ASSIGNMENT NO 2

Assignment No 2



Assignment No 2

People with a disability:

Historically people with physical disabilities and mental health problems have been segregated within society. There are fluid connections between physical disability and mental distress which are always evolving, yet both groups have barriers imposed, reducing their inclusion within society for example inaccessible buildings and restrictive policies. Society's perceptions and practises can lead to mental health users/survivors feeling disabled. Recent statistics state that only 37 percent of employees will consider employing someone with mental health problems whilst 60 percent are willing to employ someone with a physical disability (Department of health, cited in Hatloy, 2007). Prejudice, discrimination and stigma within society lead to people feeling disabled and the belief that disabled people are worse off is constantly reinforced, undermining the attempts people make. In this essay I shall be discussing the similarities and differences between physical disability and mental distress whilst considering how a holistic approach could have an impact on users and survivors.

Stigma is placed on people who are seen as different, this perception typically occurs towards disabled people who have visual aids such as wheelchairs, which as Goffman suggests become a 'stigma symbol' (Goffman, 1963, cited in Open University, 2004, pg.88). However difference is key to people being individuals, which encourages fluidity, diversity and adaptation but there is a negative conception towards difference, which Morris believes leads to prejudice (Morris, 2002, cited in Open University, pg.88). A sense of prejudice also forms towards mental health users/survivors, as mentioned above finding employment can be difficult as well as being able to access appropriate resources.

Disabled people may discover their lifestyle leads to increased stresses, possibly increasing their likelihood of developing mental health problems. One stressful factor can be the infrastructures provided. Physical segregation including zone seating in cinemas and music venues separate the physically disabled from the non-disabled. A sense of being 'socially dead' (Miller and Gwynne, 1972, cited in Open University, pg.89) may occur through continuous segregation happening in everyday life. However health and safety legislation insists that businesses protect all users so developing areas helps to protect disabled people from hazards such as over-crowding, which could increase the severity of their disability. One common stressful factor is the pressure of going somewhere new for the fear of it being inaccessible so the knowledge that an area is inclusive and meets particular needs can also be reassuring and make people feel they have been considered and incorporated within society.

Whilst many view the two groups as being different they do widely overlap in similarities. Beresford considers how disabled people can also be survivors of a disabling society and mental health service users can develop impairments due to their diagnosis and treatment (Beresford, 2002, cited in Open University, 2004, pg.93). People with mental health issues may develop physical disabilities, for example self -injurious behaviour and medication overdoses can lead to physical impairments. Their impairments can also be an implication of 'treatments' such as ECT, whilst people with impairments may also have ...