Why Are We Still Whispering About Disabilities?

摘要

Disabilities and mental illness are not sexy topics. In fact, most people seem afraid to talk about them openly. One in four adults will experience a mental health disorder in a given year, yet most people still seem afraid to discuss their mental health for fear of being stigmatized. Nearly 50 million Americans have a disability, but disabilities still cause many people to be uncomfortable. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, "An individual is considered to have a 'disability' if [he or she] has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment." According to the National Institute of Mental Health, mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning. Mental illnesses can affect people of any age, race, religion, or income. Given the statistics regarding the number of people affected by disabilities or mental illness, it is impossible to deny that we, and the people we work with, are struggling with these situations. Why then, are we still "whispering" when we talk about physical or mental disabilities?