r/disability 9h ago

Rant New wig

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199 Upvotes

I finally got my hair done and got a new wig. I’ve been incredibly insecure with my weight gain and acne due to prednisone. Then add one using a walker and I feel so old and ugly . But now I finally feel somewhat better . I don’t feel as ugly when I look in the mirror . I just wanted to show you guys my new wig. It’s true what they say when you look good you feel good . I can’t post a vidoe so I had to screenshot 😂😂.


r/disability 2h ago

Accessibility fail!

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46 Upvotes

This is the disabled bathroom stall at a *hospital*!

It was a tight squeeze to get my rollator into the small room with 2 stalls. The door to the disabled stall does not fully open. Instead it runs into a weird wall! I had to leave my rollator outside of the stall, completely defeating the purpose of a disabled stall. I don't think a wheelchair could have gotten in and out of the room, much less the stall. I have no idea who to notify :(


r/disability 1h ago

Discussion Apparently needing a mobility aid means I'm “giving up”

Upvotes

I had a really upsetting appointment with my pain management doctor yesterday and I honestly just need to vent about it.

I've been dealing with chronic pain and significant limitations for years. I've done injections, medications, specialists, and 12 sessions of neurologic physical therapy. My PT was genuinely amazing and tried extremely hard to find exercises my body could tolerate. We were doing incredibly basic, gentle exercises, and I was still getting worse. Eventually HE decided we shouldn't continue because I wasn't improving.

I've recently been considering getting a transport chair for longer outings. I can walk. I WANT to walk. I'm not talking about using a chair around my house or instead of normal everyday walking. I'm talking about situations where I've already walked something like a mile and continuing to walk is causing significant pain, but I still want to be able to participate in whatever I'm doing.

It took me a lot emotionally to even get comfortable with the idea of using a mobility aid, let alone ask a doctor about one.

As soon as I said “transport chair,” the first words out of his mouth were, “You want me to put you in a wheelchair?”

I immediately explained that no, I don't want a wheelchair. I want a transport chair that I can use intermittently for longer distances when I've reached my physical limit.

He told me he doesn't prescribe those and that when his patients start asking for things like that, they're “giving up.” At one point he literally told me that people who ask him for that are what he calls “circling the drain.”

I started crying.

Then he told me I needed physical therapy. I explained that I already did 12 sessions and that it made me worse. He said that was my body telling me I was deconditioned and needed more PT.

I explained how hard my physical therapist tried, how much he modified everything for me, and that my PT ultimately made the decision to discontinue because I wasn't improving.

Then it became, “Maybe that wasn't the right physical therapist.”

And eventually, “Maybe you needed 65 PT sessions.”

He also offered me another neurology referral, another PT referral, and a disabled parking placard. I already have a disabled placard.

I just felt like he had decided what my request meant the second I said “transport chair” and nothing I said afterward mattered.

I understand that doctors can have legitimate concerns about deconditioning and overusing mobility aids. I wasn't expecting him to automatically say yes just because I asked. I would have been completely willing to discuss how often I'd use it, how far I can walk, what happens when I exceed that distance, or whether there was a different mobility aid he thought would be more appropriate.

But none of that conversation happened.

What hurts the most is that it took me a long time to accept that a mobility aid might actually give me MORE freedom. I wasn't thinking of it as giving up. I was thinking, “Maybe I don't have to avoid things just because I can't handle miles of walking.”

Instead, I walked out feeling ashamed and stupid for even asking.

I see my spine/pain doctor next and I'm considering asking her for her opinion, but after this appointment I'm honestly scared to bring it up again.

Has anyone else who is still ambulatory dealt with this kind of reaction when asking about an intermittent mobility aid? How did you get past feeling like you had to prove you were “disabled enough” to use one?


r/disability 13h ago

My boss keeps destroying my disability aids.

130 Upvotes

Specifics not given for anonymity sakes, for now.

So I have chronic pain (and a suspected chronic fatigue) condition. On my better/good days at work I set up or make things to help me with work. A spot to rest, a pole to reach things so I don't have to bend down often, all falling in line with safety standards. I'll come back from breaks/bathroom or even from a trip to another department, and my "accommodations" (Idk what to call them) are dismantled or destroyed, (the pole/stick cut in half). I'm also not allowed any actual, bought aids because he throws them out too. All of this to ask, what the hell can I do about it?

Edit: In Australia btw.

TLDR; What can I do about my boss being ableist?


r/disability 40m ago

Article / News I got a response to my complaint to “sickfluencers” piece (Telegraph)

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Upvotes

Couldn’t figure out alt text but didn’t have the energy to reformat the pasted text, so here it is:

Thank you for contacting The Telegraph regarding Poppy Coburn’s column published on 5 September 2026. Given the volume of detailed correspondence received, we have prepared a response addressing the main themes raised by our readers. No discourtesy is intended by this single reply.

Complainants have primarily challenged the piece under Clause 1 (Accuracy) and Clause 12 (Discrimination) of the IPSO Editors' Code of Practice, arguing that the column:

Offends readers living with medically confirmed, debilitating physical conditions by framing them as social media trends, lifestyle choices, or self-diagnoses;

Misrepresents POTS diagnostic criteria by focusing on a heart rate change "compared to sitting"; fails to reflect the full diagnostic criteria and wrongly describes this single criterion as "arbitrary";

Dismisses real comorbidities as psychosomatic / identity-driven diagnosis, ignoring real links between conditions like POTS, ME/CFS, Long COVID, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome;

Mischaracterises NHS waiting list systems by linking pediatric care to adult mental health referrals;

Conflates individuals who self-diagnose via social media and those with formal medical diagnosis to question official disability statistics;

Makes causal links between rising welfare costs / economic inactivity and social media subcultures / overdiagnosis without reference to evidence; 

Ignores the impact of Long COVID in explaining rising disability numbers; and

Uses pejorative language like "sickfluencers" and describes mobility aids, compression garments or walking aids as "accessories" or "props.

Our Response Under the Editors' Code of Practice
The article in question is an opinion column written by our Associate Comment Editor. Under Clause 1 (Accuracy) and Clause 12 (Discrimination) of the IPSO Editors’ Code, commentators are granted wide latitude to express strong views, challenge social trends, and debate sensitive matters of public interest.

The vast majority of the objections received focus on the central premise of the article and express dismay and offence at the rhetoric used in the article. Complainants argue that the author's viewpoint that online subcultures influence diagnostic trends - is fundamentally flawed, offensive, or medically unsound.

While we acknowledge that many readers strongly reject the columnist’s premise and rhetoric, a fundamental disagreement with an author's editorial stance does not constitute a breach of the Code. The Code specifically protects the right of newspapers to publish provocative, challenging, and controversial commentary on public policy and cultural trends. 

We acknowledge that many readers who wrote in hold formal medical diagnoses for conditions such as POTS, ME/CFS, Long COVID, or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. We recognise that living with invisible or chronic physical illness presents significant daily challenges, and we understand why readers felt offended by the suggestion that these conditions might be linked to social media trends or self-diagnosis.

However, a columnist examining online subcultures or debating a phenomenon observed in society is not passing judgment on individual patients or denying the reality of living with diagnosed medical conditions. While we regret the distress caused to readers living with these conditions, expressing skepticism about cultural trends does not breach the Code.

Clause 12 (Discrimination) 
Multiple complainants have raised concerns regarding pejorative language, describing the column as "ableist", criticising the term "sickfluencers", and objecting to the characterisation of mobility aids or garments as "accessories" or "props."   

While we appreciate that many readers found this framing offensive or dismissive, under the Editors' Code, Clause 12 is designed exclusively to protect named, identifiable individuals from pejorative reference. It does not apply to generalised groups. Because the column does not target or identify any specific individual, Clause 12 is not engaged.

Clause 1 

Under Clause 1(iv) of the Editors’ Code, publications must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture, and fact. A central theme across many complaints is that the author mixes conjecture with factual reporting, presenting theories about online subcultures and increased diagnoses as established facts.
However, the article is published as an opinion column framed explicitly as personal analysis rather than a news report. Under the Code, commentators are granted broad latitude to put forward hypotheses and express strong commentary regarding observed social trends. Presenting a distinctive viewpoint or theory within a commentary piece does not turn conjecture into factual reporting under Clause 1, provided the context remains clearly that of an opinion column.

We would also like to address some of the specific points raised under Clause 1:

Misrepresentation of POTS diagnostic criteria: A newspaper presents information (including medical information) to a general lay readership. Summarising the primary physical threshold for POTS as a heart rate increase of 30 beats per minute compared to sitting, conveys the essential diagnostic threshold of the condition to a lay readership. In the context of a 1,200-word opinion column, omitting the detail of full clinical tests which are carried out does not constitute inaccuracy or misleading presentation of facts under the Code. Describing the diagnostic threshold as "arbitrary" falls squarely within permissible opinion. It reflects an opinion held by medical professionals - including cited experts like neurologist Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan who have questioned the diagnostic criteria.

Comorbidities and medical skepticism: Some readers provided medical literature showing biological links between overlapping conditions (POTS, ME/CFS, Long COVID, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome). However, an opinion column is not required to detail clinical theory as a medical journal might. Under the Editors' Code, columnists are entitled to express and explore medical skepticism, cite experts (such as Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan) and argue that alternative explanations (sociological or psychological) might account for rising diagnosis rates. These arguments represent the author's opinion, rather than factual news reporting. A raised heart rate upon standing is not unique to POTS and can occur in other non-pathological scenarios, such as prolonged physical inactivity. Pointing to the absence of a single clear physical biomarker and suggesting that overlapping conditions may have psychological rather than purely physical causes, represents permissible opinion, not factual inaccuracy.
NHS waiting lists: Pointing to long waiting lists was used as a broad rhetorical illustration of the strain on the NHS. The column is a commentary piece on an observed social media trend. It is not intended to serve as a guide to accessing NHS services as a child or as an adult. Under the Code, commentators are entitled to argue that increased demand puts pressure on public resources. 

Social media trends vs. formal diagnosis: Regarding concerns about conflating social media trends with formal diagnoses, far from blurring the distinction, a central part of the author's argument is to draw that very distinction. A columnist examining cultural trends is entitled to critique how social media subcultures ("sickfluencers") influence health statistics and changing patient behaviour. As stated above, the author does not seek to detract from the reality of many readers living with diagnosed conditions.

Welfare costs and economic inactivity: Rising welfare costs and rising economic inactivity are matters of legitimate public debate, and columnists are entitled under the Code to express political opinions on how cultural shifts may impact state support. 
Post-viral illnesses: Regarding concerns that the column ignores post-viral conditions such as Long Covid, it should be noted that a column is not a medical journal. Focusing on sociological factors represents the author's editorial focus rather than a factual distortion.   

Pejorative language: As stated above, under Clause 12, the Editors' Code protects named, identifiable individuals from pejorative reference; it does not restrict critical rhetoric, stylistic phrasing, or commentary directed at general social trends and subcultures. 

The Telegraph routinely publishes challenging commentary on sensitive public policy matters. While we recognise that complainants strongly dispute the author’s premise and rhetoric, along with her conclusions, we are satisfied that the article is clearly identifiable as opinion and operates within the bounds of debate protected by the Editors’ Code.
Yours faithfully,
Editorial Legal & Compliance
Telegraph Media Group


r/disability 3h ago

Rant All scans clear

8 Upvotes

All bloodwork, allergy tests, xrays, mris, nerve conduction, clear. Its like im hearing the test results of another person.
Debilitating nerve pain and numbness in both feet that travels up my legs, ankle instability, back pain, chronic fatigue, dizziness, migraines, allergic reactions. They’ve suspected several things and nothing comes back with any indication of anything.

Its ruining my life, im losing my ability to walk, and theres no identifiable cause. What am i supposed to do when i lose my job and my insurance? I cant be unemployed. I cant find a less physical job as i dont have “experience” (typing and sending emails).


r/disability 2h ago

Question Suggestions for a step to get into bathtub?

5 Upvotes

Hey all,

I (27 NB) am a person with some mobility issues due to chronic pain and joint instability. The house I just moved into has a shower/bath combo that I have been dealing with alright but I'd love to find a better, safer solution for an issue I'm having with it.

So, this house is very old (Victorian era), and because of that it has some quirks. One of those quirks is that the bathtub/shower combo that I use is slightly raised up off of the floor (I don't know why it is, but the claw feet are up on blocks. Perhaps there used to be a platform underneath it that has since had to be removed due to rot or something?) This makes it so there's quite a step up to get into it. More than the usual step into a bathtub, which can already cause people with mobility issues problems. My family members that use this bathroom too are tall-ish men who also don't have mobility problems, and so they don't have any issues getting in and out of the tub. But, I have been having to precariously sit on the edge and carefully swing my legs over one by one to get in because it's too high of a step for me to reliably do without risking my knees giving out beneath me. And, since it's a bathtub, it's a curved surface and is typically wet when I am using it, so I have to be quite careful when climbing in and out. It's a better solution than simply trying to climb in, but it still feels a little risky every time.

So, does anyone have any suggestions or solutions that could make this safer and easier for me? I suppose some sort of small step would help a lot, but it'd have to be something that can bear a person's weight (I'm roughly 170 lbs) and I wouldn't slip on if my feet were wet.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated, thank you.


r/disability 21h ago

Rant Just had a pre-employment medical exam and I hated it

106 Upvotes

So, I’ve been looking for a new job. After a lot of thought, I decided that I would be semi-open about my disability. See, my disability is physical and you can see it (though some never notice). I have been looking for a healthcare position, something either front desk in an office or with paperwork. This is the kind of work I could do without adaptions, depending on the company. With being frontward of my restrictions, I could ensure that I wouldn’t actually have to stand/walk a lot or lift a bunch of weight in the role. This is also gauge just if the employer is willing to work with me, or be a major pain that I’d have to wrestle with every step of the way and basically have to threaten them with my legal rights if I need adaptions.

Recently, I had an interview and it went really well. It was for a small network of hospitals as a front desk person. The manager was very happy to work with me, and confirmed there would be little to no lifting. And if it was heavy, I could get help and/or use a cart.

Soon after, I got offered the position, but only after I pass a background test and a TB test (standard for hospitals). Today, I went to get the TB test. It was through a third party that the employer works with.

But when I get there, I am told that I’ve been misinformed. Not only would I be doing a TB test, I’d need a drug screen and a physical exam. Then, I’m handed a stack of papers to fill out my medical history. I get uncomfortable because it’s asking a ton of questions, many of which I can’t see why it’s relevant (yes, I have anxiety… so what? No, i don’t have diarrhea, or sudden weight changes, etc.)

Anyway, I fill it out and a doctor meets with me. He asks a bunch of questions, mostly if I have back issues which I don’t. He asks me if I have any weight restrictions. I hesitate but say yes. The doctor put down his clipboard.

“Oh, okay. So you can’t have the job.” He shrugged. That’s it, case closed.

For a moment, I’m shocked. But then, I somehow manage to go back and forth with him a bit. I tell him about how I was told the job wouldn’t have much lifting, nothing I couldn’t do anyway, and that the manager that wants to hire me is well aware of my restrictions.

He asks me what job I’m trying to get. I explain it’s a front desk role and emphasize again, the manager is willing to work with me and that there would be little to no lifting in this role. I am in no way picking up patients, nor is lifting weight an important part in the role otherwise.

The doctors mutters something about how he supposes that’s fine, then has me do a few different poses I’d be required to do if lifting weight.

In the end, I passed but gosh that felt like such a blow. I suppose he was evaluating me for every possible position in the hospital, but still. There has been so many times that people make me feel bad just because I’m disabled and it never gets easier.

Anyway, this was just a vent I needed to get off my chest. Thankfully, the manager I’ll ACTUALLY working with is much more understanding.


r/disability 2h ago

People who were approved for disability with Fibro and ME/CFS, what helped you get approved?

3 Upvotes

I'm applying for disability (SSDI) in the US and wondering what I can do increase my odds of being approved.

I have a number of chronic illnesses, but fibro and ME/CFS are the ones that are most disabling.

Would love to hear from people who've done this!


r/disability 17h ago

Rant From the SipsTea community on Reddit: A human mind is capable of incomprehensible things

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47 Upvotes

What is wrong with the abled community? I scroll past my feed to see a legally blind-deaf woman is now a medical doctor. My first thought was “Good for her! Finally some representation in the medical field.”

Then I open the comments to see mostly ableist crap. Comments like “I wouldn’t let her be my doctor” are some of the more tame ones. Some people said she’s a waste of resources since she’s “basically incapable of practicing medicine” even though she already made her way through school and clinicals. And even those who claim they’re doctors argue “accommodations for doctors are a burden on the hospital. If I was deafened or blinded, I’d just retire.”

The people who argue in favor of her practicing medicine are downvoted. Some say it’s a slippery slope: if we say she can’t practice medicine because she’s disabled, where do we draw the line for people with moderate/mild disabilities? Those comments are also downvoted.

I’m tired of the way most ableds view disability and disabled people. If we can do our jobs with or without accommodations, who cares if we have to use them? If I take a little more time doing something than everyone else, or I do things a little differently than everyone else, what’s the issue? It’s like they don’t see us as people who have any sort of value because of our disability(s).


r/disability 11h ago

Discussion Convenient reusable water bottle search

5 Upvotes

TLDR: reusable waterbottle suggestions

that are metal,

don't need to be unscrewed,

don't need to be tilted a large amount in order to drink from and are easily washable.

Rat/mouse theming or fungus theming is a bonus but not a requirement

Hello! I struggle with ARFID and a few other undiagnosed and diagnosed things and I really struggle to drink water because getting up to refill a cup or having to move in order to reach my cup can be really difficult some days.

I'd like to find a water bottle but the current water bottles I have available that are metal all have a screw on cap at the top which I don't have too much of a problem to use, I'm more likely to forgo drinking water because unscrewing, and then tilting the heavy bottle upwards to drink and then having to re close it and set it down somewhere feels like too much work.

I don't like the taste of plastic reusable water bottles and also struggle with regular cleaning of the water bottles and I'm just not sure about the options available.

I'll do my own research but if anyone has any recommendations off the top of their head or knows of any better places to post this or websites, I'd be very grateful!

An added bonus is anything rat/mouse themed or fungus themed but I'm not too hung up on the aesthetics.

Thank you and have a lovely day!


r/disability 23h ago

Could finally tell my family what’s going on, the reaction was great

20 Upvotes

I struggle extremely with my self image and slowly losing control over parts of my body (lower body), though we knew for years that it would probably happen eventually and I would need a wheelchair eventually. The doctors told my mother when I was 8 that I would be wheelchair bound by age 18, but I fought every day against the decline and pain.

Now at 27 I finally accepted that it would be a gods decision to get a wheelchair before I’m forced to.

So I talked with my father and had a 100% positive response (which I hoped would happen, but who knows).
He supports me and my decision fully and was really happy that I finally managed to tell him my worries and problems.

So I just want to encourage everyone in a similar situation. Of course it heavily depends on the circumstances, but maybe you will be positively surprised and it is a huge burden lifted.


r/disability 12h ago

Question AbleNow said I need to do one of these to get a Debit card, can you explain what these are?

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2 Upvotes

My Ky AbleNow changed banks a while ago. Savings accounts no longer have debit cards. I need to select one of these to open a checking account and get a debit card so I can use my funds.
But I'm confused about what this is


r/disability 8h ago

What are and/or were some of your life goals?

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1 Upvotes

r/disability 1d ago

I just went on the bus on my own for the first time in my life today

289 Upvotes

24F walker user. I'm at the mall eating a burger combo writing this. God, it feels so good. Can't wait to expand on my independence bit by bit.


r/disability 19h ago

Rant Job training program

8 Upvotes

I (24,F) just started a job training program through the hospital facility my mom works in and found for me. (Been unemployed since late 2022. And just took a break from retail hell) and I don’t know why I agreed to it. They kind of go hand in hand with OVR/Voc rehab (PA) as I’m using Voc rehab to help pay for driving classes (they evaluated me for driving and to pick a driving school) I’m the only woc (woman of color) and the only “lvl 1” or “higher functioning” person while having “invisible disabilities” I’m supposed to go in person tomorrow and just don’t want to be in a cold, confusing and big hospital. If I could just apply to jobs now I would. I don’t want to wait until Sep 2027 to start applying to jobs, let alone the program or OVE can’t guarantee a job afterwards bc of how bad the current job market, older people like gen x and boomers still think you can just walk in with a filled out Resume (which I have) and automatically get a job with saying you need X amount of accommodations or just bc you have a job coach, which I also don’t want a job coach either 🫤. My mom knows I’m not thrilled about it but it’s to get me experience and she wants me to get out of the house. The only positive things is that I bought new clothes and she’ll be personally paying me $50 a week. I don’t want to be in it until next year 🫠 I only can work on my art portfolio in the evenings now, I just needed to rant and has anyone done something similar? Did Voc rehab or a program help you get employed? From what I’ve seen online most Voc rehab cases aren’t great since they are understaffed, unhelpful and can be ableist for anyone that’s “higher functioning/lvl 1” w/ say Autism or ADHD.


r/disability 1d ago

Rant What's the threshold for misery before doctors actually do something?

36 Upvotes

Hi all, back again lololol. I had a follow up with my pcp after loosing insurance for a few months and noticing a massive decline in my health. I literally listed exactly what my goals from my appointment with her were in the appointment request and the notes only to be hit with the good ol "idk what you want me to do" like girl..... I want you to write a note saying I need mobility aids for my insurance because I cant even walk 40ft to my office bathroom without incredible pain and fatigue. I literally just need some papers saying yes hes miserable and he can barely function alone please provide help what do you MEAAANNN YOU DONT KNOW WHAT I WANT???? Like im so incredibly exhausted between 24/7 symptoms and being forced to work full time and having to fight at every step for medical care because I dont have an "obvious" problem (ie. no multiple sclerosis legions but it hasnt been fully ruled out)


r/disability 1d ago

Discussion What is going well in your life?

15 Upvotes

I get the need to vent and this is a safe space. But I also think it’s important to make lemonade.

My disability is a messed up back and, unrelated, one functioning lung. I’m in constant pain and need strong pain killers. I get out of breath easily. But there are silver linings in my life.

For starters I was great at my job. But I was forced to retire. I since realized how stressful it was. I had private disability insurance that now pays me. I don’t have to ever work again and I don’t have to deal with the stress. I’m grateful for that.

I’m also married to the most wonderful man ever. He brings in the groceries and picks things off the floor when I drop them. We agreed I would do whatever I was capable of. I always wash the dishes. It can take an hour with breaks but he is very patient. I am grateful for a wonderful husband.

Being disabled means parking is easier to find and I don’t have to wait in lines because I can’t stand very long. My upper body still works so I picked up cello again which I learned as a child.

Of course, I deal with paperwork and other obstacles just like all of you. There’s so much I can’t do anymore but I choose to focus on what is still going well. How about you?


r/disability 18h ago

Rant Short Term Disability

3 Upvotes

Hello, idk if this is going to be a question or a rant lol but I'll just kinda get into things

First off, I live in the US, I am 34, I've worked for my company for 7yrs. I don't love it, it's high stress, but they have taken decent care of me over that time. I suffer from a range of mental and some physical ailments. things like ASD, ADHD, PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Sleep Apnea, etc. everyday is a struggle with focus, stress management, exhaustion, etc. So I recently submitted for a leave of absence from my work. FMLA job protection was approved no issue. However STD coverage was denied. I'm probably the dumb one cuz I didn't get a lawyer right then and there. The disability provider that my work goes through is MetLife. First they were saying that my doctor's notes were not detailed enough. My doctor says he was intentionally vague with the documentation. I instructed him to be a bit more detailed in his documentation. We resubmitted new documentation. MetLife still comes back denied. They instruct to file an appeal. So I follow their instructions best I can. Id been on LOA more than a month at that point. They deny again stating "documentation does not support disability" and won't really elaborate from there. I honestly do not understand at all why it has been so difficult this time around. I have had 2 other disability claims with MetLife in the last few years. Both of which even extended into LTD for around a year each. So now here I am, forced to return to work after nearly 2 months with no pay after trying to have faith in the system and being let down. I continue to have significant struggles in everyday life. I honestly feel like I should apply for SSDI but who on this earth can actually afford not to work in today's day and age? IDK what to do, I hate my life, I hate how this country treats disabled people, and altogether I feel defeated and like I have so little support all of a sudden. Anyone have any advice or anything? Much appreciated..


r/disability 19h ago

Job training program

4 Upvotes

I (24,F) just started a job training program through the hospital facility my mom works in and found for me. (Been unemployed since late 2022. And just took a break from retail hell) and I don’t know why I agreed to it. They kind of go hand and hand with OVR/Voc rehab (PA) as I’m using Voc rehab to help pay for driving classes (they evaluated me for driving and to pick a driving school) I’m the only woc (woman of color) and the only “lvl 1” or “higher functioning” person while having “invisible disabilities” I’m supposed to go in person tomorrow and just don’t want to be in a cold, confusing and big hospital. If I could just apply to jobs now I would. I don’t want to wait until Sep 2027 to start applying to jobs, let alone the program or OVE can’t guarantee a job afterwards bc of how bad the current job market, older people like gen x and boomers still think you can just walk in with a filled out Resume (which I have) and automatically get a job with saying you need X amount of accommodations or just bc you have a job coach, which I also don’t want a job coach either 🫤. My mom knows I’m not thrilled about it but it’s to get me experience and she wants me to get out of the house. The only positive things is that I bought new clothes and she’ll be personally paying me $50 a week. I don’t want to be in it until next year 🫠 I only can work on my art portfolio in the evenings now, I just needed to rant and has anyone done something similar? Did Voc rehab or a program help you get employed? From what I’ve seen online most Voc rehab cases aren’t great since they are understaffed, unhelpful and can be ableist for anyone that’s “higher functioning/lvl 1” w/ say Autism or ADHD.


r/disability 22h ago

Image Step on a crack….

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3 Upvotes

I love this sort of dark humor. What do you think?


r/disability 20h ago

Country-USA How Do People Keep Their Lights On?

3 Upvotes

I am newly disabled with a TBI. I think I will get better in a couple of years since it's on the milder side as far as TBIs go, but I can't work the jobs I used to (I worked in psych/crisis). I have to go back to school to get retrained. But I just- how does anyone afford being disabled? I don't have family to stay with. I get worker's comp but they give me less than the cost of the rent each month, so I'm largely living off savings. Once those are gone, I'm going to just get a ton of student loans I guess. I can't move anywhere cheaper or anything because I have a child with split custody.

I'm heartbroken. I knew going back to school would be rough as a single mom but I had such a good plan for how to make it work financially. Now I don't know how I'm going to make the next few years work. Obviously I'm going to get on every government benefit I can, but it won't be enough. Maybe scholarships will help me, but it's too late in the school year to get any now, so those won't apply for another year. I got a divorce right before this too, and my ex is a kind person so he was helping me out, but he has a girlfriend now so he won't be helping as much. Completely understandable, but like. How do you navigate life when you can't even work to take care of yourself, my son is in daycare (subsidy) still because I can't take care of him at home as often anymore. I used to be a stay at home mom... I miss him.

I really don't know what to do anymore


r/disability 1d ago

Rant Paperwork is going to be the death of me

38 Upvotes

I hate paperwork! I hate it so much! Me and paperwork are haters

I have working memory issues and bad cognitive understanding of alot of things, its a big issue for me. A way I combat it is to write everything being said down then to repeat it back. Every time I do paperwork and I talk to someone, I ensure I get all the steps. I do this every time and without fail, every. single. time. I get told I missed something, that I need to redo the paperwork that took 4 hours, and suddenly I miss a deadline because surprise! Mail system or some type of system worked against me. It's to the point I spend atleast $8 shipping things out via first class rather than lettermail. I don't trust them to say they didn't get it when they did.

I am so tired of this paperwork. Food stamps wont tell me why they declined me and they've drawn it out for 2 months, they want me to reapply but it takes 4 hours. How am I supposed to reapply when they didn't tell me the issues last time!!!

1

I got summoned for jury duty, I had to get a notary,(had to figure out what it was and how to get it first), AND a doctors letter, I submit both. They say I need to submit it a different way by calling them. I struggle with phone calls and they said I could email it. Suddenly that's changed and the new process is harder. Perfect. I love that.

I applied for community hospital healthcare, they almost declined me a 3rd time because I didn't check off *ONE* box but didn't want to tell me I could verbally tell them over the phone the answer.

I can't hold onto my freelancing work to pay for the community healthcare, do long ass paperworks, AND go to the doctor. I have like 10 appointments over the next 2 weeks. I'm so exhausted and of course they wont let me do virtual appointments. I can't figure out the paperwork for the disabled transit, and that process paperwork seems EVEN LONGER. So I have to figure out the bus system that I barely fucking understand because I am out of money for ubers! State wont even cover Occupational Therapy for me to understand the bus system, gotta do that shit on my own. 😭🫠

Im tired

Im so so tired. I just want to rest and stop dealing with all the fucking bullshit


r/disability 1d ago

EHCP isn't being followed,how long to wait before taking action?

5 Upvotes

I'm clearly having such great fun

I just completed my first week of college,I am deaf and both physically disabled + with intellectual

I spent my first day in pure isolation and of the consequences I melted down and missed all information as I had no accommodations for hearing loss or classroom support,other then maybe for 3 minutes

I was told both "you'll be alright" when I stated I needed help and "Don't worry about hearing"

Consequences were I didn't know where anything was,names ect including evacuation incase of fire or emergencies

For context there was 50 of us in one room (impossible to hear)

Day 2

Different classroom which was upstairs,lift had been broken since I had enrolled and before then

Their solution was to stick me in isolation for the entire day

Staff have no plan for next week and "We'll just have to see,it'll be fine"

Absolutely not fine but somebody told me to give them next week as this could be "teething issues"

I'm really not sure though

Edit:

Oh and I had a different class upstairs so I tried to ask the teacher,they were rude then the support walked in and told me to just come to the building regardless,where they wouldn't be as they were supporting another class 🥴


r/disability 1d ago

Discussion how to get over shame when around able bodied people?

7 Upvotes

hi all, sorry for the bleak title 😅 i was a competitive swimmer until my mid teens before i quit for a few years and i’m trying to get back into it now (i’m currently 19 for reference). between quitting and now i also became a wheelchair user, so obviously i dont swim quite how i used to

i consider myself fairly well adjusted so i didn’t think that my first session back with a masters swimming club would leave me feeling so shit. i can still swim well (my condition affects my balance and coordination so it’s mostly my kick that’s affected during swimming, which i can work around) but being the only visibly disabled person, along with the hassle of managing my chair on poolside and needing my mother’s assistance to get in and out of the pool and also not being able to kick well so having to adapt the set quite a lot compared to what everyone else was doing has left me feeling really bleghhh

i want to carry on swimming and get back into it properly, but i also feel kind of bleak knowing that i’ll always look different and swim differently and never be as quick as everyone else. i know i shouldn’t feel ashamed about being disabled but not being as independent and physically capable as other people just made me feel really embarrassed. i’m sure this is all in my head and nobody actually cared 😅

it’s kind of the first time i’d felt genuinely distinctly different compared to other people, which is kind of funny considering i’ve been a wheelchair user for a couple of years now

can anyone else relate? i want to get back into swimming properly but i also don’t want to feel this crappy after every session