Another blog up now!!!

girlinawheelchair

Hi,
I hope everyone is doing okay and managing with lockdown okay. My newest blog is up now and in this one I tackle the topic of ableism, I hope you enjoy and feel free to share in order to spread the knowledge ? 

https://girlwithwheels.wordpress.com/2020/07/10/ableism-what-is-it-and-how-can-you-help/ 

Oxonlady

Hi, girlinawheelchair. I enjoyed reading your blog. 

As you say, everyone is different and what might be ok for one person might offend another. For example, if someone said to me "Can I pray for you" and they meant well as opposed to being sarcastic, I would say "Yes please!".

I understand well about ableism. 
When I've been to Outpatients for example, the receptionist will ask my Carer "What's her name?". As if being in a wheelchair means that I wouldn't even know my own name! I always challenge this of course!

Also, what really upset me was when a doctor assumed that I'm in a wheelchair because I'm "obese". No doctor if you had bothered to ask me, I would have told you that after a series of spinal operations that have left me barely able to move and having been on steroids for 15 years has meant that the weight has piled on and I can't exactly exercise it away...

Wishing you all the best with your new blog, girlina wheelchair. 

girlinawheelchair

@Oxonlady thank you for taking the time to read and share your experiences, I completely understand what you mean with the receptionists as I have had several of the same experiences.

leeCal

Hi @girlinawheelchair I’ve  had similar experiences within mental health, in fact some years ago my family would often talk about me as though I wasn’t there. Very upsetting and debilitating.

girlinawheelchair

leeCal said:

Hi @girlinawheelchair I’ve  had similar experiences within mental health, in fact some years ago my family would often talk about me as though I wasn’t there. Very upsetting and debilitating.

I'm so sorry you've had those experiences, I won't pretend to know what that was like for but I can imagine it made things much harder.

Oxonlady

leeCal and girlinawheekchair, Some time ago a researcher went undercover, as a patient on a psychiatric ward. What they reported made grim reading. The nurses largely ignored the patients, talked amongst themselves as if the patients were not there, one nurse even adjusted her stockings in front of patients - something she would not have done on a general ward and there was a very much "them and us" attitude. Though I have to say that I have experienced appalling behaviour by nurses on general wards, too!
My point is that if psychiatric nurses display such ignorance, what hope is there for the rest of society?
We really do need to have a proper mental health campaign to raise awareness. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are trying to get people to discuss mental health but it will take a great deal of effort to educate the masses. 
Let's hope things will improve but meanwhile, I do understand and I do empathise. 

katho31

A great insight @Oxonlady, totally agree with what you have written  also heres hoping things do improve, i and many others have also had appalling attitudes, however, there are lots of good mental health units too, everyones experience is different but when youve witnessed, as i have, bad behaviour it can be demoralising and degrading. chat soon, best wishes also  and empathy is a lovely trait 

leeCal

Totally agree @Oxonlady, sounds as though the documentary displayed typical behaviour. 
It’s good that people de-stigmatise mental health issues amongst the general public but actually mental health staff need to adjust as well especially with regard to psychiatric wards.

Chloe_Alumni

Thanks for sharing @girlinawheelchair!