The Link Between Physical Disability and Mental Health
Two-thirds of people in England report experiencing a mental health issue during a lifetime. The high incidence of mental health difficulties underlines the meaning of inner and emotional welfare.
Mental health awareness helps educate people about the importance of internal well-being and reduces stigma and discrimination. Showing people acceptance and respect can help remove barriers and successfully cope with mental health issues. This is especially important for individuals with physical or mental limitations.
Studies and clinical experiences show that people with disabilities can enjoy good mental and physical health with the proper assessment and support.
What is Physical Disability?
Physical disability is a long-term or intermittent condition affecting general mobility and physical functioning. Hearing, vision and speech impairment also form a part of physical disabilities. Almost 22% of the UK population has some physical or mental disability. A number of medical conditions stand behind physical and mobility limitations, including:
- Cerebral Palsy
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Motor Neurone Disease (MND)
- Parkinson's Disease
- Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
- Arthritis
- Acquired brain injury
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Other Neurodevelopmental Conditions
Physical assistance like adapted workspaces, adapted vehicles, pre-arranged means of transportation, meal and item purchases, and other physical aids are usually provided for disabled individuals at work. This service also offers constant supervision to ensure that they always do the right thing.
One should note that workplaces may not necessarily be offices. They can be homes too.
The Role of Support Workers in Improving Mental Health for Individuals with Physical Disabilities
Support workers have the skills and mechanisms to assess and treat people with dignity and respect. Their role is to provide integrated care in terms of physical and mental support.
A devoted support worker ensures that the person’s human rights are met and that the person is being heard, understood and supported. But most of all, a committed support worker knows how to identify a person’s skills and focuses on the strengths to help people live independent lives.
The role of a support worker is to provide humanised care beyond basic needs. The core features of a diligent caregiver include:
- Accurate Assessment
- Open Mind
- Integrated Care
- Assistive Attitude
- Empathetic and Compassionate Approach
- Be able to listen and understand a person's needs
- Clear communication and responsiveness
- Friendship and Bonding
- Positive Attitude
- Self-awareness
In addition, we can mention some of the essential activities provided by a professional support worker:
- Activities that energize the body and mind
- Provide individual or find group therapy and counselling
- Support people to access what they want to access
- Provide tasks to stimulate independence and a sense of power
- Help in building relationships
When consulting a support worker, an individual, regardless of the disability, should look for all-encompassing health assistance. This includes a unique complex care plan tailored to a person’s needs, including mental and physical assistance.
Common Mental Health Issues Experienced by Individuals with Physical Disabilities
Mental health is a complex unity of individual, social and structural interactions within a person. Most people struggle with some kind of mental health issue at some point in their life. For people with mobility issues, maintaining a balance of mental well-being can be even more challenging. For example, people with spinal cord injuries are more susceptible to developing depression or anxiety due to the pain and sudden life change.
Physical disability may affect a person`s physical activity, which can vary in range. Sometimes it can affect personal self-esteem and limit the adaptation to the environment. For example, students might have a limited choice of university and education due to inaccessible buildings. This can cause various mental challenges among vulnerable people.
Major factors that affect the mental health of people with physical disabilities include:
Social Constraints
Social barriers are often more powerful for the individual than their physical limitations. Public attitudes formed on stereotypes and prejudice prevent people from having the opportunity for equal social inclusion in the community. This can significantly affect the mental well-being of individuals with physical disabilities and lead to more complex mental health issues.
Loneliness and Isolation
Socialization forms an essential aspect of people’s lives. Often, individuals who cope with mental or physical barriers feel socially deprived. This may be due to the limited accessibility of the individual to social gatherings, along with the attitudinal constraints by the community. Spending too much time alone and isolated can lead to depression and emotional detachment.
Lack of Integrated Care
Physical care is the primary focus in the treatment of motion disabilities. Therefore, most people do not receive the necessary mental health support essential for a person`s general well-being. The lack of integrated care is a potential cause of mental health issues like anxiety, depression and similar.
Common mental issues that people with a physical disability may experience include:
Stress and anxiety
Depression
Posttraumatic stress disorder ( PTSD)
Identity and anger issues
Relationship difficulties
The Effects of Stigma and Discrimination on Mental Health for Individuals with Physical Disabilities
Community plays a key role in every person’s life. Reports show that people with physical disabilities are more likely to experience mental health issues due to social limitations rather than physical limitations.
Social discrimination against people with disabilities takes various forms, including public attitude and lack of accessible physical environment and transportation. For example, a wheelchair user may be prevented from entering a building or institution as they cannot use the stairs. This affects children, students and adults who want to study or work. Still, many facilities do not possess accessible ramps or elevators throughout the building.
Apart from the violation of essential human rights, this also imposes a restrictive attitude towards people with physical disabilities by the general population. Therefore, the issue does not lie in the disability but in the social stigma and social exclusion.
The Importance of Maintaining Mental Well-being With a Physical Disability
Physical and mental welfare matters regardless of the disability and directly impacts the person’s quality of life.
Mental health awareness and support can help people with disabilities learn, work, and interact within the family and the community. Emotional well-being traces the path to education, employment, and accomplished life.
The Benefits of Therapy and Counselling for Individuals with Physical Disabilities
Counselling and psychotherapy can have a life-changing impact on people`s minds. Mental health professionals are extensively trained in making the right assessment and approach to help people accept themselves and give their full potential to live a fulfilled life, regardless of their limitations.
For example, people with acquired brain or spinal cord injury may face multiple emotional and physical challenges resulting from the new life situation. The role of the therapist is to help individuals embrace the change and focus on the bright side of life. The following guideline unlocks the benefits of therapy and counselling for people with a physical disabilities.
- Help build self-awareness and self-acceptance
- Understand the body-mind connection
- Help to accept the limitation and focus on the other strengths and capabilities
- Help build relationships and promote socialization
- Change the opinion one has for their movement disability
- Help clients identify and express their needs
- Introduce and accept the concept of neurodiversity and divergence
- Encourage people to give their best in achieving life goals (education, work and socialization)
- Help them embrace their difference and strive to improve their quality of life
Mental health experts offer a wide range of behavioural and emotional support for children, students and adults with movement disabilities.
At Leaf Complex Care, We Are Focused on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Individuals With Physical Disabilities
Adjusting to life with a disability can be challenging, especially if it`s a sudden and unexpected change. Fortunately, there are ways to successfully handle limitations and pace towards a fruitful life.
Leaf Complex Care provides all-encompassing health care to people with a movement disability. Our clinicians come with cordial and humanised approaches in the most assistive way. We focus on implementing integrated care for people with mental and physical challenges.
We provide active 24/7 support, 7 days a week, for children, students and adults with physical limitations. Apart from the movement difficulties, we also focus on people`s mental health by giving emotional support, empathy and comprehensive health care.
Our bespoke support plans include individual daily activities for promoting better physical and mental health to people with complex care needs.
At Leaf Complex Care, we embrace people`s differences and help them live a rewarding life. For more information, contact us now.
