- Mental illnesses will account for 33 percent of diagnoses between 2017 and 2022
Diagnoses for ‘hidden disabilities’ such as bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and kleptomania have risen by almost two-thirds, new data shows.
Mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia account for the most cases (33 percent), followed by social and behavioral disorders (22 percent) and learning difficulties (8 percent), according to the latest government figures for the period 2017-2022.
Hidden behavioral problems include conduct disorders, in which patients engage in violence, theft and dishonesty, and oppositional defiant disorders, defined as ‘a pattern of angry, argumentative behavior or desire for revenge’.
Others include kleptomania, an inability to resist the urge to steal things from others, and pyromania, in which sufferers cannot resist setting fires.
The number of registered British citizens with some form of disability – hidden or visible – has risen by 3.9 million since 2011 to 16 million – accounting for almost a quarter of the UK population.
Mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia account for the most cases (33 percent), followed by social and behavioral disorders (22 percent) and learning disabilities (8 percent), according to the latest government figures for the period 2017 to 2022 (file image)
Disability charity Scope said an estimated 80 per cent of them have a hidden disability – equating to more than 10 million working-age Britons – while only 20 per cent of disabled people’s conditions are visible.
The research from mobility company Cool Crutches & Walking Sticks, which collected Department for Work and Pensions data and statistics from charities, found: ‘Hidden disabilities are conditions that are not immediately obvious to others. They can be physical, cognitive or mental in nature.
“Examining six years of government data, the largest increase in hidden disabilities comes from mental health diagnoses.”
The report shows that almost all disabilities diagnosed in children are hidden – with the most common types classified as social and behavioral in half of the cases, followed by mental disorders (30 percent) and learning disabilities (26 percent).
Cool Crutches & Walking Sticks CEO and co-founder Amelia Peckham said: ‘It is important to note that hidden disabilities can have a significant impact on a person’s life.
‘Personally, I live with hidden and visible circumstances and find it much more complex to navigate the hidden.
‘I believe these in turn require an equal level of resources, attention and care to effectively support and promote accessibility for all.’
Ms Peckham added: ‘Hidden conditions and disabilities can make it difficult to work, travel, learn and have relationships.
‘People with hidden disabilities are also more likely to experience bullying, victimization and other negative outcomes, so prioritizing awareness around them is crucial.’