What is Invisible Disability Awareness Week?
Invisible Disability Awareness Week was created in 2014 by the Invisible Disability Association (IDA).
Each year, individuals from across the globe come together to bring awareness, education, and support to people across the globe who live with invisible disabilities.
In 2024, the Invisible Disability Association will celebrate the 11th anniversary of this awareness week. Invisible Disability Awareness Week will be celebrated from October 20th to October 26th, 2024.
The main objectives of this awareness week are to:
- Raise awareness about invisible disabilities.
- Educate the public and provide information about various invisible conditions.
- Provide support to and encourage empathy for individuals living with invisible disabilities.
- Challenge stigma and misconceptions surrounding invisible disabilities.
- Create a more inclusive and understanding society in educational, work, and social settings through the development of resources, networks, and communities for those affected.
Raising awareness during this week can help able-bodied and able-minded individuals understand the barriers and challenges to living with an invisible disability and the ways in which they can advocate for a more accessible world.
It also allows abled individuals to make sure they are listening to the voices of those with lived experiences.
What is an Invisible Disability?
A common misconception related to disabilities is that disabilities are always visible. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.
In Canada, about 8 million people, or 27% of the population, are disabled. Estimates from Hidden Disabilities Sunflower suggest that roughly 80% of those who have a disability live with what we call an invisible disability.
In simple terms, an invisible disability is any physical, mental, or neurological condition whose symptoms limit daily activities and are hidden from the onlooker.
Unlike visible disabilities, which may be readily noticeable to the public through the observance of physical symptoms, invisible disabilities often go undetected by casual observers.
Types of Invisible Disabilities
Invisible disabilities come in many different types and vary greatly in severity and scope depending on the person.
Here are some key types of invisible disabilities:
- Mental health conditions: conditions that impact a person’s cognitive functioning and emotional health without being apparent on the outside. These include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, borderline personality disorder (BPD), anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder.
- Chronic pain conditions: conditions where someone may experience persistent discomfort and pain that limits their functioning without showing outward symptoms. These conditions could include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic back pain.
- Neurological conditions: conditions that impact the brain and nervous system. They cause physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms that impact a person’s functioning. Examples include epilepsy, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Sensory impairments: conditions that impact one or more of the senses and cause an impairment within these symptoms. For instance, someone who has partial hearing or vision loss but doesn’t require visual aids that would make the condition more visually apparent.
- Learning disabilities: conditions that impact an individual’s information processing and impact educational and occupational opportunities as a result of these impairments. Examples include dyslexia and dyscalculia.
In Canada, the youngest age group of those aged 15–24 reported mental health disabilities with the most prevalence. While older age groups reported pain disorders at the highest prevalence.
Challenges Faced by those with Invisible Disabilities
Unfortunately, the fact that symptoms are hidden from the onlooker leads to many challenges faced by those with invisible disabilities.
Moving beyond visual cues to recognize the diverse ways in which disabilities can manifest and impact individuals' lives could have a positive impact on reducing these challenges.
Nonetheless, below are some common misconceptions that those with hidden disabilities face.
Misunderstandings and judgment
Individuals with invisible disabilities often face accusations of faking or exaggerating their condition for attention.
This is especially true in situations that involve workplace accommodations or accessible parking or washroom spaces.
People may wrongfully assume that someone who can work is incapable of doing so because of their disability. The reverse is also true. Some people assume that those who can’t work as a result of their disability are just being lazy.
These misconceptions can cause people to hide their symptoms in fear of judgment.
It is important to bear in mind that it is very difficult to tell if someone has an invisible disability.
This can be applied to other areas of your life as well. For example, if someone who seems able-bodied uses an accessible toilet or parking lot, it is important not to make an assumption of whether or not their disability is valid.
Difficult obtaining support
Oftentimes, in the workplace, in school, and in the community, the accommodation and accessibility policies are created by those who are not disabled.
For this reason, they usually involve practices that cause disability individuals to have to jump through hoops to get the support they need.
Going through the process of obtaining accommodations, resources, or support can be a challenge for those who have a limited amount of energy to begin with. So much so that some individuals don’t go through the process because of the difficulties associated with it.
Stigma and discrimination
Unfortunately, stigma and discrimination for visible disabilities run rampant in society. Individuals may be passed up for job opportunities or promotions at work simply because people assume what their capabilities are based on their disabilities.
This discrimination and stigma is especially strong for those with mental health conditions.
In fact, one study of patients with mental health conditions showed that about 70% of them reported feeling discriminated against by their family, friends, or healthcare providers.
Misconceptions About Invisible Disabilities
A crucial goal associated with Invisible Disability Awareness Week is to address and challenge common misconceptions about invisible disabilities.
Here are some key misconceptions surrounding disabilities that this week aims to dispel.
Myth #1: Invisible disabilities aren’t real disabilities.
Fact #1: Everyone experiences disability differently, and symptoms can range in visibility and severity. Although you may not be able to see the symptoms of invisible disabilities on the outside, that doesn’t make them any less valid. People with invisible disabilities experience many mental, physical, sensory, and neurological symptoms that impact their day-to-day functioning in similar ways to that of people with visible disabilities. The only difference is the visibility. This awareness week will emphasize that disabilities don't need to be visible to be real.
Myth #2: Invisible disabilities can be cured through willpower.
Fact #2: Willpower involves the ability to control your own actions to reach your long-term goals. Since disabilities are illnesses that a person suffering from didn’t choose and are very real medical conditions, they require treatment and support. They are not something that can be controlled.
Myth #3: You can tell a person is disabled by looking at them.
Fact #3: The above statement reflects the narrow societal understanding of what disability encompasses. In actuality, disabilities come in many shapes and sizes. As previously stated, about 80% of those with a disability have an invisible one. This means that there are many people with invisible symptoms of their disability that you cannot see on the outside. This awareness week aims to broaden the public's perception of what disability looks like.
Why Is Invisible Disability Awareness Week Important?
This awareness week is crucial because it helps bring visibility to the invisible. By bringing awareness, we can work to eradicate the stigma associated with these conditions and create a greater societal understanding of what these conditions are like.
It also provides an opportunity for those with invisible disabilities to share their stories. People can learn the barriers that those with hidden disabilities face, and those with invisible disabilities can feel seen and validated.
With this week, we can work to create a more inclusive society where individuals with invisible disabilities are believed, supported, and accommodated in their daily lives.
Achieving the core goals associated with this week's goals could improve the lives of those living with invisible disabilities and their families. It could do so in several ways, including:
- Improved Societal Understanding: By spreading awareness for invisible disabilities through the delivery of evidence-based workshops and events, individuals are able to better recognize invisible disabilities and check their own biases associated with them. This understanding could also result in those with invisible disabilities being properly accommodated in work, school, and social settings.
- Fostering a community and support systems: fostering the goals of inclusivity and challenging stigma could allow individuals with invisible disabilities to feel more comfortable disclosing their conditions and participating in daily activities. This community support could lead to reduced isolation and improve mental well-being. Increased awareness could also lead to the development of more comprehensive support systems, including workplace accommodations, medical resources, and community support groups.
- Better Policy Development: When individuals at the government level are educated on the barriers that those with invisible disabilities face, this could lead to the creation and implementation of policies that could work to remove these barriers. An example of this would be the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) in Ontario, Canada, which recognizes the need for schools, workplaces, businesses, and society as a whole to provide and promote accessible services.
- Improved Quality of Life: by reducing the stigma and advocating for the reduction of stigma and discrimination, this directly and indirectly improves the quality of life for those living with invisible disabilities. They may experience less discrimination and a reduction in the barriers that currently exist when it comes to participating equally in society.
- Empowerment: by listening to the voices of those with lived experiences, these individuals are empowered to advocate for themselves and for better policies to support themselves and those like them.
By transforming the perception of invisible disabilities and creating a more inclusive environment, Invisible Disability Awareness Week could create a lasting positive impact on society.
How to Observe Invisible Disability Awareness Week
During Invisible Disability Week, individuals and organizations participate in activities to raise awareness, provide support, promote education, and foster a more inclusive society in various ways. These activities include:
- Donate to YMHC: YMHC is a not-for-profit, registered charitable community-based organization, offering essential, accessible, and meaningful resources to support those living with mental health disabilities and other invisible disabilities. You can support our programs, resource development, social media platforms, and initiatives through your donation and positively impact those living with invisible disabilities.
- Sharing personal stories of living with an invisible disability on social media, at events, and with loved ones’. On social media, you can use #InvisibleDisabilitiesWeek and #InvisibleNoMore to bring visibility to the invisible. By doing so, you can help increase awareness and understanding of the challenges and triumphs.
- Wear blue to show support and explain the significance if you are asked. If you don’t have a blue t-shirt, wear a bandana, headband, bracelet, pin, or any other clothing item that you have that is blue.
- Promote resources: Download and display resources related to invisible disabilities. You can check out the Youth Mental Health Canada social media platforms to share informational graphics we produce related to invisible disabilities.
- Join online support groups and communities to offer support and encouragement for others who are facing similar challenges to you.
- Host or attend virtual or in-person events related to invisible disabilities. This could include a panel discussion, webinar, or fundraiser to raise funds for an organization that supports those with invisible disabilities. If interested, you could run your own fundraiser for our registered charity, Youth Mental Health Canada (YMHC).
- Partner with local organizations: when you reach out to local organizations, it is important to remember the saying, “nothing about us without us.” You are going to want to partner with organizations that listen to and are run by those with lived experiences. This way, you can be sure that your awareness includes those with the most knowledge.
- Training Sessions: Organizations are encouraged to conduct workshops and training sessions to educate employees and community members about invisible disabilities.
By engaging in these activities, individuals and organizations can help to educate the public, challenge stigma, and create a more inclusive environment for those living with invisible disabilities.
YMHC Resources for Invisible Disability Awareness Week
Youth Mental Health Canada (YMHC) is committed to promoting an intersectional approach to our work. We recognize that those with invisible disabilities are more likely to face more significant mental health challenges.
We aim to provide various resources to support those who are experiencing these challenges. Our resources include:
- Mental Wellness Workbooks: Our mental wellness workbooks are designed to help individuals learn more about disabilities, mental health, and ways of asking for accommodations in educational settings. They also incorporate evidence-based practices such as CBT and DBT to cope with mental health challenges. They are available in multiple formats, including digital, photocopiable, and paperback.
- Mental Health Booklets: The education support plan booklet is designed to support students and their families with coming up with a plan for support and accommodations in a school setting. Explore our booklets.
- Multilingual Posters: Mental health motivation posters are a great way to promote awareness of mental health challenges and provide support to those experiencing invisible disabilities. You can order these mental wellness posters in multiple languages to support yourself or a loved one.
- Workshops and Presentations: YMHC offers workshops and presentations tailored to various audiences surrounding the topics of disability, mental health, and coping strategies. These workshops could be provided to a variety of audiences, including students, parents, educators, and community organizations. Request a workshop.
- Merch: We have a variety of gifts you could purchase for yourself or someone you care about to spread awareness for mental health disabilities. You can select from products with the YMHC logo, animal puns, Every Child Matters, or customize your own product.
- Training Courses: Our training courses provide in-depth knowledge and skills to educators and mental health professionals. They help you learn how to support individuals with disabilities and mental health challenges, such as school anxiety and other negative school experiences. Learn more about our training courses.
- Support services: We offer a variety of support services to support those with invisible disabilities. These services include peer support programs and our daily messages of support. They also include our heart-to-heart campaign, which sends hearts to students who are struggling to attend school due to mental health or disability-related challenges.
By sharing these resources and participating in events and activities during Invisible Disability Awareness Week, you can help to bring awareness to invisible disabilities, improve education related to invisible disabilities, and support those who experience them.
As a community, we can work together to create a more inclusive and accessible society for all. You can be a key part of this change. Read about how YMHC is making a difference and how you can donate to us as a registered charity organized here.