Disabilities and Stigma Forum Discussion
heyy all sorry my next topic took so long to tget posted was trying to decide which one to do so ive chosen this one since we get tons of stigma thrown our way.
Everyone is welcome to participate ill form a taglist based on who replies and joins in
Also ill post a new question every 2-4 days or so to give people time to respond
Lets begin with an icebreaker shall we
ICEBREAKER
What place in the world would you like to visit?
using taglist from a past disability forum discussion since had no replies yet if any of you dont have interest in being tagged please do let me know in pm and ill remove
@creativeOak9590 @purpleHeart16 @RaspberryCup8692 @TheLifeOfKelli @finnthewaffle @1Marg1 @sympatheticNorth2026 @Leeshalyn @GusteeMoon123 @Emily1256 @warmheartedSoul77 @kindSoul10 @TransAm85 @Darkseed @Emily619 @Antares127 @ThisIs543
@CaringBrit Farthest I've been is Mexico. I'm of Belgium, French, German, and Swedish descent so I suppose I'd like to see all those countries one day. I've been in Wisconsin WAY too long! lol
@TransAm85 lol and awesome choices also
@TransAm85
That sounds like a cool trip.
@CaringBrit
i would love to visit Europe or Hawaii
@Emily1256 oh nice what stands out about those 2 choices for you
For me since I have't been in a store since 2015 I would be happy with Walmart !! 
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 its asking what places in the world i dont think it asks what stores but rather what countries
@CaringBrit I understand that Brit ..but for me because of my mental and physical health I would be happy to just travel to walmart..
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 cool
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 @CaringBrit
haha Walmart is totally a place one can visit! I think I would go a little beyond that, not sure what though. Australia is a place that interests me, but the internation travel aspect is a big deterrent with my meds, expense of medical travel insurance, etc.
@AffyAvo Australia is interesting just toomany scary things to avoid sharks , poisonous snakes spiders alligators etc lol
@AffyAvo I am not one that really has ever wanted to travel very far I have been too 14 states in the USA but right now due to my physical health I would be happy to just the inside of a store since i havent been in one since 2015...
I do get the post lol I think my sense of humor didn't work real well here lol..
All I wanna do is go inside a store..
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 I get it, different issues, but I have been stuck at home for what has felt like far too long at times. Sometimes getting out to see people or even being able to just go outside can be a big deal
@AffyAvo yeah I deal with agoraphobia and alot of pain so I dont leave my house at all so I do understand that many wanna travel I'm just not one that wants too ,now to drive again would be nice so I dont have to depend on my hubby ..I still just wanna travel to the store my hubby and his grocery shopping lol ..makes me so agitated I cant go grocery shopping because he says they dont sell things that i know they do lol..
heres our next question everyone for this forum discussion new participants welcome to join in
What does the word
@CaringBrit to me, a stigma means when people hear a word and have negative connotations come to mind that might even be false. For example, when people hear the term "learning disability" they may think "stupid" because perhaps in the past they saw an individual struggling at something they themselves thought was easy. My whole life is sort of like a silent protest to that. I have a processing disorder that makes me twice as slow as everyone in my classes, and i can struggle a lot, but when it comes to tests I can get nearly every math problem I do correct, though in about double the time others would take to do the same problem. (just never give me a test on faces haha or names. History classes in high school were awful) But anyway, don't let let stigmas hold you back. Find what you're good at and get better, or even if you think you're not good at anything, pick something you like and practice consistantly!!! Don't let others' ideas of you confine what you think you can do!!!!!
@ReclusiveReptile yes exactly thats what a stigma is great response too and definetly love the added side notes
@CaringBrit ♡♡♡
@CaringBrit
thanks for tagging me. Disability stigma is very painful. People talk to me louder even though my hearing is ok, people turn away and avert their eyes as if I am contagious even though I am in good health. People ignore me as if I am lowlier than them. All in all people need to be educated about disabilities.
@warmheartedSoul77 your welcome this taglist was from my previous forum discussion i did with some new names added from this one
definetly they do need educating and that definetly stigma for sure no one deserves to be treated that way
@CaringBrit
It means I am judged, often unfairly, without anyone taking the time to get to know me and see me as a person. And it means I am powerless to do anything about it.
@1Marg1 yeah and stigma sucks doesnt it
@CaringBrit
To me it's people judging something they don't understand.
@Fireskye13 i agree with you definetly
Stigma , for me is that always being labeled or judged .
I am not who people want me to be or who I should be , they do not understand mental health so I am labeled as the one Who is Home Bound.... (ugh)Agoraphobia ! My physical health took over so my mental health such as panic and anxiety are nothing compared to my physical health but people only believe I am Mentally Ill , even if i have had several surgeries and need a walker and wheelchair ..
The Stigma of Mental Health .. I so wish people would become more aware of what mental health is about and also know physical health does exist in those of us with physical health and we arent making it up.
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 exactly spot on with what stigma is and im sorry peiople treat you that way in not believing you so on
@Tyedyedbutterfly65
yes people judge on sight! And they are usually wrong!
I think of stigma as being a negative connotation related to a group of people often based on stereotypes. To me that can mean so many things, being judged as someone said, unfair treatment, suffering, etc.
I deal with stigma both directly with my illnesses as well as some of the things I do because of them that people don't connect with those illnesses.
@AffyAvo i agree Affy and no one deserves to be stigmatized
Stigma is the same as astigmatism, cept it's beyond having difficulty with the eyes. Astigmatism is a malfunction of the eyes. Stigma is criticism and judgement of minor differences and malfunctions of human beings. Stupid! I think it's just completely stupid. I never heard of this word "stigma" until about 2010 or later. I'm 33 and I think it's so sad for this youth having to grow up knowing all this useless stuff. Have fun and be happy! Not self conscious and ashamed of who you are! Be YOU and if those other insecure jerks don't like it and decide to poke fun at you to cover their self hate .. ignore it. Stigma .. I think it's a joke.
@TransAm85 The effects from it can't always be ignored. I have had trouble getting proper medical care due to stigma. It can be life threatening.
It can affect ont's ability to earn income, their housing, access to services, etc.
@TransAm85 i agree with affy stigma isnt as easy to be ignored however respect your point
@CaringBrit I still find it appalling how say, 20 years ago they told me I have epilepsy and it was looked at like a weird disease. 32 years ago my lil bro was told he had Autism, ADHD, and Bi polar and people thought that he belonged in a nuthouse. Now in this generation, all these disabilities are embraced and only the "stigma" is partially at fault. There was stigma 100 years ago! People never agreed with disabilities and probably never will. They just sugar coat it to make themselves look like fallen angels. Some Americans claim a disability just to get government help! Anxiety, depression, PTSD .. Look, nobody is perfect. I have a clinical disability, but I can't depend on the government to help me.
@TransAm85 many areas still stigmatize it whatever the disability
@CaringBrit
I will confess Ilike the idea of a stay-cation rather than traveling. No matter where I roam, there is no place like home.
@1Marg1 true point marg thats so true
our next q then everyone new participants always welcome
What are some stigmas surrounding chronic illness/disabilities?
Taglist
@creativeOak9590 @purpleHeart16 @RaspberryCup8692 @TheLifeOfKelli @finnthewaffle @1Marg1 @sympatheticNorth2026 @Leeshalyn @GusteeMoon123 @Emily1256 @warmheartedSoul77 @kindSoul10 @TransAm85 @Darkseed @Emily619 @Antares127 @ThisIs543 @JoyIntoDarkness @ReclusiveReptile @Tyedyedbutterfly65 @AffyAvo @
@CaringBrit
A senior manager talks to me like I am mentally retarded after I filed the ADA reasonable accommodation request based on PTSD and the job threat/confrontation from another person. I have two graduate degrees, many professional certifications, and decades of experience, and I am a member of Mensa where my IQ was measured within the top 1% of all people who took the same test. So, I am not mentally retarded. Yet, she say 'PTSD', and now she talks slowly to me and asks me frequently if it's okay and i understand.
The greater fear that I have is when applying to other jobs. There is a section that says 'Do you have or have had a disability? Yes, No, or I won't answer'. What do I put? Do I put 'yes', and if that is the case, will they not even consider interviewing me? Do I put 'no', then it would be a lie, but I might be considered for the job. If I put 'I prefer not to answer', then they think I am an employee who would hide something? What does the employer have with the stigma against the worker? Is it enough to not hire someone if they reveal that have a disability?
@Darkseed when employers do that its disgraceful i can relate im scared to disclose things because they judge its frustrating for sure
@Darkseed that's a really tough one. If you may have to get accommodations in the future saying "no" can work against you. Personally I'd probably put prefer not to answer, but i totally understand the fear of stigma.
@ReclusiveReptile
It's more of an ethical issue for me. I can say 'no', but that would be a lie, and I would have just lied on an official document and could be fired for it later. I could answer no and then 'develop a disability' and then get the ADA reasonable accommodation, but again that's a compounded deception. I didn't just 'develop' it. Yet, I have many years of successful work experience in the absence of workplace bullying and toxic environments. So, they should be asking, 'hey, we have a toxic environment and you will have an abusive boss, do you have a disability to work in this condition?' Hell yes! But, they are asking, did you or have you had a disability to work? (The disability is a function of the organizations inability to control its human resources)
@Darkseed Yeah, lying about it would stress me out too much for those reasons. i mean, you could even go so far as to apply saying "yes" and then press discrimination charges to find if you, as a heavily qualified individual were turned down for someone less qualified because of disability reasons. personally i think everyone non disabled should put prefer not to say to keep there from being discriminating.
But there's also a chance it could work for you since some people will press charges against discriminating companies so they often feel pressed to have at least a few to not have to deal with legal issues of discrimination. They could be glad to have a highly qualified disabled person applying so they can get the ADA off their back.
There's just so much uncertainty though. No matter what you decide to do, stand by your decision proudly because ultimately there is no truly wrong decision. Every decision here has its pros and cons that could make you regret choosing any of them in this lose-lose situation, so accept that you did your best with choosing and try your best at the interviews.
Or, find companies to apply to without that kind of question on the application. That works too.
@CaringBrit Ugh too many to list them all. A few I've dealt with - people who use IV drugs are addicts and the bigger concern is why they are doing IVs not a symptom they are experiencing and trying to get medical help, self IV use can't be done safely, it's not possible to carry out responsibility and have an illness, someone who is sick shouldn't be out in public, young people shouldn't be sick.
@AffyAvo all those are awful stigmas to get any stigma is
@CaringBrit
Some places/people say or think that every person with epilepsy has the big scary seizures, that they can't work, and that they are basically permanently disabled. That's wrong. I started having seizures when I was about 15, I had surgery when I was 19 but it impaired my long/short term memory and concentration (If it isn't interesting to me, I will probably forget what you said to me! lol Like I have ADHD. And I have a hard time remembering things from my childhood now.), and I have been able to work even since I was diagnosed w/the epilepsy. I never let that hold me back. With any disability, I don't think anyone should let the stigma hold them back. This world tries to criticize everyone because of this or because of that .. be who you are and be proud of yourself no matter what anyone else thinks. :)
@TransAm85 well said! Keep it up!
@CaringBrit
Sometimes people think a person with a chronic illness is lazy, and sometimes they think that if you have an illness you are also developmentally delayed or have a low IQ.
@1Marg1 yeah that ive witnessed the stigma just because we have an illness or a disability true point marg
@CaringBrit
What are some stigmas surrounding chronic illness/disabilities?
That it is all in our head and we need to see a therapist even thou the therapist say, "I am not a doctor". You feel like you are going around and around trying to get the help that you need in a circle.
@DanaMH yeah definitely been in that circle a lot it's awful and very devalidating for sure