Mental Health & Disability: How I Cope

So I’ve been in a wheelchair for nearly 10 years now and let me tell you its been the hardest years of my life. Due to my disability, there are so many challenges that I face every single day that it’s honestly just so exhausting. Not just physically but also emotionally to. These things can be caused by romantic relationships, every day simple things like getting up in the morning morning or even leaving the house. Any of these can trigger mental health. I mean I’ve definitely suffered a lot in my past especially in the last couple of months.

In the United Kingdom, mental health conditions are a significant concern among people with disabilities. As of 2023, approximately 34% of disabled individuals report mental health impairments, a substantial increase from 16% in 2012–2013.

Working-Age Adults: Nearly half (47%) of disabled working-age adults attribute their disability to mental health issues, making it the most prevalent impairment in this group .

Learning Disabilities: Studies indicate that over half (54%) of individuals with learning disabilities also experience mental health problems . 

Children: Children with learning disabilities are over four times more likely to have a mental health problem compared to their peers without such disability

These key statistics show how many people in each group suffer from mental health every year. Having such a traumatic surgery and life changing experience definitely caused mine as before my injury I showed no sign.

These are the things that I’ve suffered during my time as a wheelchair user.

Anxiety

Depression

Loneliness

Panic attacks

Social anxiety

These 5 things are what I have struggled with the most especially anxiety and loneliness. After becoming a wheelchair user I lost every single one of my friends and that hurt big time. I used to watch all of their social media’s thinking why weren’t you there for me when I needed you the most? Even my closets friends ditched me and I’ll never forgive them for that. I totally get it though. We were all young and what happened to me wasn’t easy. But I couldn’t come to terms with how they left me hanging like that like I didn’t matter to them how they were fake friends to me. So many questions kept running and running through my brain for about 3 years now this then began to cause loneliness and isolation because I felt like I was stuck. I didn’t know what to do. I hated who I was I hated my body and I had no confidence whatsoever.

In the early days of my injury I even wore sunglasses in doors when I was out and about so people wouldn’t recognise me. That’s how hard I got. Sometimes it was even hard to get out of bed most days because I would think, What’s the point? You know. It took me a good few years to get over this phase.

What’s my mental Heath like now?

So right now I do struggle but not nearly as much as I did back then. I still get a lot of stress and anxiety which tends to give me migraines and I hate migraines. I have to stay in bed with the room completely dark. It’s awful. But I’m so much more confident now with my body and I’m so much more confident going out and about than I was 8 years ago. I mean I hardly left the house but now I love traveling and visiting new places around the Uk. This year I’m going away to a different country for the first time and I’m so excited!

I do get a lot of social anxiety though when I go to places like bars and pubs but after a few drinks I settle down a bit. But honestly my mental health has improved so much lately and I’m so proud of myself with how far I’ve come.

So How did I Cope?

Many things have helped me cope in the past and even now like for example I love to journal document my life in note books. This doesn’t just help my emotional health but physically to because when I started out journaling in 2021, I couldn’t write at all with my left hand. You see before becoming paralysed I was right handed and I had to relearn everything using my left hand. So I practiced and practiced and practiced and now I’ve got like about 11 journals so far all written and I love it! It decently helps and you should try it!

Another thing that helps me cope is Music. I love listening to music when I’m alone in my room at night. It helps block out the loud voices in my head trying to escape. Especially green sound or meditation. Yes I admit I do meditate mostly every night before I go to bed. It’s really good for your self easteem.

Since 2023 I found out away to book concerts and festivals and honestly it’s the best thing that’s happened in my life. As you know accessible tickets are honestly so hard to get but I’ve managed to find a way to get around it.

People always ask me “why do I keep on spending money on concert tickets?” And the answer is always the same. Concerts make me feel alive make me feel free and forget about reality for a moment.

So yeah both music and journaling has definitely helped me throughout my journey and honestly I’m very grateful.

You are not alone?

If you’re living with mental health struggles — whether you have a disability or not — please hear me when I say: it’s okay.

It’s okay to have bad days.

It’s okay to find every day a challenge.

Talk to someone. A friend. A family member. Someone you trust. You can even reach out to me through my contact for on my page. I would love to help in anyway way possible. But just remember you are not alone.

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