Why do people insist that if they have even the slightest mental/physical problem think that they are disabled?

You are confusing having a disability and being disabled by it. You most definitely have more than one disability. But you are evidently not disabled by any of them.

Different people have different thresh holds for pain and inability to do things. Sometimes you have a high thresh hold because you are born with something and that is your ordinary/ typical way of being. That is partly why people who are born deaf and learn sign language do not consider them self disabled.

When people are used to being abled-bodied and acquire a disability - sometimes their thresh holds for pain and difference are very low.

People are individual and their response to what life deals them is equally individual.

Don't judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.

You are trying to paint everyone with the same brush. Your conditions may not be so severe that they have any major effects on your life, but that doesn't mean everyone else is the same. There exist all kinds of disabilities and medical problems and they vary in severity and are not always visible on the outside of the person.

Not everyone who has disabilities is disabled. There is a difference between those terms.

There are many people with disabilities who are active and manage fine. They still have their disabilities, they have just found other ways to do things and live a good life, so they are not really disabled by their disabilities. Not everyone is that lucky. Some people truly suffer from disabilities that may seem to you like "no big deal".

Thinking that people must either be in a wheelchair or drooling all over themselves in order to be considered disabled is incredibly ignorant.

You really need to check your definition of "disability" your narrow definition leaves out so many other combination that makes basic functioning difficult... near impossible for some people. For what my body and head has been through I would find mere arthritis a blessing. I will not get into my problems here but I will say that I am not all the time in a wheelchair and I am not drooling on myself.... well not all the time anyway.. In closing I would like to say a forum for people with disabilities.. Whatever they are and I am sure everyone's are as varied as hair colour is the point is this is not the place to vent about how much better off you are and how you have a lack of compassion for those who are not doing as well. Maybe if you didn't keep yourself drugged up all the time you would see how difficult it is for others.

your saying my boyf is not disabled to you, because YOU dont think he is, because, he doesnt drool or use a wheelchair

your not really the most understanding or tolerant disabled person are you

your supposed to set an example for disabled not BE the ones we fight against

do you understand the word

dis

abled

not able to function fully as any 'normal' able person

do you not consider autism a disability?

how about agoraphobia?

are these not soemthing that "disable" soemone?

sadly, you sound just as arrogant and ignorant as many able people

you need to get off your 'high horse' and not judge others to be YOU as they are NOT you, as you are NOT them

you can not say anyone who is classed as disabled but not got what you do or doesnt react the same way as you do or is not "in a wheelchair or drooling" is not and should not be classed as disabled and are weak willed

fine, you dont want to admit you are disabled, no one forces you to, but that doesnt mean the rest of the disabled world has to deny they are disabled too, its nothing to be ashamed of, its just a fact of life, its part of who they are and they accept that

you cant expect all people in the world to be like you, im sure your very admirable for all you have achieved and your spirit, but that does not give you ANY right to judge ANYONE else for how they handle their problems

any day you coudl find out what its liek to not have that 'spirit' you never know what the next hurdle will throw at you or how you will handle it

Firstly everyone is unique in the way that they respond and perceive what may be the same conditions, and it is virtually impossible to be able to get the subjective experience of others, apart from in their own perception and words.

I don't particularly like labels anyway, and a generic label such as 'disabled' trying to encompass an enormous amount of difficulties that people may have is as hard as any one word can be to define millions of differences. If people feel the need to use a label, for their own or others benefit, I believe strongly that they should be able to do so. It's easier to use a simple term such as 'disabled' than it would be to explain the intricacies of medical or other conditions to the masses of people who have limited understanding or even interest.

It seems that you've made a fantastic life for yourself, notwithstanding those things that have held you back, though I can't say that I've identified a large number of people who have rushed to identify themselves as disabled with inaccuracy, here in the UK - though I don't know where you are.

I just take someone's communication of difficulties as that, and see if I may be able to help. Overall, I aim not to knock those who may be already have problems, as this may just make bad things worse for them.

I hope this helps. Good luck! Rob

I am the same, although I've never asked the doc to specifically think about registering me. I just get on with life. disability is any long term illness that impares a normal way of life. This has been tested in court and recently seen to include illness such as cancer. Therea re many people that are down on strength, they get no with it. I have no use of both my hands, but I'm not bothered about registering. I would LOVE to have the use of 2 reduced-strength hands.

Because misery loves company. That's why.

You know as well as anyone how people love to talk about themselves and many people view some kind of difference in whatever the "accepted norm" is - as a disability.

This not to mention the subsidies that people with disabilities (and I really mean disabilities - not chronic split ends disabilities) can receive for "not working."

Of course, if you spoke to someone with a genuine disability - who happens to receive benefits - the will more than likely offer to trade their situation with an "able bodied" person any time, any place.

Please be aware, Dear one, that this is not a place to vent - disabled or not - or proud of how you have overcome your challenges. This is still not a place to vent.

It isn't just people with slight physical/mental problems; there are lots of people in general who are just lazy or want extra conveniences.

There are even more people who think, like you, that it's not a big deal and there's no reason to complain. You just don't notice them, because they're not making a big deal about their "disability."

Probably, you know a lot more people with slight problems who don't complain about it than you know annoying people who insist they're disabled. Just ignore the jerks. Because there isn't really much else you can do about it.

Legally though you would likely be considered disabled.

I agree with you, although I don't have any disabilities I have dear ones who do and it just makes me sad that someone would argue that they have to go through that as if it were a good thing and tries to get benefits of it. Just as a previous answerer, I'm sure a person with true disabilities would switch spots with a normal one at any time.

However, I can set you a good example. My "aunt" is absolutely brilliant, she has nothing wrong with her brain, her only disability is that she is unable to walk properly, which she has dealt with efficiently with aids at walking to the point where she can even drive to work and go upstairs (with a little trouble, but she can). She has been offered fantastic jobs due to her brilliancy, however once she accepts these jobs she chooses to blame all of her mistakes at her so-called disability, eventually causing her to get fired.

the main lesson is: my "aunt" makes herself disabled by saying she can't do anything because of her disability and even blaming my "grandmother" for it. This has costed her jobs and both family and friend-relationships. Some people are truly disabled, however most of the times people make themselves disabled by being unwilling to go further, to be better people on the excuse that a so-called disability deprives them from doing it, this only shows (at least to me) that these people aren't really disabled at all.