Living With Dynamic Disabilities: The Reality Behind the Good Days:
Living With Dynamic Disabilities: The Reality Behind the Good Days:
One of the most frustrating things about living with a dynamic disability is that people often judge your entire life based on a single moment they happen to witness.
If they see you smiling, attending an event, advocating, creating content, going shopping, walking a short distance, or enjoying yourself, they assume you're fine.
What they don't see is what happened before that moment, or what happens afterwards.
They don't see the chronic pain that keeps you awake at night.
They don't see the fatigue that can leave you needing days to recover from a few hours of activity.
They don't see the dizziness, brain fog, sensory overwhelm, anxiety, mobility struggles, joint instability, or the countless calculations disabled people make every day just to participate in society.
As someone living with multiple disabilities and chronic health conditions, my abilities are not the same every day. Sometimes they're not even the same every hour.
I might manage a meeting in the morning and spend the afternoon unable to function.
I might attend an event one day and need several days to recover afterwards.
I might use a walking stick one day, a mobility scooter the next, and manage without either on another day.
None of those things cancel each other out.
Disability isn't a straight line.
Many people still view disability through a very outdated lens. They expect it to be visible, obvious, and consistent. If someone doesn't fit that stereotype, they're questioned, judged, or accused of exaggerating.
The reality is that many disabilities are dynamic. Conditions such as autism, ADHD, chronic pain conditions, POTS, hypermobility syndromes, autoimmune conditions, neurological conditions, mental health conditions, and many others can fluctuate significantly.
Having a good day doesn't mean someone is cured.
Being productive doesn't mean someone isn't struggling.
Being able to do something once doesn't mean they can do it repeatedly.
Smiling doesn't mean they aren't in pain.
This misunderstanding creates additional barriers for disabled people. We often find ourselves having to explain, justify, defend, and prove our disabilities to others simply because our struggles don't fit their expectations.
The truth is that disabled people shouldn't have to perform suffering to be believed.
We shouldn't have to look unwell every second of the day to access support.
We shouldn't have to apologise for making the most of the moments when our health allows us to live, create, work, volunteer, socialise, or pursue our goals.
A dynamic disability means uncertainty. It means adapting constantly. It means learning to work with your body rather than against it. It means recognising that your limits may change from day to day and giving yourself permission to respect those limits without guilt.
Most importantly, it means understanding that disability is not defined by what someone can do on their best day.
It's defined by the challenges they face across all their days.
So the next time you see a disabled person having a good day, remember that you are only seeing a snapshot of their life, not the whole picture.
A little understanding goes a long way.
A little kindness goes even further.
Sarah Wingfield ❤️
Actor • Author • Advocate
KawaiiDollDecora.uk
#DynamicDisability #DynamicDisabilities #DisabilityAwareness #InvisibleDisability #DisabilityAdvocate #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #AutismAcceptance #ADHDAwareness #POTS #Hypermobility #AccessibilityMatters #InclusionMatters #Neurodiversity #DisabledAndProud #DisabilityRights #SpoonieLife #ChronicCondition #Advocacy #SarahWingfield
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A bright pink disability awareness graphic featuring a large heart-shaped disability symbol and educational text about dynamic disabilities. The infographic explains that disabilities can fluctuate from day to day and may not always be visible. Hearts and sparkles decorate the design alongside messages promoting patience, kindness, understanding, accessibility, and respect for people living with dynamic and invisible disabilities. The graphic is branded with Sarah Wingfield's name and advocacy website.
