Have you ever had a hard day due to something others couldn't easily see? Perhaps you had a bad headache and struggled to get through the day. If so, then you might be able to sympathize with those that have invisible disabilities. Nobody could see your headache, but you could feel it, and it affected you. Invisible disabilities are physical, mental, or neurological conditions that can't be perceived by looking at someone. A few common ones are diabetes, ADHD, dyslexia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia.
I have an invisible disability, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). PAH is high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. My family and friends know I have PAH, but what I don't often talk about is that I have another disability, depression.
After I was diagnosed with PAH, I attended a support group. One of the most surprising things I learned was that many attendees had multiple disabilities, just like I did. Some of the disabilities were easy to see, while others were invisible. Until it happened to me, I hadn't considered that it could be completely. normal to have more than one diagnosis.
If there is one thing I wish others could learn from my ignorance, it's that you can''t fit us in tidy boxes sorted by disability. Every person with a disability is different, and what you may see on the surface, or know from a conversation, may not be the only thing affecting them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kelly Stover
I’m Kelly, a pharmacy technician and music lover. I enjoy playing video games and ttrpgs in my spare time.