Why Don't I Seem Like 'Enough to Relate-With' unless I'm 'Too Much'?

Tweet

I have a brain-injury, so there's one-or-two crucial things that I can't do (mostly 'drive a car,' although 'carrying open drinks' and other things that require a "steady gait" are also 'ineligible for my to-do list '). Yet it seems that--when people see my disability (the unevenness--mostly--shown by my posture)--the backs of their minds say, "Hmmph! Not Enough!" &--in this ADHD-dependent culture--people move quickly to the next 'flashy-bright sparkler' without even giving me another thought. So I am made to feel that I need to act-out on the abilities I do have ... and not just sit there and quietly use them, but to 'VIOLENTLY' pull the attention back my way to make people notice. An example: a roommate of mine at the retreat I went to this week--while I was up in my room quietly resting--was talking to a couple of the other people at the retreat. It sounded fun there--with them laughing etc.--so I decided to start making my way there. But before I could even make it into the room, my roommate shouted that he was discussing something "personal" with the others & -that I needed to stay in my room & maybe turn the TV up to avoid hearing them. On one level, I understood that there was some 'private' stuff that would make him a "different person" to me if I heard it. On another level, however, I had come to the retreat not only to be helped -but also to help other. And to be thus denied had hurt. BUT my feelings there were not recognized as 'valid' until I SCREAMED (or--the manly 'scream'--HOLLERED), "IT SEEMS THAT YOU DON'T THINK I AM ENOUGH UNTIL I BECOME TOO MUCH!" How can I get the attention (that should come with the respect I deserve) without turning to anger?