What are the links between learning disability and mental health?
Researchers think that people with learning disabilities are even more (four times more) likely to experience mental health problems than the rest of the population (Borthwick and Duffy, 1994, Emerson and Hutton, 2007)
This mental ill health can be missed and people with a learning disabiity have their behaviour blamed on (attributed to) their learning disability not seen as mental ill health.
Having a learning disability is one of the most important things found in increasing the risk of having a mental health problem.
Other risk factors such as family breakdown, social isolation, stressful life events, not being able to communicate, either due to a disability or not speaking English, having no control or choice in life are also relevant to people who have a learning disability.
To read more about the factors that relate to mental health click here
This means it is even more important that people think about positive mental health
and how to help people maintain their mental health
Have a look at this website from Australia
There are also differences in how a person with a learning disability may present with mental health problems. They may have different signs and symptoms of mental ill health to others meaning they can be missed. Sometimes behaviours which are not mental ill health are seen (and treated) as such.
The person may have communication difficulties associated with their learning disability and this means identifying the causes of mental ill health, how they act (present themselves) and the undertaking any treatments (therapeutic interventions) can prove a daunting task for workers.
Even when problems are identified, services are often difficult to find and people with a learning disability are often ‘excluded’ from services - although improvements are happening across the country.
Any change in an individuals behaviour should be documented and not dismissed. The person’s mental health is the responsibility of everyone involved in their care.
Although you may not be responsible for diagnosing mental ill health your recording and observations will assist those who will.
Do not forget that people can and do recover from periods of mental ill health
Consequences of not considering disability, ethnicity and mental health
1. Flustration of the individual and their families
2. Anger of the individual and their families
3. Cause of distress and anxiety
4. Loss of trust and confidence
5. Poor care planning
6. Lack of co-operation
7. Loss of respect towards all professionals
8. Cause of complaint
9. Potential harm to self and others
10. Legal requirements not met
MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARNING DISABILITY
Mencap have a useful introductory factsheet about mental health in learning disability, click on the link
POSSIBLE CAUSES
There may be a range of reasons for a persons behaviour and their loss of skills or abilities.
This simple checklist might help with deciding the possible causes. (Not all of them may be mental health)
Although this focuses on dementia it can be used for all
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