I am more mentally and emotionally disabled than I am physically, but to look at me you'd struggle to understand why. I experience more challenges with my mental and emotional health than with my physical abilities, but it is difficult to see than just by looking at me. The mental and emotional part of my disability although it didn't fall under the radar completely was ignored, so nothing was ever done to give me the help I needed. So, not every disability is visible, but we must all be included.

When you continue to live with an invisible disability it's challenging, especially when others fail to acknowledge any of what you deal with. For many who don't know you personally, since the disability may not be immediately apparent, it can be harder for them to grasp the full complexity of what you deal with. It's the lack of visibility that leads to misunderstandings and unfair judgments.

Encountering Disability Challenges

Many individuals with invisible disabilities, such as chronic illnesses, mental health conditions, or neurological disorders encounter similar struggles. Others may rely on visible cues to understand your abilities or needs, and when those cues are absent or ignored, it can leave you feeling isolated, misunderstood, or unfairly judged – skepticism or an outright dismissal of a person's disability challenges, is not uncommon.

Being used as a scapegoat

When your non-visible disability is used as a scapegoat, whether in social settings or the workplace, it can be especially damaging. It suggests that your struggles are being minimised or completely disregarded, invalidating your experiences and adding to what you already feel.

Given my experiences – and navigating all of these challenges – I like many are dealing with the physical and emotional consequences of living in a world where we are ultimately playing catch up in what is an able-bodied world and where disability is of little importance.