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Original poster

AIBU to wonder whether some disability content rewards staying visibly unwell?

110 replies

CousinBette · 13/09/2026 15:12

TikTok has started feeding me content from young women with who are ‘ambulant wheelchair users’ mostly with Functional Neurological Disorder. They film themselves trying out new wheelchairs (often very expensive) and mobility aids, and having symptoms on camera including fainting, fitting, wobbling… AIBU to think that a lot of these women are stuck in a cycle of needing to remain symptomatic in order to generate content?

OP posts:
YouHaveAnArse · 13/09/2026 16:42

God forbid someone should be open about their conditions and the lived experience of them. Let's go back to the days when non-visible disabilities were a shameful secret.

emuloc · 13/09/2026 16:42

Why is tik tok feeding you these videos? Are they of any interest to you?

Wisefishswimpast · 13/09/2026 16:38

Putting FND and your tik tok evidence aside.

There is a concept call learned helplessness. This can be part of a co dependent situation with another person.

I have two diagnosis that are not disabilities I do not need adjustments. For one of them I was part of a FB group and the admin and main poster, who also posted elsewhere ‘lived her diagnosis’ in that it became a dominant part of her identity. I’m not sure if that’s what you mean? Just to be clear the diagnosis would not qualify for any benefits as it was a question of managing it.

Octavia64 · 13/09/2026 16:38

Yeah, it’s amazing having FND and being a wheelchair user who can’t walk.

for avoidance of doubt:

FND is the diagnosis given when someone has

functional (ie the symptoms affect their functioning)
Neurological (the symptoms are neurological eg fitting, seizures, tremor, etc)
Disorder

when other diagnoses are ruled out.

many people who also have other diagnoses (eg stroke, fractures, major trauma such as limb amputation etc) have an FND diagnosis as the accident/stroke/whateber affected their nervous system.

for example I was in an accident which shredded my right foot. Many broken bones, soft tissue damage, cut nerves etc. my diagnoses subsequent to this are peripheral neuropathy (the nerves in my foot do not work) and FND (I don’t have motor control of my foot so I can’t make it move).

most people with FND have fucking no chance of getting rid of their symptoms.

Branleuse · 13/09/2026 16:31

They're so lucky having FND. Everyone wishes they could be a wheelchair user and have chronic illness

TheresMillionsOfGeoffreys · 13/09/2026 15:31

Why do you think that "generating content" is preferable to being healthy, OP?

Or if you don't, why are you assuming that this is a common preference? I can't think of many people that it would even occur to me they would enjoy "generating content" so much they'd trade their health for it.

fumingrightnow1 · 13/09/2026 15:30

Do you understand what chronic illness means?

RobertaFirmino · 13/09/2026 15:18

I feel sure ALL of these women would never look at social media ever again if it meant they could enjoy good health.

ChopSueyCharcuterieBoard · 13/09/2026 15:14

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MissCharlotteLutterell · 13/09/2026 15:14

If they have FND they won't have the option of not being symptomatic. It's a nasty thing with no cure.

Are you really suggesting anyone would keep their symptoms of FND just to have a fancy wheelchair? Are you actually a human with any feelings at all?