Disability debate continued

I got many comments, in various ways about the question I posed about alopecia being an inconvenience or a disability. It's a good debate.

Whilst there is no one answer, I did come to a sort of conclusion, which is that it is only a disability if the person with the condition, defines it as such. But I do have a issue with this self definition. As I wonder if we can have it both ways?

For example, some health authorities contribute to wig reimbursement, others also cover psychological counselling  services. However if we want to campaign for such support and ensure more health authorities recognize the need for such support, is it appropriate to label alopecia as an inconvenience? Clearly it would need to be recognized as a disability in order for governments to part with their increasingly small pool of money.

So where does that leave the debate?

I dont't think it can be self defined. I believe if we think society should financially support us baldies to find our place in society, through talking it through, or making us look normal, then alopecia needs to be recognized as a disability.

Do I feel disabled? A big no.

But did I ever, do I sometimes and do new alopecians need help - a big YES!

So you know what, I would be happy to hear that alopecia is a recognized disability.

How I then chose to behave is down to me.

Health ingratitude

I don't think anyone would disagree with the sentiment that health is the most important thing, yet there is a strange relationship we have with it.

When we are ill, there is nothing more that we want, than to be healthy again. In the moment of a severe bout of sickness, there is so much that we would be willing to give or pay to get better immediately.

The minute we are better, we are so greatful, we feel so thankful to be able to function like normal, it is a wonderful feeling.

Sadly, however, this gratitude and appreciation, disappears very quickly. Beiing Healthy becomes very quickly the normal again. And luckily our brain and body quickly recover and forget the pain of the past few days. Although at the time, we felt this feeling would never be forgotten.

So why is it that we only have two views on our health : Neutral or negative.

I have tried to search the internet for insights, but have not found any. Maybe I am alone in this health ingratitude?

What about you, do you take your health for granted?

Do any of you have any rituals or ways of showing gratitude for a healthy day?

What practices work to ensure we appreciate the positive days?

Do let me know......

Alopecia - inconvenience of disability?

I recently read that disabilities—visible and invisible—affect more people and have greater consequences for society than most people imagine. It is estimated that about 15% of the global population is living with a disability. This is roughly the size of the combined GDP’s of Ireland, India and Japan.

So is alopecia a disability?

I would assert it is, here is what the article went on to say:

71% of disabilities are non-apparent and include mental health, learning, attention deficit, sensory (low vision/hearing loss), environmental (serious allergies to common products), and developmental/brain injury conditions.

So this article suggests alopecia is not a disability.

Mmmmmmmmm.........

Maybe alopecia is more of an inconvenience than a disability, however I am not so sure.

With alopecia, there may be in an inability for the person
to go swimming
to partake in physical exercise
to feel confident in public spaces
to name just a few things.

But do these things constitute a disbility?

Thoughts?