Connections for Dwellers

Connections –

An Answer to Disability-Caused Isolation

Private Group(s)

Connections

Where people experiencing storms can safely and privately network with others in storms. A support group for invisibly disabled people fills the bill.

It Is A …

• … Place for you who live in the storms of ongoing physical challenges, especially when those difficulties affect how you live your life, to connect with others who are likewise challenged.
• … Support group for disabled people – even though we may not consider ourselves disabled.
• … Place to know you’re not the only one navigating your life through storms.
• … Place to share your story, whine a bit, rejoice in improvements, let off steam, ask questions, contribute tips for coping.
  • Have a great doc visit?
  • See a ridiculous doc?
  • Get bad news?
  • Funny family incident?
  • Need prayer?
  • Big things or small.
  • Whatever’s on your heart.
• … Safe, private, supportive environment for you with physical challenges. (In a closed Facebook group, your posts cannot be seen by anyone except group members and are not picked up by Google, etc.)

How to Connect with a Support Group for Invisibly Disabled

• For Facebook groups, sign in and search for a name or subjects.
  • Ask to join. The admin will contact you.
  • Be sure it is a closed or even private group, if you need privacy.
• Some ideas:
  • Medical Musing with Friends. Large membership. Very active. For anyone connected to chronic problems–affected person, caregivers. Place to vent and to share good things.
  • Rest Ministries Sunroom. Very large and active. Anyone suffering. Each post must be approved by an admin.
  • Search for groups by disease name. Many such groups exist.
    • For example, Sjogren’s Christian Support for Christians who have Sjogren’s. Very large and active.

A Few Ground Rules

• Privacy is paramount so people can feel free to confidently post their experiences; therefore, groups expect all members to value everyone’s privacy by not reposting or sharing the information with others.
• Respect for others is important.
• Remember this is the internet and although the private groups take every effort to keep things private, there are no guarantees.

Looking for Connections

Connections was born of my own sense of isolation. Since my strength and endurance are severely limited, my social interaction with others is restricted. Family, some friends, and Church once a week constitute my social dealings. I so long for meaningful contact with other people. From this longing came the realization that there must be more people out there like me. Ones who can’t be involved in normal life because of physical limitations. People who live with pain and weakness. Others who feel lonely. People who need connections with a real, live person. Consequently, I began looking for ways to connect with others who might also be feeling isolated.

I realized these connections could not come through personal contacts such as visits with friends, support groups, Bible studies, Church work or helping others through volunteering. About fifteen years ago, though, I discovered that the computer opened up a completely new world! Hand weakness and loss of control progressed enough that handwriting became difficult; however, I retained enough ability to use the computer on a limited basis. Thus, it seemed logical to use it as a way to connect with others. Posting on Facebook walls wasn’t an answer because of lack of privacy; also, it could increase your loneliness if no one commented on your posts. Additionally, you wouldn’t want to publicly post very personal information. –Connected Carole