![]() ![]() This may be out of concerns of employment discrimination, a desire to fit in and appear “normal,” or a fear of not being believed.Īnd the fear of not being believed is a big one. Some workers choose to keep their conditions a secret. One is the consideration of how and when to disclose their invisible disability. The Hidden Challenges of Invisible Disabilitiesĭue to the hidden nature of these conditions, people living with invisible disabilities grapple with a different set of challenges in the workplace than those whose disabilities are more apparent. This is the life of someone with an invisible disability. And some of her symptoms are simply not discernable from the outside, leaving others unsure of how sick she really is. She can also mask or push through her symptoms for short periods of time, knowing that she’ll pay for it later with a crash. Invisible illnesses like hers often feature a rollercoaster of good and bad days. In the following days, I would make sense of the apparent disconnect. What was happening? Was she faking it? Had she been exaggerating her symptoms? To my surprise, I got an enthusiastic hug and a cheerful greeting from-by outward appearances-a healthy, vibrant woman. From what she described in our phone conversations, I expected to be greeted by a frail, sickly person when I arrived at her door. If they’re not, she’ll experience a crash in energy that can last for days.īecause my friend and I live far from one another, I only recently saw her in person for the first time since she became a COVID long-hauler. Things most of us wouldn’t think twice about-a trip up and down the stairs, doing the dishes, cutting up vegetables for dinner-have to be carefully paced. Six months ago, my friend was a hardworking professional, passionate about her career, loving her life, and using her free time to serve her community. These symptoms, which tend to vary greatly from person to person, can last for months or years and can be debilitating. COVID long-haulers, or people with post-COVID-19 condition, have symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive problems that develop shortly after becoming ill from COVID-19. This process resulted in individuals with disabilities having to reveal their diagnosis to their peers, which they may not have been comfortable sharing due to concerns relating to privacy or fears of how they may be perceived or treated by others.A lifelong friend recently became a COVID-19 long-hauler. As a personal example, Sulit explains that when she was completing her undergraduate degree, professors would request that students with disabilities register with the Access Centre and line up at the front of the lecture hall to submit their paperwork. Registered social worker Melissa Sulit explains that there’s a difference between individuals not being given the opportunity to disclose their disability and not feeling comfortable disclosing their disability. ![]() ![]() This “ predicament of disclosure,” where an individual must weigh the risks against potential benefits, can result in people hiding their condition. Oftentimes, the individual feels misunderstood, criticized, or hopeless.ĭisclosing an invisible disability can pose a risk for employees or students, as they may face prejudice, disbelief, or negative evaluation from others. This can be demoralizing for the individual, who may be pushing through challenges to the best of their ability but is being perceived as otherwise. Trisha Cooke, case manager at Neuro-Rehab Services Inc., who assists those with disabilities on rehabilitation teams, explains that invisible disabilities can greatly impact the individual, as they are often perceived as disingenuous, lazy, or incompetent. ![]() When a disability is invisible, people must disclose their condition to receive accommodation. Obvious signs of disability can lead to poor treatment from others and benefits such as legal protection. The disability, and the suffering that goes with it, may easily go unnoticed.Īnd so, dealing with the disability may involve an ongoing struggle for acceptance and support. Invisible disabilities span a wide variety of symptoms and conditions, including chronic pain, gastrointestinal disorders, brain injuries, mental illnesses, and more. ![]()
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