There is a very good chance that you know someone who has an invisible illness, whether physical, mental, or both. This person may be a friend, partner, colleague, employer, teacher, or healthcare provider. Regardless of your relationship or their diagnosis, people with invisible illnesses need your support and respect. To help end the stigma, consider the following…
Personal Story: Maria, Social Anxiety
Living Under the Stigma of an Invisible Illness
This Distorted Perceptions original article outlines one woman’s experience living with invisible physical and behavioral health conditions and it’s impact in the workplace, educational system, healthcare, and personal relationships. Check out the infographics for practical suggestions on combating stigma for loved ones, employers/ colleagues, educators, healthcare providers, and people experiencing invisible illness.
You're Faking It: Stigma Around Invisible Disability
"Because we live in a visual society, we assume that people are ‘more disabled,’ if we can see their disabilities. What do we do with this information?” This article from Custom Mobility Inc. has 2 calls to action: 1) it challenges “able-bodied people” not to make assumptions about people and their conditions before getting to know them, and 2) it challenges people with disabilities to fight stigma both internally and externally by understanding the distorted perceptions that can come from society. Click the title to access the full article.
How Misunderstanding Disability Leads to Police Violence
"In the latest data released by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, Americans with disabilities are victims of violent crimes at nearly three times the rate of their peers without disabilities. In 2012 alone, 1.3 million nonfatal violent crimes were perpetrated against people with disabilities aged 12 or older. Statistics bear out that people with disabilities are far more likely to be the victims of crimes than the perpetrators of them, and therefore are arguably in greater need of supportive relationships with and understanding from law enforcement."
Silence is the Enemy for Doctors who have Depression
"What makes this all worse is that medicine is a profession in which admitting a problem carries a stigma that can have more impact than in others. A study published in 2008 surveyed physicians in Michigan, asking them about their work experiences and if they had depressive symptoms. More than 11 percent reported moderate to severe depression. About a quarter of them reported knowing a doctor whose professional standing had been hurt by being depressed."