Individuals Who Have Mental Health Disabilities

Mental health disabilities are not as visible as many other types of disabilities. You may not know that an individual has a mental health disability unless you’re informed of it. Examples of mental health disabilities include schizophrenia, depression, phobias, as well as bipolar, anxiety and mood disorders.

A person with a mental health disability may have difficulty with one, several or none of these:

• Inability to think clearly
• Hallucinations (e.g., hearing voices, seeing or feeling things that aren’t there)
• Depression or acute mood swings (e.g., from happy to depressed with no apparent reason for the change)
• Poor concentration
• Difficulty remembering
• Apparent lack of motivation

If someone is experiencing difficulty controlling his or her symptoms, or is in a crisis, you may want to help out. Be calm and professional and ask an individual how you can best help.

Types of assistance an individual might use:

• Service animal
• Support person

Guidelines for interacting with individual that may have mental health disabilities

• Treat a person with a mental health disability with the same respect and consideration you have for everyone else
• Be patient
• Be confident and reassuring. Listen carefully and work with an individual to try to meet their needs
• If someone appears to be in a crisis, ask him or her to tell you the best way to help