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Frequently Asked Questions
Scroll below to look at our most frequently asked questions about Invisible Disabilities!
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of our most common questions asked about Invisible Disabilities.....
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An invisible disability is when a disability is not immediately apparent or is internal in that person's body making it invisible to others with little outwardly symptoms. A disability is any condition of the body or mind either developed, hereditary or congenital that impairs, impacts or reduces the ability of that person to carry out tasks or functions that an able bodied person without a disability would be able to do. A disability is an ongoing physical, health, or mental challenge.
Anyone can have an invisible disability irrespective of income, nationality, race, religion, gender or age. An invisible disability can be diagnosed at birth or can be diagnosed at a later stage in life.
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Invisible disabilities are more common than you think.
1 in 7 in Ireland live with a disability according to the census.
80% of disabilities are invisible with chronic illness being the largest category of disability.
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Chances are, you won't know unless they are using assistive equipment such as a walking cane, wheelchair etc. or they have discussed their conditions with you. This makes is very hard for people to explain their disability particularly if it is invisible.
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There are still many challenges still facing people with invisible disabilities including a lack of awareness, with stigmatization, poor quality of life, low self-esteem, discrimination, risk of poverty, access to work, education and recreation.
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There are many types including...
Learning Disabilities , Physical Disabilities, Chronic Illnesses, Intellectual Disabilities
Mental Health Conditions, Visual Impairment, Hard of Hearing, Deaf, Blind.
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Depending on the disability, they might have health complications such as chronic fatigue or pain, frequent hospital visits, medications, it may also affect their mental health, mobility, quality of life.
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You can play your part by...
Raising Awareness: Follow our social media and spread our message. Let people know about us!
Statistics
Chances are, the majority of people don't understand what it means to have or live with an invisible illness or disability. That's because these conditions are completely invisible or internal and happen on the body's inside. For example, someone living with chronic pain can look completely 'normal' but could be struggling to do simple things like walking, shopping or eating. The only way you could spot an invisible disability is if they use assistive equipment or technology.
Did you know? Roughly 80% of all disabilities are invisible or less apparent! Therefore invisible disabilities make up the vast majority of the disability population but yet have very little representation, awareness, understanding or support. According to the CSO (Central Statistics Office) from the latest census in 2022 over 1 million people in Ireland live with a disability.
Terminology
Disability terminology and language can be confusing, with many people preferring to use different terms depending on their preference. Please take a look at the poster below for further guidance.
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