Invisible Disabilities Case Analysis

Invisible Disabilities

© 2021 Walden University, LLC 1

Invisible Disabilities Program Transcript NARRATOR: As people in a highly visual world, we take in information and make

judgments largely through our visual perceptions. But what about what cannot be seen?

Invisible disabilities are just that, invisible. However, they may be recognizable to those

who live with them.

Invisible disabilities include such conditions as diabetes, autism, fibromyalgia, traumatic

brain injury, and mental illness among others. These are neurological or physiological

conditions that are not immediately apparent but that nevertheless affect every aspect

of a person's life.

When discussing their disability with someone else, they may receive comments like,

well, you look fine to me. Are you sure there's something wrong with you? You don't

seem disabled? Oh, it's all in your head.

These kinds of statements invalidate their experience and the very real symptoms and

challenges they may be having. So not only may the person feel marginalized by the

disability itself but also by the lack of acknowledgment and empathy from others. Social

workers recognize the impact of invisible disabilities in their assessments and treatment

plans examining how the disability intersects with other factors to influence the client's

well-being. They also know that just because a disability is hidden it does not make a

person any less worthy of support.