Disability.

As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     The truth is that I was thinking .... that there is something within raw emotion that we express. Through our pain, anguish, moments of anger, frustration, there within lies the internal eruption. A beckoning, a calling that is asking to evolve. The evolution begins when we take the raw form of energy and begin to create something, find a way to express what we are feeling through this. I have previously thought of many formulas that simplify these thoughts such as: +/-=+∴Love. This is the formula that I refer to frequently when there are periods of frustration, anger, or pain; as a reminder not only for seeking patience, but also to do something, create something through this energy. We see many examples of these ideas one is where, Art Therapists use the arts to help individuals express themselves. We can think of any individuals who require care. Weather they are not able-bodied (a person with a physical disability), or any one with an invisible disability as well. These types of creative avenues are needed, what we might take for granted, another might be yearning for.

​     Any form of disability is challenging. This is a real reality. But anyone with a disability will also know the persistence, effort, and determination they will exert to fulfill goals, the will to live, and completing day to day routines. Well you might say that there are so many supports available to these individuals, these populations are not our concern. The truth is that there are supports available for individuals with disabilities, progress is being made, but too often these supports arrive with tons of paper work, restrictions, and invisible systemic barriers. Whilst there might be clear indications that services will be provided, access is limited. We can transfer these thoughts to that of the human rights code, where we are given rights, but these rights also become limited. We can also think of legislation that has been created for anti-discriminatory practices, and inclusion for people with disabilities. These laws are helpful, especially when the rights of people with disabilities have been impinged. To use the legislation or human rights codes for benefit, or to declare rights where there are infringements require to be well-versed, or if not some knowledge about how to read the laws, that can be in favour of the person who has a complaint. So for the person who is living with a disability here requires further learning, become knowledgable, but to what effect? Often those who are disabled are already living at the margins, racialized, from minority populations, not being able to work, limited to the work that they can perform, which affects thier socio/economic class or status. 

​  The learning, marginalization, additional marginalization, invisible barriers all add-up. Often causing added stress, and psychological effects. So while the able-bodied person might say that there are so many supports available, we cannot forget about the added factors, and the accessibility to services which are often not provided. These thoughts do suggest that while services are provided, the systemic barriers, and how to navigate the legislation are additional barriers to access. While we might say that these are not intentional, we can actually say they are, because who gets to achieve, break the barriers, are also another social construction. When we begin to realize that being disabled, or having an invisible disability does not mean that this being wants to take anyones rights away by claiming their own, it does mean that able-bodied individuals begin to shift their attitudes, and perceptions of those who are physically challenged, or mentally ill. With regards to mind health, we can think of the many socially constructed factors, barriers that create health problems. Mental health however we refer to it, is a creation of our interactions with society, barriers we face, and also how the brain reacts. We are all human, even if we break down, cry because of an experience. It is a persons way of releasing this emotion, that we turn into a mental health problem. How to improve access for mental health and disability, is one that requires continuous thought, and continuous progress to provide an inclusive environment for all.

     And to those who are persisting, determined to succeed, even in the smallest acts to fulfill daily life and living activities, remind yourselves that every pain, every frustration you experience, can be turned into a positive, once you use this energy to create or express how you feel. Or it could even be to be proactive, and taking steps to find the assistance you need to complete forms, paperwork so that you get the right access to services. Your human worth should never be viewed lesser than anyone else's. This is the beauty of human life - we all have a dignity that should never be subject to transgression. 

"Despite the considerable progress made in the past 70 years, the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are not yet matched by facts on the ground. We must make human rights a reality for everyone. " António Guterres, UN Secretary General. 

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on February 28th, 2018. I have referred to mind / brain health and (dis) ability as Mental health and Disability within these thoughts, however these labels are not my preferred use.
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