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Youth disability support groups... Anyone had a similar experience?

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  • 30-08-2012 12:23am
    #1
    Alannah Gallagher
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭


    I went to one last week, it was the first time I went to anything like this alone. Some of the people there were recently disabled so I understand they are still adapting and since I never had proper control of my fingers it is all I've ever know so maybe I'm being a bit insensitive, but I hated it.

    I expected it to be a support group where people would understand where each other were coming from and be helpful and have advice of how they'd coped with issues other people were having now. It wasn't anything like that. I know this sounds horrible but it was the "Let's feel sorry for ourselves club".

    I don't know how much sense this makes, but I'm Alannah, a 13 year old girl who just happens to have a disability. I'm not a "Disabled 13 year old girl who just happens to be called Alannah". My disability is not my identity.

    I want support and advice. I don't feel sorry for myself and I don't want other people to feel sorry for me either.


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    #2
    SerialComplaint
    Registered Users Posts: 2,644 ✭✭✭SerialComplaint


    I've no direct experience of these groups, but I'm wondering if you might be able to bring about some change from the inside. Perhaps the other attendees have never been encouraged to think independently? Maybe if you were to voice the concerns that you mention in post at the next group meeting, you might spark off something?


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    #3
    Maryanne40
    Registered Users Posts: 317 ✭✭Maryanne40


    Alannah, remember that disability is a terrible shock initially...I lost a leg at 16 on a day when I had played two hockey matches earlier....I thought I would never recover...but of course I did and now it is something I hardly think about. You sound very mature for a 13 year old and I'm sure you could change attitudes from within and be a positive role model for recently injured people. Have you been looking at the paralympics and would you consider getting involved in sport?....Those people don't have time to feel sorry for themselves and I'm sure you could make a contribution there.


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    #4
    random.stranger
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭random.stranger


    Alannah, you sound like a great girl with a can-do attitude. I think you would definately be a loss to the group if you left it. Maybe you could hang in there for a little bit longer?

    While there may be two or three people in a group who are more outspoken & need to get some things off their chest, maybe some of the quieter people in the group feel the same as you. If you can spot a few people that don't say a lot during the official group meeting times, maybe you could try to chat with them one-to-one before/after the group times to see how you get along with them.

    As Maryanne40 has referred to: the paralympics seem to have grabbed the public's attention & inspired people, maybe there are some people in the group that may be interested in doing sports/activities with you & forming more positive friendships.


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