Talk:Invisible disability

This is a common issue for people with invisible disabilities. I think it is worth a mention and an internal link. I can think of the following points:
1. Service animals seem to display or 'prove' the existence of a disability, e.g. seeing eye dogs. For the same reason, they may make people more vulnerable to harassment. The fact of one's disability may be challenged constantly as they navigate grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, etc. who assume the animal's status is a ruse.
2. People with more unusual disabilities (such as narcolepsy) or service animals (miniature horses, rabbits, rats...) face unique difficulties.
3. Many areas outside the US or western culture have a long tradition of using service animals. Examples I have seen include dogs, horses, mules, donkeys, goats, monkeys, and apes.
I am sorry I do not have time to find sources myself. Thank you for considering these suggestions. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.192.101.253 (talk • contribs) 22:41, 28 January 2013‎

There are several articles on the subject, including Service animal, that might interest you.

You seem to be in the US, so you may particularly want to look into the latest regulations. Rabbits, rats, etc., have been defined by federal regulation as not qualifying as service animals. Service animals must be dogs (or rarely miniature horses), and they must be trained to perform specific actions. Animals that merely lower a person's stress or anxiety level no longer qualify; legally, they're the same as pets and do not have to be permitted in stores, restaurants, etc. As I understand it, any store, restaurant, etc., may legally ask a person with an animal "Is that a service animal?" and "What tasks has it been trained to perform for you?" If the answer to the latter is "Nothing, I just feel better when he's here", then they may legally exclude the animal from the premises. WhatamIdoing (talk) 23:17, 28 January 2013 (UTC)

There is a difference between ESA (emotional support animals) and PSA (Psychiatric service animals). A PSA is trained to perform a specific task for a person with mental illness, is ADA recognized, and has the same legal protections as a service animal that services someone with a physical disability^[1]

The notion of 'invisible' seems limited. What about a section on misunderstood disabling characteristics, for example, erratic eye movements (some neurological disorders), trembling of hand (CP), overly intense gaze (AS), slightly off balance gait (CP). These are behaviors that interfere with successful interpersonal communication because of the feelings of discomfort felt by the non affected communication partner. They can be misinterpreted as disinterest, extreme nervousness, even substance abuse. With regards to employment, such interpretations may have a drastic affect on successful job interviewing. And yet the person with the mild symptoms of disability may not wish to disclose the disability, as was mentioned. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Vakdevi (talk • contribs) 13:25, 3 April 2014 (UTC)

@Vakdevi: That is an interesting perspective! If they are visible they should at least signal of disability but in a rude society its often not seen nor considered to be disability. Thabk you for mentioning and at least a point should be added into the article.

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"Non-blind people with the circadian rhythm disorder 'non-24' are as a rule unemployable and there are no visible signs of that."

To say "as a rule unemployable" makes the assumption that all such people are categorically unemployable. This would be not just a matter of subjective opinion, but a false one at that: independent contractors (artists, programmers, etc.) with non-24 could presumably complete contracts despite the disability. Moreover, no source is cited to corroborate the statement.

Perhaps the statement can be reworded: "Non-blind people with the circadian rhythm disorder 'non-24' are often unemployable and there are no visible signs of that." Still lacks a cited source, but is less of a misguided generalization.

74.100.54.53 (talk) 02:00, 2 July 2016 (UTC)

This article is related to a fundamental human right and about a tricky condition yet such an importan article has been translated into only 4 languages. Requesting to translate it to more language so that more people can know about it.

SimpleSilly (talk) 06:57, 10 January 2021 (UTC)

These conditions are heavily misinterpreted as 'laziness', 'intentional unwillingness', 'not trying hard enough' etc. Autism/ asperger type cognition also create lot of misunderstanding in the society.

Employment discrimination is reported to play a significant part in the high rate of unemployment among those with a diagnosis of mental illness.[1] An Australian study found that having a mental illness is a bigger barrier to employment than a physical disability.[2][better source needed] The mentally ill are stigmatized in Chinese society and can not legally marry.[3]

- from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_disorder

Not by any chance "hidden disability" is any less important than anything. For the disabled people, it is all encompassing their life and , according to social model of disability, the society is responsible for it, not the disabled person. So hidden disability is utmost important for the entire society too. Also who do the 'mistake' of ignoring a disability (due to invisibility) is the society, so the society needs to be consider this as important. Please consider the article as top importance. SimpleSilly (talk) 16:04, 10 January 2021 (UTC)

It is also very disheartening to see such a tricky disability condition is being rated as low importance. I am assigning it as high importance SimpleSilly (talk) 16:10, 10 January 2021 (UTC)

I have assigned it mid-importance. It is not a depth of knowledge, not a must-have for a print encyclopedidia, but not mainly of specialist interest. If you have any concerns, message me. 🐔 Chicdat  ^{Bawk to me!} 12:40, 14 January 2021 (UTC)

This kind of argumentation is exactly why WikiProject Disability does not use importance ratings. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 12:50, 14 January 2021 (UTC)

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 30 August 2023 and 12 December 2023. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Wikifaedia (article contribs).

— Assignment last updated by Gkrolewski (talk) 15:36, 18 September 2023 (UTC)

I have just removed this from the article:

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 has been amended several times such that the definition of "handicapped" includes the statement, "any person who... (C) is regarded as having such an impairment".^[1]

This particular defining point of "handicapped" puts the assessment of impairment in the hands of observers who may or may not regard others as having an impairment. For people with disabilities, invisible or not, this creates a space for discriminatory practices which stem from the observer's perception of who is disabled and who is not.

I've removed this because the second paragraph leads me to believe that whoever added this (which hopefully wasn't me...  ;-) didn't quite understand it. This US law covers people with actual disabilities and people with perceived disabilities. The inclusion of non-disabled people who are incorrectly perceived to have a disability does not take anything away from people with invisible disabilities. Including more people does not "puts the assessment of impairment in the hands of observers" or "create a space for discriminatory practices". WhatamIdoing (talk) 22:58, 12 December 2023 (UTC)

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 26 August 2025 and 19 November 2025. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Sgrass2007, Chamber132 (article contribs). Peer reviewers: Sluba, Victorriaaaa, Ssavian.

— Assignment last updated by Amora193 (talk) 04:42, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

I'm just a passerby, but I noticed this and I thought I should mention it. I am not an editor and have no current wish to be one.

Early in the article, it mentions that 1 in 5 Americans suffered mental illness, which is counted as an invisible disability. In the next paragraph or so, it is also mentioned that 1 in 10 Americans suffer from invisible disabilities. Wouldn't the former fact impact the latter? If 1 in 5 Americans suffered mental illness, then wouldn't AT LEAST 1 in 5 Americans suffer from invisible disabilities?

I don't know. Maybe I've got this all wrong. I just thought I'd bring it up.

Cheers! ~2026-15367-41 (talk) 20:47, 10 March 2026 (UTC)