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esprit
Senior Contributor

Labels

Hi all, I've recently had a discussion , after listening to Pauline Hanson comments on disabilities in schools , about what is a disability ,with a student studying social work. Are labels helpful and what constitutes a disability. I feel if you get diagnosed with anything from ADD , autism, learning difficulties, depression or any kind of diagnosis that hinders you in some way it is a disability. I feel people don't want to be labeled because of stigma and shame. So I think it is not the label that's the problem . For instance if you have bipolar not the severe kind a lot of the time your well. so my question is do labels and diagnoses help or make things worse and why ? And what is considered a disability. Is it bad to be labeled with a disability ? My daughter has a mild learning disability but according to my social worker friend it's not classified as a disability neither is mental health. My daughter works well around it but because she feels shame about ishe refuses to acknowledge it or tell anyone. What do you all think?
14 REPLIES 14

Re: Labels

Hi @esprit, I have the bipolar diagnosis since 2008, before that it was seen as clinical anxiety and depression for decades. The new label was very helpful to me because it led to better medications that have given me a peace I never had in my life before. I am still not 'functional' in lots of everyday ways and am on disability pension, so in my case the label does entail disability. There I think your friend the social worker is not quite right. I think disability (whether physical or mental) is mainly defined in terms of how, or how much, a condition affects our ability to function in the basic ways.

Having said that, I recognise that many people are uncomfortable with labels and would prefer not to be identified in this way. Despite being grateful for the help I have received, I too sometimes struggle with having bipolar, in some way look down on myself at times for it and don't always tell people I have it, for various reasons. Yes, there can be stigma and shame, no doubt. 

I guess what I'm saying is it's a tricky balancing act. On the one hand I think there are benefits to being diagnosed. On the other, it's not always easy to then live with that.

These are just the thoughts that come off the top of my head in response to your question.

Zoe7
Community Guide

Re: Labels

Labels are just labels @esprit and I do believe it really does depend on the individual as to whether they accept/acknowledge these as a disability. I myself feel that my diagnoses are a disability because I am unable to work or function 'normally' in the everyday. In that respect the definition of diabled - having a physical or mental condition that limits ones movements, senses, or activities - holds true.

In respect to the comments made by Pauline Hanson - and I really cannot believe I am going to say this - but part of what she said is infact the case in schools. I have been teaching (not at the moment of course) for many years and the one constant that affects my ability to do my job for ALL students is the constant disruptions and 'challenging' behaviour of students. Some students with autism have extra funding provided to allow an aid to be emplyed to help in the classroom - but that also depends on where on the 'spectrum' they are placed and if they 'tick all the boxes' to get this funding. Some students have a full-time aid whereas others are deemed more 'low risk' and only have a few hours aid time allocated to them each week. It is then up to the classroom teacher to provide that extra time/support when there is no aid to assist. Some may say - but that is the teacher's job - and that is partly true - but while providing that one-on-one support to that child there are up to 30 other children in the class that are not receiving the same level of time or instruction. When this child is also violent - to staff and students - then the 'safe school environment' for many is diminished and students who do not feel 'safe' at school have been shown to be less engaged and less likely to learn to their fullest potential. So although integration is an absolute necessity (and right) of all children - we do also need to consider the impact it is having on the 'whole' class and ask 'are their needs being met also'? The answer to this is usually NO.

Teachers also need to arrange individual learning plans for students with a disability (as recognise by the criteria set by the government) and this takes many hours in consultation with all 'parties' involved with the 'management' of the child. This can include arranging regular meetings with case managers, social workers, guidance officers, parents, support teachers, aids, teachers, principals, speech pathologists etc etc These regular meetings then take the teacher away from the classroom yet again. I believe that every child deserves to have an 'individual learning plan' but it is an unrealistic expectation because there are only 24 hours ina day. And there are some students who need this kind of attention more than those that have been 'officially labelled' as having a disability. For example: I had a very bright student some years ago (for two years in a row) she was capable of achieving the highest marks and producing work well above her age or grade level. She had also been witness to domestic violence and was extremely affected by the environment she had been living in. Her mother finally 'got out' of the situation with her and tried to start a new life - whilst still dealing with the trauma each day. This girl was clinically diagnosed as depressed (at age 11) and it was very obvious that this was in fact the case. Her work (and marks) where only a shadow of what she was capable of. The question was asked (from higher up) why there had been such a decline in her work. At the same time I had a boy in the class that had aspergers but was also extremely violent - he would hit, kick, throw things etc. He would be removed from the class for 'chill out time' but then returned when he had calmed down. The girl in the class was very scared of him. Trying to explain that such behaviour from this boy was heightening her fears and diminishing her capacity to feel safe in the classroom and thus be able to concentrate fell on deaf ears - it was all about 'the rights of this boy to be part of the class' - but what about the rights of the other 30 students in the class that did not feel safe (not to mention the aids that worked with him that were constantly being abused, spat on or hit!) 

We tall about increasing funding for children with a disbility in schools - but those that do not fit into the criteria are left floundering - as all the resources are put into a handful of students . EVERY STUDENT DESERVES THE RIGHT TO OBTAIN THE BEST EDUCATION THEY CAN POSSIBLY BE PROVIDED - so I believe that the criteria are way too stringent and way too excessive to allow for ALL students who need extra support to be given it.

Then there are the students who are disruptive for other reasons - mainly from what they bring with them from their home environment or the wider society. They are not 'bad' kids - no kid is - but the challenges they bring to school (mostly from outside of the school environment) have a massive impact on the way we teach and the way we 'manage' the class also. For the most part - these students are not seen as having any kind of disability but going on the definition that I wrote above - they do - it is just not recognised by any formal criteria. 

I am now going to add something that many will find controversial - I believe that every child has special needs and I tell my kids in the classroom that. Every single child is an individual and has their own special needs to be able to navigate the world we live in and to be able to learn to their fullest capacity. It is not meant as a label (or an insult as some may suggest) because every child is 'special' and every child has different 'needs'.

Sahara
Community Elder

Re: Labels

Some great questions, @esprit.

It seems like the label "disability" is going out of fashion nowadays. I keep hearing the term "having special needs" now.

I suppose people are aware of the power of certain words..... to call someone "disabled" kind of overshadows everything else that they might be as a human being... like beautiful, funny, creative, sincere.... that's the unfortunate power of the labels we choose to use.

For me, one label runs into the next! When I hear the term "having special needs", I just think to myself "disability".  

The problem is, that for these things to be diagnosed, talked about and treated, we need to call them something. And then once we call them something, that becomes a label that feels sort of, I don't know, demeaning, maybe? But how else can we seek help if we don't have a word for what the problem is?

I have depression and anxiety. I've had it since I was 8 years old, that I can remember, anyway. It's not the worst thing that could have happened to me and I don't look at it as defining who I am. However, I'm glad I have a name for it now, becuase it's not as terrifying, to be able to call it something.

When I was 8 years old, I knew there was something wrong, but I didn't know that other people suffered from it as well, so it was very frightening. My parents treated me as though I had something wrong with me, but they didn't nderstand it and so didn't seek treatment for me. A very alienating experience for a child, as you might imagine!

esprit
Senior Contributor

Re: Labels

It's an interesting complex issue. If labels didn't have the stigma and shame attached would we all be better off.?
My feelings with paulines comments is that where do you draw the line what would be left in a classroom except little robots all behaving the same way. I feel teachers and schools are overburdened. Maybe instead of segregating undesirables we could look at a different method of teaching where kids with all their various strengths and weaknesses can be challenged and engaged. More teachers in class rooms or smaller class sizes.even putting kids in a separate class room is something that can make a kid feel shame. I don't think anyone should tolerate violence. Maybe a special class room for them with a teacher highly qualified to help them. Getting rid of a section of kids in my opinion is not the answer. The segregation might start with autism then who is to say that kids with mild learning disabilities where a teacher has to spend more time with that student. Has to also go to a separate classroom. Lots of kids on the autism spectrum do well in mainstream schooling too. One principal of a private school I know earns $600000 a year. It just seems like money could be spent in better ways.

Re: Labels

Hi there,

I too don't know how I feel about labels.  In one respect I guess it helped me when I was diagnosed as bipolar in 2003 - the psychiatrist was able to prescribe medication that worked much more appropriately for my condition.  Like you @Sahara, I knew at a young age that I just didn't feel right, sometimes I was deeply unhappy and other times high as a kite.  Prior to being diagnosed with bipolar I was told I had depression.  I still have anxiety too.  I've noticed that anxiety seems to go hand in hand with so many of the mental illnesses.  

It was good to know there was a name to call this stuff that was happening to me, however I still felt shame and self-condemnation for being defective.  I am learning to accept that this is me, I am okay, not defective - just differently designed.  I still only disclose my condition to those closest to me that I feel I can trust and won't judge me.  

There is something that does bother me however in regards to labels.  I notice that whenever someone commits a crime the media never ever fail to report the extra information that the individual had a mental illness.  You never hear that the guy who robbed the service station had obesity and type II diabetes.  I really don't like that use of labeling.  It enforces the stereotype that people with a mental illness are unstable and dangerous.  

I hope you all don't mind me putting in my two cents worth.  

esprit
Senior Contributor

Re: Labels

Hi there pengu, that's thing isn't it, diagnosis helps with treatment but it's the shame and stigma and many stay misunderstanding from the general public that makes us not want to be labelled. Hopefully one day we can openly say I have a diagnosis of bipolar or whatever and it will be not a big deal. Xxx

Re: Labels

Hi @esprit and @Pengu

If I am having a very bad day, I do begin to think of myself as "defective".  I start to wonder what life would have been like without MI. It would have been so much easier for me.

On a good day, I see mental illness as just a variation of normal. It's like, pretty much everyone's brain is capable of going haywire, if given enough stress over a long enough period of time. Everyone is sort of in the same boat- no-one is immune to MI.

My psychiatrist said to me "When the human brain gets sick, it seems to get sick in much the same way in everyone."  Believe it or not, there is really only a limited number of symptoms that people with MI get, even though there are hundreds of different diagnoses available these days. We keep inventing different names for different combinations of symptoms, that's all. (Sorry, I am not an expert on mental illness.. this is only my understanding of what I was told.)

So there is nothing unique or special about having an MI. You are born with certain genes (nothing you can do to change them) and then you potentially get exposed to different types of stress- sometimes extrmemely bad, prolonged stress, such as abuse. Depending on your genetic make-up, you will tip over the edge into mental illness at some point, if exposed to prolonged stress. 

Some people fortunately have very resilient brains that can tolerate a lot of stress, and some people don't. 

Yeah, it's kind of sad when the media harps on about people being mentally unstable when they commit a crime. I guess it adds interest to the story! For me, it makes me feel sympathy for them. Then I wonder why they weren't able to get adequate help for their illness and why, in a wealthy country like Australia, the health system is so broken. 

 

 

Former-Member
Not applicable

Re: Labels

@Sahara - I really like what your dr said :"When the human brain gets sick, it seems to get sick in much the same way in everyone." I think that is so true... i think there are so many more ways to tackle those symptoms and manage them rather than cure them though and finding what works for each of us is so hard!
It is so hard when it comes to defining what is a disability or not as @esprit is discussing. I'm a teacher and see a range of diagnosis that seem to show no rhyme or reason as to why its determined a disability or not. children with the 'in vogue' labels get funding regardless of need (ie. high functioning students with autism/aspergers who are top of the class and function indendently socially/emotionally) and children with borderline intellectual disabilities who struggle with basic self care often don't. Then there are a myriad of other dx that are ignored completely because there would be too many to fund appropriately (ie. dyslexia and children with huge trauma backgrounds and difficulties relating to that). a psychologist who saw my son and said what shebelieved his dx to be but it wouldbe better to write autism as he would get early intervention funding and support that way whereas his diagnosis (some similar features) gets no recognition/support anywhere. (i went with the correct dx)...
sorry if this is all a jumbled confusion..

Re: Labels

Hi @Former-Member,

you have bought up a very important point - MI labels are used as political tools within the health funding system.

When I was very sick with depression, my psychiatrist wanted to me to take a massive dose of an antidepressant - it was 4 times the usual dose. In order for the PBS (pharmaceutical benefit scheme) to cover the cost of this - she gave my diagnosis as Major Depression. I didn't care what diagnosis I was given- it meant very little to me. I knew very well that something was wrong inside my head and that is all I needed to know. 

The fact is, if she had wanted me to try a different drug, at that time, she may well have given me a different (more convenient) diagnosis. It was all the same to me. I think that doctors and health professionals in general are very well aware that diagnoses are just thrown around as a matter of convenience, in some cases. Which may well be very confusing for patients. 

I was just happy that I didn't have to pay $90 a month for my tablets. The government paid! 

Luckily those antidepressants worked for me (more or less- certainly no miracle cure.) 

What doctors tend to do, in my understanding, is treat symptoms, when it comes to mental health. A diagnosis is just one tool that might be helpful. 

I'm sorry to hear about your son, it must be difficult for you... trying to negotiate the minefield of treatments and funding. 

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