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Why does a mental illness sometimes
develop into a psychiatric disability?
- symptoms such as disordered thoughts,
hallucinations and loss of contact with
reality can make it difficult for a person
to concentrate, process information,
solve problems, make judgements
or follow instructions
- the intermittent or constant presence
of symptoms can result in the person
being emotionally fragile and
vulnerable to stress
- medication does not always control
symptoms
- the person can lose confidence in their
ability to make decisions, perform
tasks and engage in activities
- loss of confidence and self-worth has
a compounding impact in all areas of
the person's life and can lead to loss
of motivation, neglect of self and
overwhelming feelings of hopelessness
- loss of positive emotional feelings,
apathy, withdrawal, loss of self-esteem
and confidence have traditionally been
untreatable by medication
- interruption to education, training
and developmental phases caused
by the illness can impact on the person's ability to perform tasks and
achieve independence and a valued
role in society
Psychiatric disability - the social
disadvantages
The social stigma and lack of
understanding about mental illness and
psychiatric disability means that, for
many people, overcoming these hurdles
can be more daunting than coping with
and overcoming the illness itself. The
myth that "mad" equals "bad" still has
currency in some parts of society.
People with psychiatric disability can
be socially disadvantaged through:
- limited choice due to limited income
- lowered social status
- lack of expectation from others
- rejection by friends and family
- vulnerability to being victims of crime
and abuse
- insufficient opportunities to learn
new skills
- limited options for developing a valued
role in the community
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Psychiatric Disability