The majority of physical and mental health conditions, as well as many learning, behavioural and developmental disabilities, are not visible or immediately obvious to others.
- Speech and language difficulties
- reduced sight,
- chronic fatigue syndrome,
- colitis,
- autism,
- depression,
- migraine and
- asthma
are just a few examples of hidden disabilities. There are many, many more.
The issue of hidden disability is important because, although we have come a long way in recent years partly due to the success of the sunflower scheme, the idea that ‘real’ disability can be seen is still widespread. This means that members living and working with hidden impairments sometimes struggle to get their disability taken seriously by managers and others.
Chronic pain, breathlessness, dizziness, chronic fatigue, hearing difficulties, anxiety and experiencing difficulties communicating or with concentration, memory and mood – all of these symptoms are invisible but that doesn’t make them any less real.