Are Mental Illnesses a Disability?
Jul 06, 2018
Anonymous asks, quote:
Are Mental Illnesses a Disability?
end quote.
Before I answer, some quick notes:
- I have not been diagnosed with any mental illness.
- I stand by the philosophy that, when talking about any topic, the parties involved must agree on the definition of any and all relevant terms.
quote:Mental Illness:
Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors.
end quote
quote:Disability:
end quote
- A physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition that impairs, interferes with, or limits a person’s ability to engage in certain tasks or actions or participate in typical daily activities and interactions.
- An impairment (such as a chronic medical condition or injury) that prevents someone from engaging in gainful employment.
When I use the words “disability” and “mental illness” in this post, I’m operating under the above listed definitions.
Now that that’s out of the way, here’s my answer to your question: it depends.
Lots of people with mental illness are able to manage their condition through things like medication or therapy. Their mental illness does not “impair, interfere with, or limit [their] ability to engage in certain tasks or actions or participate in typical daily activities and interactions”
Lots of people with mental illness have difficulty managing their condition. Their mental illness “impairs, interferes with, or limits [their] ability to engage in certain tasks or actions or participate in typical daily activities and interactions”.
If someone with a mental illness relates more with the first statement, that person might not have a disability due to mental illness.
If someone with a mental illness relates more with the second statement, that person might have a disability due to mental illness.