A Response from Experience: Separating Physical Disability and Mental Illness in the Workplace Conversation
As a severely physically disabled person who works full-time, I know firsthand how much misinformation surrounds disability and employment. I’ve been told countless times that I can’t work, not because of my own abilities, but because society isn’t built to accommodate people like me. The problem isn’t a lack of capability—it’s a lack of imagination, accessibility, and willingness to create inclusive workplaces.
However, what concerns me most in discussions about disability and employment is the continued conflation of physical disability with mental illness. These are two completely different experiences, requiring entirely separate systems of support. While there may be some areas of overlap, the assumption that all disabled people require the same interventions ignores the complexities of both physical and mental health.
For physically disabled people, the primary barriers to employment are external: inaccessible workplaces, rigid working structures, and employers who assume we are too much effort to accommodate. Our struggles are practical, logistical, and systemic. We need physical accessibility, adaptive technology, remote work options, and flexible support systems. These are tangible, implementable solutions that would allow more disabled people to work and thrive.
Mental illness, on the other hand, demands a different approach—one that focuses on individualized medical care, mental health resources, and workplace policies that address psychological well-being. The support for someone struggling with depression or anxiety is not the same as the support needed for a wheelchair user who cannot physically access their office. Combining these conversations dilutes the effectiveness of both.
The biggest failure in these discussions is the absence of lived experience. Time and time again, decisions about disabled people are made without us. Non-disabled policymakers, employers, and commentators dominate the narrative, dictating what we can and cannot do based on outdated assumptions rather than reality. The result? A system that continues to exclude and devalue disabled workers.
If we want real progress, we need to be in the room. Our voices must shape the policies that impact us. Nothing about us without us. That is the only way to build a system based on understanding, rather than outdated perceptions of our worth.
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