Can you see your invisibly disabled friend needs help in his storms?
Before you offer help, answer these questions.
- How well do you know your friend?
- You know she dwells in storms, but do others?
- Does he want others to know? Is she a private person?
- Or does he not care who knows?
These answers can guide your decision.
One very private person doesn’t want others to know about his Parkinson’s. There might be several reasons for that. Maybe she doesn’t want her employers to know. Maybe he has all the help he needs. Possibly she just doesn’t want to talk about it. Whatever the reason, respect his wishes. Just be a good friend.
Invisibly disabled friends ... and family ... even acquaintances or strangers
Your relationship may be with a friend, acquaintance, or family member. These tips apply to any of these. But these ideas may not apply to a stranger. Some things are inappropriate to ask someone you don’t know. Although applying these suggestions to an acquaintance may net you a new friend!
So, how do you get to know your friend better as regarding help?
Disabled World raises a great point: “If you are aware that a person has a form of invisible disability, the best tactic may be to simply speak with the person and ask them what they are able to do and what they cannot do.”
What can you do?
- Understand your friend’s condition. Research it. Only ask questions if she seems open.
- Believe your friend. It may seem unreal to you, but he lives with it constantly.
- Listen to his words. And pay attention to body language.
- Observe her actions. Watch how he interacts with others.
These may seem like simple approaches, but sometimes they can be difficult to put in practice.
Enjoy your relationships.
And, hopefully, your friends will receive the help they need. … You can always pray.
