Players with disabilities, represent & share your feels!

[Ceridwenae]

Ohai! I have photo-sensitive epilepsy, meaning light frequencies and patterns can be problematic. I'm actually very lucky: these days I don't have so much of an issue as I did when I was younger, owing to technological advances and a decent pair of sunglasses. I still hate black and white stripes and patterns with a passion and the sun has conspired with trees and tried on several occasions to murder me (it may sound like a joke because of how I've worded it, but it's quite true), so even with the sunglasses I like to avoid strong daylight, sunshine, and black and white striped jumpers*. I play computer games because I got told I couldn't when a teen. I wasn't even allowed to learn basic computing skills properly, and only got around to it in my last year at university because handwriting a dissertation (minimum 10000 words) wasn't enticing. I acquired a filter screen and haven't looked back - except for moments like this, when I'm writing about it. I try not to be angry about how it was dealt with - I think kids today getting diagnosed have a much better network of understanding to support them - but sometimes it still sizzles a little. Then I get in a game and murder a dragon or some such. That usually helps.

I've also got some arthritis going on in the hands, and a damaged back from years of falls and incidents (a combination of being clumsy AF and seizures is not a happy combination). Also social anxiety, I suspect from having the epilepsy and the fun of throwing seizures in the classroom or being facially injured from a seizure and suddenly having no friends for a week or so afterwards. If I have too much adrenalin going, from the anxiety, for example panicking in a dungeon, I will physically be shaking, and may even get shooting, paralysing pains up my spine. It's tedious, I hate it, and I have to calm myself down by giving myself a good talking to.


* I believe they have always been, and will continue to be, a fashion faux pas. And that's the least of my worries regarding that article of clothing.

[manamoppet]

I have a diagnosed chronic depression (dysthymia) and two auto-immune diseases. Recently there's also (undiagnosed) piriformis that comes and goes. Throughout the year I also get what I'd call double depression (depression on top of the chronic).

One of the auto-immune diseases is type 1 diabetes (I don't produce insulin), and blood sugar can affect many things (not a joke). There are times I've approached or had low blood sugar while playing, but being the healer I feel bad about leaving a group hanging, so I try to stay until the end even at the detriment to my health. Luckily I haven't been dangerously low while playing FFXIV yet. The other is celiac disease. One might think celiac disease don't affect someone much (today), but even a small food contamination can ruin a whole day/night (think fatigue with low cont., and food-poisoning for higher cont.). Both diagnoses contribute to never-ending fatigue from the dysthymia that takes time to recover somewhat from.

Looking forward to playing FFXIV (and other games), and reading, through the years keeps me going.

[EvalcieChevallier]

I'm so awed by all the replies I thought this was going to be ignored.

[Insertcoins]

I dunno if this counts. But buck it. I have Major Depression and PTSD. My Depression and part of my PTSD was from a horrible child hood of abuse. LEts just say being locked in a basement for the summer and thrown out a 3rd story window isn't fun for a 7 year old. The major PTSD comes from battle overseas and being shot and blown up. Like I said... I dunno if any of that counts persay but because of those things I can't work and it has made me extremely blunt to the point I don't understand emotions. - Thanks mom. :/ - Like affection is HARD. Don't abuse your kids people, it really does mess them up as adults and there's no recoverly alot of times. - speaks from experience.-

[EvalcieChevallier]

I dunno if this counts. But buck it. I have Major Depression and PTSD. My Depression and part of my PTSD was from a horrible child hood of abuse. LEts just say being locked in a basement for the summer and thrown out a 3rd story window isn't fun for a 7 year old. The major PTSD comes from battle overseas and being shot and blown up. Like I said... I dunno if any of that counts persay but because of those things I can't work and it has made me extremely blunt to the point I don't understand emotions. - Thanks mom. :/ - Like affection is HARD. Don't abuse your kids people, it really does mess them up as adults and there's no recoverly alot of times. - speaks from experience.-

That counts and damn, hugs and cookies are offered if you want them. I'm so sorry.

[Zephanoa]

Glad at the response this has brought.

I suffer from anxiety and depression, with moderate hearing loss in both ears. It's a challenge to do things like raids and outs in discord because of it.

For those of you who face similar issues never let it hold you back. I am an FC leader, a tank main, and a Savage Raider. You can do anything in this game you set your mind to do.

<3

[SerLuke]

I dunno if this counts. But buck it. I have Major Depression and PTSD. My Depression and part of my PTSD was from a horrible child hood of abuse. LEts just say being locked in a basement for the summer and thrown out a 3rd story window isn't fun for a 7 year old. The major PTSD comes from battle overseas and being shot and blown up. Like I said... I dunno if any of that counts persay but because of those things I can't work and it has made me extremely blunt to the point I don't understand emotions. - Thanks mom. :/ - Like affection is HARD. Don't abuse your kids people, it really does mess them up as adults and there's no recoverly alot of times. - speaks from experience.-

I have major depression as well, you aren’t alone friend. Therapy has helped me a lot with it but I def still struggle with it but it doesn’t last as long as it used to and doesn’t cut down as deep as it used to. I’m very sorry for the abuse you suffered though =( my dad wasn’t physically abusive but he rarely had anything nice to but was really good at pointing out my faults... he was a provider and I’m grateful for not ever been in need of food or shelter but emotionally... yeah

[Izanagi_Fiaresu]

A lot of people are glad of an autism diagnosis, and probably have it because they sought it out for official confirmation.

The increasing amount of diagnoses is to do with awareness of it in the first place, and perhaps increased willingness to talk about it.

Knowing we have a condition and how it affects us is important. It helps us to understand how our brains work, and what we need to look out for.


The terminology has shifted too. I have Asperger's, which used to be set apart as the "high-functioning" end of the autism spectrum, but now has officially been merged in and it's all just "autism" regardless of the degree. I'm not sure I like that, and prefer to stick to the original term.

Autism is the new ADHD/ADD in the fact its way over diagnosed. There doesn't have to be a diagnosis for everything. Some people are not social butterflies and its okay. I'll link you to a study later on that said (paraphrasing of course) that with the rise of the itnernet and online communities Autism has increased as well. You have to learn to socialize like anything else in life. And when people shut themselves in to play video games/watch anime/ and not hang around people? That causes social ignorance. Autism is very real, and very debilitating, but what used to be called Aspergers? now ASD? Was too common to make sense.

[SerLuke]

Autism is the new ADHD/ADD in the fact its way over diagnosed. There doesn't have to be a diagnosis for everything. Some people are not social butterflies and its okay. I'll link you to a study later on that said (paraphrasing of course) that with the rise of the itnernet and online communities Autism has increased as well. You have to learn to socialize like anything else in life. And when people shut themselves in to play video games/watch anime/ and not hang around people? That causes social ignorance. Autism is very real, and very debilitating, but what used to be called Aspergers? now ASD? Was too common to make sense.

Hey I really don’t think this is the place to be discussing this, this is a thread for people who have disabilities and want to support each other, not debate who or who doesn’t have autism

[EusisLandale]

Hey I really don’t think this is the place to be discussing this, this is a thread for people who have disabilities and want to support each other, not debate who or who doesn’t have autism

Addressing the fact that some diagnoses are handed out like candy is support.
Some doctors are just awful and hand out whatever's trendy so they can get you on whatever meds will get them good money or keep you coming in for therapy for nothing and ultimately cause far more harm than good. I spent a good chunk of my childhood getting passed around between doctors and they'd come up with some BS to stuff me on a pill or two, then the next would give a diagnosis for the side effects of the pills, keep me on them, and add on a few more. Eventually I was on so much conflicting drugs that I snapped and tried to kill my family, spent quite a bit of time locked up in a psych ward, got put on even more pills, before finally getting a doctor who looked at all this and just had me quit all of it immediately.
At this point all I've got is manageable schizophrenia, but I'd still be better off if they hadn't broken me in the first place. Can't say if the damage helped that develop or not, but I have a hard time trusting doctors anymore and avoid medicating things unless my life is on the line.