‘Nobody wants to hear about our pain’: the emotional silencing and mental health needs of adults with visual impairments in South Africa

Abstract

Although literature indicates that disabled people tend to experience greater mental distress, they are less likely to receive mental health care than their non-disabled counterparts. In addition, research on interventions to improve the mental health of people with visual impairments is lacking. The aim of this study was to ascertain the psycho-emotional experiences and mental health needs of people with visual impairments. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven adults with visual impairments at one rehabilitation setting in South Africa in order to shed light on their psycho-emotional experiences and, in turn, their mental health needs. Participants’ experiences of being emotionally silenced demonstrated their need for empathic connection and their need to feel heard, both within and outside the rehabilitation setting. Based on these findings, recommendations are made to improve mental health interventions for people with visual impairments.