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By Anthony Yuill - specialist rehabilitation Occupational Therapist
Introduction
As health professionals our role is to assess and treat people holistically. Yet, there is still the debate in healthcare as to what to treat first: physical disability or mental health? As Occupational Therapists we recognise that any assessment is not only the physical presentation that we see but one that also encompasses the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of our clients. With the holistic approach at the forefront of many health professions, the question should be 'Why not simultaneously treat them both?'
In 2016, the Mental Health Foundation published a document that stated more than 15 million people (30% of the UK population) have long term physical disabilities with more than 4 million of these people also developing mental health problems. There is numerous research and publications, inclusive of the Mental Health Foundation document (2016) that suggest those with physical health problems are at an increased risk of also developing mental health problems. Thus suggesting a direct link between physical disability and mental health. However, it is helpful to explore this link and understand why physical disability and mental health go hand-in-hand.