Introduction
Mental health illness and mental health retardation are commonly mistaken to be one and the same thing but they are not. Though both often entail similar symptoms there is much difference between them. Mental health illnesses are behavioral or emotional disorders whereas mental health retardations are intellectual disabilities. It is possible for a person to have both. Mental retardations are more likely to be developed during the birth phase or during the early phases of development. Mental illnesses on the other hand can develop during any stage of life even at the very later stages or the very early stages.
History
There have been tries to cure mental health illness and mental health retardation since 5000 BC. However during these times and for a long time to come mental illnesses were seen to be supernatural or works of demons and the devil. They were looked upon as acts of possession rather than mental problems. The Greek thinker Hippocrates was amongst one of the first people to bring in the idea that mental illnesses were because of the pathology of the brain rather than supernatural causes. The first hospital for the mentally ill was made in Baghdad in792 BC. Mental retardations are not treated with the mentally ill rather they are left with their families so they can be properly cared and nurtured for in a family unit. During the 1970s there was a trend for the mentally retarded to be institutionalized but this has since gone down and now most people live with their families.
Features
Mental health retardation is said to occur in a person when he or she has an IQ of less than 70. It also refers to the fact that a person cannot adapt to a social situation. In mental retardation the problem is normally present at birth and the intellectual disability is somewhat permanent and can never be wholly removed. People with metal retardations will behave normally within their own levels of functionality. People with the problem can also have mental illnesses like depression etc but they are secondary to the mental retardation. Since retardations are developmental disabilities sometimes people may not be able to take care of themselves or have problems in language or mobility. They might have diseases like autism or learning disabilities like dyslexia. On the other hand a person with a mental illness may be totally adequate socially. They can also be treated and fully cured unlike mental retardations. People inflicted with a mental illness can often experience bouts when they are totally normal and rational. Mental illness covers a wide variety of diseases and symptoms ranging from depression to personality disorders to simply poor emotional control.
Tips and comments
Some tips for dealing with people who have mental health retardation include, speak slowly so they understand better. Try not to imitate how they speak because this may make it seem like you are insensitive to their condition. Avoid complex words; use their less technical synonyms instead so that they can understand you better. Make eye contact with people, who have mental health retardation, it will make them feel like you care for them rather than just feeling sympathy for them.
