Recognizing Invisible Disabilities

The power of invisibility may seem hugely attractive. Indeed, some comic superheroes rely on invisibility as an important tool in their arsenal against evil-doers.

But for many people living with disabilities, invisibility doesn’t seem like much of a superpower.

The term invisible disability is used to describe disabilities that are not readily apparent or are “invisible” to the casual observer. There are many disabilities that fall into this category, but some examples include chronic medical conditions, autism, learning disabilities, depression, anxiety, or auto-immune disorders. 

These conditions can be invisible in a couple of ways. The disability itself may not be obvious, allowing the disabled person to blend in and avoid some of the discrimination that people with more apparent disabilities cannot. But that same blending can make the person themselves feel invisible and unsupported.

Although our society made some progress in accepting and accommodating people with disabilities, we have a long way to go. Our typical images of accessibility usually center around physical access-ramps, rails, and parking spaces. For a person with an invisible disability, not only are the barriers still there; the barriers aren’t seen.

To complicate matters, some invisible disabilities are inconsistent. A person with a mental illness may struggle more on some days than others. A person with multiple sclerosis may have full functioning between attacks and then a relapse will leave them unable to walk or see.

The prevalence of invisible disabilities is also likely underreported, and people with invisible disabilities may not identify themselves as disabled and request the accommodations they may be entitled to.

As a result, people with invisible disabilities remain the frequent victims of ableism within most of our society—our judicial system, medical system, and educational systems all fail people with invisible disabilities on a regular basis. We may pity people with obvious disabilities. We dismiss, disdain, and bully people with invisible disabilities.

People with invisible disabilities are over-represented in our criminal justice system; symptoms are mistaken for resistance and confessions are forced from people without the confidence or means to defy a person in authority. People with invisible disabilities frequently report untreated medical conditions and misdiagnoses when medical providers ignore or disbelieve the symptoms they report. 

Perhaps worse, people with invisible disabilities are even dismissed by other people with disabilities and erstwhile allies. They are challenged for accessing supports, housing, parking spaces, or other accommodations that they are seen as “taking” from people who need them more. At times, these challenges can be aggressive and violent and may end with the person losing essential supports, living in fear, or isolating and becoming even more invisible.

Millions of Americans are living with invisible disabilities. And the reality is, any one of us could join those ranks at a moment’s notice. This, if for no other reason, is an excellent reason for us all to work to dismantle the stigmas around disability and help the unseen be counted in our midst.