Invisible disabilities.......

Hi,

Now, something that really bugs me is when arrogant people think that invisible disabilities/mental illnesses aren't a thing. In fact one in ten children, aged between 1 and 15, live with some form of mental illness/distress and 1 in 4 adults will experience some form of diagnosable mental heath illness in one year, with 1 in 6 adults experiencing this at any given time. According to a 2001 record, it says mixed anxiety and depression are the most 'common' mental illnesses in the UK. So in reality, invisible/mental illnesses are so widespread and can affect anyone. 

I don't want to come across as nagging or anything but here are a list of things anyone shouldn't say to a person with a invisible disability, and yes I know and am aware I've been doing a load of lists recently, sorry if they are getting tedious!

So here's the list:

1. You have what? I've never heard of it (Well your not the expert, they are)

2. You need to exercise more (Believe it or not, some peoples disabilities aren't cured by the supposed 'miracle' of working out)

3. Aren't you feeling better yet? (This can make people feel a hella lot worse tbh)

4. But you look fine. (The key is in invisible and mental)

5. Maybe anti-depressant would help? (Maybe that person doesn't want to be medicated)

6. You are taking too much medicine. (Are you in the medical profession and their doctor? No? Not your decision)

7. You need to change your diet (Unless you are their dietician/doctor or them-self, not your problem)

8. It's all in your head! (Yes that may be true, not really its very helpful)

9. Losing weight will help. (Again, not always a miracle cure)

10. If you just had a more positive attitude....(Don't you think they try that every minute of the day?)

Sorry its so short,

HALF TERM HOLIDAY!!!!! YAY

Byeeeeeeeeeee

Language recap........

Hi,

(Trigger warning: ableist language)


I've written about this sort of thing before and I just want to recap it because as I've been more aware of it, it's been like driving me up the walls when I notice it at school from both teachers and pupils and it's ableist slurs.

The most common one I hear on a day to day basis is 'cr*zy'. Basically it the raw form it's an ableist/psychophobic slur used to ultimately degrade people who have or suffer from mental illnesses/distress and it should be only used by a person who is part of said community when describing themselves. (e.g I call myself a 'cr*pple' sometimes although my peers cannot call me it without explicit consent, if that makes sense!).

But in today's world it has come to be a everyday thing in 3 core different situations, here are some alternate words to use:

Situation 1.
When describing something intense
Eg someone saying "she's a little cr*zy" or even "that was cr*zy/ins*ne" (it applies to synonyms too)

Alternative words:
Excessive
Extreme
Vivid
Unimaginably
Ridiculously
Impassioned
Hugely
Intense

Situation 2.
When describing something negative/traumatic
Eg "the car crash was cr*zy" or "injustice in the 21st century is cr*zy"

Alternative words:
Alarming
Chilling
Horrific
Frightful
Distressing
Eerie
Hellish

Situation 3.
When describing something unusual/ridiculous
E.g "You have some cr*zy habits." Or "This place is ins*ne." (Again synonym)

Alternative words:
Absurd
Bizarre
Unrealistic
Illogical
Preposterous
Unconventional
Inappropriate


I just want to put it out there- I'm not writing this in order to shame you, I just want to spread awareness of what these words originally meant and say that we should be a bit more mindful of language choices which could offend; yet we are still human, slipping up is certain inevitable, that's okay. I just want people to at least try and get it out of the norm of social interaction- at least once.

Byeeeeeeee

guest post..............

Before I show you this post, I just want to say a huge thank you to the person who wrote it, you know I've been feeling rubbish recently and this made me so much happier, I cried and I never get that emotional over stuff like this:

So here it is ladies and gents,

Hello there! 

I’m some stranger that you readers aren’t used to…and I feel honoured to post a lovely, cheesy rant on the CP Blog! So, lets say I’m called ‘E’. HI then! I’m ‘E’ and I feel like me and Ruthie have been friends for most of my life, and that we’ve known each other for ages (because of how well we get on!). When really, we’ve only known each other for a few years.

It all started in a science lesson, when I was seated next to Ruthless. Firstly, she came across as a very friendly, brainy person, with her infinite tallness…AND-Since I would always have trouble crawling through science, Ruthie would be by my side, helping me out with explanatory speeches of what I’m stuck on, and often a ‘Copy my answers, then!’ tactic. Soon our friendship was already beginning to make an appearance! She had me laughing with her random outbursts of One Direction songs (Even though she swears she doesn’t like them!). Also, the CP Blogger totally blew me away with her knowledge! SHE’S SO CLEVER. I don’t care what you say, Ruthie! You are and you know it! Moving on, every Science lesson, I could feel our relationship getting thicker, stronger, between us. Like a magnetic pull - accept we weren’t THAT forcefully attracted to each other! *well I think I messed that simile up…*

Moving on, Ruthie is a brillant friend. She’s so independent, glowing with inspiration, and I’ve just gotta love her to bits no matter what! Since, our friendship is a long, firm chain. More links are added the more personal, deep secrets we blurt to each other, and the inside jokes that never get old. This ‘chain’ does have it’s rusty sections, but it has it’s stronger parts, too. 

Every time I see Ruthie, she has a wide grin plastered across her face, which is usually followed with a series of looks exchanged between our locked eye contact (Those looks carry so much inside jokes, and inappropriate laughter at things that only us will ever know about…hehe!) 

ANYWAY-finally! I’ve pretty much done now. Sorry to bore you all with my long, more personal rant. As you can see, mine and Ruthie’s friendship has A LOT to say! What about the fact : we already know way too much about each other that we’re stuck as friends for eternity? Or : we’re both so weird but we still choose to be seen with each other? ETC. So, thank you for coming on this long-winded journey through many words, and mainly for getting to the end of this post! 

Good bye! X

Really? Faking disability......

Hi,


Okay,


Why do some people still think that people fake having disabilities?

I personally have never heard of someone faking their disability to get special accommodations or  'treatment' as some may put it. We constantly are fighting a losing battle to prove ourselves of our disabilities in order to get the support/accommodations we need for school, work and everyday life, especially when the PWD has an invisible disability that others don't realise because they 'don't look disabled'.

Of course accusing someone of faking a disabilities, especially an invisible on, is being ableist and harmful towards that individual! As a member of the general public it is not your place to ask for evidence, such as audiologist graphs for proof of deafness or to see medication for depression, you aren't helping them. (It sounds far-fetched, it does happen!) 
By doing this sort of thing it's making it harder for PWDs to advocate themselves BECAUSE they are wasting their time trying to prove they have disabilities, instead of focusing on improving accessibility and spreading awareness.

Even IF that particular person was lying, let that part of the disabled community handle it themselves! It's not any other person's place to generalise that all people with that certain disability are lying from that point onwards.

We don't need, nor want generalisation to shadow our community.

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeee