differences disability illness tcm6 2251

							   Differences Between Mental Disability and Mental Illness.
Autism and Asperger Syndrome,            Mental Illness, i.e. Schizophrenia &
i.e Development Disorders.               Schizoid Personality Disorder, etc.
1) Lifelong disability- no cure-         Rarely occurs in childhood- may be
    present from birth or at about 18    onset in teenage years due to
    months.                              extreme stress.
                                         Curable state.
2) Proof in developmental history-       Can hopefully get to bottom of
   unusual social behaviour and          problem with counselling and
   abnormal responses in thought         emphasis on EMOTIONS.
   and communication, but not to be
   confused with thought disorders
   typified by vagueness and
   woolliness of schizophrenic
   thinking.

3) Not due to upbringing – other         Mental Illness may be due to
   family members, past and present,     deprivation.
   may be affected by similar
   behavioural characteristics to
   those in autism.
4) Physical causes- biochemical,         Emotional problems involved- and
   affecting nerve pathways from         once solved, progress can be normal
   brain, congenital. Slow progress      with care and sympathy. Withdrawn
   even with patient teaching and        from reality.
   care.
5) Counselling needs to be cognitive     Care and counselling on “ working
   behavioural therapy. Anxiety and      through emotional problems” are
   depression is a “ spin off” from      effective and give confidence “ to pull
   lack of “ Theory of mind”. Need for   through”.
   reassurance over minor problems.
6) There is no medication to treat       Much broader range of stressors.
   this condition. Medication is used    Drugs can stabilise so that the patient
   only for associated problems such     can live a more normal life and be
   as hyperactivity or self-injurious    cured.
   behaviour. Or it may be needed
   for stress caused by problems in
   social life/communication. Some
   serious reactions if neuroleptic
   drugs are given, as for mental
   illness.
7) Non hallucinatory, but may            Hallucinations can feature. Hearing
   fantasise, particularly in            voices from without.
   connection with special interest
   characterised by the condition.
8) May look like paranoia, whereas       Incidence of Paranoia.
   people affected by autism or
   Asperger syndrome have difficulty
   in understanding what people are
   saying about them.



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Resources

Autism

National Autistic Society (NAS)
The National Autistic Society
393 City Road
London EC1V 1NG

Email: nas@nas.org.uk
Website: www.nas.org.uk

Asperger’s syndrome

Action ASD
Autistic Spectrum Disorders including ASPERGER’S SYNDROME

Website: www.actionasd.org.uk

Schizophrenia

Website: www.emental-health.com/schizophrenia.asp

Schizophrenia Association of Great Britain
Phone: 01248 354 048
Fax: 01248 354 048
Minicom:
Email: info@sagb.co.uk
Web: www.sagb.co.uk

OTHER DISABILITY ORGANISATIONS (link to detail.disabled.org.dec01
document)




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