To suggest the next mn campaign targets views on invisible disabilities

[BeyondIsBloodOfTheDragon]

That. I don't really have much more to say in my OP

Yet another thread here (and I consider 'mn the collective' quite clued up in general about this) moaning about people having time off work with a long term health issue. It's far from the first and I'd guess far from the last.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Everyone is entitled to an opinion is my opinion

My daughter has an 'invisible' learning disability. I'd love to see more understanding of invisible problems - but there are so many I wouldn't know where to start!

I'm not suggesting anyone isnt entitled to their opinion?

Just a little awareness raising of the lives of people who look fine from a snapshot but really arent.

Couldn't agree more dd looks 'normal', but her body is working twice as hard to do what others take for granted. Friends don't see her disability as they don't see what she has to do everyday to stay well.

I'd definitely be behind you.

Having an 'invisible illness' I'd definitely support this.

YANBU completely agree

Another invisible condition (I prefer not to say illness for myself) here and I would definitely support.

It would help a lot.

I have a neurological condition and have been really struggling for months. I've just had a biopsy so have a visible issue as you can see the wound, and people are definitely more understanding and sympathetic, even though I'm now under treatment so ironically feel much better.

But I wouldn't have the foggiest how you would raise awareness on this. Most people just assume you do not have a problem unless you tell them.

Yes i'd support this. My dad has a (for now) invisible illness that we believe will lead to disability.

I do think people need to alter their attitudes towards 'invisible disabilities'. My sister has a serious one and because of that she can never drive and so has a disabled persons bus pass. She has had comments and funny looks while using it including from the drivers themselves!

I would support this, no question. I am luckily ok now, but I struggled for a long time with an invisible illness and it opened my eyes.

I think part of it is people just forget if there's no visible reminders. I have a couple of invisible illnesses and unless I'm struggling with one and specifically mention it, even my husband tends to forget about it!

I have an invisible illness and literally the only person who ever constantly understands and shows compassion at all times is my dh. I have three friends who have a good understanding of it but have never actually seen me at my worst (because I don't leave the house when it's at it's worst) - two of them (married couple) are very compassionate and understand my limitations/ frequently ask me if I'm ok to do certain activities, and the third has a good understanding of it because his mum also suffers from the same condition. My parents are great as well. Oh, and my boss, who is a diamond and can always tell when I'm struggling. But those six still don't quite understand just how much of my life it effects all the time - they, at least, try very hard to understand.

It changes everything. Everything. And I look so bloody normal, people generally think I'm faking it, using it as an excuse - I work bloody hard to keep up appearances, keep going in the day when I'm at work or other people are there, that when I'm having an intolerable day people can be quite shitty with me and I have to remind them that I have health problems which, frustratingly, they can't believe are that bad because I try so hard to hide the extent of it. I want to say to them: I take so many pills I rattle! I genuinely worry about my future health - I feel like I'm having to choose between my health now and my health in the future. Fucking scary, I tell you.

Yet despite all this, I don't blame people for their perceptions. I believe people are fundamentally good and compassionate - but that they need to be able to understand. Hidden illnesses are hard to comprehend because there are no nice visible signs. I have a walking stick. I don't need a walking stick - in fact, the stick actually exacerbates the condition if I were to use it all the time. But I use it when I really need to because people can at least see something that makes them understand there's something wrong with me. People don't mean to be inconsiderate, I don't think. If they can be made to understand, I ink the vast majority would be very compassionate.

Tl;dr - I support this, OP.

Yes I would support this. We have a MN campaign on This Is My Child which largely deals with invisible disabilities but I think it could be expanded to encompass adults - everybody's DC with disabilities will be an adult one day and there are lots of adults on MN dealing with disabilities too.

I'm not sure how much TIMC actually achieved though or how it could be improved.

I have only have partial hearing. So very mild as a hidden disability compared to many of you.

But I would fully support raising awareness that just because you can't see someone is disabled, it doesn't mean they are not disabled.

I've lost count of the times people think I'm simply stupid because I didn't hear them.

I am a union rep. I and other reps regularly attend disciplinary hearings where the managers have no understanding of and/or knowledge of the equalities act.
Ensuring that employers have a full understanding of this would go a long way to helping those with an invisible disability.
I would support this campaign.

:)

Completely agree. My db has ulcerative collitis and has been treated horribly for using the disabled loo. He has a radar key and has every right to use the facilities, but because he looks 'normal' he has been shouted at in public for doing so. I would 100% be behind this.

Yes I would support it.

I may look fine but in reality I feel like an old woman.

So frustrating when people say I am OK most of the time, or don't understand why I can't work.

I think it would be a really good idea.

YANBU

Wholeheartedly agree with you.

*koothrapanties my Dad has the same illness as your DB and has had horrible comments about using disabled access toilets. It's not he won't wait it's that he can't and he's in terrible pain (and is 72). He is due at hospital on Thursday for another colonoscopy to check that his growths are still not cancerous.

Sorry terrible spelling there.

I have a friend with MS who is severely enough afflicted to have a blue badge. She will not go out anywhere on her own because she has had such unpleasantness from people who don't think she looks disabled enough. That nastiness has come from both able-bodied and disabled people