Visible vs Invisible: Understanding Disabilities

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Humans suffer from all types of disabilities. Some disabilities are very visible, others not so much. If a person is paraplegic and in a wheelchair, their disability is very visible. Other people suffer from invisible disabilities. Mental illness, depression, and anxiety are just a few examples of invisible disabilities. Just because you cannot see something with your eyes does not mean it is not real.
If we see an amputee, for instance, we empathize with them from their noticeable disability. Five minutes later we could see a woman suffering from bipolar disorder. She is clearly in distress crying out in anguish, but most people just see her as crying out for attention. Just because her arm is not missing does not make her any less disabled. …show more content…

Many with invisible disabilities are never offered help or are too afraid to seek it simply because they feel no one will believe them or understand their real life daily struggle. People have shamed them and they have been told there is nothing wrong with them "it's all in your head". Most people suffering from depression or anxiety would just like an ear and a shoulder to lean on. Sadly, many feel all alone and resort to self-medicating or, sadly, sometimes suicide. I believe this to be a smear on our society. Nobody should ever be ignored, made fun of, and flat out neglected because nothing is visibly wrong.
Everyone as humans have their own obstacles to overcome, but most have people to talk to about the problems they have. It is a shame that with all the information available on mental illness, that there are people still suffering because some cannot physically see their disability. I try to lend an ear anytime I see someone in distress. Sometimes a smile and a kind word is all it takes to brighten someone's day. Hopefully, someday soon people will develop an understanding of invisible disabilities. Just because you cannot see it does not mean it does not exist. Do you have a heart? Have you ever seen

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