May is Mental Health Awareness Month
By Jill Hinton, PhD
Mental Health America established May as Mental Health Month in 1949. Since that time, May has been a month for promoting awareness, acceptance, and advocacy, and reducing stigma around mental health. One in five people in the US experience a mental health issue each year – no one is immune to this. This includes people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). At the National Center for START Services®, we and our START teams around the country provide crisis intervention and prevention services to people with IDD and mental health needs (IDD-MH).
This month's theme - Turn Awareness Into Action - reminds us that while mental health is a personal journey, it's also a movement, and we are all in this together! You don't have to be an expert to make a difference. We're proud to share the following Frequently Asked Questions for anyone who wants to learn more about mental health for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
And if you are an expert, such as a physician or psychiatrist who treats people with IDDs, we have a resource for you as well! Please review our Integrated Mental Health Treatment Guidelines for Prescribers in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
FAQs
Do people with IDD experience mental health issues?
People with IDD can experience the same mental health conditions as neurotypical people. In fact, psychiatric disorders occur at a higher rate in people with IDD. Estimates of psychiatric disorders in people with IDD range from 25% to 55%.
What are the most common psychiatric issues in people with IDD?
Depression and anxiety disorders are the most common, just as they are in the neurotypical population. Trauma related disorders are also common. Unfortunately, people with IDD often are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. There tends to be overdiagnoses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
What are some of the challenges in making accurate diagnosis in people with IDD?
There are several factors. One of the most common issues is the concept of ‘diagnostic overshadowing’. This is the tendency to attribute presenting issues to IDD as opposed to seeing them as symptoms or signs of a psychiatric disorder. For example, someone’s refusal to participate in activities is more likely to be seen as ‘non-compliance’ than as withdrawal/loss of interest due to depression.
What can we do promote mental health and mental wellness in people with IDD?
Focusing on strengths and increasing social connection and belonging go a long way toward preventing and treating the most common mental health issues. Accurate diagnoses and access to appropriate treatment are critical issues for people with IDD.
Sources
Fletcher, R. J., Barnhill, J., & Cooper, S.-A. (2018). DM-ID-2: Diagnostic Manual, intellectual disability: A textbook of diagnosis of mental disorders in persons with intellectual disability. NADD Press.
Mental Health America. https://mhanational.org/
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