1. What could your school/work & peers do to become more friendly to your disability?

"I believe that my peers are actually pretty friendly to the fact that I have OCD. It's just another part of me. However, school and organizations based around school often take too long to process claims for disability plans like 504's and extra time. There needs to be a better system." Linda, person with OCD, 18

"I wish it was more acceptable to have different kinds of furniture in classrooms. Some beanbag chairs or couches or something interesting would really help me give my full attention because A) It gives the class a level of novelty that will hold my attention and B) It will ease some of my back/joint pain, removing a possible distraction from the lesson and C) Fun textures that can be used as a stand in for fidget toys." Moss, person with ADHD

"I kind of try to deal with the burden of my mental illnesses alone, and don't often expect any sort of assistance or accommodation from my school or peers. It would be unfair to say that they are unfriendly to my conditions-- certainly I could reach out and I'm sure they'd be kind and helpful about it-- but I guess I find it difficult to ask for help or accommodation so maybe they could consider being openly willing to help and maybe even reaching out" Person with OCD

"I'd really appreciate it if people just asked when they didn't know how best to support me or didn't understand my need for an accommodation! I'm always happy to educate if we're close or you're supporting me. It's okay to admit that you don't know and take it as an opportunity to learn." Anna, person with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Quick Facts

What is Ehlers-Danlos?

A disorder that affects the joints, blood vessel walls, and skin. Many people with Ehlers-Danlos experience devastating symptoms such as ruptured blood vessels, easily dislocated bones, and extreme exhaustion.

What is OCD?

OCD is a disorder marked by anxiety-inducing intrusive thoughts, and a failure to act on these thoughts will often cause the person to experience extreme anxiety.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is a disorder caused by a lack of a chemical called dopamine in the brain. This lack of dopamine causes people with ADHD to focus on unnecessary tasks, experience restlessness, and/or problems focusing on a present task.

"OCD can be managed but it never goes away. When I was first diagnosed, it was very bad and my OCD stopped me from eating at restaurants and fast food places. Even though I try to go against my OCD, I still have major problems eating at other people's houses and eating around other people. I also don't like to touch food with my hands. COVID has also been hard for me to deal with since my OCD makes me scared of getting sick. I haven't gone into a grocery store since March 2020 because of fears around COVID." Linda, person with OCD, 18

"I have been guilt-ridden and riddled with anxiety from a young age because I couldn't do the things that were asked of me because of executive disfunction. Nobody took the time to listen to me or give me the language to describe my experiences, so I've always thought it was my fault or that I was just broken on a fundamental level." Moss, person with ADHD

"I'm too anxious to normally function for a lot of my day and I spend a lot of time laying in bed. My anxiety, OCD, and depression became significantly worse because of the pandemic, especially because I've gotten COVID twice and appear to suffer from long-term symptoms as a result, which has seriously exacerbated anxieties about my health. I feel like a much more hollow version of my former self and have gone from adventurous and ambitious to constantly in mortal fear." Person with OCD

"My life has a lot of extra hurdles in it that others don't face. I have to pre-plan everything and adjust to the limitations of my body. I deal with a lot of pain and fatigue which I have to accommodate and there's some activities I just can't do. I still live a happy and full life, but it takes patience and hard work that non-disabled people don't have to consider." Anna, person with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

"I think living with OCD is worse than neurotypicals can even imagine. For me, I don't feel like I'm suffering as much because I've been living with OCD for a few years. However, your OCD is always with you. I feel burnt out most days even though my OCD is under control. I try to fight but it's hard." Linda, person with OCD, 18

"I am not lazy. I do not use my ADHD as a "get out of responsibility" card. I am not broken. I am not stupid. I am just a person who has a brain that works differently than others." Moss, person with ADHD

"How real it is to me and how much it genuinely affects my ability to live my life like normal. I've kind of fallen out with a lot of people due to my anxiety, depression, and the pandemic, and I guess I hope they understand it's not about them as I miss a lot of my old friends." Person with OCD

"I wish they knew that even if I "look fine" I'm constantly in pain and fatigued. It takes me a lot more effort to do the things that come easily to you so cut me some slack when it seems like I'm being "lazy"!" Anna, person with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Voices of People With Disabilities

What's it like to live with ADHD?

1. What could your school/work & peers do to become more friendly to your disability?

Quick Facts

What is Ehlers-Danlos?

What is OCD?

What is ADHD?

2. How does your disability make your life different from able-bodied/neurotypical people's lives?

3. What do you wish people without your disability could understand about living with your disability?

Quick Facts

What is Neurodiversity?