Invisible disabilities- are disabilities that are not immediately apparent. Some people with visual or auditory disabilities who do not wear glasses or hearing aids, or discreet hearing aids, may not be obviously disabled. Some people who have vision loss may wear contacts. A sitting disability is another category of invisible impairments; sitting problems are usually caused by chronic back pain. Those with joint problems or chronic pain may not use mobility aids on some days, or at all.
Invisible disabilities can also include chronic illnesses and conditions such as renal failure, color blindness, diabetes, epilepsy, and sleep disorders if those ailments significantly impair normal activities of daily living. Other invisible disabilities include, but are not limited to, AIDS/HIV, ADHD, cancer, and autism.
Do any of the people here feel as though they are looked down upon for having a 'hidden disabilty'?
Do you have to deal with disbelief?
Do you have to hear the, 'my second cousin had that and 'x' cured him?
Do people not understand the concept of a disability that does not involve a wheelchair?
I will tell two stories, both true, both personal:
1] I have a type of depression which is caused by brain chemicals being present in the wrong amounts. I also have arthritis, fibromyalgia and oesteoporosis.
I am frequently told that I am not ill, that I should ditch the 'happy pills', 'stop doing drugs' [I only take WHAT I am prescribed and WHEN I am prescibed them] and that I am addicted to medication.
I am also often told 'my granny has that, and she can do this, that, the other'. Often these grannies perform amazing feats and are ALL described as much 'iller' than I. As though it were a competition.
2] I had a neighbour, whom we shall call O. Now I confided in O about my son's behaviours and epilepsy.
However, O was of the belief that if you could walk, or didn't have an extreme learning difficulty, then you weren't disabled.
When surgery was first mentioned as an option, I tried to explain they were thinking of removing part of his brain.
When I refused her request to run a fund raiser, she told everyone I had said he had brain cancer[she didn't understand the concept of the surgery] and that he didn't have epilepsy anyway BECAUSE she never saw a seizure!
Her extreme stupidty led to her harrassing me by phoning social services repeatly, his dr, his school and writting a poison pen letter.
Her finger prints on that were what we needed or her to be cautioned for harrasment.
Now these are EXTREME reactions to hidden disabilities, the reactions can be small through muttering that your child is a brat in the checkout queue to the dirty look you receive as you parkyour car in a disabled parking spot and walk away, seemingly fine....
Please tell your stories below....
Heather Lee Dyer
Invisible Disability
Unseen illness.
Handful of prescriptions spaced just right.
The pain is worse than usual this morning.
On the outside it doesn’t look like
There is anything wrong with me,
And then the brain fog only interrupts
My day
Every now and then.
Unseen pain.
But a few sit and judge, grumbling about “sick days”
And special lighting.
At work they do not see all I have accomplished
Even before
I arrive at my desk!
The daily struggle
To just get out of bed,
Stand in the shower… wash my hair,
Remember the first round of
Meds for the day.
Slowly with effort I get dressed.
Do I have to wear socks today?
My joints are aflame,
My muscles rebel!
But what an accomplishment!
Time for work!
Such simple tasks, but not such
A small feat for me!
Concentrate! Concentrate!
Others dream and strive for
Promotions, recognition, power.
But I,
Aspire to make the daily tasks
Look easy,
Do well at my job,
Hide the struggle within, and appear
Normal.
Unseen illness.
Lupus survivor!
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