Communication with people with other mental disorders

1. Persons with mental disorders

There is a wide range of various mental disorders and illnesses which affect communication. Simply thay can be sorted into the following groups:

• mood disorders (such as depression or bipolar disorder)
• anxiety disorders.
• personality disorders.
• psychotic disorders (such as schizophrenia)
• eating disorders.
• trauma-related disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder)
• substance abuse disorders.

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People with a mental disorder might exhibit a variety of unusual behaviour and communication peculiarities. Typically, they can use:

• mannered speech (very emotional, extremely loud or quiet, extremely fast or slow, sometimes accompanied by excessive gestures and facial expressions),
• exaggeration (hard to believe stories and tales),
• illogical argumentation (as a result of delusional thinking, which is impossible to refute),
• stereotypes in conversation or persistent adhering to certain topics (they refuse to give up on it; keep coming back to it; do not accept attempts to divert the course of conversation),
• unusual speech tempo (especially with the depressed patients, the communication could be very short and curt; with other disorders, it could be excessive).

Watch the video and write down some examples how you might recognize symptoms of a mental disorders in communication with a person:

2. Communication strategies with people with mental disorders

When people around have no knowledge of the illness, they consider the behaviour of the mentally ill inappropriate and react inadequately. It is vital to keep calm, not to try to refute his or her opinions and statements (however senseless they might seem), and to react in a quiet and collected way.

Tips for efficient communication with a person with mental disorder

• Be respectful to the person.
• If they are experiencing events like hallucinations, be aware that the hallucinations or the delusions they experience are their reality.
• Communicate that you understand that they experience those events, but do not pretend that you experience them as well.
• Some people (with paranoia etc.) may be frightened - be aware that they may need more space than you. Avoid casually touching the person or standing too close.
• Keep in mind that the person may be sensitive to touch, sounds, light or color
• Do not assume that they are not smart and will believe anything you tell them. Mental illness has nothing to do with a person's intelligence level.
• Listen to the person and try to understand what he/she is communicating.
• Be honest. Being dishonest can increase a person’s fears and suspicions.
• Try to get beyond any insulting language that may be directed at you.
• Respond to anger with quiet reassurance. Try not to make any sudden moves.
• Give simple instructions for what you ask the person to do. Use short, clear direct sentences.
• Be patient, since the person may tend to focus on particular objects.
• If needed, set limits with the person as you would others.
• Call for help (police, security, or colleagues) if you feel physically threatened or need help de-escalating the person.

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