Mental Health in Deaf Community Essay Example

individuals in the US face significant challenges as they try to interact and engage with a society that predominantly caters to those without hearing disabilities. The communication difficulties experienced by people with hearing impairments within a world designed for individuals with normal hearing can lead to various problems, including the harmful effects of stigma and discrimination. As a result, deaf individuals often endure stress, anxiety, depression, and may even develop suicidal tendencies.

Dr. Steinberg's research reveals that many deaf individuals, including those with bipolar disorder, face a lack of mental health services. Over 50% of deaf people are unable to access these important resources. The study also emphasizes the impact of inadequate interpreters on the perception of mental health within the deaf community. Communication challenges resulting from hearing loss contribute to limited vocabulary and language skills, presenting significant barriers for the deaf community.

The deaf community encounters challenges in lip reading, which provides only a partial comprehension of spoken language. Furthermore, translating languages such as English to sign language can create communication obstacles for deaf individuals. They also face difficulties in interpreting phrases and idioms. Additionally, deaf people may express their emotions and aspirations differently from those who are able to hear. Consequently, misdiagnosis can occur when certain behaviors are mistakenly attributed to psychiatric symptoms in deaf individuals.

Deaf individuals are also afraid of mental health institutions due to concerns about communication barriers with the staff. Their reliance on gestures and body language for communication means that certain behaviors may be misconstrued as agitation when they are actually attempts at communication. The translation of English to sign language can cause confusion and

fragmentation for mental health professionals who are not part of the deaf community. Those who are deaf and have psychosis may exhibit disorders related to thought form or thought content.

Disorders such as flight of ideas, incoherence, and fragmentation can occur among deaf individuals. Even those who were born deaf may experience hallucinations. In the United States, cases have been documented where deaf individuals were misdiagnosed. One such case is that of Alberto Valdez, a highly intelligent deaf child who was wrongly diagnosed with mental illnesses in 1959. Despite his intelligence being recorded, he was unjustly confined to a psychiatric unit and endured abuse for thirty years.

Legislation and action by deaf advocates and legislators prompted an investigation into Alberto's case by the government. A committee was formed to assess the well-being of deaf people in mental health institutions. Eventually, Alberto experienced an impressive rehabilitation. Numerous instances have been reported in the United States where deaf individuals have been institutionalized and subjected to mistreatment by staff and administration. The primary issue stems from a lack of recognition of hearing disabilities.

Hospitals and mental health providers may perceive the unconventional actions of deaf individuals as signs of psychosis. The mental well-being of deaf individuals depends on language, making it crucial for mental health specialists to understand both regular and abnormal sign language and grasp their significance. A comprehensive evaluation of mental state can only be achieved through meticulous observation during assessment interviews. Consistency between emotions and behaviors can only be deduced by observing thought patterns.

The assessor should acknowledge that deaf individuals may use sign language to discuss their mental health. To

address communication challenges, family members or caregivers can assist during a medical evaluation. To overcome social obstacles in seeking mental health diagnosis, it is crucial to provide relevant information. This involves offering accessible information about mental health and different care and treatment options.

The environment for serving deaf individuals needs to be appropriate, which may include the installation of blinking fire alarms, visual alerts, paging systems, and remote door entry systems as aids for the deaf. Access to health-related information should be easily available to the deaf community. Primary care organizations should incorporate health promotion programs that can help prevent mental health problems among deaf individuals. These programs should be developed in collaboration with advocacy organizations for the deaf. Professionals working with the deaf must receive adequate training and possess the necessary awareness and skills to address different communication needs.

If there is no worker specializing in the needs of deaf individuals, it is crucial to bring in a specialist worker. Moreover, qualified language professionals might be needed to handle mental health concerns among the deaf community. Deaf individuals have the right to independent advocacy in mental health services and social care. A potential solution could involve encouraging hearing impaired individuals to pursue careers in the mental health field (Mueller). This would aid in overcoming communication and language barriers frequently encountered by deaf individuals during mental health examinations.

Effort and research are essential in overcoming language barriers that impede communication. Recent studies show a higher occurrence of mental illnesses among deaf individuals, which challenges societal misconceptions about mental health and deafness. The prevalent mental illness found in the deaf community is posttraumatic

stress disorder, accompanied by emotional, behavioral, and developmental disorders. Additionally, deaf people face an increased risk of self-inflicted injuries.

The United States is facing a shortage of mental health professionals who are trained to address the specific needs of deaf patients with mental illnesses. As a result, there is a high risk of misdiagnosis in the healthcare system. In addition, deaf individuals struggle to access private mental health services and find providers willing to offer translators for their treatment. The lack of communication between mental health professionals and deaf individuals further limits their access to these services. To address this issue, there is an urgent need for specialized units that can effectively cater to the needs of deaf people with mental illnesses in the United States (Mueller).

To effectively communicate with deaf patients, mental health professionals should possess sign language proficiency. This will not only alleviate challenges and difficulties encountered by deaf individuals during their recovery from mental illness, but also aid in diagnosing and strategizing their treatment. Moreover, it is imperative to gain a comprehensive comprehension and interpretation of deaf culture, language, and values.