Looking after your mental health while living with a disability
Living with a disability, physical or intellectual, affects so many parts of a person’s overall wellbeing. Mental health is no exception.
In Australia, almost one in five people have a disability of some kind.
The Royal Children’s Hospital defines an intellectual disability as "a significant impairment of cognitive and adaptive functions, with age of onset before 18 years." Around three per cent of the Australian population live with an intellectual disability.
In Australia, almost one in five people have a disability of some kind.
The Royal Children’s Hospital defines an intellectual disability as "a significant impairment of cognitive and adaptive functions, with age of onset before 18 years." Around three per cent of the Australian population live with an intellectual disability.
A physical disability refers to a condition that limits bodily function in some way. It can be the result of a medical issue you were born with, or an accident/illness later in life. Here are some statistics highlighting how common physical disability is in Australia:
- Every week, five people sustain a spinal cord injury
- Every week 10–15 people sustain a severe brain injury
- Every 13 hours, a child is born with cerebral palsy
- One in six people are affected by hearing loss
- Approximately 575,000 people are blind or vision impaired
