Walter Reed...

After reading several articles in the Washinton Post and seeing a flurry of news reports on major networks like CNN and MSNBC I have begun to be quite worried about the care of our newly disabled soldiers. These are young men and women who volunteer to join the armed service to defend the United States. The US owes these young men and women the best care and resources they can provide. It saddens me that through this expose the army & Walter Reed Medical Center seem to have egg on their face. We as citizens should demand that our government provides for these troops the best care & resources possible. Why? Not for the basic care of our own but more importantly so these young soldiers can have productive lives and given the best opportunities possibles. Without a fresh start and state of the art facilities we are endangering our wounded soldiers throughout there treatment.

It is time that the citizens of the United States be vigilant in sending a message to its government saying that it is critical to take care of the needs of our own. Maybe we can use this as a model so that the government can understand the value of the entire disability community.

Hidden Disabilities: Part II

Over these past weeks I have been thinking quite a bit about hidden disabilities such as mental illness and other cognitive and developmental disabilities like ADD, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders and many others. What has occured to me is that there is really a true lack of understanding of these types of disabilities. Yes, there have been strides made to have a greater awareness to what these types of disabilities are, yet we as a culture are mired in sterotypes and stigma from years gone by. It is often sad that a decade and a half after the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act that literally millions of people with disabilities are still almost at a stand still. While I can discuss this in a broader cross disability perspective I want to make sure to really focus here on "hidden" disabilities because these are so often overlooked within the mainstream culture. Or when "uncovered" these hidden disabilities are seen in a negative light.

I think it is critical to reframe the perspective of what the perception is of people with hidden disabilities in our society. Rather than continually propogating old myths that I often think have been media driven - things like the mentally ill criminal or that a person with a learning disability or special needs cannot assume mainstream schooling or gainful employment is just ludicrous. There needs to be an awakening in our society from our educational institutions, the private sector, media and public officials.

Science and medicine have done tremedous things for people with disabilities allowing for them to live fuller more productive lives. For those people with hidden disabilities it is an essential piece of their daily lives. However, for many it is still misunderstood that through this treatment there conditions are treatable and that one can go about their day to day lives. I beseech the media, public officials and others to start to take a more disability friendly stance. Using there station in the world they can affect a tremendous amount of people in a truly positive way. It is my belief that education & advocacy is crucial if we are to succeed in dispelling the myth and stigma of those with hidden disabilities. We must focus on the ability - that is where true change will happen.

So how do we begin? In these arenas of public life, media and private industry - BE CREATIVE!!! THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX But most of all don't be afraid! It has been fear that has gotten us to this point, we must break down that barrier. It is about time!

Hidden Disabilities: A Personal Perspective

Over the past few weeks I have witnessed what can happen when someone with biploar disorder does not treat themselves properly. It can create a spiraling effect that impacts oneself, family, friends and can create havoc amongst one's daily life. Hidden disabilities such as mental illness has a tremendous stigma attached to it because it is still seen as something unknown - untangiable. Unlike those with more physical disabilities, hidden disabilities are pushed to the shadows. I believe this can be a very dangerous proposition. We as a society have a responsibility to understand and help people with hidden disabilities such as mental illness. Through understanding tolerance and acceptance is something that will come over time.

In my own life I have begun to ask many questions about the nature of what is societies obligation and what is the obligation of the individual. This is an ethical question that must be looked at quiet seriously. Weather in be in the context of an employer, regligous group or larger community. How does society at larger need to understand hidden disabilities? My feeling is that we must quash the stigma behind words like "crazy" "lunatic", etc. and get to the real heart of the matter. That infact hidden disabilities are things that can be managed through the right treatment & self care. Things like mental illness are just that - illness. There may not be a cure - but treatment yes. Social acceptance takes time - but it also takes innovation & creativity to break down the barriers that seperate those with hidden disabilities from the rest of society.

In my next post I want to explore how we can change perception and what tools we can possibly utilize.