When people find out you have a disability--do they treat you differently?

Why....thank you! I'll take that as a compliment! LOL (besides...it takes one to know one, right? Hehehehe)

"hip pain equals no brain"--my you are a smarty pants...LOL

Oh my goodness...you want me to describe agoraphobia..mm..want to read a book here?? LOL Many people will have some kind of panic or anxiety disorder...they have panic attacks, some only mildly, some severe on an almost 24-hour period, in other words constantly. This makes a person avoid doing or going places that they know might trigger the panic attack, say going to a crowded shopping mall--sometimes the attacks get so overwhelming that not only will a person completely avoid going to those places, but will avoid even just going out of their homes and become housebound...like I did..Technically speaking agoraphobia is defined as "fear of open places" which really isn't true..it's actually the fear of the fear itself..the fear of getting the panic attack..making one feel like they are going to die, racing heart, dizziness, faintness, wobbly legs--the works--not a nice feeling--and the feeling to race home which many will identify as their "sanctuary" or safe place When I first began getting my attacks years and year ago, I didn't know what the heck was happening to me, until I did finally get diagnosed with the problem. I've since been listening to Lucinda Bassett's 15-tape program "Attacking Anxiety and Depression"---and it has helped tremendously...One eye opener is to discover that in many ways a person actually triggers their own anxiety attacks...by anticipatory anxiety..in other words one creates the panic attack--she gives wonderful exercises to combat anxiety attacks the moment you feel even the slightest twinge of one coming on, such as breathing exercises and positive self-talk If you're interested here's her website; http://www.stresscenter.com I can actually say I haven't had a full blown panic attack in a long time...but as I mentioned I still have far to go to completely overcome this...the trick is to "challenge" oneself and do and go places over and over and over again until one feels comfortable and its second nature...I can go to the smaller shopping mall for instance with no problem..and have even "practiced" going on the subway..okay for now only one stop...but hey it's a start...The trick is to do little baby steps..nothing overwhelming or dramatic, cause if you "fail" and have an attack it would be self-defeating.. Uh--have I answered your question?? LOL

Oh wow yes Ive heard of this. Im glad your doing better can you eventually get completely better? I hope some day you wont have this anymore.

Well lets put it this way...they are just too many things I want to do in life..including doing some serious traveling...so yes, I want to overcome this!!

Type slow..that's a good one...hehe---obviously my disability doesn't show on the outside either..a lot of people have physical internal medical disabilities too that don't "show" up either--

Ooo--better not get Eskarena's feathers ruffled! LOL

I agree with you but the first time I thought about applying for Social Security I was told not to bother because I wouldn't be approved because I was too young. Even a few years ago when I had pnemonia and the resident financial person came in to see me stated "Well we won't bother with filing for SSI because you won't get it, your too young." (at this point they were talking of me being on O2 the rest of my life). So go figure. I finally applied this year but it's going to take a while I know. What does disability have to do with people coming to your house? I don't know any doctors that make house visits anymore. Nurses and Respitory Techs maybe but even those they try not to do if they can help it. They'd rather have you go to them.

What do you mean too young??? You can get disability even if you're a child

That's silly...what does age have to do with anything...what because you're not ninety?? Besides children can experience tremendous pain as well..so age has nothing to do with it---There's one neighbor in my building--uh, not the same neighbor I had talked about in one of my other discussions, but this one is just as bad and just as nosy...She swears that I've been lying all these years about my agoraphobia business...why? Cause she sees me got out--yes true there was one time in my life I was completely housebound..but there are all levels of agoraphobia...not just housebounders...she thinks how could I possibly be disabled, as she's never seen therapists or doctors come to my apartment--how stupid...first of all I'm on the second floor she's on the third..and how can one tell who is or isn't a therapist/doctor after all they don't wear signs around their necks saying who they are---and I did by the way, early on have a therapist come to my apartment

My own grandmother thought my agoraphobia problem was a ruse...that I didn't want to go out in the world...---and back when she was alive my phobia problem was much worse than now....thing is..if I was just "acting" why was a therapist coming and making house calls to get me out of the apartment...yes, family members can be the worse to contend with

Well I can see that..that people treated you that way because they cared...but sometimes a person doesn't want someone killing them with kindness..do they...they mean well, but still, it can be annoying

I guess people are more apt to think one is lying if they can't see any real disability unless it's a real physical problem...they expect maybe all people with disabilities to be in wheelchairs or something

A lot of people seem my disability is all an act too...since they do see me "Function"--

Oh that's funny--I get that too, and how elegantly you put it...."looking really good" when feeling like crap warmed over--excellent!!

exactly. i hope karma catches up with the bunch of 'em.

That's rotten...so like one day your dad was "normal" the next treated like a leper by the very same people

To quote you..."Makes me want to rip their face of so they can walk around with a blank look." That's the right attitude I must say..I mean it!

How idiotic people can be...I have a sympathy for people with Turret syndrome...people probably think the same thing that they are dangerous but gee, look at that guy who killed all those people at Virginia Tech...he was "normal" looking--go figure

With all of the disabilities and pain I am having to battle just to try to get some normality in my life, it's a miracle that I have NOT lost my sanity! The fact that I am relatively sane in spite of it all really shows a lot about my character and perseverence. And, as far as the V-tech shooter is concerned, goes to show that looks really can be deceiving.

A lot of panic attacks are actually created by anticipatory anxiety...it's like you're expecting them....that's why those tapes by Lucinda Bassett are so great...she really explains the how and why people often get them--with all the crap I'm going through with my SSI disaster it's a wonder I haven't had one...yet for some weird reason I do well under stressful conditions and circumstances..maybe cause I'm just so pre-occupied with the stressful condition to begin with!

Glad to hear you're over them...did it ever make you housebound? As they say...sometimes it takes a person with some kind of disability to understand others as well with one

Yes it did. I was even afraid to drive my car for the longest time. I was driving my car one snowy night, when I got my first panic attack. I had to flag down a polive officer. It was late at night. Somehow after many months I got better. I went through hell. even now on occasion I tend to feel like I might have an attack, if I'm under a lot of pressure, but I tend to try and calm myself, and tell myself it will pass and I will be ok.

Hehe--maybe you could use your sticks to whack at people who are insulting--LOL

A lot of people do tend to be enablers....they think we can't handle our own affairs so they think they are doing us a favor always trying to be "helpful" but they're not-- O h a n d I w i l l l e t y o u k n o w i f y o u n e e d t o t a l k s l o w--LOL

Wonderfully said!!! Thank you

Isn't that infuriating? Just because a person has depression or anxiety or anything they thing you can't think like an adult