Myths come in various shades, ranging from being very feasible to sounding absurd to one. As humans, we always try to make sense out of things around us. Not only are we prone to cooking up our explanations for different human behaviors, but we are also loaded with excess information.
Due to this, there exists a fair chance for misconceptions being present than actual information. This in turn can affect our belief in something and various decisions we take every day.
Although psychology is a relatively new field in the realm of various other sciences, it has been vulnerable to people making unwanted and irrational assumptions and conclusions due to the lack of verified resources or knowledge.
For instance, there exists a fair number of individuals who still believe that Psychology is the study of people and their minds. Although this is correct, not many know that Psychologists have their equal attention on animals and also their bodies and brain to understand what influences their behavior.
With Psychology being an inevitable factor in our lives, there are plenty of myths within our society regarding the subject and mental health. We shall unwrap some of the familiar myths and address them one by one.
Myth 1: Psychology is not a real science
In the present world, psychology is defined as the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. (Saundra. K.Ciccarelli and J.Noland White-Psychology, Fifth Edition,2017) Science cannot be limited to a set of principles, but also involves a way of thinking based on various experimental methods. The idea of theories being tested out in reality during an experiment is the crux of science. Therefore, science cannot exist without a scientific methodology.
Similar to science, Psychology also shares certain goals, assumptions, observations and methods. Although Psychology was initially considered exclusively a study of mind and consciousness, it slowly shifted its perspective towards the study of behavior. Psychology involves scientific interventions like forming a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis and drawing conclusions out of the prediction of behavior or emotions, and use of other methods like Observation.
Thus, Psychology is an accumulation of various topics, which qualifies it to be a science.
Myth 2: Psychologists read minds
People believe that Psychologists, Psychiatrists, or any individual related to the field of psychology can read minds. For those who can relate, the first question bombarded when you mention that you study Psychology is 'Can you read my mind?', or 'Can you tell me what I am thinking about?'. They address Psychologists or any other professional as 'Mind-Readers'. An important thing that needs to be realized is that Psychologists don't read minds, whereas they try understanding the mental state or personality of an individual through methods like observation or performing assessments such as asking questions or conducting tests. Being a professional takes patience and experience of years.
Thus, it is a myth that psychologists can read an individual’s mind.
Myth 3: Studying Psychology would lead to losing your sanity
Perhaps this could be the most absurd myth ever heard by myself or the readers as well. This is a very deep-rooted stigma existing within communities and societies. People have been discouraged to pursue a career in Psychology just to avoid being taunted by others for their choice in career. People believe that psychologists and psychiatrists only deal with those who are insane or depressed.
The fact that psychologists can offer help in ways like listening and solving problems through effective communication or helping their clients reflect on themselves is completely overlooked. The feeling of trauma shared by their clients can empower or affect the well-being of the psychologists if proper precautions are not taken by them.
Thus, a professional attitude and strict precautions must be taken by the professional to protect their sanity. With the right precautions taken, the risks associated with the career can be minimized.
How to combat such Myths?
The first and foremost thing that must be done in order to combat such myths must be to increase awareness among those around us. Let it be your family, friends, colleagues, peers, or the public in general. Awareness through all mediums must be spread to make sure that these facts reach a significant number of individuals.
Individuals must be open to consulting a mental health professional, keeping aside their inner stigmatized views on therapy and mental health.
Lend out a helping hand to those who require assistance and help them seek the right help from the right professional. We must not limit ourselves from offering any sort of help to those who need guidance.
Nonetheless, These are only a fraction of the myths that exist between us. All of us must have heard these or something bizarre at some point in our lives. It is entirely upon us if we want to blindly follow any of them or get our facts checked. This writing throws light on the existence of such myths and beliefs which continue to co-exist among us even today. Some of them range from being partially true to sounding unbelievable. To eliminate these, we would have to work towards getting ourselves enlightened about the other existing myths and address them in all possible ways.
Comentários