R U O K ?

10th September is R U O K Day. Ask a person with Down syndrome:

How can we support people with Down’s syndrome to have good mental health?
Down's Syndrome Association (UK) blog, 1st September 2015

What exactly is good mental health? 

So often, discussion around mental health tends to focus on mental health conditions, rather than what constitutes good mental health. According to the World Health Organisation, mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” 

In the past, mental health conditions may have been overlooked as a result of diagnostic overshadowing (e.g.“they are behaving like that because they have Down’s syndrome” rather than a proper and thorough examination taking place. 

Poor mental health is not inevitable for people with Down’s syndrome. Many people with Down’s syndrome experience positive mental wellbeing and do not exhibit signs of poor mental health. However, there are certain factors that may make people with Down’s syndrome more susceptible to poorer mental health ...

Mental Wellness in Adults with Down Syndrome is available for loan to members from the Down Syndrome NSW library. Members can contact Jo in the library via email library@dsansw.org.au to arrange a loan. The Down Syndrome NSW library catalogue is available to view here.