Just Because I Have A Mental Disorder Doesn’t Mean I’m A Violent Person

A mental disorder does not necessarily make someone violent. Perhaps our lack of knowledge about mental disorders makes us fear them and distance ourselves from the very people who need us. Like everyone else, these people can get angry, but it doesn’t have to be the result of their disorder, nor does it have to mean that the person is violent.

Unfortunately, many people believe that there is a close connection between mental disorders and violence. Even so narrowly, that the people who suffer from these kinds of disorders are often discriminated against and rejected. Sadly, this has created a huge stigma around mental disorders.

The Wide Range of Mental Disorders

When you think of mental disorders, the strangest disorders usually come to mind, such as psychopathy, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder. However, what most of us don’t realize is that there are also a lot of other disorders that are much more common, such as anxiety disorders and eating disorders.

So what’s going on? Why do we automatically see mentally ill people as violent? The answer to this question can be found in the violent episodes you often hear about. For example, consider borderline personality disorder. In this case, the person who suffers from it can just live a normal life, but can also react violently to some situations. This usually happens when these people are unable to control their symptoms.

However, reacting violently to something does not necessarily mean that these people are generally violent. It is simply a reaction to circumstances that they do not know how to deal with, because they simply have a problem. This does not mean that we should immediately be scared to death for everyone who suffers from a mental disorder, nor that everyone who is mentally ill exhibits this behavior.

As we mentioned earlier, the world of mental disorders is incredibly vast, and not all of these disorders lead to violent behavior. Anxiety disorders and depression are mental disorders that prevent a person from leading a normal life. Should we then also label these people as violent and crazy? Should we be afraid of them? No, we should never generalize about mental disorders.

According to information published in journals such as the Journal of the Spanish Neuropsychological Association and World Psychiatry, only ten percent of all people who suffer from a mental disorder become involved in some type of criminal act. This is quite revealing.

I’m not violent, mental disorders are just stigmatized

What is clear about mental disorders is that they are stigmatized quite often, but what is not yet clear is why this is so. All of the factors we’ve covered in this article stem from our own culture. The stigma surrounding mental disorders is substantiated through books, history and movies.

Also, the institutions where these disorders are treated are traditionally seen as places that should be remote from society, as their inhabitants could be potentially dangerous. It was thought (thankfully less so now) that mental institutions were the places to stay for people who, because of their lack of control, could cause a lot of damage at any given moment.

The media portrays a much less common but much more negative reality, especially when it comes to mental disorders. This gives people an almost diabolical idea of ​​these disorders, which creates a completely unjustified fear within society.

Let’s look at the example of Beth Thomas, a girl who was severely abused by her father when she was little. As a result, she herself suffered from psychopathy. Beth’s case had a profound impact on the world and was very terrifying for her parents and relatives. Her problem was caused by something she hadn’t chosen for herself. Today she has recovered from her disorder and is living a very normal life.

It is true that Beth was abusive, but only towards her own family. It is rare for this kind of behavior to be directed at society in general. It is precisely the people with whom these types of people are most closely associated who suffer the most. Aside from her condition, Beth is just like you and me, so there’s no reason to be afraid of her.

So when you are afraid of someone who has a mental disorder, it really just means that you are looking at their disorder in the wrong way. Not all disorders also show signs of violence, and not all violence is aimed at society.

Can you imagine that you are suffering from a mental disorder and that everyone is avoiding you because of it as if you are the plague, even though you are not a violent person at all? This would probably just make the situation worse. Therefore, it is very positive for both you and the people who suffer from it to gain a better understanding of these types of disorders. We will never be able to help these people if we don’t understand them.