispel stereotypes helped to reduce stigma.

Explain that because education increases respect the group will address common myths associated with mental illness. The student leader should read each statement below and ask that if a student believes a statement is a FACT they will move to one side of the room, and if they believe it is a myth they will move to the other.

Alternatively, you can pass out whiteboards or pieces of paper and have club members write down and hold up their answers after each prompt. Once everyone has had a chance to guess, the student leader will read the answer and explanation/discussion question that is in parentheses. Feel free to pick and choose what prompts you want to discuss based on how much time you have for your meeting.

MYTHS vs. FACTS ON MENTAL ILLNESS

1. Mental health problems are rare in childhood and adolescence. (MYTH: In fact, about 50% of all mental illnesses begin by age 14)
2. People with a mental disorder are not more likely to behave violently than others. However, they are far more likely than others to be victims of violence. (FACT: Consider discussing the impact of negative media depictions of people with mental illness and how that can lead to stigma about violence)
3. Very few students become so troubled that they think about dying by suicide. (MYTH: In 2019, 1 in 5 young people seriously considered suicide)
4. LGBTQ+ youth are 1.5 times more likely to attempt suicide than straight youth. (FACT: Be sure to discuss the importance of using correct pronouns and affirming everyone’s identity and sexuality because that is vital to LGBTQ+ folks’ mental health)
5. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among U.S. teens. (FACT: It is actually the second leading cause of death for U.S. people ages 10-34)
6. Men and women are about equally likely to be diagnosed with depression. (MYTH: Adolescent and adult women are about twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression than men. Some reasons for this could include how different genders tend to express emotion and how stigmas differ, which can lead to differences in diagnoses. This does not necessarily mean women are more likely to BE depressed than men)
7. Women are more likely to die by suicide than men. (MYTH: Men are over 3 times more likely to die by suicide, but adolescent women are more likely to attempt suicide than adolescent men. Here you can continue the discussion about specific stigma for people who identify as men)
8. Talking about the risks and warning signs of suicide increases the likelihood that young people will attempt suicide. (MYTH: Knowing the risks and warning signs can empower young people to improve their own mental wellness and support their peers)

• Talk as small groups or a large group about what myths and facts surprised you
• Brainstorm ways that the myths and facts should be shared with the entire school