Disability discrimination..by the public.?

Question

I have a disability and live in chronic pain. I am so frustrated by how those of us with 'unseen' problems are treated.

Most disabilities are NOT obvious. It seems people expect them to be; be in a wheelchair, or one's mobility so impared it's obvious; then they 'approve'. How arrogant! I have only so much activity I can tolerate a day, so I have to conserve this.

A person's medical condition is b/n them and their Dr. I get dirty looks when I park in the handicap space, and ugly comments. 'It doesn't look like anything's wrong with you!',or 'You don't look handicapped to me'.

I couldn't walk a year ago. After intense treatment, I get about with strict limitations.Though I still live in chronic pain, it's worse when walking. I didn't care about my apprearance and was very depressed.
I finally improved on this, and appear 'normal'.I guess I should appear on death's door to qualifty to park here. (I use my hc tag)
All due respect, most in w.c.'s aren't in pain, so curb access

Sorry, rest of this question is in psychology category.

Basically, why are people so judgemental, and how to better handle it?

Answer 1

Hang in there, don't get in the defensive mode or explain to them, this will just make you feel more humilitated and feed into their power trip.
Smile and hold your head high. You're right, it is only between you and your Dr, and ignoring them might put them in their place.

I think this is a great topic to be more publicized, to get the word out. There is discrimination against so many groups, but this behaviour is just cruel, adding stress to that person's traumatic life.

What has a person lost to someone who parked in a h.c. spot?
Is that something they will continue to feel like they've lost the next day? No. It will be forgotten to them, but never forgotten to the person they insulted.

Answer 2

I am disabled, but unlike you I always have to walk the use of a cane and sometimes I have to use my walker (one with a seat and wheels). I suffer from cronic pain too. Even at night, when I'm trying to sleep.

I have been disabled since 1980, but I didn't ask my Dr. to fill out the form for disability plates until around 2.5 years or so ago, when my condition really worsened because I wanted to leave the spots available for those who needed them more than I did.

Now that I'm using them I have been paying more attention to who parks there and whether they have plates/tags or not, because if they don't I call it in and report them for parking illegally. One day I ended up calling in 4 different times within under two hours for 3 places that I went that day.

I also see a lot of abuse where either the disabled person is staying in the car, while somebody else runs into the store or somebody else is just using their disabled plates/tag. I mean, one time I saw a woman in high heels practically run into a store and another time I saw two young people get out of a car and run into a mall.

Anyway, whenever I see someone getting out of a car in a handicaped parking spot it's usually pretty easy to determine what their situation might be just by taking a closer look at the details. It's one of the advantages of my walking so damn slow. I guess, I have time to notice things more than other people or maybe it's just the way I am.

Answer 3

tell them to walk a mile in your shoes, and see how it feels then.