[Augustine23603]

I apologize in advance in case this question is crude or insensitive. It's not meant that way. Simply put, how aware are mentally retarded people of their situation? Do they realize that there are some things that are just 'beyond them,' much as I recognize my own ignorance of, for instance, trigonometry or Sanskrit? And are they troubled by it? I once knew a dear young man who was severely disabled with Down Syndrome, but he was one of the happiest and sociable people I've ever met, a joy to know. I don't think he perceived himself as 'missing out on anything.'

User Detail :  

Name : Augustine23603, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 39, City : Columbia, State : SC Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jacqueline-C21006]

There's a difference between being aware of your disability and being unhappy about it or feeling you are missing out on things. Just like a person in a wheelchair is that they can't walk, most people with mental disabilities are aware of their limits as well. There are many different types and degrees of mental disability, ranging from mild learning difficulties to severe mental retardation. Just like 'normal' people, the happiness of people with mental disabilities depends largely on their environment and the type of love, support and encouragement they receive from their family members and larger community. One of the kids in a family I grew up with is mentally retarded. Emotionally and mentally he is about 12 and will probably not develop beyond that. He has his share of frustrations, but is basically a happy person. He lives with his sister and her family, and she helps him with the things he can't do for himself. One phrase that describes people with mental disabilities well is that they understand a lot more than they can articulate.

User Detail :  

Name : Jacqueline-C21006, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 26, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[RobinW]

It depends on the individual, and the severity of the retardation. I used to teach the 'mentally challenged,' and there is a huge range there. A few of my kids were operating at a level where they could not be toilet trained, could not speak, could not feed themselves. I couldn't ask them, but I think that all they knew was that they were loved. On the other hand, one of my students was just retarded enough to take advantage of it. Whenever I asked him to do something he didn't feel like doing, he would look at me and say, 'I can't do that! I'm retarded!!'

User Detail :  

Name : RobinW, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 46, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Patrick-Wood19917]

If the only problem with mentally retarded individuals is the inability to articulate ideas, then there are a lot more mentally retarted people in society than would be statistically evident. To be 'aware' of a problem is different than 'understanding' the problem. I think you are confusing the two terms. To be aware of a problems refers to a person's perception; whereas to understand a problem, refers to a person's cognitive ability. Someone who is mentally retarded is thought to have cognitive limitations. While the person , to which you allude, may not develop emotionally or mentally in a cognitive capacity past 12 years old, he may be aware of his surroundings. What I find most important in your response is the last sentence. You say they 'understand a lot more than they can articulate'. If they cannot articulate their thoughts, how can you tell whether they understand? I would honestly like to know. Is it from their behavior. Do you 'sense' that they know and understand more than they can articulate. If so, could you not say that these mentally handicap individuals are articulating their knowledge through subtle emotions rather than verbal language.

User Detail :  

Name : Patrick-Wood19917, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Nietzschean, Age : 19, City : Toronto, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Research Assistant/Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Patrick-W19893]

I don't understand what you meant by the last sentence. They understand a lot more than they can articulate? Assuming that were true, how would you know? Remember: you just said they could not articulate their ideas or knowledge. Do you have telepathy? You might say that you can pick up on their emotions or their gestures, but if that's the case, isn't body language another form of articulation? I don't mean to offend, I just don't understand.

User Detail :  

Name : Patrick-W19893, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 19, City : Toronto, Ontario, State : NA Country : Canada, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Author]

Posts