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.....

What is an invisible disability?
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.

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Who is affected?
Anyone can have an invisible disability irrespective of income, nationality, race, religion, gender or age. An invisible disability can appear at birth or can be diagnosed at a later stage in life.

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What are some of the challenges?
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, justice, and recreation.

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How common are invisible disabilities?

Invisible disabilities are more common than you think. 1 in 10 have some form of disability and is as high as 1 in 7 in Ireland according to the census. Also 80% of disabilities have hidden impairments, so roughly 400,000 people in Ireland.

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How do you know if someone has an invisible disability?
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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What can you do to help?

You can play your part by...

Raising Awareness: Follow our social media and spread our message. Let people know about us! Spread the word!

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What types of invisible disabilities are there?

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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How are people affected?
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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of our most common questions asked about Invisible Disabilities.....

1

Who is affected? Anyone can have an invisible disability irrespective of income, nationality, race, religion, gender or age. An invisible disability can appear at birth or can be diagnosed at a later stage in life.

2

What are some of the challenges? 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, justice, and recreation.

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How are people affected? 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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Invisible Disability Ireland is a national recognized non- profit under The Wheel; Ireland's national association of community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises.

Who is affected?
Anyone can have an invisible disability irrespective of income, nationality, race, religion, gender or age. An invisible disability can appear at birth or can be diagnosed at a later stage in life.

What are some of the challenges?
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, justice, and recreation.

How are people affected?
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.