Hidden Disabilities Time To Fight Back

tomstickland

fedupconsumer wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone has a hidden disability on the forum ?
I'm personally fed up to the high teeth of peoples ignorance and the government are doing little to address these issues as well .

How can someone be anything other than ignorant of a hidden disability?

upferret

Horace wrote: »

I am sorry to have caused you some offence - I was just making a comment because I have been told in numerous places that I have visited that I have to pay whereas my partner can get in free as my 'carer'. I was just wondering why this is so, that's all:rolleyes:

Hi! My partner has a hidden disability which affecxts him severly, so we know what its like! As for the disabled person having to pay, I think its so that the disabled person is treated as a "normal" person so showing no discrimination, they are made to pay. the carer is free to allow the disabled person the help they need to attend whatever it iswithout making the person pay fot the help to be there so they are given help but not treated differently to "normal" people. if this makes sense? Im not saying I agree with it, but where I used to work thats how it was explained to us.

upferret

tomstickland wrote: »

How can someone be anything other than ignorant of a hidden disability?

I think its more that people are ignorant once they know the person has a disability because its hidden. "you dont look disabled" sums it up.

blue_monkey_2

Tiannalee,

OMG, I was banned from the Post Office with my son. Apaprently he runs around too much and somone could trip over him as the shop is small - the worst bit was that I had to go on there daily to send my parcels for my business and they made me so uncomfortable going on there. I felt so angry because they told me I could not take my son in there anymore and it was the only Post Office for miles. I was so embarrassed when they told me. They said 'sorry but and is that OK' and I just stood gobsmacked and said 'yes of course, I'll leave him at home'.

luxor4t

Seems like I am getting off lightly compared to the awful treatment some posters are subjected to when they are out.

Like many I have to use my stick as otherwise I would end up on the floor ...and, oh dear, it does tend to be the older generation that shove past regardless if I am not fast enough to suit them.

I have been glared at for parking in the Disabled bays,even though I have a blue badge - nobody has ever said anything though as I am never alone in the car & DH is big and strong looking.

Unfortunately, my biggest difficulty is with a particular family member (on DH's side) who treats me like a fraud and ignores or discounts the effects of my disability.

Taffyscot

I worked in a special needs department of a library and the reasoning behind the carer being given free access to things in that town was that the disabled person might want to go and see such and such a movie or play or museum etc and that might be what they liked to go to. They needed a carer but that carer whether a partner or a paid carer/worker might not want to spend their hard earned money on Harry Potter but might like to go another night on their own to see Bond but would not be able to go if they had to spend the money to see what their charge wanted. In my case now it works out wonderfully because what my partner wants to see is what I am interested in too and so I go free yippee. There are not many things in life free so I take it with both hands.
Thanks for all your kind words about the incident in Tescos. What really bothered me was here was a very visible disability nobody could deny the intense shaking of my hubby and the tiny stumbling steps, but this woman said she worked in a hospital with freaks and sickos and fakes like us. She also said it made her sick to the teeth to work with frauds like us!!!!!!!!!!! Christ if my hubby is a fraud look out at the Oscars will you because he must be one hell of an actor and to have all the props, elbow crutches, zimmers and blue badge in the car as well. Can you imagine being under her care? I wish I could have found out what hospital she worked in I think I would have called and told them to look out for her behaviour.
Taffy

seven-day-weekend

jay11 wrote: »

I don't have a disability but just wanted to offer my support. I read the 'disability' thread, and the attitudes of a few posters, with growing outrage and disbelief. From what I've seen, mental/hidden issues/disabilities can be more debilitating than some physical disabilities. Guess it's a reminder to us all not to judge a book by its' cover.

It's a shame that judgemental idiots cause so many problems with stigma, etc. could feel sorry for them otherwise, they must miss out on knowing and loving such a rich and wide variety of the wonderful individuals in our society.

Same here, I too would like to offer support and I find the attitude on that other thread unbelievable.

My husband and son both have 'conditions' rather than disabilities, my husband claims IB. He never tells anyone this as he does not want to take the flack he knows he will get as he looks fit and healthy and what's more, we live in Spain (IB can be legitimately claimed here). According to some, even though it's legal, if you are ill enough to receive IB you are not supposed to venture out of the house.

MY adult son has mild Asperger's Syndrome and although he receives no State Benefits for this, it has caused him problems throughout his life.

So I do understand what it is like to have a hidden disability and offer my support here.

nanokitten

Taffyscot:
I think we all need to have it in our minds that what happened you in tescos was a hate crime and illegal:
you would have been fully within your rights to dial 999 and have the police deal with her. I understand your reaction to feel embarrassed but we must all try to remember that if she had been shouting racial slurs no one would have put up with it.
I guess next time you could consider pulling out your mobile and filming the incident, taking down a numberplate or the best thing, dial 999.

mcspanna: I guess you have to appreciate the irony, Most of us on this tread are being dicriminated against for not looking poorly enough, you've getting descriminated against for looking too poorly!

Tiannalee and blue monkey, this applies to you too:
I think that as long as you made it clear that it was your personal opinion and you tell the truth, you should be ok to name and shame (check with the board guide if you are worried).
I understand you get fed up complaining but let us know who the baddies are and I'm sure you'll feel better. That sort of publicity is very damaging to companies. if the companies had an objection they would have to take you to court and prove they welcomed you with open arms and gave you your carers reduction,

What happened to you all, in my opinion, qualifies as a hate crime too (a criminal act motivated by ones disability is a hate crime. The criminal act was denying the facility or service on the basis of their disability, a crime under the disability discrimination act.)

I guess once you've written one letter you can use the same template letter.
Maybe we should have a thread with template complaint letters - your building is not accessible, I was verbally abused in your carpark, you banned my child, I went up the escalator and couldn't get down.... I can think of loads already!

Poppycat

My 17 year old daughter has multi-sensory neuropathy type 1A. She has to walk with a stick and frequently falls over. She gets DLA at full rate for mobility and we have a blue badge.

We always get funny look from OAP when we park and she gets out, I cant help but feel that some OAP think they are the only ones who deserve a blue badge and that some how just because you are young you shouldn't have one. If anything its more reason to have one as she wont have a normal life

It really winds me up when disabled spaces are abused by non disabled people, I often feel like saying something but it would make matters worse and spoil my day so I let it drop. If you had my way I make any who wasn't entitled to park in a blue badge space do something useful and help disabled people for a day or to, then they can see it isnt any fun trying to have some nomality in there lives

I rarely take her to supermarket because there rarely is any spaces for her, it isnt just wheelchairs that need space she has been in one, but people who have balance issues, they need the door fully open and assistance in getting out. So has fallen on the floor many a time because she got out before someone was there for her.

mandy2008

i have mineres diesease and im ignorant to it myself and cannot begin to explaint o others when they comment "look at the state of her" when im out doors this has led to anxiety and panic attacks where i no longer go out the house, im also deaf and wear hearing aids, the mineres disease has brought on my hearing to fail dramaticly in the last 2 yrs, ive had ear infections the past 36 yrs and no ENT surgeon in the country can clear it, which is why its reached the stage of mineres disease, i feel so alone and im a young mum with 3 children tocope with on my own.
just because you cannot see the HD physicaly people assume im fit and healthy they think im lying when i say i dont feel like going anywhere or doing anything,
people will assume im just lazy but the flak of it all is as soon as i give any head movement the disease is trggard of and causes all sorts of unwanted syptoms, i feel so isolated i nolonger feel like a human being.
now its reached a stage where i can nolonger attend any ent appointments whichmeans the infection is building up and im at tisk of meningitis, brain abcesses and blood clots, just because ilookokand speak ok people do not understand the fear that im living and my children i rely on a great deal to help me through out the day, lifes not fare ijust wish to be like any other 37 yr old mum in the country fit and healthy, instead of a quivering wreck with severe anxiety/panic attacks tinitus dizzyness motion sickness,stumbling, falling, useless deaf individual that cannot watch a tv at normal volume miss out on alot of conversations and asking people to continuously repeat themself which i know they get frustrated and cant wait to get away from me, this all builds up and leaves me with a great deal of anger where ill sit and cry myself to sleep at nights instead of listening to the noises driving me insane with tinitus through out the night when everything is shut down and still.
is there anyone else out there that has the same experience as myself as i feel im the only person this seems to be happening to. please dont say im alone:(:(:(