Disability Misconceptions Vs Reality!

1. Many people think that we need to be using our mobility aids at all times in order to actually need it but this isn’t the case. Some people may need different aids for different days or different scenarios and, whilst others may rely on their aids more full time, we don’t need our wheelchairs in bed!
2. Lots of people think it’s really easy to get support when you are disabled & lots of people claim they have disabilities just to gain benefits but this is far from the truth. It’s hard enough to know what support is out there and then when you find support filling out applications & doing admin is a full time job and can be extremely draining both mentally & physically. It takes months or often years to get any support and most of the support we get does not cover the extra costs of being disabled.
3. So many people think Disabled folks are lazy & can’t or won’t do things for themselves but I have never met a lazy disabled person in my life! Yes we may need extra support but often we go above & beyond expectations to prove ourselves to others, to show we can do things, often at a cost to our own health.
4. Whether it’s medical TV shows or health & safety guides at work being disabled is always shown to be the worst case scenario and I’m not going to pretend that being disabled is a picnic, it can be ridiculously hard, but there are so many beautiful moments of disabled joy in my life that I wouldn’t change. No my life hasn’t turned out exactly how I thought it would, but that doesn’t mean that the life I’ve made isn’t a good one.
What other Disability Misconceptions & Myths do you think need busting? Let me know in the comments!