Disability barriers and limitations and how can they be removed or improved upon

In the USA there have been strides to ensure anyone with any form of disability has equal access and equal opportunities. However, even with strides, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Housing Act, Rehabilitation Act, and provisions in the Affordable Care Act, many individuals with disabilities still face barriers and/or limitations, be physical , communication, transportation, or even social and policy barriers/limitations... so, let's discuss this topic... 

Do you have a disability? What barriers or limitations do you experience because of an inadequate/non-existent accommodation or understanding? How can these barriers or limitations be removed or improved upon? 

I feel like I have a disability because I have depression and really no matter what I do, I cannot not have it. It is like I am born with something wrong with me mentally and I just struggle with this condition. I feel that there is still a stigma with depression that people with depression can just snap out of it or they are not really trying to get better.

I think there are two types of depression: those that are just born with something that makes them susceptible to be depressed and others who have an event happen that causes them to go through depression, like death of a family member or making a mistake that causes them to lose their job and then they face financial struggles, etc.

The latter, I feel, can be more easily combated because there is a root cause, so to say. The root cause just needs to be addressed and for these people, people tend to understand their depression more. However, for people like me, where there really is not a true trigger, I see it as a disability and nobody understands us. There should be more education or awareness of this and companies HR departments should know more how to deal with us... there are no accommodations for us... there are no mental health days. There should be.

At my former job, I was given a designated spot close to the door. It was not super easily accomplished because I did not have a "handicap" parking sticker, but during the winter here it becomes hard to walk distances with my COPD bc I get shortness of breath and chest pain. Luckily, they did agree to accomodate me.

I think an accomodation that more employers should allow office employees to do with conditions like COPD, is to work from home more often, especially when it is flared up.

I have neurapathy and it seems like no one knows or even cares about the constant pain that I am in,24/7, and what I have to do to combat it! It is wearing me down and I feel sad that nobody knows what I'm going through ( maybe only my doctor) Are there any others that feel the way I do?

There is definitely a stigma to depression in this country. I worked in healthcare and fellow workers discovered thru another employee that I was placed on the mental health ward of a hospital for one week as a patient. The news traveled like wildfire throughout the facility. From that time on I was never treated the same way prior to the news going viral. I was looked down on, i’ll remarks were made aimed in my direction and I was shoned upon until I left. ( Retired) it was just as capable and caring as the other nurses I had worked with for years but just one employee made it her business to spread my episode to others at my work place.  Forever stigmatized 😕😕😕

I have been managing relapsing remitting MS for more than thirty years.  I worked as a psychotherapist in private practice and with veterans at the VA for fifteen years.  I never told a soul, not even my mom, until I was required to retire early due to increased symptoms.  I kept it to myself because I didn’t want to be judged one way or another.  People can be very uninformed and judgmental.  Now I will talk about it if I think someone may benefit from my experience.  My life is grand (most of the time!).  I have one book published, dance, ride horses regularly, travel and love my family, friends, my dog and new adventures.  I believe this is due, in large part, to using discernment wisely and keeping people I can be be open with nearby.  A word of advice, don’t let anyone crush your dreams, especially when they don’t know your life or limits.  I have done more things and seen more things than I ever dreamed I could.  You can too.  You know your strengths better than anyone but God.  He has held my hand every step of this amazing journey!  Kathleen Grace Woolley, BA, MA.

I definitely understand about the depression. I have been depressed because my parents’ each suffered a violent death.

Although, it has been more than forty years ago. People think I should be over it by now. However, I have NOT! Just because it has been many years, I cannot just snap my fingers and it is over. Mind you, the people who say, “I should be over it”, their parents are still living.

Additionally, I suffered a stroke and I am constantly in PAIN! It is neuropathy and all the pain medication in the world cannot help. If I take the meds, I am a zombie and sleep. If I don’t, I am in dire pain! I have NO idea what to do!

I'm 78 years old, have painful traumatic arthritis in my right hip, vertigo that is the residual of a cerebellar stroke, and COPD which makes it difficult to breathe in temperature extremes (above 75 and below 35, for instance) or in areas without a lot of air circulation such as supermarkets. I have to walk with a cane because of the arthritis, because of the vertigo I have to consciously focus on something in front of me so that I can walk straight without looking like I'm drunk and, because of the COPD, I sometimes have to stop to catch my breath. I find it ironic that the three-point cane I use is advertised as "The Hurrycane" because there is no way I can hurry because of my physical problems. I walk slowly and, for the most part, other people are patient with me and even offer to help. However, there are always one or two whenever I'm out and about who are real jerks. Some make nasty comments, like "disgusting cripple" or "get out of my way for crying out loud," some don't say anything but just brush past me close enough to push me off balance, some do both. I've even tried using a wheelchair but not every place is wheelchair accessible and, furthermore, jerks have a problem with that, too, as a wheelchair takes up a lot of space. My husband or whatever friend has driven me to wherever (of course I don't drive) is always with me, and sometimes they respond to the jerks but I prefer that they don't do so because one never knows what a jerk is capable of doing in retaliation to being called out. 

@CUPPIE333 Hey,

I to have severe neuropathy. it has destroyed my bladder causing me to have a Catheter placed in for life.My hands hurt all the time so bad I want to cry! I have NO feeling in my feet making it hard to drive at all. My wife does not understand my pain--NO one does unless they have this condition

@mr1964 Yes, there should be mental health days. When I was working I was lucky - my place of employment allowed for one paid mental health day every month. If we didn't take them they were tacked on to our vacation time. It was a pleasure to not have to lie about being sick in order to get a day off if I wanted to do something instead of going to work - like attending a movie premiere or a one-day-only sale.