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October is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about and breaking the stigma around mental health within our community.  During this time, talking with peers and family about mental health is highlighted, allowing everyone to find someone to lean on or support a loved one through tough times.

For some, support with mental health conditions is more complex than finding someone to lean on. Did you know that having a physical disability can make it harder to deal with mental health and having a mental health condition can make managing a disability more difficult?

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that an estimated 41% of people with severe or profound disability self-reported that they had mood (affective) disorders such as depression, compared with 29% of people with other forms of disability and 7.3% of people without disability (AIHW analysis of ABS 2023). These statistics define how important it is to understand both disability and mental health and how we can work to support individuals experiencing both.

How Physical Disabilities Affect Mental Health

A physical disability can be complex. It can make it difficult to get around, attend school or work and participate in social activities. Over time, this can cause people to feel sad, anxious or depressed. Imagine not being able to attend an event because the place isn’t wheelchair accessible or missing out on things with friends because you feel different. These feelings can build up, causing mental health to decline.

It is common for people with disability to experience loneliness or discrimination and this makes it likely that they will face mental health conditions.

How Mental Health Conditions Affect Physical Disabilities

On the other hand, mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety can make it harder for people with disability to take care of themselves. Someone feeling very down might struggle to follow medical advice or keep up with physical therapy, causing their physical health to decline over time.

Mental health conditions also make it hard to ask for support. If someone feels anxious or overwhelmed, they might not speak up about their physical needs or get the proper treatment, leading to more problems with both mental and physical health.

Unique Challenges of Facing Both

When someone has both physical disability and a mental health condition, they face extra challenges, such as:

  • Getting the proper care: It’s often hard to find medical assistance that treats both the body and the mind. People might need to visit different doctors and sometimes their mental health needs are ignored during physical treatment.
  • Dealing with stigma: There’s a lot of misunderstanding around both mental health and disability. People may treat those with both unfairly and assume things about their abilities, making them feel more alone.
  • Financial struggles: Having both a physical disability and a mental health condition can lead to higher medical bills, in turn creating more stress and worry, which can make mental health worse.
  • Staying independent: Mental health conditions, particularly anxiety, can make it hard to do things on your own. If someone already lives with physical disability, mental health conditions can take away even more independence.

Considering the above, it is also essential to understand the significant difference in psychological distress levels experienced by individuals with disability compared to those without. The graph below clearly shows how prevalent feelings of distress are amongst people with disability comparatively.

Doctors and support staff must treat their patients’ physical and mental health together. This is called integrated care and it enables people to manage their health better. For example, a person with disability who also feels depressed might need both physical therapy and counselling to feel better.

There are many resources available to individuals or carers of people with disability who also want to treatment for their mental health. Many of these resources are available through Disability Gateway and the NDIS.

Using these resources, we can make a real difference in the lives of people with disability. Nurturing the whole person, mind and body so that they can thrive is essential. Whether you’re a support worker or family member, your understanding and compassion can empower individuals to reclaim their health and happiness.

For more information visit our Mental Health and Disability Services webpages or call our friendly team on 1300 900 091.