Pages: 1 2  Next -- Posted by Just Waiting Here at 10:30 pm on July 14, 2008 I was just curious.  How many people here have seen someone who is mentally disabled. How many of you have spoken to someone who is mentally disabled, or spent any kind of time with them to get a chance to know them? And how many of you are afraid of those who are mentally disabled?  If yes, why? Yes, yes, and no, are my answers. -- Posted by quittinglamejob at 10:31 pm on July 14, 2008 yes yes no I used to coach some, taught them how to wheelchair fence. -- Posted by into the anarchy at 10:31 pm on July 14, 2008 yes. yes. no. -- Posted by RockerTori106 at 10:31 pm on July 14, 2008 My cousin is mentally disabled. -- Posted by gentle sadness at 10:32 pm on July 14, 2008 One you!And no, I'm not afraid of you -- Posted by Gabriel Gray at 10:32 pm on July 14, 2008 Back in high school I had a couple of mentally disabled friends. They were fun to hang with. -- Posted by July at 10:32 pm on July 14, 2008 My friends little sister is mentally disabled. Shes really nice, and no, I'm not afraid of her. Not even when she throws remotes. -- Posted by ellex4xlove at 10:32 pm on July 14, 2008 There are several mentally challenged kids in my class. One of them hates me for no apparent reason, it's childish though. He's really smart. Another is a germophobe. He won't shake hands, hug, or touch anyone. He talks about his hermit crab all the time. -- Posted by Love Today at 10:34 pm on July 14, 2008 Yes. Yes. No. -- Posted by bstodge at 10:34 pm on July 14, 2008 yyn -- Posted by xidontcarex at 10:36 pm on July 14, 2008 My cousin Mikey, I don't exactly know what it is or anything, I've never been told, but he's kind of slow, mentally. But he's not really bad with it or anything, so I don't know if it qualifies for what you're talking about. But I like hanging out with him and everything, he's a cool kid. He's the one I told you was kind of into the same stuff as you. There's no reason to be afraid of someone who's mentally disabled in general. They're people just the same, why be afraid? -- Posted by youatemypeanut at 10:39 pm on July 14, 2008 My sister is mentally disabled. She is Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum and is diagnosed on the severe end of the Autism Spectrum. So, I've been around many mentally disabled. They are the sweetest people I've ever met. -- Posted by Just Waiting Here at 10:41 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from xidontcarex at 10:36 pm on July 14, 2008 My cousin Mikey, I don't exactly know what it is or anything, I've never been told, but he's kind of slow, mentally. But he's not really bad with it or anything, so I don't know if it qualifies for what you're talking about.   But I like hanging out with him and everything, he's a cool kid. He's the one I told you was kind of into the same stuff as you.   There's no reason to be afraid of someone who's mentally disabled in general. They're people just the same, why be afraid? Many people don't exactly know how to act.  Some people who are severely mentally disabled can scream for no reason, they can also attack for no reason.  Otherwise, they can't speak properly, and many people view them as different, or give stranges looks in public. My initial post was more aimed to those who suffer from mental retardation, or something similar.  Those with such things are down syndrome, or some other genetic problems leading to a misfunction with the brain. -- Posted by sourpatch831 at 10:44 pm on July 14, 2008 yes, yes, nope -- Posted by xidontcarex at 10:49 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from Just Waiting Here at 10:41 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from xidontcarex at 10:36 pm on July 14, 2008 My cousin Mikey, I don't exactly know what it is or anything, I've never been told, but he's kind of slow, mentally. But he's not really bad with it or anything, so I don't know if it qualifies for what you're talking about.  But I like hanging out with him and everything, he's a cool kid. He's the one I told you was kind of into the same stuff as you.  There's no reason to be afraid of someone who's mentally disabled in general. They're people just the same, why be afraid? Many people don't exactly know how to act. Some people who are severely mentally disabled can scream for no reason, they can also attack for no reason. Otherwise, they can't speak properly, and many people view them as different, or give stranges looks in public. My initial post was more aimed to those who suffer from mental retardation, or something similar. Those with such things are down syndrome, or some other genetic problems leading to a misfunction with the brain. That's what I figured you meant. Sorry. -- Posted by Just Waiting Here at 10:54 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from xidontcarex at 10:49 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from Just Waiting Here at 10:41 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from xidontcarex at 10:36 pm on July 14, 2008 My cousin Mikey, I don't exactly know what it is or anything, I've never been told, but he's kind of slow, mentally. But he's not really bad with it or anything, so I don't know if it qualifies for what you're talking about.       But I like hanging out with him and everything, he's a cool kid. He's the one I told you was kind of into the same stuff as you.       There's no reason to be afraid of someone who's mentally disabled in general. They're people just the same, why be afraid?    Many people don't exactly know how to act.  Some people who are severely mentally disabled can scream for no reason, they can also attack for no reason.  Otherwise, they can't speak properly, and many people view them as different, or give stranges looks in public.    My initial post was more aimed to those who suffer from mental retardation, or something similar.  Those with such things are down syndrome, or some other genetic problems leading to a misfunction with the brain. That's what I figured you meant. Sorry. Nah, no need to apologize.  Many people also act differently around those with more minor mental disabilities.  It's weird for me to think of these people as different from myself... but sometimes it's disgusting to see the way staff act, because you can see that there's a clear difference between how they would treat someone 'normal', and how they treat someone disabled... -- Posted by xidontcarex at 11:05 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from Just Waiting Here at 10:54 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from xidontcarex at 10:49 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from Just Waiting Here at 10:41 pm on July 14, 2008 Quote: from xidontcarex at 10:36 pm on July 14, 2008 My cousin Mikey, I don't exactly know what it is or anything, I've never been told, but he's kind of slow, mentally. But he's not really bad with it or anything, so I don't know if it qualifies for what you're talking about.   But I like hanging out with him and everything, he's a cool kid. He's the one I told you was kind of into the same stuff as you.   There's no reason to be afraid of someone who's mentally disabled in general. They're people just the same, why be afraid?   Many people don't exactly know how to act. Some people who are severely mentally disabled can scream for no reason, they can also attack for no reason. Otherwise, they can't speak properly, and many people view them as different, or give stranges looks in public.   My initial post was more aimed to those who suffer from mental retardation, or something similar. Those with such things are down syndrome, or some other genetic problems leading to a misfunction with the brain.    That's what I figured you meant. Sorry. Nah, no need to apologize. Many people also act differently around those with more minor mental disabilities. It's weird for me to think of these people as different from myself... but sometimes it's disgusting to see the way staff act, because you can see that there's a clear difference between how they would treat someone 'normal', and how they treat someone disabled... Oh my god, are you kidding? See I couldn't deal with that at all. I mean, it's not right to treat somebody different anyways, but especially if they can't help it. And it just makes them seem like total fakes. God I hate that. -- Posted by doremi at 6:19 am on July 15, 2008 My answer is yes yes no -- Posted by Arguia at 8:22 am on July 15, 2008 Yes, yes and no. I know a lot of people who are mentally disabled and I spend a lot of time around these people. -- Posted by BlueCloud at 9:57 am on July 15, 2008 Yes, no, no. Years ago when I went to ballet lessons there was a girl with down's syndrome. I didn't dislike her or anything, we just never spoke. My second answer is only no because I don't particularly enjoy getting to know anyone, disabled or otherwise. I only properly know my closest friends. -- Posted by iconoclast at 7:09 am on July 16, 2008 mentally disabled is too much of a gray area. depends what you meant; actually retarded, or what ive spoken to some before, they can be difficult, but only briefly when i was very young -- Posted by The Samsoniteman at 8:35 am on July 16, 2008 I work with people with learning disabilities. Met maybe 50 or 60 individuals with varying degrees of disability. I'm sometimes nervous around one or two who can be difficult, but only when they are being difficult. If a 6 foot guy is trying to kick you in the balls and spit in your face it can be quite a challenge. -- Posted by Arguia at 8:39 am on July 16, 2008 Quote: from The Samsoniteman at 4:35 pm on July 16, 2008 I work with people with learning disabilities. Met maybe 50 or 60 individuals with varying degrees of disability. I'm sometimes nervous around one or two who can be difficult, but only when they are being difficult. If a 6 foot guy is trying to kick you in the balls and spit in your face it can be quite a challenge. I have to agree with that... I am nervous around some of the people I work with (one in particular) as they can get quite violent. (Obviously I don't have the balls problem. ;)) -- Posted by Dexter Ward at 9:09 am on July 16, 2008 Does asperger's count as a mental disability? -- Posted by iconoclast at 11:26 am on July 16, 2008 Quote: from HarrySunderland at 12:09 pm on July 16, 2008 Does asperger's count as a mental disability? not really, imo -- Posted by Just Waiting Here at 11:29 am on July 16, 2008 Quote: from prisoner of hss at 7:09 am on July 16, 2008 mentally disabled is too much of a gray area. depends what you meant; actually retarded, or what ive spoken to some before, they can be difficult, but only briefly when i was very young My original intent was to target those with more serious cases of mental retardation.  But overall, I'm just interested in knowing people's reactions to anyone that may be slightly 'different', who are really just human and hve no reason to be feared or treated differently other than what their needs require them to have. -- Posted by iconoclast at 11:32 am on July 16, 2008 slightly different no mentally retarded people can be tough to deal with though -- Posted by Just Waiting Here at 11:51 am on July 16, 2008 Quote: from prisoner of hss at 11:32 am on July 16, 2008 slightly different no mentally retarded people can be tough to deal with though Yes, a very large difference, and I recognize that.  But I also don't like making similar posts within the same span of time.  I'll most likely make another one asking about severly mentally retarded individuals with similar questions.  It should be interesting to see if answers vary. -- Posted by seiya5000 at 4:50 pm on July 16, 2008 Sadly, last school year, in the 2nd semester, I had to be in an entire clas of kids with Aspergers. I hated them all. It was like hell! One of them thought I was his friend until I told him that I wasn't. Although I tried by saying it in the nicest way. But.....UGH!!! One was a tottal SPAZ, one person hardly EVER shaved, I think most of them had really bad hygein (The room smelt so bad!!), and everything in the stupid-ass class I already knew! And what was really stupid, the class had 3 teachers!  One of them(He was in that room on Tuesdays and Thursdays), at the begining of the class, did this stupid circle of desks thing and asked us "How are you this moring?" and MY GOD, it was annoying(Both the teacher and the circle thing)! -- Posted by Dexter Ward at 8:28 pm on July 16, 2008 Quote: from seiya5000 at 4:50 pm on July 16, 2008 Sadly, last school year, in the 2nd semester, I had to be in an entire clas of kids with Aspergers. I hated them all. It was like hell! One of them thought I was his friend until I told him that I wasn't. Although I tried by saying it in the nicest way. But.....UGH!!! One was a tottal SPAZ, one person hardly EVER shaved, I think most of them had really bad hygein (The room smelt so bad!!), and everything in the stupid-ass class I already knew! And what was really stupid, the class had 3 teachers!  One of them(He was in that room on Tuesdays and Thursdays), at the begining of the class, did this stupid circle of desks thing and asked us "How are you this moring?" and MY GOD, it was annoying(Both the teacher and the circle thing)! Wow that would drive me crazy, what class was it? Edit, to answer the OP's question I used to work with my mom for a "personal care home for the mentally retarded".  So yeah I worked with them and somewhat got to know them, honestly they don't (mentally disabled people in general). Pages: 1 2  Next