The loneliness of hidden disabilities

[white knight]

We refer regularly to our internal battles of the recognition from others that our mental illnesses are indeed serious, just as much if not more do than physical restrictions.

Ok, I have bipolar2, dysthymia and depression. They all amount to serious social problems. But I can say that two other invisible problems cause me more social issues than those. Memory and hearing loss.

Long term memory is OK in me. Short term almost doesn't exist. Most people would have little idea the magnitude of memory loss. Those close to you, like all humans, automatically presume you remember what they told you an hour earlier. Eventually your cry for understanding becomes a scream..."I don't remember".!. Just like "I'm depressed"!.

Another one is partial deafness. Not suggesting full deafness is preferred at all but if fully deaf- sign language is essential. Partial deafness there are hearing aids. With my particular hearing problem, hearing aids do not assist me. The best example to highlight it is secondary noise. Someone is talking to me and the TV might be 7 metres away I can't hear the person speak or Visa versa which is more difficult to tolerate for my wife.

With both issues people can't adapt fully to the new requirements needed for normal family interaction. Can we blame them?. No we can't. They can't see our deficiency to remind them as a person with physical loss would eg wheelchair, arm in plaster...

This leaves us carrying more burden than our mental disabilities themselves, leading to a feeling of loneliness. It could also be the reason some of us talk excessively about our challenges. It seems our problems are more excessive than they ought to be. This could be why...

It wasn't that long ago we might have been institutionalised or kept in a cupboard. Things have improved but I'm at a loss how our invisible restrictions could be visible to family and friends.

A sign on my chest "hearing impaired, short term memory loss" or signs on others..."right eye blindness, dyslexic, OCD, PTSD, anxiety, would not be appropriate.

Do you have ideas on this?

Tony WK

[quirkywords]

9 names later

thanks for telling us about your thread. I will have a look.

Quirky

[Guest_128]

Hey white knight and all,

I am struggling with the hidden fact that my family have always tried to shut me down,are embarrassed,scared of what I say and are just overseeing everything I do as a so called mental health issue.

Later

[quirkywords]

That must be so hard to deal with. How do you cope?

Is there someone in your family- or extended family who is supportive?

Quirky

[Guest_128]

Hi Quirky,

Thanks for replying, I am struggling with where I should post with everything. There are so many questions to ask about this hidden,complicated,and so misunderstood life we have to live. They don't get yet at the same time we don't even know how far we are to the norm.

To answer your question, YES(but it is running low ATM)

I would like to try and tell my story to whoever will listen,but it will be similar to others I think. I suppose I could put it on my introduction thread.

Or is there a thread called your story? Where everyone rights it?

I would rather help others .

Later

[white knight]

Hi later

You go to the top of the pag gf e, find "all posts"

Click on that then select your category.

then find new thread. Click on that then write your story.

If you have problems ring beyond blue during business hours.

Tony WK

[Guest_128]

Hi, thanks for talking to me, I understand how to post a new thread, I just don't want to go over the same old, and I haven't got the memory to decipher everything.

Also I am not being cranky, and I feel I can speak to you as I find your posts to be amazing.

What I'm asking for is there a thread of such ,where you can tell your story/life?

I can keep trying to find comfort here but if the main players,like yourself don't know the history,how can any of you help ?

Later

[white knight]

Hi later

Thanks for the compliment

All posts are, as you know, max 2500 figures. So in answer to your question no, you cant tell a story beyond that.

Try writing your story and condencing it down. Make it a summary. See, any larger than 2500 and readers get distracted because many of us have a limited attention span

Give it a go.

Tony WK

[quirkywords]

Later

Are you wanting to know if there is a thread where anyone can write their life story?

I think that would be interesting.

is that what you meant?

Quirky

[Guest_128]

Hi Quirky,

just letting you know I haven't forgotten to post,just struggling to say what I want.

Hope you are well

Later