Comments on: Invisible Disability Stigma

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 06:43:48 +0000

My disabilty makes me slow. I took classes in manicuring and the instructor yelled at me all the time for being too slow. She thought I wasn’t trying to be quicker. And when I did’n't pick up on things like the others she thought I wasn’t trying either. I have dysgrapha and I have hard to read handwriting unless I am writing very slow and she thought I was being sloppy out of laziness.

If I wasn’t trying..I wouldn’t have been there in the first place. I would have been at home collecting my SSI and not making the attempt. At any rate that is what I ended up going back to doing. I received abuse by clients too.

I think my disablity is WAY worse cause of intolerant reactions from persons who just don’t get it and don’t want to. I think persons like to be judgemental.

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 23:05:07 +0000

I have asperger’s, the worst for me is in work when I can’t take part in group activities or role play. I get work mates making comments about it not being fair that they have to do these things when I don’t, or think I’m shy so should just get over it and stop being so pathetic. Management or training staff get frustrated and even abusive as they don’t understand why I’m being so awkward. It’s difficult to explain that it isn’t being shy or awkward, it’s something that I don’t understand how to do.

Being an aspie in a work environment is hard enough, but add this sort of situation to it and it makes people all the more agressive, abusive or plain anti-social towards you.

By: oosichi

oosichi — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:51:11 +0000

I went to the bar and cafe where my wife works a while back,just stopped in for a few minutes.People lit cigarettes ,which I desperately NEED to avoid, so I moved to the other side of the room, and tried to stay in conversation.One of them, I have known for years,(who has copd and liver problems yet drinks and smokes at the bar most of most days-so it was also a defensive remark I know)turned and told me ,across the room ,that there is nothing wrong with me except I need to lose weight.He later apologized, but it still hurt and does effect me. I take meds, such as prednisone, that cause weight gain themselves, on top of the lack of exercise etc. Last time I tried to exercise too much I ended up in the hospital, and he knows it.
Anyway, I am certain we all have these things happen, the point is even people who know some facts still doubt them . They overlook it in favor of strong misconceptions they have learned over a lifetime. I get really tired of being at home alone, though maybe going into town for appointments and stuff,but I need social interaction too.Same kinds of things happen when I go visit people too.
I am learning to deal with the comments but I have not yet found how to not feel so isolated.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:46:11 +0000

Great information. As a person coping with traumatic brain injury and the mother of a child with a disability I see this all the time. It is so sad to see that there are so many people lacking the compassion it would take to allow persons with disabilities to thrive in this world. Hopefully in time websites and articles like yours will be able to change this attitude.

By: yunyi2009

yunyi2009 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:47:29 +0000

Very well said. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I am a longterm chronic fatigue syndrome sufferer. I don’t think my condition is as severe as ID but, so many times for years I could not even take care of myself. And Doctor didn’t take me as a patient, just because they could not find out what’s wrong with me. Friends? most of they are just tired of me and assumed that I was tired of life.
People need to be educated. Your messages are certain lessons for them!