Disability and mental health awareness and how to support

 My name is Sara Jane Gorman, I am a Visiting lecturer of learning disability and mental health awareness for the Success group, Learning Disability team, and the University of Wolverhampton. I was born with Autism, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Epilepsy, Anxiety, and Depression. I’m nearly fifty – three-year-old. Back when I was born and in my childhood years, there was very little or no awareness support for what I was facing. You were classed as slow and not very bright. Therefore, very little or no, diagnosis and support, most other than family support, which has not changed in my case as my mother is more used to depending on the family such support as social workers, support workers, and carers, which some ways make it hard for me and other ways not. Dyspraxia is a hidden physical learning difficulty. Social care and support guide - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

What different types of disability support are available? | MAX (maxsolutions.com.au) List of Disabilities | A - Z of Disability and Diseases (ableize.com)

Dyscalculia is pretty similar to Dyslexia, Dyscalculia is classed as a maths and numbers learning difficulty, Dyslexia is classed as  words, letters, and sentences learning difficulty. What is Dyscalculia? - The Dyslexia Association - The Dyslexia Association

How do we cope with this? In my case a very small amount of family support. I do not get profession support such as social workers, support workers, and carers, due to the fact in my mother’s view too many people are involved in my support. In my view, I wouldn’t want and need someone around every day but for the amount of support I get isn’t enough. My Aunty friend cleans my flat once a month, makes my bed, and cuts my nails, which pay her for, but she does two hours, but she’s doesn’t work in the support, social, or carers field, she’s a cleaner. My home support is mostly needed for my Dyspraxia.

There was no awareness when I was a baby, small child, and teenager, I was born in the last year of the sixties. My Mum was a single parent, which was very rare back then plus she was a very young Mum supported by going to work and her own family support her in looking after me. There were no or very few disabilities and mental health services around.

First of all, diagnosing what a person is facing is important, whether it is  learning disabilities, mental health, learning difficulties, special needs, etc.

Secondly, once we know what the person is facing, getting the right support for them is important.  If you are on Facebook, you are welcome to join my disability and mental health groups if you wish. ACCESS ALL AREAS NOW, DISABILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH TALK  and DISABILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.