Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Disorders

What is dual diagnosis?

Having an intellectual/developmental disability and a mental disorder.

How much more prevalent is mental illness in people with DD?

Approximately 2-4 times more prevalent that in people without DD.

What is diagnostic overshadowing?

When a developmental disability takes precedence over a psychiatric condition.

What is intellectual distortion?

Concrete thinking and communication deficits that make diagnosis difficult.

What is psychosocial masking?

When cognitive impairment, limited experience, and social skills affect symptom presentation.

What are hallucinations?

Seeing, hearing, feeling, or smelling things that aren’t there.

What are delusions?

Believing things/thoughts that are not true.

What are unusual speech patterns?

Speech that makes little sense, unrelated words, or repeating words.

What is a common sign of depression?

Depressed mood, irritability, or decreased interest in activities.

What does decreased interest in activities look like?

Refusing preferred activities, avoiding others, and showing little enjoyment.

What eating changes may occur with depression?

Excessive eating, food obsession, stealing food, or refusing meals.

What sleep changes may occur with depression?

Sleeping too much or too little, frequent naps, or nighttime waking.

What is fatigue or loss of energy?

Appearing tired, avoiding physical effort, and spending more time sitting or lying down.

What are feelings of worthlessness or guilt?

Negative self-statements, inappropriate self-blame, and expecting punishment.

What is mania?

A state involving usually elevated mood and increased activity.

What does a high mood look like during mania?

Excessive laughing, singing, silliness, or inappropriate excitement.

What is exaggerated self-importanance?

Making unrealistic claims about abilities, status, or relationships.

What is decreased need for sleep?

Sleeping very little without feeling tired the next day.

What is pressured speech?

Talking excessively, interrupting, and asking repeated questions.

What are racing thoughts?

Rapidly jumping from one topic to another.

What is distractibility during mania?

Difficulty staying focused and finishing tasks because of distractions.

What does ‘driven by a motor’ mean?

Being unusually active, constantly moving, and rarely sitting down.

What is excessive involvement in pleasurable activities?

I(ncreased risky or pleasureable activities, such as overspending or binge eating.

What does BPD stand for?

Borderline Personality Disorder

What is a common fear associated with BPD?

Fear of being alone or abandoned?

What is a ‘love-hate relationship’ in BPD?

Rapidly shifting between administration and anger toward someone.

What is splitting in BPD?

people against each other by viewing one person as good and another as bad.

How should staff respond to someone with BPD?

Be consistent, empathetic but firm, maintain boundaries, and stay professional.

What does ‘don’t think, just do’ mean in BPD?

Acting impulsively without thinking through consequesnces.

What are other symptoms of BPD?

Severe mood swings, emptiness, anger, and suspicious thoughts under stress.

What does PTSD stand for?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

What can cause PTSD?

Experiencing or witnessing a traumatic disorder involving perceived danger.

What a flashbacks?

Unwanted intrusive memories or thoughts about a traumatic event.

What are PTSD reminders?

Places, people, sounds, or smells that trigger fearful reactions.

What is persistent avoidance in PTSD?

Avoiding reminders of a traumatic event.

What is increased arousal in PTSD?

Being unusually alert, irritable, angry, or sensitive to surroundings.

What are signs of irritability in PTSD?

Excessive anger, outbursts, intolerance of noise, and accusations.

What are concentration problems in PTSD?

Forgetfulness, misplacing belongings, and difficulty focusing.

What sleep disturbances occur with PTSD?

Trouble falling asleep, waking during the night, or waking early.

What is hypervigilance?

Extreme sensitivity to surroundings and constantly scanning the environment.