You Problems and Disability

Hey there, MisWired here. And today I want to talk about something that has been on my mind for a while now. It's been increasingly obvious that in Kenya people increasingly side-line lived experience in favour of professional experience. And not only that, but those of us with lived experience are expected to ignore the shortcomings that often hurt us while simultaneously fixing them. Yet our opinions and experiences are dismissed, often to protect the status quo that society has in place. And that includes support and assurance, which go hand in hand yet are often given qualitatively.

And it is this expectation that causes us to either hide our diagnosis or just completely withdraw. And the worst part is that whenever we try to talk to those closest to us, we're often dismissed or told that it's a us problem and that we just need to try harder. The fact that our disability is often ignored unless convenient is extremely disheartening, and makes us question whether we're just being difficult. And it's this lack of support that often drives us to find other ways to deal with our struggles

Sadly this is a common experience for those of us who are disabled, because we're often clumped into one group and if one need has been met, we're told that they've done all they can. This has been my biggest frustration when it comes to getting support, because as and ADHDer and Bipolarite, I've often been told that my struggles are just in my head, I'm not trying enough, or that they've done all they can when they've done the absolute bare minimum. And that leads me to keeping quiet when I'm struggling, even with those I know would be understanding, because I've come to believe that I'm a burden and that I'm not doing enough. And I'm sure that this isn't just exclusive to me, or ND people, but people with disabilities as a whole.

If we're being perfectly honest, a lot of what governments, schools, organizations, and communities say about disabilities, especially mental disabilities are just hot air meant to make them look good while simultaneously ignoring what we actually need. And that's why I often feel defeated when people point and clap and celebrate what they do. When you've been forced to suffer in silence, and the people who made you suffer are celebrated, then what else can you do. Hopefully they'll make good on their word, but I don't expect them to.