Progress Lifeline (2021) explains:
“Invisible disabilities, also known as Hidden Disabilities or Non-visible Disabilities, are disabilities that are not immediately apparent. Typically, they are chronic illnesses and conditions that significantly impair normal activities of daily living.
Living with these conditions can make daily life more demanding for many people. They affect each person in different ways and can be painful, exhausting, and isolating. Without visible evidence of the hidden disability, it is frequently difficult for others to acknowledge the challenges faced and as a consequence, sympathy and understanding can often be in short supply.
Examples of Hidden Disabilities
While this list is by no means exhaustive, some examples of hidden disabilities include:
- Autism
- Brain injuries
- Crohn’s Disease
- Chronic pain
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Depression, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and other mental health conditions
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Learning difficulties, including dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, and language processing disorder
- Lupus
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Visual and auditory disabilities. These could be considered visible if the person with the disability didn’t wear support aids such as glasses or hearing aids”.
In this video, students at the University of Southampton (UK) talk about the Hidden Disabilities they live with every day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENzHs8yjtg4
Source
Living with hidden disabilities:
https://www.progresslifeline.org.uk/news/living-with-hidden-disabilities