Brain Injury, Psychiatric Disability, Intellectual Disability
- Are They The Same?
NO - each type of disability is different. This Fact Sheet is only a summary of these three types of disability.
Brain Injury
Brain Injury is defined as a loss of brain function caused by:
- Accidents (motor vehicle accidents are the cause of 70% of all brain injuries)
- Poisoning
- Stroke
- Brain tumours
- Infections
- Lack of oxygen.
As a direct result of a brain injury a person may develop impairments in one or several aspects of their life including:
- Loss of mobility
- Difficulty in solving problems or making decisions
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Problems with memory & concentration
- Sticking to the one idea for a long time
- Easily distracted
- Quickly aroused to anger or sadness.
A brain injury that is “acquired” as an adult does not affect previously stored memories & experiences. A person may have little or no change in their I.Q. test scores because they can still draw on their past memories and skills. However, a person’s level of adaptive functioning (problem solving, organisation, personal management) is often impaired. The individual’s self identity and expectation’s of life are still strongly shaped by their social and intellectual development before the brain injury.
Brain injury cannot be “cured”. The impairments are caused by permanent damage to the brain. However, over time, many people return to work and maintain a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle.
Psychiatric Disability
Psychiatric Disability is a range of functional difficulties often linked with a past or current mental illness, associated institutional dependence or the adverse effects of medications.
Mental illness is characterised by the presence in a person of one or more symptoms including:
- Delusions
- Hallucinations
- Serious disorder of thought form
- Severe disturbance of mood
- Sustained or repeated irrational behaviour.
A person who has a mental illness or has had a mental illness in the past does not necessarily have a psychiatric disability. The three most common disorders are:
- Schizophrenia
- Manic-depressive disorder
- Depression.
Medication can often be used to assist the person cope with their disability. However, some medications create a range of additional problems. People who have a psychiatric disability can enjoy a satisfying and fulfilling life.
Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability refers to a slowness to learn and process information which can affect how a person functions in society. Intellectual disability is not a sickness, it cannot be cured and it is not medically “treatable”. While people with intellectual disability often encounter difficulties in learning and development, it is not an inability to learn. People with intellectual disability can and do learn a wide range of skills throughout their lives. It is through appropriate levels of support, early intervention and educational opportunities that the effects of intellectual disability can be minimised.
Intellectual disability is often evident from birth. The period of one’s life between birth and adulthood, 0-18 years, is referred to as the “Developmental Stage”. The fact that intellectual disability occurs during the developmental stage is one important factor which distinguishes it from other types of disability.
There is no one identifiable cause for intellectual disability, however there are some reasons that we do know about which include:
- brain damage before birth due to conditions such as rubella, a drug or diet problem.
- brain damage resulting from a lack of oxygen during the birth, eg as a result of a prolonged labour.
- brain damage after birth due to an illness such as encephalitis or an accident.
- abnormal chromosome count resulting in eg Down Syndrome.
Multiple Disabilities
A person can have more than one form of disability. For example, a child can develop an intellectual disability and a physical disability as a result of a brain injury.
A person who sustains a brain injury or has an intellectual disability has the same chances of developing a psychiatric disability as any other member of the community.
Any form of disability can have very serious effects on the lives of people who have the disability and those that support and assist them.
Conclusion
People who have a disability have the same rights as any other member of the community. Just like every other member of the community they are individuals who have personal needs that are unique to them.
* Source : Brain Injury Association of NSW
