One of the goals of this blog is to provide evidence-based information about adolescent mental health. Scientific evidence helps us confirm truths and debunk myths.

A recent BBC article looked at some Christmas myths debunked by the British Medical Journal. One of the myths the BMJ busted is the belief that suicides are more common during the holiday season and winter months.

“The combined stresses of family dysfunction, exacerbations in loneliness, and more depression over the cold dark winter months are commonly thought to increase the number of suicides,” said Dr Vreeman.

But, although the holidays may be difficult for some, there is no good evidence to suggest a peak in suicides.

Also people are not more likely to commit suicide in the dark winter months - around the world suicides peak in warmer months, the researchers said.

Some of the other myths debunked in the article were: there’s no cure for a hangover, eating late does not make you gain weight, and sugar doesn’t make you hyperactive.

~ D. Venn

In the past decade we’ve come a long way in understanding mental illness, but we still have far to go. Dispelling myths about mental illness is one important step. Stigma about mental illness is still largely present in our social structures and institutions – including our health, social services, education and justice sectors.

An October article in Canadian Living explored ten common myths about mental illness. One of the myths focused on children and adolescents:

Myth: Children don’t get depression or other mental illnesses; their emotional problems are just part of growing up.

Parents naturally want their children to do well, so some may brush off or explain away behavioural problems or other childhood difficulties as being mere growing pains. However, numerous psychiatric conditions, including depression, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders, can and do occur in childhood, according to Kutcher. The U.S. Center for Mental Health Service reports that one in every 33 kids and one in every eight teens suffers from depression – and that’s just one disorder.

Enhancing our knowledge and understanding about mental illness is one of the best ways to dispel these myths.

~ D. Venn