Psychological disabilities
Psychological disabilities affect how people think and act, making it hard for them to take part in activities. These disabilities often come and go, change over time and are not easy to see. They are also often left out of talks about accessibility.
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders cause strong, ongoing fear or worry that gets in the way of daily life. They can make new, hard or important digital tasks much harder to do.
Example
Someone with strong social anxiety might not be able to do a task that needs live talking or phone calls. Providing options like texting or delayed replies makes things easier. It allows someone to avoid directly stating they have social anxiety.
Key point
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problems in the world. Design choices that cause uncertainty, unclear ways to fix mistakes, or very important actions that cannot be undone affect people with anxiety more than others.
Mood disorders
Mood disorders, like depression and bipolar disorder, affect a person’s motivation, energy, focus and ability to keep working on tasks for a long time.
Example
During a depressive episode, a person might struggle to finish tasks that have many steps. They may also find it hard to remember information between sessions or to understand difficult text. Saving progress, making things easier to think about, and letting tasks be started again easily all help.
Key point
Mood disorders happen in episodes, so a person’s ability to function changes. A plan that helps them when they feel well might not work when they are having an episode. Showing information step-by-step and making tasks easy help keep access reliable.
Psychotic disorders
Psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia, can change how a person sees and thinks. They can make it hard to tell what is real and what is not, which can make it difficult to handle tricky or confusing situations.
Example
A person in a psychotic episode may misinterpret unclear interface messages. They may find it tough to spot key information or follow step-by-step instructions. Using clear, simple language and easy-to-use interfaces helps reduce confusion.
Key point
Psychotic disorders are some of the most misunderstood disabilities. People often overlook this when discussing accessibility. The ideas that support individuals with intellectual disabilities and dementia also benefit those with psychotic disorders.