Can Someone Be Mentally Challenged. Ut Not Mentally Retarded (Mentel Retardation)?
Question by darth1977malak: Can someone be mentally challenged. ut not mentally retarded (mentel retardation)?
I got inoto a debate with my friend if they were the same and i believe they are different but simular please explain to me i am a mainstreamed student with ocd, aspergers and fatal alcohol/drug abuse syndrome. I have been called mentally challenegd from everyone including my family but they. All deny me being mentally retarded/mental retardation i got my aa degree and have a job people say i am challenged but also mainstreamed and functioinable. Tbey say i am a mentally challenged functionable student
Best answer:
Answer by Peachy Perfect
“Mentally challenged” is not a technical term. So it will mean very different things to different people. I can’t tell you what it means, because there is no official definition.
“Mental retardation” is an official diagnosis (at least, until it is changed to “intellectual disability” in the upcoming handbook). It means that a person’s IQ is about 70 or below, and that they have trouble with “adaptive functioning”, like self care skills, health skills, safety skills, etc.
Answer by J-Dawn
Like the other person said, “mentally challenged” is hard to define and is defined differently by different people.
OCD is considered a psychological disorder. It can cause difficulty achieving tasks because of the things OCD causes you to do.
Aspergers is a spectrum disorder, but it is generally associated with high intellectual function. Most people with aspergers that I know either perform at grade level or higher academically. The problem comes from the social implications of aspergers as it generally affects the social part–not picking up on body language or social cues, etc.
Fetal (not fatal, which means it’s going to kill you) alcohol syndrome can affect a person in so many different ways it’s difficult to define. In a way, it’s a spectrum as well. Not every child with FAS is going to be affected the same way.
I’d say what they mean by mentally challenged (which I generally connect with acadamic functioning) is actually socially challenged.
But since you’re obviously high functioning, I’d say don’t worry about it. Live your life and don’t let labels get in the way.