Assisting People Who Have Mental Illness

According to the World Health Organization, 4 of the 10 leading causes of disability of people age 5 and older are mental disorders. (Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General.) Since the early 1900’s, illnesses of the body once shrouded in fear — such as cancer, epilepsy, and HIVAIDS — are seen as treatable, survivable, even curable. However, mental illnesses still evoke fear and misunderstanding in many people.

Having a mental illness can create an inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory or health factors. Some mental illnesses can generate erratic behavior. Reacting in a negative manner or punishing the person for behaviors that they may not be able to control does not assist an individual gain control over their behavior. However, incidents when patrons behave in a confrontational or otherwise difficult manner will be very rare.

Remember These Basic Tips:

• Speak slowly and distinctly. Support what you are saying with non-verbal expressions (i.e., smile, positive body language).
• Listen in a supportive way by keeping good eye contact and maintaining a relaxed body posture.
• Help the person feel comfortable. Maintain a pleasant voice and facial expression.
• Explain the rules and procedures and follow them gently but firmly.
• Keep alert to body language and gestures. These can replace speech if the individual is experiencing difficulty conveying information with words. Don’t insist that an individual verbally respond to you.
• Consider moving to an area with fewer distractions allowing for more direct, focused contact.
• Think ahead. Plan your response to a situation if a patron creates a disturbance in the audience.
• If the person appears to be in crisis or is exhibiting behavior you do not understand, ask them if there is some way you can assist them. Do not automatically assume they are dangerous or call 911.

When conducting a tour that includes people who have mental illness remember:

• Provide patrons tour materials, information and tour route ahead of time, or at the beginning of the tour, so they will know what to expect. Sometimes people with mental illness feel uncomfortable in new environments where people and activities are unfamiliar.
• If someone in your tour behaves inappropriately or becomes disruptive, address this issue immediately. Ask for the assistance from another volunteer, attendant, companion or teacher.
• Select well-organized, uncluttered exhibits. Persons with mental illness can be easily confused by an overload of visual, auditory or tactile stimulation.
• Include tactile or touchable items and experiential activities, if allowed, with conversation focused only on the item being described before moving on to new information.
• Identify quiet places around your museum where the person can have a quiet moment away from auditory and visual stimulation and distraction.
• Do not worry if a patron with a mental illness does not understand every aspect of your tour or exhibit. This is no different than any other patron.
  

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