Disability Related Issues

Disability can come with mental, physical, emotional, financial and relationship issues. A health problem that keeps a person from functioning properly has the ability to hinder that person's personal life, his career and his ability to care for himself. A strong support group is essential to keep these issues from becoming a hindrance. A strong support group should also help him adjust to his disability.

Mobility

• Many physical disabilities cause mobility issues for the disabled. These issues range from fine-motor-skill problems to an inability to move. There are tools, such as wheelchairs, to help the disabled be mobile. However, these tools often do not suffice to end mobility limitations. Some buildings and areas are not wheelchair accessible. Furthermore, the mobility limitations that some disabilities cause are insurmountable without the help of others, which means having to rely on another person to get around.

Social Stigma

• Disabled people often have to cope with the social stigma that comes with their disabilities. Unsympathetic people may treat disabled people poorly, stare at them or make jokes at their expense. For people whose mental disabilities have emotional ties -- as seen in major depression and anxiety -- the lack of visible physical symptoms leads to the idea that they are faking their illnesses. In addition, mocking the behavior of mentally disabled people is common among certain groups. It is not the mentally disabled people's disabilities that cause this stigma, but the fact that they are different.

Finances

• Having a disability can be expensive. Medications, doctor visits, therapy and loss of wages contribute to the financial issues of having a disability. A disability may even make it impossible to work, which makes paying for treatment more difficult. According to a 2009-2010 CRS report to Congress, 13 percent of all homeless people have disabilities and 26 percent have chronic mental illnesses.

Relationships

• Disabilities can affect relationships by putting strain on existing relationships or making it difficult to form new ones. Some disabled people need frequent care that loved ones often give. The stress of caring for disabled people may cause caretakers to become angry or resentful. The plight of disabled people may cause them to become angry or resentful. Relationships can suffer in either scenario.

  Forming new relationships can be hard for disabled people because many people choose not to enter relationships with disabled people. Their reasons typically involve social stigma or the knowledge of the stress that may come with such relationships.