The deeper meaning of disability

Various Forms of Disability

When we mention disability, usually, physical deformation or lack of certain physical capabilities come to our mind. However, we have many other classified types of disability since this condition is an umbrella term, encompassing physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, developmental, emotional and many other aspects of this condition.

A disabled person may have impairments, which regard his/her body or structure. Additionally, he/she can suffer from activity limitations, having difficulties in performing certain tasks. Finally, he/she may have participation restrictions, or problems with involvement into various life situations.

Thus, basically, we have a very complex structure behind the term of being disabled. Disabilities are shown on many different fields, from physical to emotional ones. Either way, they present something which is considered lacking in comparison to the social norms and the majority of people.

Nevertheless, this does not imply that you should feel sorry for disabled people and their hardships in the world. Rather, you should consider them absolutely equal and normal as all other people.

Disability Behind the Scenes

Disabilities may be caused by injuries or illnesses. Also, there are people who were born with certain disabilities, either physical or mental.

Thus, once a person is disabled, he/she faces two different scenarios in life. Firstly, there is the necessity of medial correction of his/her state, needing therapies, surgeries and other troublesome, yet productive and constructive, procedures. Secondly, these people face the society consisting of predominantly “normal” people who are severely judgmental, seeing only the disability in disabled people, instead of noticing all the abilities these individuals have.

There are many politically and socially incorrect words and names that are used to describe disabled people. One of these is handicapped, since these people are in no way less creative or less capable than others. Rather, they just need to do things a bit differently. Moreover, there are many famous disabled people who do just fine in their lives.

Tom Cruise, for example, fights his dyslexia, which is a learning disability, preventing one from reading. Christopher Reeve was also disabled after surviving a horse riding accident, damaging his spinal cord. Michael Bolton is deaf but has no problems with singing. Moreover, neither did blindness stop Stevie Wonder from becoming a star and a music legend. Therefore, it is all about acceptance and tolerance of the people.

Finally, sometimes our state of mind is disabled, preventing us from achieving certain goals in life. Thus, we need optimism, tolerance, love and courage to deal with whatever problems we might have, facing nothing but support from the rest of the people.