March is national developmental disabilities awareness month. This month we can advocate for this population by improving our understanding and interactions.

A developmental disability is a “severe and chronic disability that begins any time from birth-age 21 and is expected to last for a lifetime.” These disabilities can be based cognitively, physically, or both. Individuals who are affected by developmental disabilities may have challenges with their communication, mobility, and ability to care for themselves independently. Stark County Developmental Disabilities Board approximates that there are about four million Americans who have developmental disabilities.

As referenced in the DSM-5, these diagnoses include: Intellectual Disabilities, Communication Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Specific Learning Disorder, Motor Disorders. Physical conditions include: Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, and Down Syndrome and many others.

Individuals with developmental disabilities were not always advocated for. Prior to the 19th century, these individuals were treated unfairly and placed in poor and unhygienic environments. Advocates and reformers began to fight for the rights of individuals and work to understand treatment methods. Unfortunately, this led to the institutionalization of many which segregated this population from others. In 1987, after a fight to deinstitutionalize, Ronald Reagan declared March the month for National Developmental Disabilities Awareness.

Are you wondering how you can be an advocate, increase your support, or become more knowledgeable about this population? There are many ways we can all work to increase awareness:

• Volunteer in your community
• Adopt a “People first language.” This involves putting a person first instead of their disability. Affirmative phrases are also great ways to be people first. An example would be “person who is blind” rather than “she’s blind.”
• Avoid words such as: unfortunate, afflicted, victim, dumb, defective, not normal, the disabled, the handicap.
• Utilize common sense when interacting with others. Aka-treat others the way you would like to be treated
• If you don’t know what to do, ASK. We each know ourselves best and sometimes it is hard to know what to call someone or to know what they need. When in doubt, utilize compassionate language to ask an individual their preferences.

National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Every year about two million Americans engage in self-harming behavior. Self-harm is the purpose of harming oneself including behaviors of skin carving, self-medicating, and abnormal scratching. Individuals who engage in self-harm are three-and-a-half times more likely to attempt suicide. It is important to recognize the warning signs of those who are self-harming. These can include isolating behaviors, feelings of hopelessness, lack of self-care, and changes in normal activity or communication. Individuals who have these behaviors can be experiencing depression, anxiety, challenging environments, and many other circumstances.

National Today, reports there are 5 important aspects to know about self-harm:

1. It’s not an accident- it is purposeful and for a reason
2. It’s not about getting attention- Individuals who engage in this behavior are going through significant emotional distress which can be a very private experience. Therefore, the behavior is not typically displayed in a public manner.
3. Anyone can do it-This behavior is not limited to any one population. Anyone who experiences significant distress in their lives is at risk.
4. It’s more mental than physical- The psychology behind self-harm frequently stems from releasing tension to obtain more control and feeling in one’s life.
5. It’s not necessarily about suicide-Although suicide is closely associated with self-harm, self-harm can be a standalone behavior unrelated to suicidal ideation or intent.

Are you wondering how you can be an advocate, increase your support, or become more knowledgeable about this population? There are many ways we can all work to increase awareness, such as, but not limited to:

• Wear an orange ribbon, a butterfly on your wrist, or a beaded bracelet to encourage awareness (orange represents hope for a misread problem)
• Simple acts of kindness can go a long way. They let someone know they are loved are cared for.

World Bipolar Day
(March 30th)

World Bipolar Day is an opportunity to advocate and support those who have been diagnosed or those who know someone with a bipolar disorder. It is also an opportunity to end the social stigma for this population of people who have historically been outcasted.

The DSM-5 has multiple diagnoses that define Bipolarity including Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and Cyclothymic. Bipolar I disorder criteria require an individual to have at least one manic and one depressive episode in their life. Bipolar II disorder requires a depressive episode and a hypomanic episode. Cyclothmic disorder is reserved for those who experience hypomania and depressive episodes for two years without meeting other diagnostic criteria. Mania is typically defined as increases in energy, activity, and risk-taking behaviors whereas depression includes periods of feeling down and a lack of energy. Hypomanic episodes are mild to moderate and only last about 4 days whereas manic episodes can last for a week or longer and are clarified as severe.

Did you know that World Bipolar Day is celebrated on the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh, who was suspected to have had a bipolar disorder? Vincent Van Gogh was a very accomplished artist in the mid 1800s. His legacy highlights how those with Bipolar disorders can contribute to this world in positive ways.

Common treatment approaches include CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness. A combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmaceuticals has also been reported to be beneficial.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the universal crisis hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Other resources for Bipolar related disorders include:

• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• DBSA support groups (The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
• Follow this link for more specific and regional resources Resources – International Bipolar Foundation

Citations:

1. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. (2017). American Psychiatric Association.
2. About developmental disabilities. About Developmental Disabilities | Stark DD (2021) Retrieved February 8, 2022, from  http://starkdd.org/community/about-dev-diabilities/
3. History of national developmental disabilities awareness month. (2017-2022). NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AWARENESS MONTH -March 2022 – National Today. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from http://nationaltoday.com/national-developmental-disabilities-awareness-month/
4. Person first and identify first language. (n.d.). AskEARN | Person First and Identity First Language Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://askearn.org/page/people-first-language#:~:text=Below%20are%20just%20a%20few%20examples%20of%20the,Deaf%20and%20dumb%20%2011%20more%20rows%20
5. Self-injury Awareness Day-March 1, 2022. (2017-2022). SELF-INJURY AWARENESS DAY – March 1, 2022 – National Today Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://nationaltoday.com/self-injury-awareness-day/
6. World Bipolar Day-Strength for today, hope for tomorrow. (n.d.). About WBD – World Bipolar Day Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://www.worldbipolarday.org/about-wbd.html
7. International Bipolar Foundation (n.d.).  Bipolar FAQs – International Bipolar Foundation (ibpf.org). Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://ibpf.org/learn/education/bipolar-faq/