Psychosocial disability 

You may have encountered individuals with mental illnesses who seem to function normally—they go to work every day and communicate effectively. Conversely, you may have also seen people with depression and other mental health issues who struggle to maintain that level of functionality. These individuals are suffering from a psycho-social disability. 

In countries like India, Psychology is still an emerging discipline and, mental health issues are still considered taboo. Therefore many people face psychosocial problems daily. These issues can range from difficulty dealing with basic tasks to social stigma and discrimination. 

What is Psychosocial disability? 

In simple terms, psychosocial disability refers to the challenges that individuals with mental health conditions face in social situations. The impact and challenges a person with a mental health condition may face are referred to as psychosocial disability. It’s important to note that this is not a diagnosis itself, but rather a consequence of the diagnosis. Interacting within a social context can create obstacles that hinder an individual’s equality with others. This is a major cause of psychosocial disabilities in people with mental health conditions.

Difference between mental illness and psychosocial disabilities 

A mental health condition is a medically diagnosed illness that has an impact on a person’s emotions, thoughts, behaviours, or mood. Depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and PTSD are a few examples. A mental health disorder does not always lead to a disability; each person’s experience with it can differ significantly. Psychosocial Disability results in major functional restrictions as a result of interactions between mental health conditions and the social environment. 

It is characterized by long-term, debilitating effects on a person’s ability to engage in daily activities. Not everyone with a mental illness will experience a psychosocial disability. Here are some common disorders and how they can affect individuals: these major illnesses significantly impact daily life and social interactions.

• Depression: Depression can make it difficult to perform daily tasks and maintain personal hygiene, and social interactions. All this takes the patient away from society. You might have seen people who have collected trash in their homes or stopped going out. This severely impacts their social life making them seem lazy and unhygienic. 
• Anxiety Disorders: Anxiety disorders may cause excessive worry, panic attacks, and avoidant behaviour which impact the interfere with daily life. 
• Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia can severely impair a person’s ability to communicate, work, and engage in social activities due to symptoms of hallucinations and bursts of anger.
• Bipolar Disorder: Bipolar disorder involves extreme mood swings, ranging from manic incidents to aggression, and depressive episodes. These extreme mood swings can gravely affect personal and professional life. 

Challenges Faced Psychosocial Disabilities 

Psychosocial disabilities encounter challenges that affect various aspects of their lives such as 

1. Social Interaction: 

People who have psychosocial disabilities often find it challenging to maintain social connections, communicate, and participate in social activities such as simple social outings. This is due to the above-mentioned mental illness and their symptoms such as social anxiety, paranoia, or mood swings. 

• People will have only one or two friendships and no intimate relationships which can cause social isolation. 
• People may have fewer friends, leading to less social interaction. Over time, this can result in fewer invitations to join outings or activities.
• The people with such disabilities eventually become physically isolated to the point they don’t even want to leave their homes, this is called Hikikomori syndrome in Japan, where teenagers and young adults retreat from society. They refrain from working or attending school for long periods, sometimes spanning months or even years. 
• Confidence is reduced due to reduced opportunities for social engagement. 

2. Employment 

Symptoms of depression or anxiety can make it difficult to concentrate and lead to quick exhaustion, making it challenging to obtain and maintain a job.

• Job searching for employment can be very difficult for a psycho-social disabled person due to anxiety, low self-esteem, or fear of rejection. 
• Even maintaining a job can be difficult due to fluctuating symptoms, the need for mental health days, and managing work-related stress. 
• Managing workplace relationships and communication can be very exhausting for them.

3. Daily Activities 

Daily activities like even brushing your teeth and hair become difficult for them.

• Hoarding disorder is where people collect all sorts of things in their homes and have difficulty managing it. A point comes where the entire house has been filled with trash. 
• Eating junk foods, and packed meals due to exhaustion from cooking
• Missing appointments or deadlines

Read More: The Psychology Behind Hoarding Culture

4. Discrimination and Stigma 

Individuals with psychosocial disabilities often experience negative attitudes and behaviours from others due to their condition. Stigma and discrimination can come from various sources, including family, friends, employers, and society at large. 

• Exclusion from the community 
• Certain employees are discriminated against and often scolded due to their disability caused by mental illness 
• Schizophrenic patients are often treated as “crazy” persons or accused of witchcraft. Many cases have surfaced where women patients are confined by their families.
• Self-stigma due to the Internalization of negative societal attitudes can lead to feelings of shame, low self-esteem, and reluctance to seek help or disclose the condition. 

Support and Treatment 

It’s necessary to provide support and therapy for people suffering from mental illness and psycho-social disabilities arising from it. 

1. Medical Treatment: Medications provided by psychiatry are an appropriate and effective treatment. 
2. Therapy: therapy, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), will provide coping strategies and emotional support to the patients. 
3. Community and Peer Support: Community and peer support groups provide a sense of belonging and support. 
4. Advocacy and Education: Reducing stigma and discrimination against people with psychosocial disabilities requires raising awareness of these conditions. Better laws and resources for impacted parties may result from advocacy initiatives. 

Conclusion 

A variety of mental health issues that have a major influence on day-to-day functioning are included in the category of psychosocial disabilities. By acknowledging the difficulties that people with certain disabilities encounter and offering suitable assistance and modifications, we may enhance their standard of living and promote a more diverse community. We can assist people with psychosocial disabilities in leading satisfying lives through medical care, therapy, peer support, job adjustments, and advocacy.