The Invisible Disability

"You don't look disabled."


There are many disabled persons who do not have obvious physical disabilities.  Those without crutches, wheelchairs, and other assistive devices are thought to be undeserving of receiving any assistance.  


Some of these disabilities are Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis in it's earlier stages, mild forms of Schizophrenia,  Fibromyalgia,  Narcolepsy, and other brain and nervous system disabilities.  Some are directly life threatening. Some disabilities are indirectly life threatening.  There are higher death rates for people who have disabilities.


For example: 

According to a 2011 CDC study:¹

Proportionately fewer women with a disability have mammograms as recommended than women without a disability.

And Another Example:
People with untreated narcoleptic symptoms are involved in automobile accidents roughly 10 times more frequently than the general population. http://sleep.emedtv.com/narcolepsy/statistics-on-narcolepsy-p2.html

The view of society for these disabled people often elicits shame in these individuals.  This simply adds to their already difficult circumstances.  As Americans, it seems that we have to decide about our own compassion, and if we are going to view our country's citizens in a humane manner.  We give a lot of money to other countries and their citizens, yet we have resentment in giving to our own.