why do people?

Question

with physical disabilities get more empathy than people with mental health disabilities

Answer 1

i dont know but its shocking

Answer 2

Because people are very visual. Even in everyday life we go by what we see. People treat others differently just based on the way they look. This has been tested and proven numerous times. Because we can't "see" a mental health illness, one does not get the empathy of those around him/her. It is an invisible disability. Once your story is told, and people understand, then they begin to empathize, but even then they don't fully give you the treatment they would if you had a physical (visible) disability - they just can't see what's wrong with you, so they will never quite understand.

Answer 3

Theres been a lot of work over the last 30 years to include physically disabled people in everyday life - redesigning buses, putting in ramps, training in the workplace etc. Do you remember when it all started that people thought that ramps were a bad idea, too expensive and a waste of taxpayers money? Remember there used to be a lot of insults for 'disabled' in the school playground? People would be shocked to hear any of that now.
There has been very little done for people with mental health issues. The wards were shut and there was 'care in the community' except there was precious little care and not much of a community.
Mind has been quite active, but there has been more negative press than positive - When Schizophrenics Attack seems to be a favourite newspaper scare story.
Plus I guess that mental health problems are less easy to feel empathy for. Its like cancer, if we realise that it could happen to us we don't want it to. People seem more scared of mental health problems than anything.

Answer 4

I think it is because people are often frightened of mental health disabilities. With physical disabilities you can see the person and usually know how to get along with them, but unless you have a particular knowledge of mental health disabilities it is sometimes difficult to know what to say or do if a person acts differently to what is expected. For some reason whilst everyone seems to know about physical disability conditions, not much is publicised about mental health conditions.

Answer 5

Its not a easy to spot a mental health disability in someone unless it is obvious. Most people that you encounter, wont necessarily know that you have a mental illness unless you tell them.

Physical disabilities get more empathy because they are looked upon in society as being harmless and helpless. Whereas mental disability is looked upon as being somewhat taboo. Society does not want to bring up the fact that a person may be mentally ill..due to having no knowledge of what the mental illness might be.

Mental illness raises all kinds of questions, misconceptions, and uncertainties. Mental illness is perceived as uninhibited, uncanny, and even dangerous which in turn causes people to take precautions. The physically disabled have limitations that are relatively easy to spot, whereas the mentally ill have imitations that aren't easy to spot - therefore, they cannot be helped unless their problem is addressed.

Answer 6

I would have to guess because we can all understand a physical disability...but mental ones really are hard for most people to understand. It's the fear of the unknown. Sad, but true. All humans need sympathy and empathy from time to time. No reason to discriminate!~

Answer 7

I have to say bravo to Shirley e. she is right about people needing to walk in the shoes of someone with a mental disability. Im sure seeing life from the other side would really 'wake' some people up. Not all as there are always some that dont, wont or cant understand. Also, people with mental disabilites do not know the difference. Believe me, they are aware of everything.

Answer 8

ok first empathy is the wrong word to use but thats ok i know what you meen. Most people only see people with mental disabilities to be put somewhere cause they deem it not fit for them to live in society because they fear for there lives. where physical disabilities can still function in the world. I treat everyone the same, because i know alot of people with "handicaps" and not because i dont feel bad that they are like that do you think they want to be treated extra special and singled out...to me i dont think they do some say they do just because they want the attention others just wanna live there days and not be bothered

Answer 9

I must use crutches to walk. I am treated very well by people because they can see what is wrong with me. With a mental disability it's an unknown quantity. You are asking yourself questions. Is that person violent or dangerous? If I speak to them will they be able to answer me? I don't know what reaction I will get if I approach the person because I can't SEE the problem. You are very kind in asking that question because many people with mental disability feel terrible hurt when they are ignored.

Answer 10

I believe that most people are afraid of people with mental health disabilites because they lack the an understanding of mental health issues and dont know how to support some one who does have a mental health disability.

Answer 11

I don't think that's true. We probably make more concessions for people with physical disabilities because we can see their disability.

But a lot of time you don't know someone has a mental disability unless you get to talk to them.