At a glance
An intellectual disability may affect a person’s ability to learn new information, communicate, cope and effectively solve problems on their own.
Having an intellectual disability can create stress and vulnerability, for both the person and their support network. People with an intellectual disability may also experience higher rates of abuse compared to the general population, which creates additional needs for support.
Providing support to a person who experiences both a mental health condition and intellectual disability can be complex.
People with both conditions may:
- have difficulty communicating their wants and needs
- not be able to describe their experiences, symptoms, or what they are feeling
- have symptoms or experiences that are different to what is expected
- use behaviour to communicate their distress.
Mental health conditions affect everyone differently. This also applies to people with an intellectual disability, and to people where these are coexisting conditions.
Resources
Maia’s story
This article describes Maia’s story. Maia’s mother, Michele, worries that people have “disability blindness” where they only see one disability and don’t see anything else.
Type: Web page
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Produced by: Mental Health Commission of NSW
Accessible Mental Health Services for People with an Intellectual Disability: A Guide for Providers
This is a comprehensive guide for providers to build their understanding of mental health in people with an intellectual disability and how to provide inclusive services.
Type: Publication (PDF)
Length: 78 pages
Produced by: UNSW | Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry
Intellectual disability, mental health eLearning
This site provides free eLearning modules for carers, health professionals and disability professionals aimed at improving their knowledge, skills and confidence, to improve the wellbeing of people with an intellectual disability.
Type: eLearning
Produced by: UNSW | Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry
